How to Cite an Article in MLA Style

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Begin the citation by listing the authors.

   The last names should come before the first names, with a comma in between.
   
   This applies to magazine, newspaper, review, editorial and scholarly articles online and in print.
   
   Include an "and" between 2 authors and a comma and an "and" (without an oxford comma) if you are listing 3 names.
   
   You should list up to 3 authors associated with the work.
   
   If an article has more than 3 authors, you should type the name of the first author and type "et al" afterward.
2. 2

   Step 2: Place a period (full stop) after the list of names.

   , Do not place the word "anonymous" at the beginning of the citation. , The title should also include the subtitle with a colon between the title and subtitle, if applicable. , ,,,, Do not put it into italics.
   
   Do not include a period before the journal name and volume. ,, The format should be day, month and year without commas between the numbers. , This should be in a 4-digit format. ,, For a short article this may be a single number.
   
   For a longer article, it may list the beginning page number through the ending page number with a dash in between. ,, This is often "Print" or "Online."
   
   , This information should be in parenthesis.
   
   For example, "This led to the exclusion of the Baker Family" (Cooper 16).
   
   Take note that the period follows the parenthesis and a comma is not used unless there are multiple authors.
3. 3

   Step 3: Omit the author's name if it is an anonymous article.

4. 4

   Step 4: Include the title of the article in quotation marks.

5. 5

   Step 5: Capitalize the words in the title

6. 6

   Step 6: with the exception of shorter articles like "a" and "the."

7. 7

   Step 7: Place a period after the title

8. 8

   Step 8: but before the last quotation marks.

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the name of the publication or journal.

10. 10

    Step 10: Italicize the name of the publication.

11. 11

    Step 11: Place the journal volume after the title of the publication

12. 12

    Step 12: if you are citing a scholarly journal.

13. 13

    Step 13: Do not place a period before the following date section.

14. 14

    Step 14: Include the date the article was published.

15. 15

    Step 15: Use a year inside parenthesis.

16. 16

    Step 16: Place a colon after the date.

17. 17

    Step 17: List the page numbers of the cited article.

18. 18

    Step 18: Place a period after the page numbers.

19. 19

    Step 19: Specify the medium of the article.

20. 20

    Step 20: Type a period after the medium.

21. 21

    Step 21: Place the names of the authors and page numbers when you are quoting directly or paraphrasing inside the text of your paper.

Detailed Guide

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