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Citations - APA Style: Citing Periodical Articles from Databases in APA 7 Format

Resources for APA (American Psychological Association) format, with examples of how to cite material from our electronic databases

Tips:

  • Article titles are in lower case type, except for the first word, first word of the subtitle, and proper nouns.
  • Journal (Magazine, etc.) titles have the main words capitalized and appear in italic type, and the volume number is written in italics, too.
  • When a work is found in a library database, no database name or URL is included. (9.30, 9.34)

Periodical Articles - General

Articles from Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers

APA style calls for references to be typed double-spaced, in hanging indention, as shown in the examples. Periodical titles should be written in italics. Citations for articles from databases should include the DOI if available; omit it if not. If the article is from a website other than a library database, include the DOI or the URL

 

General Format for Articles

Author [Last name], A. [First initial(s)], Author, B., & Author, C. 
      (Year). Article title. Periodical Name, volume (add issue if 
      necessary), paging if given, or other indicator of length. DOI 
      OR URL (if from a website) OR nothing (if from a database)

Magazine Articles

For magazines, give specific issue month and day. Examples:

Thurston, P. (2009, March 15). Conflict along the Amazon. Spectrum, 

      35(12), 26-27. https://www.magzies.com/spectrum/35/12

Article was found on a library database, but by rule, the article with no DOI is cited as if it were in print.

Jost, K. (2004, November 5). Sentencing debates. CQ Researcher, 14(39), 

      925-948.

Journal Articles

Example of Journal Article With No DOI

Article was found on a library database, but by rule, the article with no DOI is cited as if it were in print.

McMaster, K. L., Kung, S., Han, I., & Cao, M. (2008). Peer-assisted 

      learning strategies: A "Tier 1" approach to promoting English 

      learners' response to intervention. Exceptional Children 

      74, 194-214.
Example of an Article With 21 or more Authors, With DOI
Fredericks, S., Jordan, F., Burke, M., Yancey, T., Jackson, M., Trollope,

      A., Veldhuisen, K., De Rais, G., Landru, H.D., Wuornos, A., Bundy,

      T., Daumer, J., Chikatilo, A.R., Shipman, H.F., Chamba, G., 

       Mengele, J.,  Bundy, T.,  Gacy, J.W., Holmes, H.H. ... Kong, K.

      (2008). Cognitive ergonomics and concept-stage desk  design. 

      Journal of Ergonomic Research, 25(3), 64-283. https://doi.org/
      
      10.1016/j.erg.2008.05.004

Newspaper Articles

Example from Article on New York Times
Pollack, A. (2011, July 12). In Midwest, flutters may be far fewer. 

      New York Times.  https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/science/

      12butterfly.html

Articles found in Literature Resource Center

Literature Resource Center Articles That Were Formerly Reprinted in Gale Reference Books

statement from Literature Resource Center with the phrase "Reprint in"

These reprints appear in the Literature Resource Center and can be identified by the phrase Reprint In after the title of the journal where the article first appeared.

Although APA rules say that, in general, articles from academic databases should not include a URL or the name of the database, there is an exception for databases that have unique content. An example is an article reprinted in a Gale reference book, and then presented in database form.

Palmer, J.W. (2004). From Owl Creek to la Riviere du Hibou: The film 

      adaptation of Bierce's "An occurrence at Owl Creek bridge." 

      In J. Palmisano (Ed.), Short Story Criticism, 72 (pp. 363-371).

      Detroit: Gale. (Reprinted from From Owl Creek to la Riviere du 

      Hibou: The film adaptation of Bierce's "An occurrence at Owl 

      Creek bridge." Southern Humanities Review, 11, 363-71, 

      1977)  Literature Resource Center. 

      https://chemeketa.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://link.gale.com/apps/

      doc/H1420058856/LitRC?u=oregon_chemeke&sid=LitRC&xid=c246f009

Articles in Literature Resource Center Taken Directly from Journals

Journal articles show the title of the journal followed by a volume and issue number in parentheses. There is no "Reprint in" statement:

statement of the journal title without the words "reprint in"

Articles which have not been reprinted in a reference book are cited like any other periodical article without a DOI:

Samide, D.E. (2005, May). Anatomy of a classic: Ambrose Bierce cleverly 

      used some key literary tools in crafting his Civil War tale "An 
      
      occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." The Writer, 118(5), 42.