How to Cite a Translated Article in APA, MLA or Chicago
Published October 21, 2013. Updated July 25, 2022.
When writing a paper, you may need to cite an article that has been translated into English from another language. For most citation styles, you will begin the citation with the original author’s name and include the translator information later in the citation. In-text citations will typically use the original author’s name. This guide will show you how to cite a translated journal article in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.
MLA
When citing a translated article in MLA style, you will start the citation with the original author’s name, and then include the translator’s name after the title of the article. The rest of the citation will follow the typical format for citing an article in MLA style. The in-text citation should use the original author’s name.
Works cited list entry structure:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Translated by Translator First Name Last Name. Journal/Publication Title, vol. #, no. #, publication date, page number(s). Database Name (if applicable), URL or DOI.
Works cited list entry example:
Barriera, Darío. “Governing the Countryside: Microsocial Analysis and Institutional Construction in Late Eighteenth-Century Río De La Plata.” Translated by Monica Biberson. Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales, vol. 73, no. 1, 2018, pp. 55–80. Cambridge Core, https://doi.org/10.1017/ahsse.2020.11.
In-text citation structure:
(Author Last Name Page Number)
In-text citation example:
(Barriera 71)
APA
Similar to MLA style, in APA style, you will begin your citation with the author’s name, and then include the translator information in parentheses after the article title. The rest of the citation will follow the normal article format. The in-text citation should use the original author’s name.
Reference list entry structure:
Author Last Name, First Name. (Publication Year). Article title (Translator First Initial Last Name, Trans.). Journal/Publication Title, volume number(issue number), page number(s). URL or DOI
Reference list entry example:
Barriera, Darío. (2018). Governing the countryside: Microsocial analysis and institutional construction in late eighteenth-century Río De La Plata (M. Biberson, Trans.). Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales, 73(1), 55–80. https://doi.org/10.1017/ahsse.2020.11
In-text citation structure:
(Author Last Name, Publication Year)
In-text citation example:
(Barriera, 2018)
Chicago
In both Chicago styles (notes-bibliography and author-date), the translator information is included after the article title in the bibliography entries and notes, and the rest of the citation will continue as normal. Author-date style in-text citations should use the original author’s name.
Notes-Bibliography Style
Bibliography entry structure:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Translated by Translator First Name Last Name. Journal/Publication Title volume number, no. # (Publication Year): page number(s). URL/Database or DOI.
Bibliography entry example:
Barriera, Darío. “Governing the Countryside: Microsocial Analysis and Institutional Construction in Late Eighteenth-Century Río De La Plata.” Translated by Monica Biberson. Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales 73, no. 1 (2018): 55–80. https://doi.org/10.1017/ahsse.2020.11.
Note structure:
1. Arthur First Name Last Name, “Article Title,” trans. Translator First Name Last Name, Journal/Publication Title volume number, no. # (Publication Year): page number(s), URL/Database or DOI.
Note example:
1. Darío Barriera, “Governing the Countryside: Microsocial Analysis and Institutional Construction in Late Eighteenth-Century Río De La Plata,” trans. Monica Biberson. Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales 73, no. 1 (2018): 55–80, https://doi.org/10.1017/ahsse.2020.11.
Author-Date Style:
Bibliography entry structure:
Author Last Name, First Name. Publication Year. “Article Title.” Translated by Translator First Name Last Name. Journal/Publication Title volume number(issue number): page number(s). URL/Database or DOI.
Bibliography entry example:
Barriera, Darío. 2018. “Governing the Countryside: Microsocial Analysis and Institutional Construction in Late Eighteenth-Century Río De La Plata.” Translated by Monica Biberson. Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales 73 (1): 55–80. https://doi.org/10.1017/ahsse.2020.11.
In-text citation structure:
(Author Last Name Publication Year, Page Number)
In-text citation example:
(Barriera 2018, 71)