How to Cite The Atlantic in MLA 9 Format

What “The Atlantic” is in MLA 9

In MLA 9, The Atlantic is treated as a periodical (a magazine) that publishes articles online and in print. Most students cite an article from TheAtlantic.com, which is a work on a website that also belongs to a container (the magazine). MLA is built around the idea that you cite the specific piece you used (the article), then identify where it lives (the magazine, and sometimes the website and URL).

For a typical online article from The Atlantic, your Works Cited entry usually includes:

1. Author
2. Title of the article (in quotation marks)
3. Title of the magazine (italicized, as the container)
4. Date of publication
5. URL
6. Access date (optional in MLA 9, but often helpful for web sources)

The core MLA 9 template for a The Atlantic article

Basic format (one author, online article)

Works Cited format:

Last Name, First Middle. "Title of the Article." The Atlantic, Day Month Year, URL.

Notes on punctuation and styling
- Put the article title in quotation marks.
- Italicize The Atlantic.
- End most elements with a period.
- MLA 9 does not require “https://” in the URL, but it is acceptable to keep it if your instructor prefers consistency.

Author rules for The Atlantic citations (based on your requirements)

One author

• Use the author’s full first name, not initials.
• Invert the first author’s name: Last, First Middle.

Why this matters: MLA Works Cited lists are alphabetized. Inverting the first author’s name makes it easy to sort entries and quickly find a source.

Two authors

• First author is inverted: Last, First Middle
• Second author is normal order: First Middle Last
• Use and between names.

Why this matters: MLA uses “and” to clearly show joint authorship. It is also consistent across MLA citations.

Three or more authors

• List only the first author (inverted, with full first name), then add et al.
• Do not list additional authors before et al.

Why this matters: Many magazine pieces can have longer contributor lists. MLA’s approach keeps citations readable while still crediting the main author list.

No author

• Start with the title of the article (in quotation marks).
• Do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.”
• For alphabetizing, ignore “A,” “An,” and “The,” but still write the title normally in the citation.

Why this matters: When no author is given, the title becomes the key identifier. Readers can still locate the article quickly.

Dates and what to do when information is missing

Publication date

For The Atlantic articles, you will usually find a date near the headline. MLA prefers the most specific date available.

• If you have a full date, use: Day Month Year (example: 14 Oct. 2023)
• If only month and year are available, use: Month Year
• If only year is available, use: Year

Tip: MLA abbreviates some months (Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., etc.). “May,” “June,” and “July” are not abbreviated.

URL

Use the direct URL to the article page.

Tip: Remove tracking parameters if possible (anything after a question mark) to keep the link clean.

Access date (optional but useful)

MLA 9 says access dates are optional, but they can help when:
- The page changes over time.
- The article has been updated without clear version notes.
- Your instructor requires it.

If you include it, place it at the end:
Accessed Day Month Year.

Example 1: One author (online article) with explanation

Works Cited entry

Goldberg, Jeffrey. "The Danger of Wishful Thinking in Foreign Policy." The Atlantic, 12 May 2024, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/05/danger-wishful-thinking-foreign-policy/678901/.

Why it is formatted this way

• Goldberg, Jeffrey. The author’s name is first and inverted for alphabetizing.
• "The Danger of Wishful Thinking in Foreign Policy." Article titles are short works, so they go in quotation marks.
• The Atlantic, The magazine is the container, so it is italicized.
• 12 May 2024, MLA date format uses day month year, with the month spelled or abbreviated correctly.
• URL points directly to the article.

Practical tip

If the article page lists an editor or a section label (like “Politics”), do not treat that as the author. Use the person credited as the writer.

Example 2: Two authors (use “and,” second author not inverted) with explanation

Works Cited entry

Harris, Jonathan Michael, and Serena Williams. "How Cities Are Rethinking Public Space." The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2023, www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/03/cities-rethinking-public-space/673210/.

Why it is formatted this way

• Harris, Jonathan Michael, First author is inverted and uses full first name.
• and Serena Williams. Second author is not inverted, and “and” is required for two-author works.
• The rest follows the same article, container, date, and URL pattern.

Common pitfall

Do not write: “Harris, Jonathan Michael, Williams, Serena.” That incorrectly inverts the second author and makes the citation harder to read.

Example 3: No author (start with title) with explanation

Works Cited entry

"Why American Housing Costs Keep Rising." The Atlantic, 18 Sept. 2022, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2022/09/american-housing-costs-rising/671234/.

