Citing sources is a cornerstone of academic integrity and scholarly communication. In academic writing, accurately crediting sources is crucial to avoid plagiarism and to give proper acknowledgement to the original authors and their work. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is widely used in the humanities, and understanding how to cite articles within this style is a fundamental skill for students and researchers alike. This guide will walk you through the process of creating effective MLA citations for periodicals, including magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals, ensuring your work is both credible and meticulously documented.
Periodicals are essential resources for up-to-date information and in-depth analysis across various disciplines. When incorporating information from these sources into your research papers, essays, or articles, knowing how to correctly format your citations is key. MLA style uses a “works cited” page at the end of your document to list all the sources you’ve referenced. Each entry on this page must follow a specific format, depending on the type of source. For periodicals, the citation includes key elements such as the author, article title, periodical title, publication date, and page numbers.
Let’s delve into the specifics of citing different types of periodical articles using MLA format.
Citing Magazine Articles in MLA
Magazines offer a rich source of articles on a wide array of topics, from current events and popular culture to specialized interests. When citing a magazine article in MLA, the basic format is straightforward. You’ll need the author’s name, the article title, the magazine title, the date of publication, and the page numbers where the article appears.
The structure for citing a magazine article is as follows:
Author(s). "Title of Article." *Title of Magazine*, Day Month Year, pp. Pages.Here are a couple of examples to illustrate this format:
Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." *Time,* 20 Nov. 2000, pp. 70-71.Buchman, Dana. "A Special Education." *Good Housekeeping,* Mar. 2006, pp. 143-48.Notice that the article title is enclosed in quotation marks, while the magazine title is italicized. The month is abbreviated (e.g., Nov. for November, Mar. for March), and the page numbers are preceded by “pp.”
Citing Newspaper Articles in MLA
Newspapers are vital sources for current events, local news, and in-depth reporting. Citing newspaper articles in MLA is similar to citing magazine articles, but there are a few distinctions to keep in mind, particularly regarding pagination and editions.
The basic format for a newspaper article citation is:
Author(s). "Title of Article." *Title of Newspaper*, Day Month Year, p. or pp. Section and Page number(s).Here are some examples of newspaper citations in MLA style:
Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients." *Washington Post,* 24 May 2007, p. LZ01.Krugman, Andrew. "Fear of Eating." *New York Times,* late ed., 21 May 2007, p. A1.If the newspaper is less widely known or is a local publication, it’s helpful to include the city name in brackets after the newspaper title to provide clarity for your readers:
Behre, Robert. "Presidential Hopefuls Get Final Crack at Core of S.C. Democrats." *Post and Courier* [Charleston, SC], 29 Apr. 2007, p. A11.Trembacki, Paul. "Brees Hopes to Win Heisman for Team." *Purdue Exponent* [West Lafayette, IN], 5 Dec. 2000, p. 20.Note that for newspapers, “p.” is used for a single page citation, and “pp.” is used for multiple pages. Also, if the newspaper has different editions (like “late ed.” in the Krugman example), it’s important to specify the edition after the newspaper title.
Citing Scholarly Journal Articles in MLA
Scholarly journals are peer-reviewed publications that present in-depth research and analysis in specific academic fields. Citing journal articles in MLA requires slightly different information compared to magazines and newspapers, primarily focusing on volume and issue numbers.
The standard format for citing a scholarly journal article is:
Author(s). "Title of Article." *Title of Journal*, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Pages.Here are examples of citing scholarly journal articles:
Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's *Bashai Tudu*." *Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature,* vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.Duvall, John N. "The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo's *White Noise*." *Arizona Quarterly*, vol. 50, no. 3, 1994, pp. 127-53.It’s crucial to include the volume number (“vol.”) and issue number (“no.”) if they are available, as this information helps readers locate the specific article within the journal. These numbers follow the journal title, separated by commas.
Citing Articles in Special Issues of Journals
Sometimes, journal articles appear in special issues dedicated to a specific theme or topic. When citing these, you should include information about the special issue.
The format is as follows:
Author(s). "Title of Article." *Special Issue Title,* special issue of *Title of Journal,* vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Pages.Example:
Burgess, Anthony. "Politics in the Novels of Graham Greene." *Literature and Society,* special issue of *Journal of Contemporary History,* vol. 2, no. 2, 1967, pp. 93-99.In this case, the title of the special issue, “Literature and Society,” is placed before “special issue of” and the regular journal title, “Journal of Contemporary History.”
Citing Reviews, Editorials, Letters, and Anonymous Articles
MLA style also provides guidelines for citing other types of periodical content, such as reviews, editorials, letters to the editor, and articles where the author is not named.
Reviews
For reviews, include the author of the review (if known), the title of the review (if available), the phrase “Review of,” and then the title of the work being reviewed and its creator.
Format:
Review Author. "Title of Review (if there is one)." Review of *Work Title*, by Author/Director/Artist. *Title of Periodical,* Day Month Year, page.Example:
Seitz, Matt Zoller. "Life in the Sprawling Suburbs, If You Can Really Call It Living." Review of *Radiant City*, directed by Gary Burns and Jim Brown. *New York Times,* 30 May 2007, p. E1.Editorials and Letters to the Editor
Cite editorials and letters like any other periodical article, but add the designation “Editorial” or “Letter” to clarify the type of work.
Format for Editorial:
"Title of Editorial." Editorial. *Title of Periodical,* Day Month Year, page.Example:
"Of Mines and Men." Editorial. *Wall Street Journal,* eastern edition, 24 Oct. 2003, p. A14.Format for Letter to the Editor:
Author of Letter. Letter. *Title of Periodical,* Day Month Year, page.Example:
Hamer, John. Letter. *American Journalism Review,* Dec. 2006/Jan. 2007, p. 7.Anonymous Articles
For articles where no author is listed, begin the citation with the article title.
Format:
"Title of Article." *Title of Periodical,* Day Month Year, page.Example:
"Business: Global Warming's Boom Town; Tourism in Greenland." *The Economist*, 26 May 2007, p. 82.Conclusion
Mastering MLA citation for articles is essential for producing credible and well-researched academic work. By understanding the nuances of citing magazines, newspapers, scholarly journals, and other periodical content, you ensure that you are giving proper credit to your sources and adhering to academic standards. Remember to pay close attention to the specific details required for each type of periodical, and always double-check your citations against the MLA Handbook or a reliable online guide. For further assistance and more detailed examples, explore the resources available at how.edu.vn, your go-to guide for academic writing and citation.
