Citing Sources: Articles

Articles from Periodicals:  Journals, Magazines, Newspapers

Journals, magazines, and newspapers (known as periodicals) are published at regular times throughout the year. Some journals may be published only several times a year (several issues throughout the year equaling one annual volume.) Magazines and newspapers may be published monthly, weekly, or daily.

The following information identifies where the article can be found. The components to be included in your citation will vary depending on whether you are citing a journal article, magazine article, or newspaper article, and whether or not it is in print or online. Consult with your faculty member about including permalink URLs and date of access.

• Author’s name (s)
• “Title of the article”
• Name of the Periodical (Journal, Magazine, or Newspaper)
• Volume number
• Issue number
• Date of publication (include month/season for scholarly sources per the MLA Handbook, p. 185)
• Page numbers/page range
• Database Name 
• Include the permalink URL of the article (check with your faculty member about their preference)
• If a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is included in the article, it is preferable to include that instead of the permalink
• Date of access (check with your faculty member about their preference)

A note about authors:

     For one author, list last name, first name, and initial, if any: Ruppel, Katherine K.

     For two authors, list last name, first name, initial if any; then first name, initial, last name:

                       ​Ruppel, Katherine K., and James E. Jones

   For three plus authors, list last name, first name, initial, and et al.:

                      Ruppel, Katherine K., et al.

• DOI numbers (Digital Object Identifier numbers) are unique numbers assigned by the International DOI Foundation. DOI numbers make it easy for the reader to retrieve information about and the text of a document
• DOI numbers may be available on print and electronic items
• DOI numbers are normally located on the first page of an article and on the landing page of the database used to locate the article
• For best results, copy and paste the DOI number into your Works Cited list
• If the DOI number is not already proceeded by it include https://doi.org/ before the number. This will help one navigate to the source. 
• When a DOI is available, use that in your citation instead of the URL
• End your citation with a period after the DOI

          Sample doi located at the top of an article:

Woolston, Jennifer. “Nancy Drew’s Body: The Case of the Autonomous Female Sleuth.” Studies in the Novel, vol. 42,

     no. 1/2, Spring/Summer 2010, pp. 173–184. Humanities Full Text,

     https://holyfamily.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=azure&url=http://search.ebscohost.com/

     login.aspx?direct=true&db=hft&AN=509987510&site=ehost-live. Accessed 22 Oct. 2020.

If using an Ebsco database MLA allows you to use EbscoHost as the database name. Some Holy Family faculty indicate using the exact database name is preferable. Also, check your faculty's preference for including the permalink URL and date of access. 

     https://doi.org/10.2979/victorianstudies.58.2.08. Accessed 22 Oct. 2020.

If using an Ebsco database, MLA allows you to use EbscoHost as the database name. Some Holy Family faculty indicate using the exact database name is preferable. Also, check your faculty's preference for including the permalink URL and date of access. 

Include the DOI and not the URL of the article. Check your faculty's preference for including the date of access. 

Congress, Elaine P. “What Social Workers Should Know About Ethics: Understanding and Resolving

     Practice Dilemmas.” Advances in Social Work, vol. 1, no. 1, Spring 2000, pp. 1-25.

     https://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/issue/view/13/1. Accessed 22 Oct. 2020.

Note: Check your faculty’s preference about including the access date.

Schunn C., et al. “The Reliability and Validity of Peer Review of Writing in High School AP English Classes.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy,

     vol. 60, no. 1, Jul./Aug. 2016, pp. 13-23. https://doi.org/10.1002.jaal.525.

While it is not strictly necessary it is still a good practice to include a noted DOI in these entries.

Cloud, John. "How to Recruit Better Teachers." Time Magazine, vol. 176, no. 12, 20 Sept. 2010, pp. 46-52. Academic Search Ultimate,

     holyfamily.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=53531579&site=ehost-live.

     Accessed 16 Aug. 2017.

MLA allows you to use EbscoHost as the database name, but some Holy Family faculty indicate using the exact database name is preferable. Also check your faculty's preference for including the permalink URL and date of access. 

Edwards, Haley Sweetland. "’It’s Like Locusts Came Through’: Miami is Bracing for Hurricane Irma.” Time,

     8 Sept. 2017, time.com/4933440/hurricane-irma-miamipreparation/?xid=homepage. Accessed 8 Sept. 2017.

Include the full date the article was posted. If volume, issue, or page numbers are available include them. Often, they are not available.

Include the full date, volume, issue number, and page numbers of the article.  

Cloud, John. "How to Recruit Better Teachers." Time Magazine, vol. 176, no. 12, 20 Sept. 2010, pp. 46-52.

Include full date; do not include volume or issue number. If the city is not included in the newspaper name or if the newspaper is not well known, include the city name in square brackets after the newspaper’s title. (MLA Handbook, p. 219).

Lai, Jonathan. “Fake News? Bias? How Colleges Teach Students Not to Be Duped.” Philadelphia Inquirer, 28 Nov. 2016. Newspaper Source Plus,

     holyfamily.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN=2W61966641425&site=ehost-live.

     Accessed 16 Aug. 2017.

MLA allows you to use EbscoHost as the database name, but some Holy Family faculty indicate using the exact database name is preferable. Also check your faculty's preference for including the permalink URL and date of access. 

Include full date; but not the volume or issue number. If the city is not included in the newspaper name or if the newspaper is not well known, include the city name in square brackets after the newspaper’s title. (MLA Handbook, p. 219).

Smerconish, Michael. "An Academic Experiment: Lancaster School’s Same-Race Mentoring Effort Could Prove Worthwhile." Philadelphia Inquirer, 4

     Feb. 2011, p. A2.