Mistakes Checklist
Common APA Journal Article Citation Mistakes
Published studies report citation/reference error rates between 25-54%. Use this page to catch the most frequent formatting failures before submission.
Top mistakes to avoid
- ⚠Not italicizing the volume number
- ⚠Italicizing the issue number
- ⚠Using title case for article titles
- ⚠Omitting the DOI when available
Fix checklist
- ✓Include DOI as a URL (https://doi.org/...)
- ✓Italicize journal name AND volume number
- ✓Use sentence case for article titles
- ✓Do not italicize issue number (in parentheses)
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a journal article with no DOI?
If accessed online, include the journal homepage URL. For print-only with no online presence, end after page numbers.
How do I use et al. in APA?
For 3+ authors, use first author et al. for all in-text citations: (Grady et al., 2019).
Build the corrected citation now
Use the template and guide, then generate the final citation from verified academic sources.