To cite a journal article, record the authors, year, article title, journal name, volume, issue, page range and DOI, then arrange them in the order your citation style requires. Every style uses the same details; only the order and punctuation change.
This page cites one illustrative article in seven styles so you can compare them directly, then covers the in-text form and awkward cases such as missing DOIs.
The Details Every Journal Citation Needs
| Detail | Our example |
|---|---|
| Authors | James Omondi and Priscilla Kariuki |
| Year | 2022 |
| Article title | Digital literacy and academic performance in Kenyan universities |
| Journal | Journal of Educational Technology |
| Volume and issue | 18, issue 3 |
| Pages | 112 to 127 |
| DOI | 10.1234/jet.2022.0112 |
You will usually find these on the article's first page or its database record. The DOI often appears in the header or footer of the PDF.
APA 7th Edition
Omondi, J., & Kariuki, P. (2022). Digital literacy and academic performance in Kenyan universities. Journal of Educational Technology, 18(3), 112–127. https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112
In text: (Omondi & Kariuki, 2022) or Omondi and Kariuki (2022). Add a page for quotes: (Omondi & Kariuki, 2022, p. 115).
Article title in sentence case; journal name and volume in italics; issue in brackets, not italic; DOI as a full link with no full stop after it.
MLA 9th Edition
Omondi, James, and Priscilla Kariuki. "Digital Literacy and Academic Performance in Kenyan Universities." Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 18, no. 3, 2022, pp. 112–27, https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
In text: (Omondi and Kariuki 115)
Full first names; title case in quotation marks; "vol." and "no." labels; "pp." before the pages. For three or more authors, give the first author followed by "et al."
Harvard
Omondi, J. and Kariuki, P. (2022) 'Digital literacy and academic performance in Kenyan universities', Journal of Educational Technology, 18(3), pp. 112–127. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
In text: (Omondi and Kariuki, 2022, p. 115)
This follows a widely taught Harvard format. Universities publish their own Harvard guides, so check yours for punctuation and DOI wording.
Chicago (18th Edition)
Author-date reference: Omondi, James, and Priscilla Kariuki. 2022. "Digital Literacy and Academic Performance in Kenyan Universities." Journal of Educational Technology 18 (3): 112–27. https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
In text: (Omondi and Kariuki 2022, 115)
Note: 1. James Omondi and Priscilla Kariuki, "Digital Literacy and Academic Performance in Kenyan Universities," Journal of Educational Technology 18, no. 3 (2022): 115, https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
Shortened note: 2. Omondi and Kariuki, "Digital Literacy," 118.
Bibliography: Omondi, James, and Priscilla Kariuki. "Digital Literacy and Academic Performance in Kenyan Universities." Journal of Educational Technology 18, no. 3 (2022): 112–27. https://doi.org/10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
IEEE and Vancouver
IEEE: [1] J. Omondi and P. Kariuki, "Digital literacy and academic performance in Kenyan universities," J. Educ. Technol., vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 112–127, 2022, doi: 10.1234/jet.2022.0112.
In text: [1]
Vancouver: 1. Omondi J, Kariuki P. Digital literacy and academic performance in Kenyan universities. J Educ Technol. 2022;18(3):112-27. doi:10.1234/jet.2022.0112
In text: a number in brackets (1) or superscript, depending on your guide
Both styles number sources in the order you first cite them and often abbreviate journal titles. Use the official abbreviation where one exists, such as the NLM abbreviation for medical journals in Vancouver.
What Changes Between Styles
| Element | APA | MLA | Harvard | Chicago AD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year position | After authors | After issue | After authors | After authors |
| Title style | Sentence case | Title case, double quotes | Sentence case, single quotes | Title case, double quotes |
| Volume and issue | 18(3) | vol. 18, no. 3 | 18(3) | 18 (3) |
| Author joiner | & | and | and | and |
Tricky Cases
- No DOI: in APA, add the journal article's URL if it is openly available online; if it came from a library database with no DOI, end the reference after the page range.
- Article numbers instead of pages: online journals often use an article number. In APA, write "Article 0451" in place of the page range.
- Many authors: APA lists up to 20 authors in the reference; in text, use the first author and "et al." for three or more.
- Database name: APA 7th usually leaves it out; MLA can add it as a second container.
- Published online first: in APA, an article released before it appears in an issue uses the year of online publication, no volume, issue or pages, and the DOI.
Whatever the case, keep the in-text citation and the reference list entry in step. The surname and year (or number) in the text must lead the reader straight to the matching entry, so check both whenever you change a source late in a draft.
How EssayOasis Helps with Journal Citations
Send your paper and tell us your style and edition. A writer formats every journal article reference and in-text citation, checks DOIs, and makes sure each citation matches its entry.
You receive plagiarism-checked work with a clean reference list and free revisions within the scope of your original request.
Want Every Journal Article Cited Correctly?
Send your paper and your style. Your writer checks and formats each in-text citation and reference so they match.
Order Citation FormattingFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
Authors, year, article title, journal name, volume, issue, page range and DOI if there is one.
On the article's first page, in the PDF header or footer, or on the database or publisher page.
As a full link: https://doi.org/ followed by the DOI, with no full stop at the end.
Yes. MLA recommends a DOI when available, and it may be written as a https://doi.org/ link.
Use the article number if there is one. For quotations, cite a paragraph or section instead of a page.
Yes, in APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, IEEE and Vancouver whenever the journal provides one.
No. The journal name is italicized; the article title is plain, and in some styles placed in quotation marks.
In APA and Chicago author-date (18th edition), use the first author and "et al." in the text for three or more authors, and MLA does the same. Harvard guides vary in where they start using "et al.", so follow your university's version.