Citing sources in your research paper and journal articles is crucial in academic writing. Citing and referencing is the procedure of acknowledging the information sources mentioned in your work. This enables readers to verify the credibility of the source and follow up on them if necessary. Also, it’s a fair practice of recognizing the contributions of others to your work.

There are various Journal article citation formats available for a research paper, in this blog, we will explore popularly used citing styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago.

Importance of proper citation  in academic writing

1. Aid Academic Writers to Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a major issue faced by academia, around 80% of college students admit cheating at least once. Plagiarism intentionally/unintentionally claims other’s academic contributions as their own. By citing sources, you give proper credit to the authors of the information you included in your paper. 

2. Validate the information for Readers

It helps readers to assess the credibility of the information used. Accurate citations allow the reader to match up the contents of the cited work with the text reference in the research paper. Also, citations enable readers to carry on independent research on the subject they are interested in.     

3. Features One’s Research skills

High-quality references are essential for any good academic paper. They provide reliable research data, are logically sound, and are endorsed by respected scholars. When authors use such references, it shows they are well-read and can identify valuable research. By including quality references in their work, authors gain respect from both peers and readers.

Different Citation Styles

APA style: The American Psychological Association, or APA citation is the most preferred style for citation for social science research papers. It is widely used for criminology, pedagogy, sociology, economics, political science, and business research papers.

MLA style: The Modern Language Association, or MLA citation is the second most common citation style after APA. Researchers and academics, particularly in the humanities fields like philosophy, literature, and language, primarily use it.

Chicago style: The Chicago citation style is known for its comprehensive system of footnotes and endnotes. Citations are placed in footnotes or endnotes, with a Chicago-style bibliography listing your sources in full at the end.

Vancouver style: The Vancouver citation style uses numbers for reference citations and lists. The reference list is ordered sequentially depending upon their appearance in the text. It is a common reference style for biomedical and health sciences journals.

How to Cite Journal Articles in Vancouver Style

In-text citations format for Vancouver Style

 The citation number is placed in square brackets. For example:
“This phenomenon is increasingly relevant [2].”

The numbers correspond to a numbered reference list at the end of the document, which provides full details of the sources.

Basic Format for referencing articles in Vancouver style
Here’s the basic format for citing a journal article the reference list:
Format:
Author(s). Title of article. Title of Journal. Year; volume(issue): pages.

Example:
Smith J, Doe J. Exploring the Universe. Journal of Astronomy. 2024;12(3):45-67.

Author(s): List the last name followed by initials. If there are multiple authors, separate their names with commas.

Title of Article: Only the first word of the title and subtitle, along with any proper nouns, are capitalized.

Title of Journal: Italicize the journal title.

Year: Provide the year of publication.

Volume and Issue Numbers: Include the volume number followed by the issue number in parentheses.
Pages: Indicate the page range of the article.

How to Cite Journal Articles in APA Style

In-text citations format for APA

In APA, in-text citations are used to mention the institution or organization, and the date of publication in parentheses or brackets after the relevant phrase and before the punctuation mark.

In-text citations have two layouts

Parenthetical: This includes the author's name and publication date in parentheses.

Example: (Albert Einstein, 1940) 

Narrative: This includes the author’s name incorporated in the text as part of the sentence, followed by the year in parentheses.

Example: Albert Einstein made a great contribution by introducing the Special Theory of Relativity (1905)

Basic format for referencing journal articles in APA

A standard reference list entry for a journal article in APA should include:

     • Author or author's full name. 

     • Year of article publication

     • Article title

     • Journal title followed by volume number (In italics)

     • Page range of articles in the volume

     • DOI or URL, if available

Examples of citations with and without DOIs

With DOI:

Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy

Example: Smith, J. A., & Doe, R. P. (2020). Advances in renewable energy technologies. Journal of Sustainable Energy, 15(3), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1234/jse.2020.015034

Without DOI:

Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. URL (if available)

Example: Jones, L. M. (2018). The impact of social media on mental health. Journal of Psychology and Behavior, 12(2), 101-115. 

How to Cite Journal Articles in MLA Style

In-text citation format for MLA

In-text MLA citation style is widely used to document the source of the information. The format follows using the author’s name, followed by the page number from which the information, quotation, or paraphrase is taken, for example: (John 112). If the source does not have page numbers, do not include the parenthetical citation, for example: (John).

Basic Format for referencing articles in MLA

A standard reference list entry for a journal article in MLA should include:

     • Author’s full name

     • Title of the article, or subtitle if any

     • Journal: Name of the journal, volume number, issue number, date of publication, and page range

     • Database: Name of the database, DOI, permalink, or shortened URL for the article in the database 

How to handle multiple authors in MLA

When citing multiple authors in MLA style, you can use parentheses or the main text to name the authors in your in-text citation: 

Two authors

List both authors' last names, separated by "and". For example, "(Johnson and Tuite 110)". 

Three or more authors

If the citation is in parentheses, list the first author's last name, followed by "et al." For example, "(Richard et al.)". If the citation is in the main text, you can use "and colleagues" or "and others" instead of "et al." For example, "Armstrong and colleagues suggest that..

How to Cite Journal Articles in Chicago Style

What is Footnotes and Endnotes in Chicago Style?

Footnotes and endnotes, often referred to as "Chicago Style," differ from in-text citation formats like APA or MLA. These methods require you to provide comprehensive details about each source at the point of citation. Typically, you should choose to use either footnotes or endnotes, not both, in your work. It's also common for professors to favor footnotes over endnotes, so it's advisable to confirm their preference before you begin. In this always ensure proper punctuation. 

What is a Bibliography Entry for a Journal Article?

A Chicago-style bibliography includes all the sources cited in your text. Each entry starts with the author's name, followed by the title of the source and the necessary publication details. It should be organized alphabetically by the author's last name.

Chicago Style Bibliography Example – Journal 

Smith, Darren. “Water Law Impacts.” Natural Resources Journal 32, no. 7 (May 2020): 345-357.

Conclusion

Accurate citation and reference in research are fundamental in academic writing, ensuring credibility and respect for original research. To maintain quality and consistency:

     • Consistency: Stick to one citation style throughout your document. This helps maintain clarity and avoid confusion.

     • Double-check: Always verify the details of your references to ensure they are complete and accurate.

     • Citation Management Tools: Consider using tools like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley to streamline the citation process and manage your sources efficiently.

By adhering to these practices, you uphold the integrity of your work and acknowledge the contributions of others effectively.