- \n
- Article titles usually go in quotation marks, not italics, unless you’re following a special rule.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- APA, MLA, and Chicago styles all format article titles differently, so always check which one you’re using.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Italics are reserved for larger works like journals, books, and newspapers, not the articles inside them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Online-only platforms like BBC News flip the usual rule. APA italicizes the article title instead of the site name.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe General Rule: Use Quotation Marks, Not Italics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you’re writing something and need to cite an article<\/a> title, the standard approach is to use double quotation marks around the title. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s the go-to method across a lot of writing styles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, some style guides even say it\u2019s fine to just use regular font without quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, before you say, \u201cWait, I\u2019ve seen italics used somewhere,\u201d you’re not wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The twist is that the formatting rules shift depending on the style guide you\u2019re using. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And different fields (academia, journalism, casual blogging, whatever) often follow different style manuals. APA, MLA, Chicago, AP,<\/a> etc., all have their rules. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what you think is correct in one context might be completely off in another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anyway, if you ever feel like the rules are changing every time you blink, we have good news. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t have to memorize all this. You can just use Undetectable AI\u2019s Ask AI<\/a> to instantly check which formatting rules apply to your specific situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When to Italicize Titles (and When Not To)<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n![\"Top](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/italicize-article-001-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAlright, now that we\u2019ve made it clear that you don\u2019t italicize article titles, let\u2019s talk about when italicizing actually is the right thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re naming the bigger source the article belongs to, like a journal, magazine, or newspaper, you usually italicize that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, you\u2019d write something like \u201cWhy Students Hate Writing\u201d published in The Atlantic<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
See the pattern? Article title in quotation marks. Publication title in italics. Not the other way around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take books, for instance. If you’re referring to a book title, you italicize it. But if you\u2019re talking about a chapter within that book, you use quotation marks. Same with movies and songs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Godfather<\/em> gets the italics. \u201cSpeak Softly, Love\u201d (the song from The Godfather) gets quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take a relevant example. If you’re referencing a specific article from a newspaper like The New York Times<\/em>, you\u2019d put the article title in quotation marks. So: \u201cCan You Spot a Liar<\/a>\u201d published in The New York Times<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So next time you’re stuck wondering, do you italicize or quote article titles? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just remember, it boils down to whether you’re naming the full work or a piece of it.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/italicize-article-003-1-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAPA Style: How Article Titles Are Formatted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do you italicize article titles in APA? In APA style, you don\u2019t italicize article titles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s because article titles, whether they come from journals, magazines, or newspapers, are considered part of a larger, standalone publication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
APA keeps them in plain font without italics or quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the name of the journal or publication is italicized because that\u2019s the standalone work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what that actually looks like in action:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
APA 7 Reference Entry Example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Paul, Miranda (2023). FROM ONE PLASTIC BAG TO 1,100 TREES. RSA Journal<\/em>, 169(3), 36-39. https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/48743450<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
So, in this case:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Article title \u2192 FROM ONE PLASTIC BAG TO 1,100 TREES \u2192 Regular font<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Journal title \u2192 RSA Journal <\/em>\u2192 Italicized<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Other examples of works that don\u2019t get italicized in APA style include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Journal articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Magazine articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Newspaper articles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
That said, getting every little formatting detail right, like punctuation, capitalization, italics, and proper order, can turn into a whole mission. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Undetectable](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Undetectable-AIs-essay-writer-can-assist-you-in-completing-all-your-writing-tasks-1024x520.png\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThat\u2019s where AI Essay Writer<\/a> by Undetectable AI can actually save you from spiraling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just plug in your source, and it formats article citations perfectly within an academic paragraph, without you having to cross-check every rule in the APA manual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
MLA Style: How Article Titles Are Handled<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now, if you came here with the question, do you italicize article titles in MLA? The answer to that is also a solid no. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In MLA style, article titles are always placed in double quotation marks, not italicized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That applies whether you\u2019re referencing an article from a website<\/a>, a journal, a newspaper, or just about any kind of publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where MLA does use italics is for the title of the container, meaning the publication in which the article appears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This structure is consistent whether you’re formatting in-text citations or the works cited list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MLA 9 Reference Example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
