How do I cite a ScienceDirect article?

An article citation is typically made up of the author(s), article title, publication title, date of publication, and page numbers (or article number). Consult the journal’s reference style for the exact appearance of the article citation elements, abbreviation of the journal name, and the use of punctuation.

General principles for citing articles

There are some general principles for citing articles:

• Regardless of reference style, always include the article number where the page number (or page range) would otherwise go.
• Never cite the internal page numbering starting at ‘1’.
• Include the DOI if known.

Citing articles which are not final

Articles which are not final (e.g., a journal pre-proof) or do not contain all the typical elements of an article citation can be cited using the year of online publication and the DOI, as follows: author(s), article title, publication (year), DOI. For more information on creating and citing DOI links, visit the DOI website.

Examples

• If the article is not final (e.g., a journal pre-proof):

  • A.U. Thor, Title of article, Favorite Journal (2020), https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/doi-suffix, or
  • A.U. Thor, Title of article, Favorite Journal, https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/doi-suffix.
• If volume/issue/pages are known:

  • A.U. Thor, Title of article, Favorite Journal 5 (1) (2020) 37-65, https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/doi-suffix.
• If volume/issue/article number is known:

  • A.U. Thor, Title of article, Favorite Journal 5 (1) (2020) 101357, https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/doi-suffix.