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The most basic entry for a magazine consists of the author name (s), article title, magazine name, publication date, page numbers, and medium. Volume and issue numbers are to be omitted from magazine citations in MLA. Last Name, First Name.
A suffix, such as a roman numeral or Jr./Sr. should appear after the author’s given name, preceded by a comma. For a magazine article written by two authors, list them in the order they appear on the article title page. Reverse only the first author’s name and write the other names in normal order.
A Form and Style Manual for Lawyers.5 Written in a relatively informal style, this guide is appealing to lawyers who prefer to take tips from a coach instead of a curmudgeon. The book is organized according to the writing process of pre-writing, writing, formatting, and editing. Practicing attorneys will be most interested in the chapters on writing, which range from using plain English to organizing an analysis using subheadings. The book also dispels many common grammar myths and provides advice on drafting litigation documents and business correspondence. Some readers might find some of the advice too basic (for example, the formatting chapter details how to use shortcut keys and default settings on a word processor).
Chicago Manual of Style. 10 Now in its 15th edition, this manual has sold more than 1 million copies since its inception. 11 At nearly 900 pages, this manual is exhaustive in its coverage, providing basic and advanced rules and their exceptions. For example, the rules on commas span 17 pages and detail 67 discrete uses. The book is well organized and includes an extensive index, although some users may find it difficult to wade through the myriad examples and exceptions in search of an answer to a simple question. Because The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation references The Chicago Manual of Style as an acceptable style manual for some matters, 12 the Chicago Manual is thought to be consistent with legal writing conventions.
With a resurgence of interest in grammar, punctuation, and the art of good writing, lawyers now have more options when choosing style guides. To help you choose, the author describes the strengths and weaknesses of several reputable style guides.
For a magazine article written by two authors, list them in the order they appear on the article title page. Reverse only the first author’s name and write the other names in normal order. Separate author names with a comma and place the word “and” before the last author’s name. Smith, John, and Jane Doe.
Except for May, June, and July, abbreviate month names (using the first four letters for September and the first three letters for all other months), followed by a period. Magazine publication dates vary and may be a complete date, a period spanning two months, a season, or just a month and year.
MLA recommends using the DOI when it’s available because they are more reliable locators than URLs. DOIs are also more concise. When wondering whether to include a URL in your works-cited list or bibliography, follow the guidelines of your instructor, school, or publisher.
The most basic entry for a magazine consists of the author’s name (s), article title, magazine’s name, publication date, and page number (s). When available, also include the magazine’s publication season, a volume number, or issue number.
According to MLA’s 9th edition updated in 2021, you may usually leave out http:// or https:// from URLs unless you want to hyperlink them or unless instructed otherwise. When in doubt, ask your instructor. If a DOI is available, use that instead of the URL.