When writing a paper, it’s important to cite all the sources you reference in your text. This helps readers locate the source if they are searching for it and it makes your paper appear more professional. It can also help you address counterarguments or support your arguments. When you cite your sources, it’s important to follow specific formatting guidelines.
Citing an Article Title in APA Style
To cite an article, list the author’s last name and first initial (only capitalize the first letter of each word), followed by the date of publication in parentheses. Then provide the article’s title in italics, the journal or periodical and volume number in italics, the issue number in italics and page numbers where the cited article can be found. The article’s title should only be used if you are using it in the context of a full citation.
Referencing Multiple Authors in APA Format
If you are referring to a single source that includes more than 20 authors, it is important to include all of the names of these authors in your References List entry. However, if you are only using the name of one author, you may skip the second, third or fourth author’s names in your citation.
Alternatively, you can include the author’s name and first initial in the text of your citation, and then include an ellipse point at the end of the citation to indicate that the last author is listed. This is a common practice in academic writing, and it should be easy to remember.
You must cite each author’s name in the same order that it appears on the source. If the author’s last name is the same as the first, it is best to use a lower case letter instead of uppercase.
For more information about citing scholarly articles, see the APA Style Guide. You can also find articles on this topic at the APA website.
How to Cite an Article Title in MLA and Chicago Style
In MLA, italicize the titles of larger works that are a part of a standalone work. Examples of these works include books, edited collections, movies and television series.
When referencing shorter works, such as journal articles, essays from edited collections or TV show episodes, put the title in quotation marks.
The same rule applies to songs, films, television series and other forms of media. Italicize the title of these works if they are a part of a larger work, or if they contain a lot of text that is difficult to read in their original form.
Italicize the title of longer works like books, poems, plays and short stories if they are part of a larger work or contain a lot of text that is difficult for readers to read in their original form.
You should also cite the author’s name and first initial in text if the author’s last name is the same or close to the first. For more information about citing scholarly articles, including rules for in-text citations, see the APA Style Guide.
