How to Cite References Using a Database

APA Style

• 1

  Omit the title of the database for journal articles since databases change frequently and the references for journals make articles easy to locate.

• 2

  Write the author(s) name(s) in the parenthetical reference followed by a comma and the year of publication. End your parenthetical reference with the appropriate punctuation.

• 3

  Create an entry for the full citation on your "References" page. Write the name(s) of the author(s) in surname, initial format followed by a period. Write the year of publication in brackets followed by a period. Write the title of the article followed by a period. Write the title of the journal in italics, followed by a comma and the volume number. Write the issue number -- placed in brackets and not in italics -- followed by a comma, the page range of the article and a period.

• 4

  Check your citation against this example:

  Jones, B. (2003). How to Succeed in London Society. Horse and Hound, 2(4), 122-132.

MLA Style

• 5

  Cite the source in your parenthetical references according to the basic style of author and page number.

• 6

  Create an entry for the full citation on your "Works Cited" page. Write the author's surname followed by a comma and his first name followed by a period. Write the title of the article in italics followed by a period. Write the title of the journal in italics followed by the volume and issue numbers, separated by a period. Write the year of publication in brackets followed by a colon and the page range of the journal article followed by a period. Write the name of the database you used to find the article in italics, followed by a period. Write the medium: "Web" followed by a period. Write the date you accessed the journal article from the database in day/month/year format. End your citation with a period.

• 7

  Check your citation against this example:

  Jones, Bridget. "How to Succeed in London Society." Horse and Hound 2.4 (2003): 122-132. ProQuest. Web. 27 December 2008.

• 8

  Omit information about the subscribing institution and its location. This information is not required by the most recent version of the MLA style guide .