How to Cite a Database Article

Electronic databases collect journal articles and make them available to students in college. If you are a college student, it's likely that your university library provides access to one or more electronic databases, and you may need to use a database to access information for research papers. If you use an article accessed through a database for your paper, you must format your citation in a specific way. The Modern Language Association, Chicago Manual of Style and American Psychological Association all set different guidelines for the citation of articles accessed through an electronic database.

Instructions

    • 1

      Format your reference list entry in the following manner for APA format:

      Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of article. Name of Journal in italics, Volume Number in italics(Issue Number), Inclusive Page Numbers. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from Name of Database.

      Here is an example:

      Smith, T. (1998). Seven ways to compete: Education in American schools. Domestic Policy Quarterly, 11(18), 34-39. Retrieved July 4, 2011, from the ProQuest database.

      When you are formatting the title of an article in APA format, capitalize only the first letter of the title, first letter of the subtitle and proper nouns. Remember to italicize both the name of the journal and the volume number. If no issue number is listed, simply omit the issue number from your citation.

    • 2

      Format your reference list entry in the following manner for MLA format:

      Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Name of Journal in italics Volume Number.Issue Number (Year): Inclusive Page Numbers. Name of Database in italics. Medium of Publication. Date of Access.

      For instance:

      Smith, Thomas. "Seven Ways to Compete: Education in American Schools." Domestic Policy Quarterly 11.18 (1998): 34-39. ProQuest. Web. 4 Jul. 2011.

      Remember to italicize the name of the journal and the name of the database. If no issue number is listed, omit the issue number from your citation. It is not required to include the web address, but you may do so in angle brackets at the end of your citation. For instance:

      Smith, Thomas. "Seven Ways to Compete: Education in American Schools." Domestic Policy Quarterly 11.18 (1998): 34-39. ProQuest. Web. 4 Jul. 2011. <http://www.proquest.com>

    • 3

      Format your bibliography entry in the following manner for Chicago format:

      Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article," Name of Journal in italics Volume Number, Issue Number (Year of Publication): Page Numbers. Web Address.

      For instance:

      Smith, Thomas. "Seven Ways to Compete: Education in American Schools," Domestic Policy Quarterly 11, no. 18 (1998): 34-39. http://www.proquest.com.

      Remember to italicize the title of the journal.

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