How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA Format

How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA Format

This guide explains how to cite a journal article in MLA format (Modern Language Association). It’s aimed at students, researchers, and writers who need clear, reliable citation instructions for essays, research papers, and bibliographies.

MLA is commonly used in the humanities—especially literature, language, and cultural studies. Below you’ll find general rules, step-by-step examples for multiple source types, in-text citation guidance, a sample Works Cited entry, common mistakes to avoid, and quick tools to speed the process.

General Rules

MLA uses a consistent author–title system with brief parenthetical in-text citations and a full alphabetical Works Cited list at the end. The current standard is MLA 9, which clarifies digital-source formatting and DOI usage.

• Use author’s full name as given; invert the first author (Last, First) in the Works Cited entry.
• Italicize titles of journals, books, and websites; place article and chapter titles in quotation marks.
• Include DOIs for journal articles when available. If no DOI exists, include a stable URL (without "https://").
• Double-space the Works Cited and use a hanging indent for each entry.

Key punctuation and order for journal articles

Typical structure: Author. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol. X, no. Y, Year, pp. start–end. DOI/URL.

How to Cite by Source Type

This section gives step-by-step formats and examples. For quick results, use Rephrasely’s free citation generator at https://rephrasely.com/citation.

1. Journal Article (Print)

Format:

Example:

2. Journal Article (Online with DOI)

Format:

Example:

3. Journal Article (Online without DOI)

Format:

Example:

4. Book

For comparison and common cross-references, here’s the book format.

Example:

5. Chapter or Essay in an Edited Collection

Example:

6. Website Article or Webpage

Format:

Example:

In-Text Citations

MLA uses parenthetical citations consisting of the author’s last name and the page number, without a comma. If there is no page number, use only the author’s last name.

• Basic: (Smith 56)
• No page numbers (online): (Garcia)
• Two authors: (Smith and Chen 78)
• Three or more authors: (Brown et al. 45)

Place the in-text citation at the end of the quoted or paraphrased material, before the period. If you name the author in the sentence, include only the page number in parentheses: Smith argues that... (56).

Reference List (Works Cited)

Title the list "Works Cited" and center it at the top of the page. Alphabetize entries by the author’s last name and use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches.

Formatting checklist:

• Double-space the entire list.
• Use italics for book and journal titles.
• Include DOI where possible; otherwise, use a URL without "https://".
• For multiple works by the same author, replace the author name with three hyphens after the first entry.

Sample Works Cited

This sample shows three common entry types—book, online journal without DOI, and online journal with DOI. Use the exact punctuation and order shown above for MLA compliance.

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors that cost points and reduce credibility.

1. Incorrect author order or punctuation. Make sure the first author is inverted (Last, First) and additional authors remain First Last.
2. Missing DOI or unstable URL. Always prefer DOI when available. If using a URL, choose the stable version (not a session or tracking link).
3. Misplaced quotation marks and italics. Article titles need quotation marks; journal titles are italicized.
4. Improper in-text citation format. Use author and page number only—do not include year in parentheses (that style is APA).

Actionable tip: run your finished Works Cited through a checker to catch formatting slip-ups. Rephrasely offers a free citation generator and additional tools like a plagiarism checker, AI writer (Composer), and an AI detector to validate writing originality.

Practical Steps to Create a Correct MLA Journal Citation

1. Identify the elements: author(s), article title, journal title, volume, issue, year, pages, DOI/URL.
2. Follow the MLA order and punctuation exactly: Author. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol. X, no. Y, Year, pp. Start–End. DOI/URL.
3. Format the Works Cited entry with hanging indent and double spacing.
4. Insert an in-text citation like (Author page) after the quoted or paraphrased material.
5. Verify the entry using a citation tool—try Rephrasely’s free citation generator to auto-format entries and reduce manual errors.

Final Checks Before Submission

• Confirm all author names are spelled correctly and match between in-text and Works Cited entries.
• Ensure consistency: same font, double-spacing, correct hanging indent.
• Verify DOIs/URLs are functional and point to the intended article.
• Run a plagiarism check if you paraphrased heavily—use Rephrasely’s plagiarism checker to be safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I format a journal article with two authors in MLA?

List both authors in the Works Cited entry with the first author inverted: Smith, John, and Emily Clark. "Title of Article." Journal, vol. 5, no. 2, 2020, pp. 10–25. For in-text citations, use (Smith and Clark 15).

Should I include the DOI or URL when citing an online journal article?

Always include the DOI if one exists; it’s the most stable identifier. If no DOI is available, include a stable URL (omit "https://"). MLA recommends DOIs whenever possible.

Can I use a citation generator to create Works Cited entries?

Yes—citation generators can save time and reduce errors. For best results, use a reputable tool like Rephrasely’s free citation generator, then manually verify punctuation, italics, and author order. Complement this with the AI detector, AI writer, or plagiarism checker as needed.