Basic Structure
The basic format for citing an online database article in MLA is:
* Author's Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." *Journal Title*, Volume Number, Issue Number (Year Published): Page Numbers. *Database Name*, DOI or URL (if no DOI).
Key Components
* Author: Include the author's last name, followed by a comma and then their first name. If there are multiple authors, list them in the order they appear in the article, separated by commas. Use "et al." if there are more than three authors.
* Article Title: Put the article title in quotation marks.
* Journal Title: Italicize the title of the journal where the article was published.
* Volume and Issue Numbers: Provide the volume number, followed by a comma and the issue number.
* Year Published: Include the year the article was published in parentheses.
* Page Numbers: List the page numbers of the article if available.
* Database Name: Include the name of the database where you retrieved the article in italics.
* DOI (Digital Object Identifier): If the article has a DOI, include it after the database name. DOIs are unique identifiers for digital content and provide a stable link to the article.
* URL: If the article doesn't have a DOI, include the direct URL to the article.
Examples
Example 1: With DOI
Smith, John. "The Impact of Social Media on Political Campaigns." *Journal of Communication*, vol. 68, no. 2, 2018, pp. 325-347. *JSTOR*, doi:10.1177/1075547017741392.
Example 2: Without DOI
Jones, Sarah. "The Role of Education in Combating Climate Change." *Environmental Science & Technology*, vol. 52, no. 10, 2018, pp. 5678-5685. *ScienceDirect*, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013936X1830282X.
Tips
* Accessibility: Make sure the information you include is accessible to your reader. If a database requires a subscription to access the article, note that in the citation.
* Consistency: Use the same format throughout your bibliography or works cited list for consistency.
* Check with Your Instructor: Always confirm with your instructor what specific formatting guidelines they prefer for your citations.
Additional Notes:
* No Author: If an article doesn't have an author, start with the article title.
* Multiple Articles from the Same Database: If you cite multiple articles from the same database, you can use the database name only once in your works cited list, placing it after the last citation from that database.
Let me know if you have any more questions about citing online database articles!