Why it is formatted this way

• With no author, MLA begins with the title.
• The title stays in quotation marks because it is an article.
• The Atlantic remains the container in italics.
• Date and URL help readers locate the exact page.

Alphabetizing note

If you alphabetize your Works Cited page, you ignore “The,” “A,” and “An” when sorting. You still keep the title exactly as written in the citation.

Why these rules matter (clarity, credibility, and traceability)

MLA citation rules are not just formatting exercises. They serve three practical goals:

1. Clarity: Readers can immediately tell what you used, an article, a magazine, or a web page.
2. Credibility: Correct author formatting shows you are careful with evidence and respectful of authorship.
3. Traceability: A reader should be able to find the exact The Atlantic article you used with minimal effort.

Small details like quotation marks, italics, and author order are signals. They tell your reader what each piece of information is supposed to represent.

Practical tips for citing The Atlantic correctly

• Copy the title carefully. Keep the original capitalization and punctuation as it appears on the page. MLA uses title case, but it is safest to preserve the published title exactly.
• Use the credited author line. Many The Atlantic pages clearly state the author near the headline. Use that name, not the site name.
• Check for updates. If the page shows “Updated” information, you can still cite the main publication date. If your instructor cares about version history, include an access date.
• Keep URLs clean. Remove unnecessary tracking parts to avoid broken links later.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Using initials instead of full first names. Your rule requires full first names, so do not write “J. Goldberg.”
• Inverting the second author in a two-author work. Only the first author is inverted.
• Listing all authors for three or more authors. Use the first author plus et al.
• Forgetting italics for the magazine title. The Atlantic must be italicized as the container.
• Using “n.d.” for missing dates. If no date is available, omit the date rather than inserting “n.d.” (Also, many The Atlantic articles do have a date, so double-check.)

Quick checklist you can use every time

For a typical TheAtlantic.com article

• Author present, full first name used
• First author inverted
• Article title in quotation marks
• The Atlantic italicized
• Date in MLA format
• URL included
• Access date added if required or helpful

If you share a specific The Atlantic link, I can format the Works Cited entry exactly and show the matching in-text citation too.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for The Atlantic Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

Special and edge cases when citing The Atlantic in MLA 9

Citing The Atlantic is usually straightforward because most articles have a clear author, title, date, and URL. Edge cases happen when one of those elements is missing, unusual, or presented in a nonstandard way, for example, no author, multiple authors, a piece that is really a podcast episode, or a page that keeps updating. MLA 9 can handle all of these, but you need to apply the core rules consistently.

Two principles matter most:

1. MLA citations help readers find the exact source you used. If The Atlantic updates a page or uses multiple formats for the same story, your citation choices should point to the version you actually read.
2. Name formatting affects sorting and clarity. In MLA Works Cited, entries are alphabetized. That is why the first author’s name is inverted, and why full first names matter. Your rules also keep author credit consistent and respectful.

Below are the most common special cases you will encounter with The Atlantic, plus practical tips and pitfalls.

1) Author name issues: staff writers, multiple authors, and unusual bylines

Two authors

If an Atlantic article lists two authors, list both. The first author is inverted, the second is not, and you must use and.

Why this matters: This keeps your Works Cited alphabetized by the first author’s last name, and it clearly shows both contributors without confusing the reader.

Pitfall: Inverting both names is a common mistake.

Three or more authors

If an Atlantic piece lists three or more authors, list only the first author, then add et al. Do not list the other authors.

Why this matters: MLA shortens long author lists so the citation stays readable, while still giving credit and keeping your Works Cited easy to scan.

Pitfall: Listing two or three names and then adding “et al.” is not correct under your rules. Use only the first author plus “et al.”

Corporate or group bylines

Sometimes the byline is not a person, for example, “The Atlantic” or a named project team. MLA allows a corporate author. Use the name as it appears.

Tip: If the byline is clearly a group name, treat it as the author. If there is no byline at all, treat it as no author and start with the title.

2) No author: start with the title

Some Atlantic pages, especially short announcements, editorial notes, or landing pages, may not show a personal author. Under your rules, do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.” Start with the title.

Why this matters: Starting with the title is MLA’s standard way to handle missing authors, and it prevents you from inventing information.

Pitfall: Using the site name as the author when there is no stated author. Only do that if the page explicitly credits the organization as author.

3) Dates: missing dates, updated pages, and “published” vs “updated”

Missing publication date

If there is no date shown, MLA lets you omit it. Do not insert “n.d.” under your rules.

Tip: Look carefully. On The Atlantic, the date may appear near the headline, near the author name, or at the bottom of the article.

