Free APA Journal Citation Generator
Generate accurate APA citations for journal articles, academic papers, and research publications. Search 250M+ articles with proper DOI formatting.
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How to cite a journal article in APA
Search for the journal article
Paste a DOI, URL, ISBN, title, or author name to find the exact source record.
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Verify author, year, title, container, and publication details before copying the final citation.
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Get the complete APA citation plus the matching in-text citation or footnote format.
APA Journal Article Citation Format
Basic Format:
Journal Title:
Title Case, Italicized
Volume:
Italicized, no "Vol."
Issue:
In parentheses, not italicized
APA Journal Citation Examples
Journal Article with DOI
In-text: (Smith & Johnson, 2024)
Journal Article without DOI
In-text: (Williams, 2023)
Online Journal Article
In-text: (Garcia & Lee, 2024)
Article with 3+ Authors
In-text: (Thompson et al., 2023)
Examples formatted in APA style
DOI Formatting in APA 7th Edition
Correct DOI Format
Use https:// prefix, no period at end
Incorrect Formats
Tip: Our generator automatically formats DOIs correctly. Just paste the article title or DOI and we handle the formatting.
Use the generator for this source type
Journal citations usually continue into the main APA hub or a DOI-based lookup if you already have the article identifier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I format a DOI in APA 7th edition?
Use the https://doi.org/ format. Example: https://doi.org/10.1037/example. Do not put a period after the DOI. In APA 7, always include the DOI if available.
How do I cite an article with no DOI?
If there is no DOI but the article is from an online database, just end with the page numbers. If the article is only available on a specific website, include the URL instead.
How do I format volume and issue numbers?
Volume number is italicized, issue number is in parentheses (not italicized). Example: Journal Title, 29(4), 123-145. The volume (29) is italicized, the issue (4) is not.
How do I cite an article with many authors?
List up to 20 authors in the reference. For in-text citations with 3+ authors, use the first author followed by "et al." from the first citation onwards.
How do I cite an article in press or advance online publication?
Use "in press" in place of the year for accepted articles not yet published. For advance online publications, use the year and add the DOI. Example: Smith, J. (in press). Title. Journal Name.
APA Formatting Rules for Journal Articles
APA journal citations require the DOI as the final element, formatted as a hyperlink (https://doi.org/...). Include the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (not italicized), and the page range with an en-dash. For articles with 21 or more authors, list the first 19, insert an ellipsis, then the last author.
Unlike MLA, which omits DOIs entirely, APA treats the DOI as the most important locator element. Unlike Vancouver, APA spells out the full journal title rather than abbreviating it.
Common Formatting Mistake
Missing DOI, wrong punctuation after journal name (period instead of comma), volume not italicized, and hyphen used instead of en-dash for the page range.
Common mistakes in APA journal article citations
Review the most frequent formatting mistakes before submitting your assignment.
View mistakes checklist →Cite Other Source Types in APA
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Cite a Journal Article in Other Styles
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APA Journal Article guide
Step-by-step formatting rules for this exact source type.
APA Journal Article template
Copy-ready template blocks plus formatted example.
APA Journal Article mistakes
Frequent errors and corrections for this source type.
APA examples
More reference and in-text examples for the same style.
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