How to Cite a Journal Article in ASA (7th Edition)

This guide explains how to format a journal article citation in ASA (7th 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 ASA (7th Edition):

Template

Author, First Name. Year. "Title of Article." *Journal Name* Volume(Issue):Pages.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Smith 2023:45)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Gonzalez, Elena. 2023. "Racial Wealth Inequality and Intergenerational Mobility." *American Sociological Review* 88(4):612--638.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the authors
All author names are inverted (Last, First). Separate multiple authors with commas. Use "and" before the last author.
2
Add the publication year
Write the year followed by a period.
3
Write the article title
Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization. End with a period inside the closing quotation mark.
4
Add the journal name and volume
Italicize the journal name. Follow with the volume number and issue number in parentheses. No comma between journal name and volume.
5
Include page numbers
After the issue parenthetical, add a colon with no space, then the page range. End with a period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a comma instead of a colon before page numbers in the in-text citation.
Using initials instead of full first names for authors.
Adding a space between the issue number and page range (there should be no space after the colon).
Not italicizing the journal name.
Forgetting to place the article title in quotation marks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does ASA in-text citation differ from APA?

ASA uses a colon before page numbers: (Author Year:Page). APA uses a comma: (Author, Year, p. Page). Also, ASA omits the comma between author and year.

Are all author names inverted in ASA?

Yes. Unlike APA or Chicago, ASA inverts all author names (Last, First), not just the first author.

Does ASA use full first names?

Yes. ASA requires full first names for all authors, not initials. This is one of its distinguishing features.

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

All author names are inverted (Last, First). Separate multiple authors with commas. Use "and" before the last author.

Add the publication year

Write the year followed by a period.

Write the article title

Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization. End with a period inside the closing quotation mark.

Add the journal name and volume

Italicize the journal name. Follow with the volume number and issue number in parentheses. No comma between journal name and volume.

Include page numbers

After the issue parenthetical, add a colon with no space, then the page range. End with a period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a comma instead of a colon before page numbers in the in-text citation.

Using initials instead of full first names for authors.

Adding a space between the issue number and page range (there should be no space after the colon).

Not italicizing the journal name.

Forgetting to place the article title in quotation marks.