How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA 9th Edition

This guide explains how to format a journal article citation in MLA 9th 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 MLA 9th Edition:

Template

Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. number, no. number, Year, pp. page range. Database/DOI.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Patel and Kim 120)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your Works Cited:

Works Cited entry

Patel, Riya, and Samuel Kim. "The Role of Metacognition in Self-Regulated Learning: A Meta-Analysis." Educational Psychology Review, vol. 35, no. 2, 2023, pp. 112--38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09812-5.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author(s)
List the first author as Last Name, First Name. For additional authors, use First Name Last Name. Separate two authors with "and." For three or more authors, list only the first author followed by "et al."
2
Write the article title
Place the article title in quotation marks. Use title case (capitalize all major words). End with a period inside the closing quotation mark.
3
Add the journal name
Italicize the journal name. Use title case. Follow with a comma.
4
Include volume and issue
Add "vol." followed by the volume number, a comma, "no." followed by the issue number, and a comma.
5
Add year and page numbers
Write the year of publication, a comma, "pp." followed by the page range. End with a period.
6
Add the DOI or database
Include the DOI as a URL or the name of the database where you accessed the article.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not placing the article title in quotation marks.
Forgetting to italicize the journal name.
Using an ampersand (&) instead of "and" between author names.
Omitting "vol." and "no." before the volume and issue numbers.
Not including the database name or DOI as the final element.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I handle three or more authors in MLA?

For three or more authors, list only the first author's name (Last, First) followed by "et al." both in the Works Cited entry and in the in-text citation. Example: Patel, Riya, et al.

Do I include page numbers in MLA in-text citations?

Yes. MLA uses author-page format for in-text citations. Include the author's last name and the page number without a comma between them: (Smith 45). If the author is named in the sentence, only the page number is needed in parentheses.

What if the journal article has no DOI?

If there is no DOI, include the name of the database (e.g., JSTOR, EBSCOhost) or the URL. MLA 9th edition treats the DOI/database/URL as a "Location" element.

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

Identify the author(s)

List the first author as Last Name, First Name. For additional authors, use First Name Last Name. Separate two authors with "and." For three or more authors, list only the first author followed by "et al."

Write the article title

Place the article title in quotation marks. Use title case (capitalize all major words). End with a period inside the closing quotation mark.

Add the journal name

Italicize the journal name. Use title case. Follow with a comma.

Include volume and issue

Add "vol." followed by the volume number, a comma, "no." followed by the issue number, and a comma.

Add year and page numbers

Write the year of publication, a comma, "pp." followed by the page range. End with a period.

Add the DOI or database

Include the DOI as a URL or the name of the database where you accessed the article.