Mistakes Checklist
Common MLA 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
- ⚠Italicizing article titles
- ⚠Forgetting page numbers in parenthetical citations
- ⚠Not including the database name
- ⚠Using full "volume" instead of "vol."
Wrong vs correct examples
Using URL when DOI is available
Wrong
Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History." *Callaloo*, vol. 24, no. 2, 2001, pp. 620-626. *JSTOR*, www.jstor.org/stable/3300567.
Correct
Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History." *Callaloo*, vol. 24, no. 2, 2001, pp. 620-626. *JSTOR*, https://doi.org/10.1353/cal.2001.0069.
MLA 9 prefers DOIs over URLs when both are available. A DOI is a permanent identifier that will always resolve to the article.
Writing out "volume" and "number" in full
Wrong
Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History." *Callaloo*, volume 24, number 2, 2001, pp. 620-626.
Correct
Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History." *Callaloo*, vol. 24, no. 2, 2001, pp. 620-626.
MLA uses the abbreviations "vol." and "no." for volume and issue numbers, not the full words.
Italicizing article title instead of journal name
Wrong
Kincaid, Jamaica. *In History.* Callaloo, vol. 24, no. 2, 2001, pp. 620-626.
Correct
Kincaid, Jamaica. "In History." *Callaloo*, vol. 24, no. 2, 2001, pp. 620-626.
In MLA, article titles go in quotation marks while the journal name (the container) is italicized.
Fix checklist
- ✓Put article titles in quotation marks
- ✓Italicize journal names
- ✓Include page numbers in in-text citations
- ✓Use vol. and no. abbreviations
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to include the database in MLA?
Yes, if you accessed the article through a database, include the database name (italicized) and DOI or URL.
How do I cite a journal article with no DOI?
Use the stable URL from the database. If no stable URL exists, include just the database name.
Build the corrected citation now
Use the template and guide, then generate the final citation from verified academic sources.