In MLA in-text citations for peer-reviewed articles, use the author’s last name with the page number; use “et al.” for three or more authors.
Clear in-text citations make a journal quote or paraphrase easy to trace. MLA uses a straightforward author–page system, and the same move applies to print issues and online PDFs of peer-reviewed articles. The fine points—name order, page spans, and when to add a short title—keep your prose tidy and your reader oriented.
If you want the baseline rules from the source, the MLA Style Center overview spells out the author–page pattern, and the Purdue OWL guide shows it in action. The walkthrough below adapts those rules to peer-reviewed work, with crisp models you can lift into your draft.
Citing Peer-Reviewed Articles In MLA In-Text: Core Rules
Use one of two forms. Parenthetical citations place the author and locator in parentheses. Narrative citations place the author in your sentence and move only the locator to parentheses. The table shows the common patterns you will use with journal sources.
| Source Situation | Parenthetical Form | Narrative Form |
|---|---|---|
| One author | (Lopez 214) | Lopez (214) |
| Two authors | (Lopez and Rahman 214) | Lopez and Rahman (214) |
| Three or more authors | (Lopez et al. 214–19) | Lopez et al. (214–19) |
| Group or corporate author | (World Health Organization 7) | World Health Organization (7) |
| No author listed | (“Long COVID Cohorts” 18) | The article “Long COVID Cohorts” (18) |
| Same author, multiple works | (Lopez, “Sleep Debt” 45) | Lopez, in “Sleep Debt,” (45) |
| Multiple pages cited at once | (Lopez 14, 28, 41) | Lopez (14, 28, 41) |
| Page range | (Lopez 214–19) | Lopez (214–19) |
| No page numbers | (Lopez) | Lopez |
| Indirect source | (qtd. in Ahmed 92) | as quoted in Ahmed (92) |
Author Names, Page Numbers, And Et Al.
One Or Two Authors
Give the author’s last name and the page number with a space in between, and no comma. For two authors, connect the names with “and.” Keep punctuation simple and place the period after the closing parenthesis when you use a parenthetical citation. That rhythm keeps your manuscript clean from first page to last.
Three Or More Authors
List the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” and the page number. Use the same move whether you quote or paraphrase. In running text, the same rule applies, so your sentence might read, “Lopez et al. report … (214).” No extra comma is needed inside the parentheses.
Group Or Corporate Authors
When a society, agency, or lab signs the article, use that full name as the author. Long names can appear in full on first use and then be shortened in later mentions if clarity stays intact. Keep the page number as usual, with a space between the name and the number.
When Authors Share A Surname
If two different authors in your project share a last name, add a first initial in your in-text citation to prevent mix-ups: (A. Lopez 75) vs. (J. Lopez 75). Use initials only when a clash exists; otherwise, the simple last name is enough.
Quotes, Paraphrases, And Signal Phrases
Quotes and paraphrases share the same author–page skeleton. A signal phrase places the name in your prose and shifts only the locator to parentheses. If the sentence already names the author and the source has no page numbers, you can leave out a parenthetical altogether. That keeps the line lean and still points the reader to the right entry in your works-cited list.
Short Quotations From Journals
Quote brief lines inside the sentence and place the citation after the closing quotation mark. The period follows the parenthetical. Ellipses and brackets belong inside the quotation if you trim or adjust wording; the citation itself stays bare: just the name and the number.
Block Quotes From Journals
For passages that run long on the page, set the text as a block. Place the citation after the final punctuation, not before it. Return to the standard inline form as soon as you move back to normal paragraphs, so your reader never loses the thread of your analysis.
When Page Numbers Are Missing
Many HTML versions of articles carry no fixed pagination. In those cases, do not invent paragraph counts or section numbers unless the article explicitly labels them. A clean parenthetical with only the name is acceptable. If a PDF mirrors the journal’s layout, use those printed page numbers, since they match the version readers can download or print.
Some journals label sections, eLocations, or figures that help a reader land on the passage. You can guide the reader in prose with a pinpoint like “Methods section” or “Figure 3,” then keep the parenthetical lean. Fabricated locators slow readers down and send them hunting in the wrong place, so stick to labels that appear in the source.
Multiple Works And Repeated Citations
Same Author, Different Articles
When two or more journal pieces by the same author appear in your project, add a short title to each in-text citation so the reader can match it to the correct entry in the works-cited list. Put titles of articles in quotation marks and keep headline-style capitalization: (Lopez, “Sleep Debt” 45) vs. (Lopez, “Circadian Drift” 12). That small cue prevents confusion when scans show a familiar surname across several sources.
Repeating A Citation Across Sentences
If a paraphrase stretches across several sentences, one citation at the end of the passage is enough. Once you switch to a new source, start a new citation trail; when you return to the earlier source, cite it again so the change is clear. Readers track sources by parentheses and signal phrases, not just by context, so give them a fresh marker when you pivot.
Can You Cite Two Articles In One Set Of Parentheses?
Yes. Place the citations in a single set of parentheses and separate them with semicolons: (Lopez 14; Rahman 203–04). Use this when two studies support the same claim and you want to keep the line uncluttered. If both items share an author, add short titles so the reader can see which article supports which part of your point.
Version Notes: Preprints, Advance Articles, And Reprints
Peer-reviewed material can appear as preprints, proof-of-record “advance articles,” or reprints. The in-text formula does not change. Use the author and the locator that the version gives you. If a preprint lacks page numbers, cite the name alone in the parenthetical and make the version clear in your works-cited entry. If a reprint preserves the journal pagination, keep the usual page markers in your parenthetical and note the reprint details on the works-cited side.
Second Table: Quick Fixes For Tricky Cases
Here are compact repairs for edge cases that show up with journal literature. Each row shows what to cite and a clean model you can mirror in your paper.
| Case | What To Cite | Model |
|---|---|---|
| Two articles by same author | Add short title | (Lopez, “Sleep Debt” 45) |
| Same surname authors | Add first initial | (A. Lopez 75) |
| Article with no author | Use short title | (“Long COVID Cohorts” 18) |
| Article with no pages | Use name only | (Lopez) |
| Quotation within a source | Use “qtd. in” | (qtd. in Ahmed 92) |
| Multiple sources at once | Join with semicolons | (Lopez 14; Rahman 203–04) |
| Page range | Use en dash | (Lopez 214–19) |
| Nonconsecutive pages | Separate with commas | (Lopez 14, 28, 41) |
Style Touches That Keep Citations Clean
Spacing And Punctuation
Place one space between the name and the number: (Lopez 214). Do not add a comma. If your sentence ends with a parenthetical, put the period after the closing parenthesis. Inside a quotation, keep punctuation that belongs to the quoted sentence and place the citation after the closing mark.
Capitalization And Abbreviations
Capitalize surnames and titles as they appear in the sources you cite. Use “et al.” only for three or more authors and include the period after “al.” Use “qtd. in” to mark an indirect source when you cannot access the original. Keep journal-specific abbreviations out of the parenthetical; save them for the works-cited entry.
Clarity Over Repetition
Do not stack two parentheticals back-to-back. Fold the needed parts into one set instead. If a passage already names the author, keep the parenthetical to a page number only. When names repeat across a paragraph, vary between narrative and parenthetical forms to keep the prose lively and readable.
Taking Stock Before You Submit
Scan each paragraph and ask one quick question: can a reader reach the right works-cited entry and the right page with no guesswork? If the answer is yes, your in-text work is in good shape. The rest is voice, pacing, and a steady hand with your evidence. With these patterns on autopilot, you can focus on the claim you want to prove, not the brackets around it.