Citing articles: MLA (8th ed.) citation guide

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This guide is based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 8th ed. and provides selected citation examples for common types of sources. For more detailed information please consult the print version of the handbook available at the SFU Library.

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The 8th edition of the MLA Handbook does not list specific rules on how to cite a DVD, a book, a journal article, etc., but instead outlines a universal set of general guidelines of citation and documentation that can be applied to any source type, including articles. These are the guidelines we followed to develop the following examples for you.

Journal article

Parenthetical (in-text)

(Newmeyer 663)

Newmeyer argues in favour of "the classical Saussurean position with respect to the relationship between knowledge of language and use of language" (682).

Works Cited

To cite a journal article found in print:

Newmeyer, Frederick J. "Grammar is Grammar and Usage is Usage." Language, vol. 79, no. 4, 2003, pp. 682-707. 

To cite a journal article found online:

Atewologun, Doyin, et al. "Revealing Intersectional Dynamics in Organizations: Introducing 'Intersectional Identity Work'." Gender, Work, & Organization, vol. 23, no. 3, 2016, pp. 223-247. Academic Search Premier, doi:10.1111/gwao.12082. Accessed 14 June 2016.

 

Comments

If the journal has only issue numbers and no volume numbers, then cite the issue number alone (p. 40).

If the article was found online through an online database, include the name of the database in italics (e.g. Academic Search Premier, JSTOR), and the date of access (p. 32; p. 53).

If there are no page numbers, write "n.pag." in place of page numbers.

If there are no page or paragraph numbers, you can either incorporate the name of the author in the text of your paper, or cite author's name in parentheses without a page or paragraph number.  Do not list any page number information in the Works Cited (p. 56).  

If the online article has paragraph or section numbers, use the abbreviations "par." or "sec." (e.g. Manning par.4) (p. 96, 1.6.2). Do not count paragraphs yourself if they are not indicated in the document (p. 56).

If there is no author, use the title instead (pp. 55-56).

For articles accessed online, provide DOI (Digital Object Identifier) information in place URLs whenever possible (p. 110, 2.5.2).

Magazine article

Parenthetical (in-text)

(Ackerman 18-19)

Works Cited

To cite a magazine article found in print:

Ackerman, Spenser. "Coming to America." New Republic, Summer 2006, pp. 18-21.

To cite a magazine article found online:

Narine, Shari. "Judge's Ruling Could Be Felt in Métis Harvesting Trial." Alberta Sweetgrass, vol. 16, no. 11, Oct. 2009, p. 1. Canadian Points of View Reference Centre. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=p3h&AN=44704966&lang=en-ca&site=pov-can. Accessed 6 Nov. 2015.

Comments

Give the date as presented in the source. Some periodicals may publish daily, weekly, monthly, or once every season (p. 45). 

Some sources, especially  those published online, may be associated with more than one publication date. For example, a work online may also have been published in print previously. In cases where there are multiple publication dates, cite the one most relevant to your use of the work (pp. 42-43):

ex. if you are accessing an article online that is also published in print, cite the online publication date. 

If no author's name is given, begin the entry with the title.

Month short forms: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec (p. 95, 1.6.1).

If the article was found online through an online database, include the name of the database in italics (e.g. CBCA Complete or MasterFILE Premier), and the date of access (p. 32; p. 53).

Newspaper article

Parenthetical (in-text)

(Kingston C6)

("Byword" A10) [note: news article with no author]

Works Cited

To cite a newspaper article found in print:

Kingston, Gary. "Canada's Coach Loves Waving the Flag." The Vancouver Sun, 4 July 2004, D2. 

To cite a newspaper article found online:

"Byword for 'Boondoggle'". Telegraph-Journal [Saint John], 6 Nov. 2009, A.10. Canadian Newsstand. search.proquest.com/docview/423364517/777239750BF54027PQ/1?accountid=13800. Accessed 6 Nov. 2015

Comments

If there is no author, use the title (shortened, if necessary) in place of the author in your in-text citations; start your Works Cited citation with full title (p. 24). For more information on how to abbreviate titles, refer to p. 117, 3.2.1.

If the article is on consecutive pages, specify the page range (e.g. pp. 4-6). If the article is presented in non-consecutive pages (for example, if the article begins on page 5 and continues on page 15), follow the first page number with a plus sign (e.g. pp. 5+) (p. 110,  2.5.1).

The city of publication of a locally published newspaper must either be in the newspaper title (e.g. The Vancouver Sun) or added to the title in square brackets (e.g. The Province [Vancouver] (p. 111, 2.6.1) You do not need to provide city of publication if the paper is published nationally (e.g. National Post or The Globe and Mail).

Specify the edition if indicated (e.g. "natl. ed."; "late ed.") (pp. 38-39).

Month short forms: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec (p. 95, 1.6.1).

If the article was found online through an online database, include the name of the database in italics (e.g. Canadian Newsstream or PressReader), and the date of access (p. 32; p. 53).