How to Cite a Journal Article in ACS (3rd Edition)

This guide explains how to format a journal article citation in ACS (3rd Edition). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a journal article in ACS (3rd Edition):

Template

Author, A. A.; Author, B. B. Title of Article. *J. Abbrev.* **Year**, *Volume*, Pages.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

¹ (superscript number)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Chen, L.; Yamamoto, K. Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Phosphines. *J. Am. Chem. Soc.* **2023**, *145*, 8921--8930.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the authors
Write each author's last name followed by a comma and initials (no periods between initials in some ACS variants, but periods are common). Separate multiple authors with semicolons.
2
Write the article title
Use headline-style capitalization. Do not place the title in quotation marks. End with a period.
3
Add the abbreviated journal name
Italicize the standard CASSI journal abbreviation. Follow with the publication year in bold.
4
Include volume and pages
Italicize the volume number. Follow with a comma and the page range. End with a period.
5
Add DOI if available
If citing the online version, include the DOI as a URL after the page range.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using full journal names instead of standard chemical abbreviations.
Forgetting to italicize the journal abbreviation and volume number.
Using parenthetical author-date citations instead of superscript numbers.
Placing the year at the end of the reference instead of after the journal abbreviation.
Omitting the semicolons between multiple authors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find the correct journal abbreviation for ACS style?

Use the CAS Source Index (CASSI) search tool at cassi.cas.org. Standard chemical abbreviations are required, e.g., Journal of the American Chemical Society becomes J. Am. Chem. Soc.

How do superscript numbers work in ACS in-text citations?

Number each reference in the order it first appears in the text. Place the superscript number at the end of the relevant clause or sentence, after any punctuation. Subsequent references to the same source reuse the original number.

Can I use author-date citations in ACS style?

ACS supports three in-text citation formats: superscript numbers (most common), italic numbers in parentheses, and author-date. Check your target journal's guidelines, but superscript numbering is the default.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your journal article:

Author(s)
Year of publication
Article title
Journal name
Volume number
Issue number
Page range
DOI or URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

List the authors

Write each author's last name followed by a comma and initials (no periods between initials in some ACS variants, but periods are common). Separate multiple authors with semicolons.

Write the article title

Use headline-style capitalization. Do not place the title in quotation marks. End with a period.

Add the abbreviated journal name

Italicize the standard CASSI journal abbreviation. Follow with the publication year in bold.

Include volume and pages

Italicize the volume number. Follow with a comma and the page range. End with a period.

Add DOI if available

If citing the online version, include the DOI as a URL after the page range.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using full journal names instead of standard chemical abbreviations.

Forgetting to italicize the journal abbreviation and volume number.

Using parenthetical author-date citations instead of superscript numbers.

Placing the year at the end of the reference instead of after the journal abbreviation.

Omitting the semicolons between multiple authors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find the correct journal abbreviation for ACS style?

Use the CAS Source Index (CASSI) search tool at cassi.cas.org. Standard chemical abbreviations are required, e.g., Journal of the American Chemical Society becomes J. Am. Chem. Soc.

How do superscript numbers work in ACS in-text citations?

Can I use author-date citations in ACS style?