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MLA Style Guide: Articles

This guide is designed to help students learn about MLA style and cite sources for their research.

Quick Tips

If the article was retrieved online, refer to examples for web resources or electronic databases.

If the article has more than two authors, list the first author's name followed by "et al."

The title of the article is always placed in quotation marks, while the title of the journal, magazine, or newspaper is always in italics.

Always list both the volume and issue number for a journal article.  If there is no volume or issue number, you may omit one or both from the reference.

Include the month, day, and year when given (except for May, June and July, always abbreviate the month), as well as the volume and issue numbers.

If no author is identified for the article, begin the reference with the article's title. The in-text citation should include the title in quotation marks (or an abbreviated form of the title in quotation marks within brackets), followed by the page number.

It is not necessary to include the page number in an in-text citation if the article is complete on one page.

Articles

 Information required for an article referencce includes:

  • Author(s)
  • Title and subtitle of article
  • Title of journal, magazine, or newspaper
  • Volume and issue number of journal
  • Year of publication for journal
  • Date (month, day, year) for magazine or newspaper
  • Page numbers for article
  • Medium of publication

Examples of References:

One Author (Journal Article):

Daichendt, G. James. "The Bauhaus Artist-Teacher: Walter Gropius's Philosophy of Art Education." Teaching Artist Journal, vol. 8, no. 3 July-Sept. 2010, pp. 157-64.

More than Two Authors (Journal Article):

Wilkins, Arnold, et al. "Typography for Children May Be Inappropriately Designed." Journal of Research in Reading, vol. 32, no. 4, Nov. 2009: pp. 402-12.

Magazine Article:

Osterer, Irv. "Expressive TyPOgraPHy." Arts & Activities, vol. 151, no. 2, Mar. 2012, p. 39.

Newspaper Article (No Author's Name Provided):

"A Letter Home? Designer's Font of Knowledge Is a Break from Type Casting." Hamilton Spectator, 10 Sep. 2010, p. G09.

Examples of In-Text Citations:

According to Wilkins et al., most of the type faces used for children are sans serif (402).

As its first director and intellectual leader, Gropius influenced the Bauhaus school perhaps more than any other individual (Daichendt 157).

Typographical play is an integral part of the education of young communication and design professionals (Osterer).

Numbers and letters are the latest trend in decorative items, dishware and home furnishings ("Letter Home").

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