MLA 9 Reference Example for a Magazine Article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Parker, James. \u201cWhy Can\u2019t Americans Sleep?.\u201d The Atlantic<\/em>, June 30, 2025, https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2025\/08\/insomnia-health-cognitive-behavioral-therapy\/683257\/<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In this citation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Article title \u2192 \u201cWhy Can\u2019t Americans Sleep?\u201d \u2192 Quotation marks, regular font<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Magazine title \u2192 The Atlantic<\/em> \u2192 Italicized<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This rule applies across the board. MLA style treats all titles that are part of a larger work the same way. So, in addition to magazine articles, this includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Journal articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Newspaper articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Webpages and online articles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
One consistent rule in MLA is that the formatting used in your works cited list should match what you use in the body of your text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, even when casually referring to an article in a paragraph, the title still goes in quotation marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicago Style: Article Titles in Bibliographies and Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In Chicago style, article titles are not italicized either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are placed in quotation marks, while the name of the publication is italicized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What sets Chicago style apart is how it differentiates between notes and bibliography entries<\/a>, especially for academic writing. Here’s how a typical newspaper article is formatted in both cases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Ralph Blumenthal, \u201cA Brass Bracelet With Both History and Meaning,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, June 3, 2022, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/10\/insider\/a-brass-bracelet-with-both-history-and-meaning.html<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bibliography:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Blumenthal, Ralph. \u201cA Brass Bracelet With Both History and Meaning.\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, June 3, 2022. https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/10\/insider\/a-brass-bracelet-with-both-history-and-meaning.html<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Just like before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Article title \u2192 \u201cA Brass Bracelet With Both History and Meaning\u201d \u2192 Quotation marks, regular font<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Newspaper title \u2192 The New York Times<\/em> \u2192 Italicized<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This formatting logic stays consistent for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Journal articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Magazine articles<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Newspaper articles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you’re ever second-guessing how a particular source should be cited, especially when it comes to newer types of web content or multi-container sources, Ask AI<\/a> by Undetectable AI can help simplify things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just ask your formatting question (in plain language), and it\u2019ll give you an accurate answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exceptions and Edge Cases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Up to this point, we\u2019ve mostly looked at how article titles are handled when they come from traditional sources, journals, magazines, and newspapers with print equivalents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not everything lives in print anymore, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what happens when you’re dealing with content from purely digital platforms or from LLMs like ChatGPT<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In APA style specifically, one notable exception comes into play with online-only news sites, like BBC News or Reuters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These platforms don\u2019t have a print version, so the standard formatting gets flipped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of italicizing the name of the site, APA actually calls for italicizing the title of the article. The site name stays in plain font.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s an APA 7 example of an online-only news article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Rowlatt, J. (2020, October 19). The cryptic symbolism of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers \u2013 and what they really mean.<\/em> BBC News. https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/culture\/article\/20250625-the-real-meaning-of-van-goghs-sunflowers<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
To clarify:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Article title \u2192 Italicized<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Site name (BBC News) \u2192 Regular font<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Join thousands of professionals using our AI Detector and Humanizer\u2014available below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Rowlatt, J. (2020, October 19). The cryptic symbolism of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers \u2013 and what they really mean.<\/em> BBC News. https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/culture\/article\/20250625-the-real-meaning-of-van-goghs-sunflowers<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Blumenthal, Ralph. \u201cA Brass Bracelet With Both History and Meaning.\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, June 3, 2022. https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/10\/insider\/a-brass-bracelet-with-both-history-and-meaning.html<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Ralph Blumenthal, \u201cA Brass Bracelet With Both History and Meaning,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, June 3, 2022, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/10\/insider\/a-brass-bracelet-with-both-history-and-meaning.html<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Parker, James. \u201cWhy Can\u2019t Americans Sleep?.\u201d The Atlantic<\/em>, June 30, 2025, https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2025\/08\/insomnia-health-cognitive-behavioral-therapy\/683257\/<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Paul, Miranda (2023). FROM ONE PLASTIC BAG TO 1,100 TREES. RSA Journal<\/em>, 169(3), 36-39. https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/48743450<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Online-only platforms like BBC News flip the usual rule. APA italicizes the article title instead of the site name.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Italics are reserved for larger works like journals, books, and newspapers, not the articles inside them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- APA, MLA, and Chicago styles all format article titles differently, so always check which one you’re using.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n