Journal Article References

This page contains reference examples for journal articles, including the following:

  1. Journal article
  2. Journal article with an article number
  3. Journal article with missing information
  4. Retracted journal article
  5. Retraction notice for a journal article
  6. Abstract of a journal article from an abstract indexing database
  7. Monograph as part of a journal issue
  8. Online-only supplemental material to a journal article

1. Journal article

Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185opens in new window

Pope, J. P., & Wall, H. (2025). Is the goal intrinsic or extrinsic? Examining self-determination theory researchers’ and the general publics’ perceptions of exercise goals. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 57(3), 239–248. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000411

Rybaczewska, M., & Sparks, L. (2022). Ageing consumers and e-commerce activities. Ageing and Society, 42(8), 1879–1898. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X20001932opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (Grady et al., 2019; Pope & Wall, 2025; Rybaczewska & Sparks, 2022)
  • Narrative citations: Grady et al. (2019), Pope and Wall (2025), and Rybaczewska and Sparks (2022)
  • Follow the spelling convention used by the publication for the title of the journal. For example, even if you’ve written the text of your paper in American English, do not change a British spelling in the journal’s title (see the Pope & Wall, 2025, reference example); this guidance also applies to article titles (see the Rybaczewska & Sparks, 2022, reference example).
  • If a journal article has a DOI, include the DOI in the reference.
  • Always include the issue number for a journal article.
  • If the journal article does not have a DOI and is from an academic research database, end the reference after the page range (for an explanation of why, see the database information page). The reference in this case is the same as for a print journal article.
  • Do not include database information in the reference unless the journal article comes from a database that publishes works of limited circulation or original, proprietary content, such as UpToDate.
  • If the journal article does not have a DOI but does have a URL that will resolve for readers (e.g., it is from an online journal that is not part of a database), include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.

2. Journal article with an article number

Jerrentrup, A., Mueller, T., Glowalla, U., Herder, M., Henrichs, N., Neubauer, A., & Schaefer, J. R. (2018). Teaching medicine with the help of “Dr. House.” PLoS ONE, 13(3), Article e0193972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193972opens in new window

Schlesselmann, A. J., McNally, R. J., & Held, P. (2025). Using network analysis to characterize clinical improvement during cognitive processing therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 185, Article 104678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2024.104678opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (Jerrentrup et al., 2018; Schlesselmann et al., 2025)
  • Narrative citations: Jerrentrup et al. (2018) and Schlesselmann et al. (2025)
  • If the journal article has an article number instead of a page range, include the word “Article” and then the article number instead of the page range.

3. Journal article with missing information

Missing volume number

Lipscomb, A. Y. (2021, Winter). Addressing trauma in the college essay writing process. The Journal of College Admission, (249), 30–33. https://www.catholiccollegesonline.org/pdf/national_ccaa_in_the_news_-_nacac_journal_of_college_admission_winter_2021.pdfopens in new window

Missing issue number

Bosco, G., Rizzato, A., Moon, R. E., & Camporesi, E. M. (2018). Environmental physiology and diving medicine. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 72. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00072opens in new window

Sanchiz, M., Chevalier, A., & Amadieu, F. (2017). How do older and young adults start searching for information? Impact of age, domain knowledge and problem complexity on the different steps of information searching. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.038opens in new window

Missing page or article number

Butler, J. (2017). Where access meets multimodality: The case of ASL music videos. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy, 21(1). https://technorhetoric.net/21.1/topoi/butler/index.htmlopens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (Bosco et al., 2018; Butler, 2017; Lipscomb, 2021; Sanchiz et al., 2017)
  • Narrative citations: Bosco et al. (2018), Butler (2017), Lipscomb (2021), and Sanchiz et al. (2017)
  • If the journal does not use volume, issue, and/or article or page numbers, omit the missing element(s) from the reference.
  • If the journal is published quarterly and the month or season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) is noted, include that with the date element; see the Lipscomb example.
  • If the volume, issue, and/or article or page numbers have simply not yet been assigned, use the format for an advance online publication (see Example 7 in the Publication Manual) or an in-press article (see Example 8 in the Publication Manual).

