How to reference a journal article in MHRA
An article footnote in MHRA has 8 parts. See them labelled on an example, then build your own and copy it.
- In your essay: A footnote
- Checked 23 October 2026
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The 8 parts
Author, ‘Title’, Journal, Volume.Issue (Year), pp. Pages, DOI.
, 2 · TITLE‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, 3 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health, 4 · VOLUME12.5 · ISSUE36 · DATE(2024), pp. 7 · PAGES41–58, 8 · DOIdoi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
- 2 · TitleCapital letters for the main words (Peel adds them). In single quotation marks.The article’s own title, with any subtitle.
- 3 · JournalIn italics.The journal’s full name, from its cover or website.
- 4 · VolumeThe number.On the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 5 · IssueThe number.Next to the volume. Some journals have no issue numbers.
- 6 · DateThe year. In round brackets.The year of the issue, on the article’s first page or the journal’s web page.
- 7 · PagesThe first and last page. After “pp.”.The first and last page of the article.
- 8 · DOI“doi:” then the DOI, with no space.A code starting 10., on the article’s first page or web page.
In your bibliography
The bibliography at the end gives the same source like this, with the surname first:
, 2 · TITLE‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, 3 · JOURNALJournal of Student Health, 4 · VOLUME12.5 · ISSUE36 · DATE(2024), pp. 7 · PAGES41–58, 8 · DOIdoi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123
Two places, one source
Students who slept more did better in their exams.1
A footnote number, after the full stop.1 Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58, doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
The footnote gives the full details, at the bottom of the page.Build your footnote
Fill in what you have. Anything still missing is highlighted. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What if…
Made by an organisation
Give the organisation’s name where the author goes.
Riverside Media Bureau, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58, doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Two authors
Give both names, joined with “and”.
Amara Green and Ravi Patel, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58, doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Four or more authors
Give the first author, then “and others”.
Amara Green and others, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58, doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Check your university’s version
Some departments make small changes to MHRA. Your module handbook always wins.
This guide follows the MHRA Style Guide, 4th edition.
Questions
What goes in the footnote?
The first time you cite it, the footnote gives the full details: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58, doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123. To point to one place in it, add that at the end: Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, ‘Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students’, Journal of Student Health, 12.3 (2024), pp. 41–58 (p. 45), doi:10.5555/jsh.2024.0123.
Is MHRA the same at every university?
Some departments make small changes to MHRA. Your module handbook always wins.
Referencing is easier as you go
KanBananza’s step-by-step guides show how to plan an assignment and keep your sources in order while you research and write, so the reference list is ready when you are.
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