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ACS Tips5 min read·May 5, 2026

How to Cite a Journal Article in ACS Style (Step by Step)

A walkthrough of every field in an ACS journal article citation —authors, title, abbreviated journal, bold year, italic volume, issue, pages, and DOI.

Journal articles are the most cited source type in chemistry. An ACS journal reference includes more fields than a simple author–date entry, and each field has a specific format.

Step 1: Authors

List all authors in inverted order, separated by semicolons: Last, F. M.; Last, F. M. Include every author unless the journal style you are emulating allows et al. after a threshold (check your target journal).

Step 2: Title and journal

Article title in plain text, ending with a period. Abbreviated journal name in italics. Year in bold, then volume in italics, issue in parentheses, and page range.

Step 3: DOI

Add https://doi.org/... when available. Paste the DOI into a generator to auto-fill the other fields, then verify abbreviations against CASSI or the journal's own site.

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