How to Cite a Journal Article in APA 7

Reference, journal article with a DOI:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Reference, print or database article with no DOI:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume(issue), pages.

Reference, online journal with a resolving URL and no DOI:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume(issue), pages. https://xxxxx

Reference, article number instead of pages:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume(issue), Article e1234567. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Reference, article number and no issue:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume, Article 123456. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Reference, advance online publication:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Parenthetical citation:

(Author, Year)

Narrative citation:

Author (Year)

Three or more authors, in text:

(Author et al., Year)

Direct quotation, parenthetical:

(Author, Year, p. 12)

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.

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).

Invert names so that the last name comes first, followed by a comma and the initials. Leave a space between initials. Retain the order of authors’ names.

Italicize the volume number. Do not put a space between the volume number and the parentheses around the issue number.

No issue number? That’s okay. Follow the volume number with a comma.

Include the article page range. Use an en dash; do not put spaces around the en dash. End with a period.

Do not include page abbreviations, such as “pp.” or “pg.”

Does the article have a DOI? Include a DOI for all works that have one. Do not put a period after the DOI.

Do not include both a DOI and a URL in a reference entry. If a work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI.

Reference (Niepel et al., 2025), Common Reference Examples Guide:

Niepel, C., Hausen, J. E., Weber, A. M., & Möller, J. (2025). Understanding mean-level and intraindividual variability in state academic self-concept: The role of students’ trait expectancies and values. Journal of Educational Psychology, 117(5), 772–788. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000946

Parenthetical citation:

(Niepel et al., 2025)

Narrative citation:

Niepel et al. (2025)

Reference (Grady et al., 2019):

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/ppm0000185

Parenthetical citation:

(Grady et al., 2019)

Narrative citation:

Grady et al. (2019)

Reference (Pope & Wall, 2025):

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

Parenthetical citation:

(Pope & Wall, 2025)

Narrative citation:

Pope and Wall (2025)

Reference (Rybaczewska & Sparks, 2022):

Rybaczewska, M., & Sparks, L. (2022). Ageing consumers and e-commerce activities. Ageing and Society, 42(8), 1879–1898. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X20001932

Parenthetical citation:

(Rybaczewska & Sparks, 2022)

Narrative citation:

Rybaczewska and Sparks (2022)

Reference (Ahmann et al., 2018):

Ahmann, E., Tuttle, L. J., Saviet, M., & Wright, S. D. (2018). A descriptive review of ADHD coaching research: Implications for college students. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 31(1), 17–39. https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/publications/jped/archived-jped/jped-volume-31

Parenthetical citation:

(Ahmann et al., 2018)

Narrative citation:

Ahmann et al. (2018)

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.

Reference (Jerrentrup et al., 2018):

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.0193972

Parenthetical citation:

(Jerrentrup et al., 2018)

Narrative citation:

Jerrentrup et al. (2018)

Reference (Schlesselmann et al., 2025):

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.2024.104678

Parenthetical citation:

(Schlesselmann et al., 2025)

Narrative citation:

Schlesselmann et al. (2025)

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).

Missing volume with a season (Lipscomb, 2021):

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.pdf

Missing volume (Stegmeir, 2016), Alamo reprint:

Stegmeir, M. (2016). Climate change: New discipline practices promote college access. The Journal of College Admission, (231), 44–47. https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/NACAC/nacac_jca_spring2016/#/46

Missing issue with an article number (Bosco et al., 2018):

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.2018.00072

Missing issue (Sanchiz et al., 2017):

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.2017.02.038

Missing pages (Butler, 2017), live Style Center URL:

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.html

Parenthetical citations, live Style Center grouping:

(Bosco et al., 2018; Butler, 2017; Lipscomb, 2021; Sanchiz et al., 2017)

Reference template:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., Author, C. C., Author, D. D., Author, E. E., Author, F. F., Author, G. G., Author, H. H., Author, I. I., Author, J. J., Author, K. K., Author, L. L., Author, M. M., Author, N. N., Author, O. O., Author, P. P., Author, Q. Q., Author, R. R., Author, S. S., ... Author, Z. Z. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical, volume(issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx

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).

Use this format to cite a retraction notice rather than a retracted article, for example, to provide information on why an article was retracted.

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.

Retracted article (Joly et al., 2008):

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/10.1177/0146167208318401 (Retraction published 2012, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38[10], 1378)

Parenthetical citation:

(Joly et al., 2008)

Narrative citation:

Joly et al. (2008)

Retraction notice (de la Fuente et al., 2010):

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-10-2451

Retraction notice (The Editors of the Lancet, 2010):

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)60175-4

If you are citing an article within a special section or issue (rather than the entire issue or section), use the format for a journal article. You do not need to include the title of the special section or issue.

Although it is preferable to cite the whole article, the abstract can be cited if that is your only available source.

Include the description “[Supplemental material]” in square brackets after the article title.

Whole special issue (Campbell et al., 2020):

Campbell, K., Lustig, C., & Hasher, L. (Eds.). (2020). Aging and inhibition: The view ahead [Special issue]. Psychology and Aging, 35(5).

Parenthetical citation:

(Campbell et al., 2020)

Abstract only (Hare & O’Neill, 2000):

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/10.1177/104649640003100102

Monograph in a journal issue (Ganster et al., 1991):

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. http://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.76.1.143

Supplemental material (Freeberg, 2019):

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/com0000181

Parenthetical citations:

(Freeberg, 2019; Ganster et al., 1991; Hare & O’Neill, 2000)

Advance online publication (Huestegge et al., 2019), Publication Manual §10.1 Example 7:

Huestegge, S. M., Raettig, T., & Huestegge, L. (2019). Are face-incongruent voices harder to process? Effects of face–voice gender incongruency on basic cognitive information processing. Experimental Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000440

Parenthetical citation:

(Huestegge et al., 2019)

Narrative citation:

Huestegge et al. (2019)

In-press article, template, not an invented article:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (in press). Title of the article. Title of the Periodical.

Articles in the UpToDate database are available only in that database (see Section 9.30) and have information that changes over time. In the reference list, format UpToDate articles like periodical articles. Do not italicize the database name if it appears in text.

Use the year of last update in the date element (see Section 9.15).

Include a retrieval date because the content is designed to change over time and versions of the page are not archived (See Section 9.16)

UpToDate (Morey, 2019), Publication Manual §10.1 Example 14:

Morey, M. C. (2019). Physical activity and exercise in older adults. UpToDate. Retrieved July 22, 2019, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/physical-activity-and-exercise-in-older-adults

Parenthetical citation:

(Morey, 2019)

Narrative citation:

Morey (2019)

Cochrane review, template, not an invented review:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CDxxxxxx.pubN