APA Citation for Peer Reviewed Journal: A Step-by-Step Guide
We can all agree that properly citing sources in APA format can be tricky, especially when dealing with peer reviewed journals.
But with this comprehensive guide, you'll have everything you need to master APA citations for peer reviewed journals.
You'll learn the ins and outs of 7th edition guidelines, see step-by-step examples, and discover common mistakes to avoid for flawless citations every time.
Introduction to APA Citations for Peer Reviewed Journals
Properly citing sources is a critical component of academic writing. By providing citations, writers enable readers to locate the original sources of information, facts, and ideas referred to in a work. This allows readers to verify claims, check accuracy, and conduct further research.
In the field of academia, the standard citation style is APA format, published by the American Psychological Association. APA has specific guidelines for citing different source types, including books, websites, journal articles, and more. These guidelines cover both in-text citations within the body of a paper and full reference list citations at the end of the document.
When citing peer-reviewed scholarly journals in APA format, accuracy is especially important. Peer-reviewed articles have undergone rigorous critique by other experts in their field to validate the accuracy and originality of research and ideas. As such, these journal articles represent authoritative sources in academic literature. Properly crediting these invaluable sources lends credibility to the citing paper and enables the dissemination of knowledge.
Understanding APA Citation for Peer Reviewed Journals
APA citation provides a standardized way to attribute credit to the original peer reviewed journal article where cited information was found. Core elements of an APA journal citation include the author name(s), publication year, article title, journal name, volume and issue number, page range, and DOI (if available).
These citation elements enable unique identification of the referenced article across academic literature. Accurately capturing this reference information allows readers to efficiently locate the original peer reviewed source.
The Importance of Accurate Citations
Precisely formatting APA citations for peer reviewed journals enables readers to seamlessly match corresponding in-text citations to full reference entries. This connectivity safeguards the citing paper against accusations of plagiarism and establishes academic integrity.
In addition, accurate citations facilitate the process of tracing threads of knowledge across scholarly communication. Researchers rely on properly formatted peer reviewed journal citations to identify seminal works related to a particular topic or study. This enables the advancement of ideas as researchers build upon prior discoveries.
By taking care to correctly cite peer reviewed journals according to APA guidelines, writers uphold ethical scholarship standards while contributing to the collaborative growth of human knowledge.
How do you cite a peer reviewed journal in APA?
To cite a peer reviewed journal article in APA format, you need to include the following components:
- Author or authors
- Year of publication in round brackets
- Article title
- Journal title in italics
- Volume of journal in italics
- Issue number of journal in round brackets without italics
- Page range of article
- DOI or URL
For example:
Smith, J. (2019). Study on student learning techniques. Journal of Education, 12(3), 105-115. https://doi.org/10.1000/182
Key things to note:
- Author names should be formatted: Last name, First initial. Middle initial.
- Only capitalize the first letter of the article title and subtitle.
- Italicize the journal name and volume.
- Include the issue number in round brackets without italics.
- Page range contains the full inclusive page numbers.
- End with either the DOI or URL if available.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Forgetting to italicize the journal name and volume
- Using incorrect punctuation between components
- Including a period after the article title
- Providing incomplete author names or page numbers
- Neglecting to include the DOI or URL
Following this basic structure will ensure your APA citations for peer reviewed journals are formatted correctly. Check the latest APA manual for additional guidance.
How do you cite peer feedback in APA?
To cite a review in APA style, you need to include the following information:
- Author's last name, first initial.
- Year of publication in parentheses.
- Title of review in sentence case.
- Title of reviewed work in italics.
- Reviewed by before name of source reviewed.
- Title of source.
- URL or page range.
For example:
Smith, J. (2019). An insightful review of groundbreaking research. Journal of Psychology, 45(10). Reviewed by APA Journal of Psychological Research, 104, 12-45. https://www.journalwebsite.com
Some key things to note about citing reviews in APA:
- Enclose the title of the reviewed work in italics. This is usually the book, film, or other work being reviewed.
- Use title case capitalization for the review title. Only capitalize the first word and proper nouns.
- Include the page range or URL where the review is published after the source title.
- You do not need to include the publisher information for reviews.
Common mistakes to avoid when citing reviews in APA:
- Forgetting italics around the reviewed work's title
- Using sentence case for the review title instead of title case
- Not specifying what source the review itself is published in
- Omitting key information like author, date, review title
Following this format allows you to fully credit both the review author and the source being reviewed when citing reviews in APA style.
Which of the following is the correct APA citation for a peer-reviewed research article?