Updated or corrected articles

Some Atlantic pages show language like “Updated” or “Corrected.” MLA’s goal is to identify the version you used. If the page lists an updated date, you can use that date, especially if the update affects the content you are citing.

Practical approach:
- If the page clearly shows an updated date and you relied on the updated information, cite the updated date.
- If you cannot tell what changed, or the update is minor, citing the main publication date is still acceptable.

When to add an access date

MLA 9 says access dates are optional, but they are useful when content changes. For The Atlantic, an access date can be helpful for:
- pages that update frequently,
- interactive features,
- newsletters and live pages,
- content behind paywalls that may display differently.

Pitfall: Adding an access date to everything is not wrong, but it can be inconsistent. Use it when it helps readers.

4) Paywalls, subscriber-only pages, and stable URLs

Many Atlantic articles are paywalled. MLA does not require you to note “paywalled,” but you should provide the most direct URL to the article page.

Tips:
- Use the canonical article URL from the address bar.
- Avoid “share” links that include tracking parameters if you can.
- If a link is extremely long, it is still acceptable in MLA, but you can remove obvious tracking strings if the page still loads.

Pitfall: Citing a cached version or an AMP version when you actually read the standard page. Cite the version you used.

5) Section labels, issue information, and print vs web

The Atlantic exists in print and online. Most students cite the web version. Edge cases appear when:
- you used a PDF that replicates the magazine,
- you used a print issue,
- the article page shows a section such as “Politics” or “Culture.”

In MLA 9, section names are usually not required. Focus on the core elements: author, title, The Atlantic, date, URL.

Tip: If you are citing a print issue, you will include volume and issue information if available, plus page numbers. If you are citing the web page, page numbers are usually not included.

6) Non-article content on The Atlantic: podcasts, videos, and newsletters

Not everything on The Atlantic is a standard article. The site hosts:
- podcast pages,
- video pages,
- newsletter posts.

The key is to identify what you are citing. Is it a web page for an episode, a video, or a written post? MLA citations shift slightly based on the container and any extra contributors.

Tip: If you cite a podcast episode page, you may list the host as author if the page credits a host as the primary creator. If the page does not clearly credit a person as author, start with the episode title.

Pitfall: Treating a podcast episode like a written article and inventing an author. Only use an author if the page provides one.

Examples with explanations (MLA 9, formatted using your author rules)

Example 1: Standard Atlantic article with one author (web)

Works Cited entry

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. “The Case for Reparations.” The Atlantic, 2014, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/.

Why it is formatted this way
- Author: First author is inverted, and the full first name is used.
- Title of article: In quotation marks because it is a work within a larger site or magazine.
- Container: The Atlantic is italicized because it is the larger publication.
- Date: Year is included, MLA often uses day month year when available, but year alone can appear depending on how the site presents the date.
- URL: Direct link to the article page.

Common pitfall to avoid
- Writing “Ta-Nehisi Coates” at the start. The first author must be inverted in Works Cited.

Example 2: Two authors (use “and,” second author not inverted)

Works Cited entry

Goldberg, Jeffrey and Peter Wehner. “Title of Article.” The Atlantic, Day Month Year, URL.

Why it is formatted this way
- Two authors: MLA lists both authors.
- Name order: Only the first author is inverted, the second is normal order.
- Connector: “and” is required for two authors under your rules.

Common pitfalls to avoid
- Inverting both names.
- Using an ampersand instead of “and.”
- Using initials instead of full first names.

Example 3: No author listed (start with the title)

Works Cited entry

“Title of Page.” The Atlantic, Day Month Year, URL.

Why it is formatted this way
- No author: MLA starts with the title when no author is provided.
- Alphabetization: In your Works Cited list, alphabetize by the title, ignoring “A,” “An,” and “The.”
- No filler: Do not add “Anonymous” or “n.d.”

Common pitfalls to avoid
- Putting The Atlantic in the author position when the page does not credit it as author.
- Adding “n.d.” for a missing date.

Practical tips for getting Atlantic citations right

[Tip] Copy details in this order

When you open an Atlantic page, collect:
1. Author name exactly as shown
2. Article title
3. The Atlantic
4. Publication date, and updated date if relevant
5. URL
6. Access date only if the page changes often or you expect it might

[Tip] Keep author names consistent across your paper

If you cite multiple Atlantic articles by the same writer, keep the spelling and punctuation identical. This helps your Works Cited stay clean and helps readers recognize the author quickly.

