MLA Works Cited Article: Format and Examples

Researchers cite articles from scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers in MLA style using a standard sequence of core elements. In the MLA Handbook (9th edition, 2021), an article is treated as a source held within a periodical container, and within a second container when accessed via a library database. This guide details the works-cited template for articles, annotated examples, DOI formatting rules, and matching parenthetical citations for academic papers, theses, and dissertations.

The format

MLA 9 structures works-cited entries using nine core elements. When citing a periodical article, the author and article title represent the source, while publication details represent the container. Per the MLA Style Center and library guidelines (Purdue OWL, UBC Library), elements appear in this order:

1. Author. First author surname first, followed by comma, first name, and period (e.g., Smith, Jane.).
2. Title of source. Article title in quotation marks with title-case capitalization, ending with a period inside the quote.
3. Title of container, Periodical name italicized, followed by a comma (e.g., Journal of Academic Documentation,).
4. Other contributors, Translators or editors credited if relevant, followed by a comma.
5. Version, Edition designations if applicable, followed by a comma.
6. Number, Volume and issue numbers abbreviated as vol. and no. (e.g., vol. 14, no. 2,).
7. Publisher, Omitted for periodicals in MLA 9.
8. Publication date, Year or season and year (e.g., spring 2022,). Seasons are lowercased (spring, summer, fall, winter). Daily or weekly periodicals list exact day, month (abbreviated), and year.
9. Location. Page numbers preceded by p. for a single page or pp. for a range. For online articles, location includes a DOI or permanent URL.

When accessed through an online database, MLA uses a dual-container structure: the journal is the first container, and the database (e.g., JSTOR, ProQuest) is italicized as the second container, followed by the DOI or permalink.

MLA works cited journal article

For an academic journal article retrieved online, the works-cited entry follows this syntax:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. #, no. #, Publication Date, pp. xx–xx. Database Name, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx.

MLA 9 mandates formatting DOIs as web addresses starting with https://doi.org/. The persistent resolution of a Crossref DOI ensures readers can access the source directly. If no DOI exists, provide the database permalink, omitting http:// or https:// for standard web addresses.

Examples

The following entries are fictitious illustrations demonstrating real-pattern formatting without referencing living individuals.

Example 1: Online journal article with DOI from a database (single author)

Rostova, Elena. “Archival Preservation in Digital Humanities.” Journal of Academic Documentation, vol. 14, no. 2, spring 2022, pp. 45–62. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1086/719401.

Annotation: Article title in quotes; journal italicized as Container 1; volume/issue abbreviated; season lowercased; database JSTOR italicized as Container 2; DOI as HTTPS URL.

Example 2: Scholarly journal article with two authors

Vance, Marcus, and Chloe Lin. “Synthesizing Qualitative Metasynthesis Methods.” Review of Research Practice, vol. 29, no. 1, 2023, pp. 112–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/00145246231189401.

Annotation: First author inverted; second author in natural order. Repeated digits in page ranges are compressed per MLA style (112–34).

Example 3: Journal article with three or more authors

Chen, David K., et al. “Reproducibility Benchmarks in Multi-Site Preclinical Trials.” Open Science Quarterly, vol. 8, no. 4, winter 2021, pp. 201–18. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.osq.0084201.

Annotation: List only first author followed by a comma and et al. For multi-author rules across styles, consult the et al. usage rules guide.

Example 4: Print journal article without DOI or database

Jenkins, Sarah. “Narrative Voice in Modernist Translation.” Comparative Literature Studies, vol. 55, no. 3, 2019, pp. 504–25.

Annotation: For print issues, the entry terminates immediately after the page range element.

In-text citation version

Every works-cited entry corresponds to a parenthetical in-text citation in the paper body. MLA uses an author-page citation system without a comma between the author’s surname and page number. See the parenthetical citation entry for format definitions.

• Single author: Cite surname and page number in parentheses: (Rostova 48).
• Two authors: Name both surnames joined by and: (Vance and Lin 115).
• Three or more authors: First author’s surname followed by et al.: (Chen et al. 205).
• Placement: Placed immediately after closing quotes or at a natural pause, before terminal punctuation. See whether you put a comma before an in-text citation.
• Narrative form: If the author is named in the sentence, include only page numbers: “As Rostova observed, standards protect archival integrity (48).”

Common errors

Audits of researcher drafts frequently reveal recurring errors when citing articles in MLA format:

• Including a publisher for periodicals: Periodicals omit the publisher in MLA 9. Naming a publisher after the journal title is incorrect.
• Capitalizing season names: Writing Spring 2022 violates MLA 9 rules. Seasons in dates must be lowercased (spring 2022).
• Incorrect DOI formatting: Formatting a DOI as doi:10.1086/... is obsolete. MLA 9 requires active URLs starting with https://doi.org/.
• Retaining http:// on web URLs: When citing a web URL rather than a DOI, MLA 9 omits the http:// or https:// prefix.
• Misusing et al. for two authors: Both authors must be named for two-person works; et al. is reserved for three or more authors.
• Inserting a comma in parenthetical citations: Placing a comma between surname and page (e.g., (Rostova, 48)) is an APA convention, not MLA.
• Improper list indent: Works Cited entries require a 0.5-inch hanging indent. Review layout rules in the MLA works cited format guide.

Style-guide edition

The rules in this guide follow the MLA Handbook (9th edition), published by the Modern Language Association in April 2021. As of late 2026, the 9th edition remains the authoritative standard for MLA documentation across humanities disciplines. For thesis and dissertation manuscripts, graduate programs follow MLA 9 while permitting minor institutional variations in preliminary pages. Always verify departmental guidelines before final manuscript submission.

Frequently asked questions

How do you cite a journal article in MLA with multiple authors?

For two authors, invert the first author’s name and write the second in normal order (e.g., Vance, Marcus, and Chloe Lin). For three or more authors, write the first author’s inverted name followed by a comma and et al. Parenthetical citations use (Author and Author Page) for two authors and (Author et al. Page) for three or more.

Do you include the database name if an article has a DOI in MLA?

Yes. When retrieved from an academic database (such as JSTOR or ProQuest), MLA 9 specifies that the database name is italicized as the second container, followed by the DOI formatted as an HTTPS URL.

Why is the publisher omitted when citing a journal article in MLA?

The MLA template omits publishers for periodicals because the periodical title serves as the primary identifier. Naming a publisher adds redundant information without assisting source retrieval.

How do you format a DOI in an MLA Works Cited entry?

DOIs are formatted as clickable web addresses starting with https://doi.org/ followed by the DOI string (e.g., https://doi.org/10.1086/719401). Do not precede the string with doi: or older prefixes.

Sources

• Modern Language Association. MLA Style Center. Modern Language Association of America, 2021–2026, https://style.mla.org/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.
• Modern Language Association. “Works-Cited-List Entries by Format: Journal Articles.” MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab. “MLA Works Cited: Periodicals.” Purdue OWL, Purdue University, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_periodicals.html. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.
• University of British Columbia Library. “MLA 9th Edition Citation Style Guide: Articles.” UBC Library Research Guides, https://guides.library.ubc.ca/c.php?g=719330&p=5139049. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.