The correct APA citation format for a peer-reviewed research article is:
Last name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL
For example:
Smith, J. (2022). The effects of climate change on crop yields. Journal of Agricultural Science, 12(2), 122-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.06.011
Some key elements to note:
- The article title is in sentence case capitalization, meaning only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized
- The journal name is in title case capitalization and italicized
- The volume number is italicized
- The page range covers the full article
- A DOI or URL links to the article online
The in-text citation would be:
(Smith, 2022)
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Forgetting italics for the journal name and volume number
- Using incorrect capitalization for the article title
- Omitting the issue number if available
- Neglecting the DOI or URL
Properly citing articles according to APA guidelines demonstrates attention to detail and helps establish credibility.
What is a peer-reviewed reference citation?
A peer-reviewed reference citation refers to citing an article that has undergone peer review. Peer review is a process where other experts in the field thoroughly review a paper that has been submitted for publication in a scholarly journal.
The peer review process works as follows:
- An author submits their paper to a scholarly journal for potential publication.
- The journal editor assigns reviewers who are experts in that field of study. Typically 2-4 reviewers are assigned.
- The reviewers read the paper closely and provide feedback and critique. They ensure the methods are sound, the analysis is correct, the findings are properly interpreted, etc.
- Based on the reviewers' recommendations, the editor decides if the paper should be accepted, rejected, or revised and resubmitted.
- If accepted, the paper is published in the journal. The paper is now considered "peer reviewed".
When citing peer reviewed references in APA format, you denote that the article has undergone peer review by listing the journal name and other publication details. For example:
Smith, J. (2020). Study on cell migration. Journal of Cell Biology, 45(3), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1000/cb.20200095
Including the journal name indicates this comes from a peer reviewed source rather than a website or blog. Using a DOI link further confirms the scholarly published status.
Citing high-quality peer reviewed articles boosts the credibility of your own work. It shows you have grounded your research in established expert knowledge from reputable academic journals.
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APA Citation for Peer Reviewed Journal 7th Edition: The Basics
Author Formatting in APA 7th Edition
When listing authors in an APA citation for a peer reviewed journal article, follow these guidelines:
- List authors in the order they appear in the article
- Use the last name followed by initials structure (e.g. Smith, J. R.)
- Separate each author name with a comma
- Use an ampersand (&) before the final author's name
- For articles with 21 or more authors, list the first 19 followed by an ellipsis (...) and the final author's name
For example:
Johnson, A. B., Williams, C. D., Miller, E. F., Davis, G. H., Wilson, K. L., & Thomas, M. N.
Year and Title Formatting
The publication year and article title should be formatted as follows in an APA citation:
- Enclose the year in parentheses
- Only capitalize the first letter of the first word in the title (and subtitle if applicable)
- Do not italicize or use quotation marks around the title
- End the title with a period
For example:
(2020). Citing peer reviewed journals in APA format.
Journal Name and Issue Details
When including the journal name, volume, issue, and page numbers, follow APA guidelines:
- Provide the full journal name in title case
- Italicize the journal name
- After the journal name, list the volume number in italics followed by the issue number in parentheses (not italicized)
- Conclude with the page range
- Use p. or pp. to denote page numbers
For example:
Journal of Citation Formats, 12(3), 55–89.
DOI and URL Integration
APA 7th edition recommends including a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for online articles when available:
- Introduce the DOI with "https://doi.org/"
- Present the DOI as a clickable hyperlink
If no DOI is available, provide the URL for the journal website or database.
For example:
https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1712-11.2017
Following proper APA formatting for citations ensures consistency across academic writing and enables readers to easily locate your cited sources. Let me know if you have any other questions!
How to Cite a Journal Article APA In-Text
Learn how to correctly incorporate in-text citations for journal articles within the body of your APA-styled academic paper.
In-Text Citation for Paraphrasing
When paraphrasing information from a journal article in your paper, you need to provide an in-text citation pointing to the original source. The basic format is:
(Author Surname, Year)
For example:
Recent research shows that academic writing quality has improved with the use of AI-powered writing assistants (Smith, 2022).
If there are multiple authors, list the first author followed by "et al.":
(Smith et al., 2022)
The year should match what is listed in the references section.
In-Text Citation for Direct Quotations
For directly quoted text from a journal article, the in-text citation should be:
"Quote goes here" (Author Surname, Year, p. Page Number).
For example:
"AI writing assistants have demonstrated increased writing quality in academic contexts" (Smith et al., 2022, p. 105).
Multiple Authors and Subsequent Citations
For sources with 3 or more authors, list only the first author followed by "et al." in all citations, including the first one.
For later citations of a source already mentioned, only provide the first author surname followed by "et al." and the year:
(Smith et al., 2022)
Overall, following these guidelines will ensure you properly cite journal articles in-text using APA format. Check the latest APA manual for additional details.
