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MLA journal article citation
The MLA 9th edition format for a journal article, a finished example, and a generator below that fills it in for you.
Author Last, First, and First Last. “Title of Article.” Journal Name, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X–X, https://doi.org/xxxx.
Watson, James D., and Francis H. C. Crick. “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid.” Nature, vol. 171, no. 4356, 25 Apr. 1953, pp. 737–38, https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0.
Parenthetical: (Watson and Crick 45)
Watch out: Label volume, issue and pages: vol. 171, no. 4356, pp. 737–38. For numbers above 99, give only the last two digits of the second page if the rest are the same.
Your citation types itself here as you fill in the form — or auto-fill it above.
Formatting runs in your browser. Auto-fill uses Crossref (DOI), Open Library and Google Books (ISBN) and the page’s own metadata (URL). Always check against the source.
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Tips for citing a journal article
- Always use the DOI when there is one, written as https://doi.org/… — it replaces the database URL.
- APA italicises the journal name and the volume number, but not the issue: Nature, 171(4356).
- Use an en dash (–) in page ranges. The generator converts hyphens for you.
- APA 7 lists up to 20 authors in the reference list; MLA switches to “et al.” at three or more.
See this source in all four styles side by side: how to cite a journal article. For the rest of the paper, read the MLA format guide.
MLA journal article citation questions
What is the MLA format for a journal article?
Author Last, First, and First Last. “Title of Article.” Journal Name, vol. X, no. X, Year, pp. X–X, https://doi.org/xxxx.
What do students most often get wrong?
Label volume, issue and pages: vol. 171, no. 4356, pp. 737–38. For numbers above 99, give only the last two digits of the second page if the rest are the same.
Where is the DOI?
Usually on the first page of the article PDF, near the top or bottom, or in the database record. It starts with 10. followed by a slash.
Do I include the database name (JSTOR, EBSCO)?
Not in APA 7 or Harvard. MLA 9 lets you add the database as a second container when there is no DOI. Chicago prefers the DOI, then a stable URL.
What about an article with no volume or issue?
Leave them out. Some online-only journals use an article number instead of pages; put it where the page range would go.