4. Retracted journal article

Joly, J. F., Stapel, D. A., & Lindenberg, S. M. (2008). Silence and table manners: When environments activate norms. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(8), 1047–1056. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167208318401opens in new window (Retraction published 2012, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38[10], 1378)

 

  • Parenthetical citation: (Joly et al., 2008)
  • Narrative citation: Joly et al. (2008)
  • Use this format to cite the retracted article itself, for example, to discuss the contents of the retracted article.
  • First provide publication details of the original article. Then provide information about the retraction in parentheses, including its year, journal, volume, issue, and page number(s).

5. Retraction notice for a journal article

de la Fuente, R., Bernad, A., Garcia-Castro, J., Martin, M. C., & Cigudosa, J. C. (2010). Retraction: Spontaneous human adult stem cell transformation. Cancer Research, 70(16), 6682. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-2451opens in new window

The Editors of the Lancet. (2010). Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 375(9713), 445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-4opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (de la Fuente et al., 2010; The Editors of the Lancet, 2010)
  • Narrative citations: de la Fuente et al. (2010) and The Editors of the Lancet (2010)
  • Use this format to cite a retraction notice rather than a retracted article, for example, to provide information on why an article was retracted.
  • The author of the retraction notice may be an editor, editorial board, or some or all authors of the article. Examine the retraction notice to determine who to credit as the author.
  • Reproduce the title of the retraction notice as shown on the work. Note that the title may include the words “retraction,” “retraction notice,” or “retraction note” as well as the title of the original article.

6. Abstract of a journal article from an abstract indexing database

Hare, L. R., & O’Neill, K. (2000). Effectiveness and efficiency in small academic peer groups: A case study (Accession No. 200010185) [Abstract from Sociological Abstracts]. Small Group Research, 31(1), 24–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649640003100102opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citation: (Hare & O’Neill, 2000)
  • Narrative citation: Hare and O’Neill (2000)
  • Although it is preferable to cite the whole article, the abstract can be cited if that is your only available source.
  • The foundation of the reference is the same as for a journal article.
  • If the abstract has a database accession number, place it in parentheses after the title.
  • Note that you retrieved only the abstract by putting the words “Abstract from” and then the name of the abstract indexing database in square brackets. Place this bracketed description after the title and any accession number.
  • Accession numbers are sometimes referred to as unique identifiers or as publication numbers (e.g., as PubMed IDs); use the term provided by the database in your reference.

7. Monograph as part of a journal issue

Ganster, D. C., Schaubroeck, J., Sime, W. E., & Mayes, B. T. (1991). The nomological validity of the Type A personality among employed adults [Monograph]. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(1), 143–168. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.76.1.143opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citation: (Ganster et al., 1991)
  • Narrative citation: Ganster et al. (1991)
  • For a monograph with an issue (or whole) number, include the issue number in parentheses followed by the serial number, for example, 58(1, Serial No. 231).
  • For a monograph bound separately as a supplement to a journal, give the issue number and supplement or part number in parentheses after the volume number, for example, 80(3, Pt. 2).

8. Online-only supplemental material to a journal article

Freeberg, T. M. (2019). From simple rules of individual proximity, complex and coordinated collective movement [Supplemental material]. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 133(2), 141–142. https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000181opens in new window

 

  • Parenthetical citation: (Freeberg, 2019)
  • Narrative citation: Freeberg (2019)
  • The foundation of the reference is the same as for a journal article.
  • Include the description “[Supplemental material]” in square brackets after the article title.
  • If you cite both the main article and the supplemental material, provide only a reference for the article.

Learn more

Journal article references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.1 and the Concise Guide Section 10.1

This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition.

Last updated: August 2025Date created: 2020