How To Cite A Peer-Reviewed Journal Article | Cite It Right

Guide / By

To cite a peer-reviewed journal article, gather author, year, title, journal, volume(issue), pages or DOI, then format in APA, MLA, Chicago, or AMA.

Citing A Peer Reviewed Journal Article: Formats That Work

Pick the style your course, journal, or workplace requests, then stick to it from top to bottom. Most assignments ask for APA or MLA. Many history and social science projects use Chicago. Medicine and allied fields favor AMA. Each one asks for the same core facts, but the order, punctuation, and in-text rules differ. The matrix below shows the big picture so you can map your source to the right shape in seconds.

Style In-Text Pattern Reference List Pattern
APA (7th) (Author, Year) or Author (Year) Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), Page–Page. https://doi.org/xxxx
MLA (9th) (Author Page) Author Last, First, et al. “Title of Article.” Journal Title, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Page–Page. DOI or URL.
Chicago Author-Date (Author Year, Page) Author, First Last. Year. “Title of Article.” Journal Title Volume (Issue): Page–Page. https://doi.org/xxxx
Chicago Notes-Bibliography Superscript note; note cites page Author, First Last. “Title of Article.” Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page–Page. DOI or URL.
AMA (11th) Superscript numbers in order of citation Author AA, Author BB. Title of article. Journal Title. Year;Volume(Issue):Page-Page. doi:xx.xxxx/xxxxx

Need examples that match edge cases such as missing pages, article numbers, or advance online publication? The official APA journal article reference examples walk through those variations step by step.

Gather The Right Details First

Before you touch your keyboard, collect the facts from the article itself and its landing page. Check the PDF header and the HTML record. Then confirm the DOI.

  • Author names: List them in the order shown on the article. Keep initials and punctuation as your style dictates.
  • Year and month: APA and Chicago center on the year. MLA wants the full date if given.
  • Article title: APA uses sentence case; MLA and Chicago use headline case for journals. AMA uses sentence case.
  • Journal title: Keep the exact title. AMA uses standard abbreviations from indexing services.
  • Volume and issue: Record both when present. If a journal has continuous pagination, the issue may be optional in APA and Chicago.
  • Page range or article number: Many open-access journals use e-locators. If pages are absent, the article number stands in.
  • DOI: Prefer the DOI link format (https://doi.org/…). If no DOI exists and you used the article on the web, include a stable URL if your style allows.

APA Style: Journal Article Citations

APA uses author–date in the text and a very consistent reference entry. Use sentence case for the article title, italicize the journal title and volume, and place the issue in parentheses right after the volume. Add the DOI in URL form when available. For three or more authors in-text, APA uses “et al.” from the first citation. In the reference list, list up to 20 authors before using an ellipsis, then add the final author.

APA In-Text

Parenthetical: (Nguyen & Patel, 2024). Narrative: Nguyen and Patel (2024). With a page: (Nguyen & Patel, 2024, p. 118).

APA Reference

Nguyen, T. Q., & Patel, R. S. (2024). Tracking micronutrient status in adolescents. Journal of Youth Nutrition, 18(2), 105–122. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/abcd.12345

Special APA Notes

  • Use article numbers when provided in place of pages.
  • Preprints go in a separate format and should not be labeled as peer reviewed.
  • If the journal uses one-letter sections, include them in the page span.

MLA Style: Journal Article Citations

MLA leans on the author’s name and the page number in the text. The Works Cited entry uses headline case for titles, adds “vol.” and “no.” labels, and favors DOIs or stable URLs for online articles. Two authors are joined with “and.” For three or more authors, use the first author followed by “et al.” Place the year after the volume and issue.

MLA In-Text

One author: (Gibson 77). Two authors: (Gibson and Ruiz 77). Three or more: (Gibson et al. 77).

MLA Works Cited

Gibson, Lara, and Mateo Ruiz. “Soil Iron And Leaf Chlorosis In Urban Trees.” Arbor Science, vol. 12, no. 3, 2023, pp. 201–219. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/efgh.67890.

If you need a refresher on MLA templates and containers, the Chicago Author-Date quick guide offers a handy contrast with APA layout and reminds you where DOIs and pages sit in a reference list.

Chicago And Turabian: Notes Or Author-Date

Chicago gives you two tracks. Notes-Bibliography uses superscript notes tied to a bibliography entry. Author-Date looks closer to APA in the text, then lists entries at the end. For either track, use headline case for article titles. Prefer the DOI link. If you cite a specific claim, add the page number in the note or in-text citation.

Chicago Notes Example

1. Priya Desai, “Adaptive Immunity In Childhood,” Pediatrics Today 29, no. 4 (2022): 411–426, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ijkl.13579.

Chicago Author-Date Entry

Desai, Priya. 2022. “Adaptive Immunity In Childhood.” Pediatrics Today 29 (4): 411–426. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ijkl.13579.

AMA Style: Journal Article References

AMA uses a numbered reference list in the order sources appear, with superscripts placed in the text. The reference entry keeps authors’ surnames and initials without periods, uses journal title abbreviations, and places the year before the volume and issue. Include the DOI when present. If there are more than six authors, list the first three, then “et al.”

AMA In-Text

Place the superscript after the punctuation: “The trial met its primary endpoint.”1

AMA Reference

1. Chen LY, Walker JP. Beta-cell recovery after bariatric surgery. Ann Endocrinol. 2021;82(6):321-329. doi:10.xxxx/mnop.24680

Edge Cases With Peer-Reviewed Articles

Many journals now publish continuous issues and assign article numbers rather than pages. Some release accepted work online ahead of print. Others correct titles or add funding notes after initial posting. Your style has guidance for each case. Use the rules below to keep your entry tight and traceable.

  • Article numbers: Give the e-locator or article ID where pages would sit. APA and Chicago accept this swap. MLA places the number after the year.
  • Ahead of print: If the record lacks volume or issue, include the year and the DOI. When the final version appears, cite the updated entry you used.
  • Many authors: Follow the cap per style. APA lists up to 20. AMA lists up to six then “et al.” MLA uses “et al.” after two.
  • No DOI: Use a stable URL only when your style allows. Skip database URLs that expire or require sign-in.
  • Translated titles: Keep the original title and add an English translation in brackets if your style calls for it.
Scenario In-Text Example Reference Entry Example
One Author (APA) (Al-Hassan, 2023) Al-Hassan, R. (2023). Neural sleep staging in adults. Sleep Metrics, 7(1), e01422. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/qrst.01422
Two Authors (MLA) (Brooks and Li 58) Brooks, Dana, and Jia Li. “Direct Air Capture Costs In 2024.” Energy Policy Review, vol. 44, no. 2, 2024, pp. 41-72. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/uvwx.55555.
Three Or More (APA) (Mendez et al., 2022) Mendez, L., Ortiz, I., Kumari, A., … Zhao, Y. (2022). Dietary zinc and cognition. Nutrition Insights, 15(3), 201-214. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/yzab.90909
Ahead Of Print (Chicago) (Okeke 2025) Okeke, Kelechi. 2025. “RNA Editing In Marine Algae.” Phycology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/cdef.24680
No DOI (AMA) Superscript2 2. Sato T, Nguyen H. Urban heat and ER visits. J Environ Health. 2020;82(2):101-110. Accessed March 3, 2024. https://www.publisher.com/jeh/2020/82/2/101

Step-By-Step Workflow That Saves Time

  1. Read the PDF header: Confirm the author order, article title, journal title, volume, issue, and page range or e-locator.
  2. Copy the DOI: Use the canonical link format. If the landing page lists both DOI and URL, keep the DOI.
  3. Pick the style: Match the syllabus or journal guide. Do not mix styles across one paper.
  4. Write the in-text version: Add page numbers where your style asks for them.
  5. Build the full entry: Follow capitalization, italics, and punctuation rules exactly. Small marks matter.
  6. Check names and accents: Preserve diacritics in author names and titles.
  7. Proof the final list: Order entries by the rule set for your style. Align hanging indents in your word processor.

Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes

  • Swapping title cases: APA wants sentence case for article titles; MLA and Chicago use headline case for journals. Fix the caps before submission.
  • Dropping the issue: If the journal is not continuously paginated, include the issue in APA and Chicago.
  • Using a paywalled URL: Prefer the DOI. If you must use a URL, pick a stable one that resolves for readers outside your campus.
  • Misplacing superscripts: In AMA, the number sits after punctuation, not before.
  • Forgetting page numbers in the text: Chicago and MLA expect them when you quote or point to a specific passage.
  • Mixing initials and full names: Keep the style’s author format across the list. Consistency signals care.