Cite journal
Overview
"Cite journal" is a term used in academic and professional writing to refer to the process of acknowledging the contributions and work of other writers and researchers in a scholarly article or paper. This process is a fundamental aspect of academic integrity, and it allows readers to trace the origins of the ideas, arguments, and data used in a piece of writing. The term is also used to denote a specific citation template used in Wikipedia articles to reference journal articles.
Importance of Citing Journals
Citing journals is a critical practice in academic and professional writing for several reasons. Firstly, it acknowledges the original authors' intellectual property rights, giving credit where it is due. Secondly, it provides a trail for readers to follow if they wish to explore the original sources for further understanding or to verify the information. Thirdly, it lends credibility to the writer's arguments and findings, demonstrating that they are grounded in established research.
Citation Styles
There are several citation styles that dictate how to cite journal articles, each with its own set of rules for formatting references. Some of the most commonly used citation styles include the APA, MLA, and Chicago styles. These styles differ in terms of the information included in the citation, the order of that information, and the way it is formatted.
APA Style
The APA style, developed by the American Psychological Association, is commonly used in the social sciences. A typical APA citation for a journal article includes the author's last name and initials, the year of publication, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume number, the issue number, and the page range of the article.
MLA Style
The MLA style, developed by the Modern Language Association, is often used in the humanities. An MLA citation for a journal article typically includes the author's name, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume and issue numbers, the year of publication, and the page range of the article.
Chicago Style
The Chicago style, outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style, is widely used in various academic and professional fields. A Chicago-style citation for a journal article usually includes the author's name, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the volume and issue numbers, the year of publication, and the page range of the article, along with a URL or DOI if the article was accessed online.
The "Cite Journal" Template on Wikipedia
On Wikipedia, the "Cite journal" template is used to create citations for journal articles. This template generates a formatted citation when provided with information such as the author's name, the title of the article, the title of the journal, the date of publication, and the URL or DOI of the article.
The "Cite journal" template is part of a larger family of citation templates on Wikipedia, which also includes templates for citing books, web pages, news articles, and other types of sources. These templates help ensure consistency in the formatting of citations across Wikipedia articles.