APA Citation for Peer Reviewed Journal Sample Entries
Sample Citation for an Online Journal Article with DOI
Here is an example APA reference entry for an online journal article that includes a DOI:
Smith, J. (2020). Study on academic writing styles. Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 159–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2020.1732315
Key elements:
- Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year published). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxx
Sample Citation for an Online Journal Article without DOI
If an online journal article does not have a DOI, the reference format is slightly different:
Lee, C. (2019). Impacts of technology on student learning. Journal of Educational Technology, 12(4), 221–243. Retrieved from http://www.journal.test/article5678
Key elements:
- Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. Retrieved from URL
Sample Citation for a Print Journal Article
For a print journal article, the reference would exclude the URL and look like this:
Wang, A. (2016). Academic integrity in the digital age. Journal of Higher Education Ethics, 44(1), 35–47.
Key elements:
- Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range.
How to Cite a Journal Article APA 7th Edition: Advanced Examples
Explore more complex citation scenarios and how to handle them using APA 7th edition guidelines.
Citing Articles with Multiple Authors
When citing a journal article with multiple authors in APA format, the basic structure remains the same. List the authors in the order they appear in the byline, with the last name followed by initials, separated by commas. Up to 20 authors can be included.
Here is an example APA citation for a journal article with eight authors:
Wang, F., Li, T., Zhang, C., Liu, H., Yu, W., Li, Y., Qiu, J., & Chen, C. (2020). Text simplification using deep reinforcement learning. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Audio, Speech, and Language Processing, 28(12), 2284–2297. https://doi.org/10.1109/TASLP.2020.3027342
If there are 21 or more authors, include the first 19 authors' names, insert an ellipsis, and then add the final author's name.
Citing Articles with Special Article Types
APA has specific formatting guidelines when citing editorials, letters to the editor, and other unique article types:
Editorials: Cite editorial articles like regular journal articles, but add "[Editorial]" after the article title.
Jones, A. R. (2021). The future of education [Editorial]. Journal of Educational Studies, 44, 2–5.
Letters to the Editor: Treat letters to the editor as regular articles, but add "[Letter to the editor]" after the title. The journal issue number can be omitted if unavailable.
Clark, J. (2022). Robots in the classroom [Letter to the editor]. Journal of Technology in Education, 45(2), 44.
Citing Articles from Special Issues
For journal articles published as part of a special issue or special section, indicate this by adding the description "[Special issue]" or "[Special section]" after the journal volume information.
Sullivan, G. M., & Feinn, R. (2012). Using effect size—or why the P value is not enough [Special section]. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 4(3), 279–282. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-12-00156.1
Troubleshooting Common APA Citation Mistakes
Avoiding Incorrect Author Name Formatting
When citing peer reviewed journals in APA format, it's important to format the author names correctly. Here are some tips:
- List authors by last name followed by initials (e.g. Smith, J. R.)
- Use an ampersand (&) before the last author's name
- For multiple authors, use commas between names and an ampersand before the final name
- Capitalize only the first letter of authors' last names and initials
Common mistakes like formatting names incorrectly can lead to citation errors. Carefully check author names in your references to ensure proper APA style.
Ensuring Complete Citation Information
A complete APA citation for a journal article requires specific pieces of information, including:
- Author name(s)
- Publication year
- Article title
- Journal name
- Volume and issue number
- Page range
- DOI or URL
Before submitting an essay or paper, verify each citation contains all necessary details. Incomplete information can undermine the credibility of your sources.
Verifying Accurate Article Data
Even tiny errors in citing article details can weaken your argument. Before finalizing references, carefully check the accuracy of:
- Publication date
- Article title
- Volume and issue numbers
- Page numbers
- Journal name and spelling
Taking time to double check all article data can prevent erroneous APA citations. Consider asking a second reader to review citations as an extra verification step.
Carefully avoiding common pitfalls like incorrect formatting, incomplete details, and inaccurate data when citing journals in APA style can reinforce the scholarly rigor of your work.
Conclusion: Mastering APA Citation for Peer Reviewed Journals
Summarizing the key components for accurately citing peer reviewed journals in APA format, and emphasizing the importance of developing strong citation skills.
Recap of APA Citation Essentials
- Author name(s)
- Publication year
- Article title
- Journal name
- Volume and issue number
- Page range
- DOI or URL
Following the proper order and punctuation for these elements is critical for APA citation accuracy.
Final Thoughts on Citation Accuracy and Integrity
Precisely citing sources lends credibility and upholds the standards of academic integrity. As researchers and scholars, accurately crediting peer reviewed journals strengthens our own work and contributes to the collective advancement of knowledge. Mastering APA citation early on establishes good research and writing practices that will serve any academic career.