The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is a widely accepted style for writing research papers and articles in the humanities. Whether you’re crafting an essay for school or a research paper for publication, knowing how to format your sources correctly is crucial. Below, I’ll walk you through three diverse examples of MLA format for articles, helping you grasp the essentials of this style.
In the context of academic writing, citing journal articles is essential as they provide reliable, peer-reviewed information. This example illustrates how to cite a journal article in MLA format.
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Journal, vol. number, no. number, year, pages. DOI or URL.
For instance:
Smith, John. “The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Communities.” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, pp. 45-58. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab1234.
This citation format is particularly useful for students writing research papers in environmental science or social science fields. It ensures that readers can locate the original source quickly.
Note: Always include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available, as it provides a permanent link to the article.
Magazine articles are often more accessible and provide contemporary insights on various topics. Understanding how to cite these sources can enrich your papers with current perspectives. Here’s how to format a magazine article citation in MLA:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Magazine, Day Month Year, pages.
Example:
Johnson, Emily. “The Rise of Urban Gardening.” Modern Living, 15 Mar. 2021, pp. 22-25.
This format is ideal for students looking to include articles that discuss trends or modern issues, providing a balance between academic rigor and contemporary relevance.
Note: Make sure to include the full date of publication—day, month, and year—as this helps in providing context for the article’s content.
With the vast amount of information available online, knowing how to cite web articles is essential for any research paper. This example outlines the correct format for an online article citation:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Website, Publisher (if different from website title), Date of Publication, URL.
For example:
Taylor, Alex. “10 Tips for Successful Remote Learning.” Education Today, Education Media, 20 Apr. 2022, www.educationtoday.com/remote-learning-tips.
This format is particularly useful for students conducting research on educational methods or technology in learning environments. It provides readers with the necessary information to access the article directly.
Note: If no publication date is available, use the date you accessed the article instead, prefaced by “Accessed.”
By following these examples of MLA format for articles, you can ensure your citations are clear, consistent, and properly formatted, making your research papers more credible and professional.