How to cite an online journal article in APA
To cite an online journal article in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:
- Author(s) of the article: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
- Year of publication: Give the year in brackets followed by a full stop.
- Title of the research article: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
- Title of periodical: Give the full, non-abbreviated title of the periodical in title case. It should also be italicized.
- Volume number: The volume number is also italicized.
- Issue number: For journals that are paginated by issue give the issue number in brackets.
- Page numbers: Give the full page range.
- DOI or URL: Include the digital object identifier (DOI) if one is assigned or start with 'Retrieved from' followed by the URL.
Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an online journal article in APA style 6th edition:
.(Year of publication). Title of the research article. Title of periodical, Volume number (Issue number) Page numbers. DOI or URL
APA reference list examples
Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for an online journal article citation in action:
An online journal article with two authors and a DOI
2000). The University of Freiburg: A model for a bilingual university. Higher Education in Europe, 25(4), 461–468. https://doi.org/10.1080/03797720120037796. (
An online journal article with two authors and a DOI
2018). Ancient biological invasions and island ecosystems: Tracking translocations of wild plants and animals. Journal of Archeological Research, 26(1), 65–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10814-017-9105-3. (
This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition).