There are three ways of retrieving periodical articles:
1. by locating the actual hard copy of the publication,
3. by locating the article in an electronic database, such as ProQuest, Academic Search Premier or Ethnic NewsWatch, and
3. by locating the publisher's online version (see Web Sites tab)
Regardless of which format you use, the publication information must be cited. Each citation must include:
- author's name (when shown)
- title of the article (in quotation marks)
- title of the periodical (italics)
- date of the periodical
- page numbers of the article*
Citations for articles from an academic (or scholarly) journal must include the volume number, issue number and year of publication. Citations for magazines and newspapers do not need the volume or issue number but do require the complete date using the format: day month year.
*"Use page numbers found on the original article (print, .PDF version, or any other format where the original numbers can be found) - not printer generated page numbers on printouts. Where the page numbers for the original print version of an article are not available or the article is not in it's original format use n. pag.
IMPORTANT! For space reasons, the examples here are not formatted according to MLA guidelines. When formatting your citation:
Double-space within and between each entry.
If you find an article in an electronic database, such as ProQuest, Academic Search Premier, or LexisNexis Academic, the citation will begin with the same information as the print version. Added to the citation are the name of the database (in italics), the medium (Web), and the day, month, year the article was accessed.
Scholarly journal article from ProQuest:
Logue, Cal M. and Eugene F. Miller. "Communicative Interaction and Rhetorical Status in Harriet Ann
Jacobs' Slave Narrative." Southern Communication Journal 63.3 (1998): 182+. ProQuest
Research Library. Web. 23 Nov. 2008.
Magazine article from Academic Search Premier:
Couzin, Jennifer. "A Stem-cell Go-ahead." U.S. News & World Report 1 Feb. 1999: n. pag. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 13 May 2008.
Magazine article from ProQuest:
Klinkenborg, Verlyn. "Where the Other Half Lived." Mother Jones July-Aug. 2001: 54-57. ProQuest
Research Library. Web. 30 July 2008.
Newspaper article from LexisNexis Academic:
Lewin, Tamar. "In U.S., a Chance to Major in Marijuana: Michigan College Opens to Teach Others to Grow Drug for Medicinal Uses." International Herald Tribune 30 Nov. 2009: 6. LexisNexis Academic. Web.
28 May 2010.
If you have the actual copy of the publication in your hand, cite the article's publication information like this:
Article in scholarly journal:
Wernerfelt, Birgner. "Advertising Content When Brand Choice Is a Signal." Journal of Business 63.1
(1990): 91-98. Print.
Article in weekly magazine:
Ernsberger, Richard. "The Euro and You: The Race Won by the Swift and the Strong." Newsweek 30 Nov.
1998: 42-46. Print.
Article in monthly magazine:
Alford, Jeffrey. "Ap Nam? Kin Khao? Feeling at Home in Thai Kitchens." Eating Well Jan-Feb. 2001: 44-55.
Print.
Article in a newspaper:
Olson, Elizabeth. "Swiss Voters Turn Down Legalization of Narcotics." International Herald Tribune 30
Nov. 1998: A1. Print.
Article in a magazine, no author:
"Saddam's Republican Guards." Time 4 Feb. 1998: 24. Print.
Editorial in a newspaper or magazine:
Schmemann, Serge. "The World According to Gorbachev Disappears." Editorial. New York Times 8 Dec.
1991: E3. Print.