[Pitfall] Mixing print and web details

Do not add print page numbers to a web citation unless you actually used the print version or a PDF that preserves page numbers. Cite the version you read.

[Pitfall] Overloading the citation with extra labels

MLA usually does not need section names like “Politics” or “Culture.” If you include too many extras, you risk inconsistency and you make citations harder to scan.

Why these rules matter

These special-case rules are not just formatting. They serve three practical goals:
- Traceability: Readers can locate the exact Atlantic item you used, even if the site changes.
- Fair credit: Full first names and correct multi-author formatting ensure writers are properly identified.
- Consistency: A consistent Works Cited list looks professional and prevents confusion, especially when you cite multiple Atlantic sources.

If you share one or two specific Atlantic links you are citing, I can format the exact MLA 9 Works Cited entries and show how the in-text citations should look for each special case.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an article from The Atlantic in MLA 9 format?

To cite a The Atlantic article in MLA 9, start your Works Cited entry with the author’s name, then the article title in quotation marks, the website name in italics, the publisher (often omitted for websites when it matches the site name), the publication date, the URL, and an access date only if it helps your reader (for example, if the page is likely to change). Example: Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” The Atlantic, Day Month Year, URL. In your in text citation, use the author’s last name, for example (Lastname). If there is no author, shorten the title in quotation marks, for example (“Title”). For official guidance and examples, see MLA’s core elements overview: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and MLA in text citations: https://style.mla.org/citing-sources-in-text/.

What if a The Atlantic article has no author listed, how do I cite it in MLA?

If a The Atlantic page does not list an author, begin the Works Cited entry with the article title in quotation marks. Then list The Atlantic in italics, followed by the publication date (if available), and the URL. Do not invent an author, and do not use “Anonymous” unless the publication explicitly labels it that way. For in text citations, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks, for example (“How to Save…”) and place it where you would normally put the author name. Practical scenario: you cite a short news update or staff page that only shows a headline and date. Your entry should still be complete enough for readers to locate it. For more on handling unknown authors and using titles in citations, see MLA guidance: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

Do I need to include an access date for The Atlantic articles in MLA 9?

In MLA 9, access dates are optional, but they are recommended when a source is likely to change, when there is no publication date, or when you are using a database or paywalled version that may differ from the public page. For most standard The Atlantic articles with a clear publication date, you can omit the access date. Practical scenario: you accessed an interactive feature, a live updated page, or an article page that shows “Updated” without a stable timestamp, then including “Accessed Day Month Year” can help document what you saw. If your instructor requires access dates, follow that rule consistently. MLA’s quick guide explains when to include optional elements like access dates: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

How do I cite a The Atlantic article I read in a database like EBSCO or ProQuest?

When you read The Atlantic through a library database, cite the version you actually used. Start with the author, then the article title in quotation marks, then The Atlantic in italics, followed by the original publication date if provided. Next, add the database name in italics, the URL or DOI provided by the database, and include an access date if your instructor wants it or if the link is unstable. Practical scenario: your database PDF has different page numbers than the web version, and you quote from page 4 of the PDF. You can include page numbers if the database provides them, and your in text citation can include the page number, for example (Lastname 4). For MLA rules on databases and containers, see: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

How do I cite a The Atlantic podcast episode in MLA 9?

To cite a The Atlantic podcast episode, treat it as an audio work on a website. Start with the episode title in quotation marks, then the podcast title in italics. If a host or narrator is important, include it with a descriptor like “Hosted by.” Then list The Atlantic as the publisher or site, the episode date, and the URL. If you cite a specific moment, add the timestamp in your in text citation, for example ("Episode Title" 12:34 to 13:10). Practical scenario: you quote a statement made at 18 minutes, then the timestamp helps your reader find it quickly. MLA provides guidance for citing audio and other media on the web: https://style.mla.org/citing-audio-visual-materials/.

How do I cite The Atlantic if I found the article through a link on social media or Google News?

Cite the original The Atlantic article page, not the social media post or the news aggregator, unless you are analyzing the post itself. Use the author, article title, The Atlantic in italics, publication date, and the clean URL to the article. Practical scenario: you clicked an X post that links to The Atlantic. If your paper discusses the article’s argument, cite the article. If your paper discusses how the article was framed on social media, cite both, the article and the post, each in its own entry. For in text citations, use the author’s last name, or a shortened title if no author appears. For help deciding what you are actually citing, see MLA’s guidance on containers and source identification: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

Last Updated: 2026-01-01
Reading Time: 10 minutes