When you are referencing a journal article, you must cite it correctly according to the APA 7th edition style. In this article, we will go over the different aspects of citing a journal article: Using a DOI, including a volume and issue number, and Formatting a reference. If you are not familiar with the APA 7th edition style, don’t worry! We’ve broken down these steps for you, so you’ll be able to get started on your next writing project.
APA 7th edition
The first rule of APA citation is to include the author of the work. This includes the first and last name of the author, as well as the article number. If there are multiple authors, the first name of the authors and the article number should be included. If there are more than three authors, the authors’ first names and last names should be listed in that order, with a space between them.
The article’s title should be capitalized, as are any proper nouns. If the article is an online-only publication, it should have a URL. Journal articles without a DOI should use the same reference as print publications. If the article is part of a database, the article’s DOI or URL must be included. These two elements should be included in your citation, even if you have to cite the article by hand.
Using a DOI
Using a DOI to cite your journal article follows the same rules as citing a book. The first word of the article title, and any proper nouns in the title, are capitalized. The article’s page number is listed after the title, separated by a period. If you’re citing an article from a database, a DOI or URL is your best option.
The publisher’s name and address is omitted in the APA 7th edition. Using a DOI instead of a publisher’s name and address allows you to avoid the trouble of citing a journal article twice. Instead of using the full country or state name, you can simply use a DOI. This format will automatically give the reader a direct link to the journal’s website, so all they need to do is enter the URL.
If the journal article is published in print, the DOI might not be listed. In that case, you would end the reference after the page range. The year, month, and page range of the publication should be included. You should include the author’s surname and initials for up to twenty authors, or the author’s name and last name. If there are more than twenty authors, use ellipses. If there are fewer than twenty authors, list only the last one.
Including a volume and an issue number
When citing a journal article, you may wonder how to include a volume and issue number. The answer is, “it depends.” Most journal articles will not include issue numbers, but if they do, you should include them in the reference. You also don’t need to include the database name when citing a journal article in the 7th edition of the American Psychological Association’s Manual of Style.
A periodical’s home page will usually have a table of contents (TOC). The issue number should be listed after the volume number. You can compare TOCs by reading different issues in a journal. If you’re referencing a journal article online, you should include the issue number in italics. If you don’t have access to an issue number, you can include a volume number in parentheses.
Formatting a reference
In the APA 7th edition, you’ll follow the ‘author/date’ style when formatting references. This style requires the first author’s surname followed by the year they were published, and also includes a page number or paragraph number. To add author references, follow the same format. In Microsoft Word, you can highlight each reference and then select the paragraph function. Under the paragraph function, choose the appropriate style and type indentation and double spacing. If you’re using a Mac or Google Docs, these options are similarly easy to access.
Next, include the author’s last name and initials in brackets. If the article has page numbers, include the page range with a period after the numbers. If the article is available online, you can include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) after the page numbers. Finally, make sure to include the URL of the journal article. If the article has a DOI, it’s best to use it instead of an ordinary URL.