How to Cite Smithsonian Magazine in MLA 9 Format

What “Smithsonian Magazine” means in MLA 9

Smithsonian Magazine is a periodical publication. In MLA 9, you usually cite a specific item you used, most often a magazine article on the Smithsonian Magazine website. MLA treats that item as an “article in a container,” where the article is the source you read, and the magazine (Smithsonian Magazine) is the container that holds it.

Most Smithsonian Magazine content you will cite falls into one of these patterns:

• Online magazine article (most common)
• Print magazine article (less common today)
• Webpage-like content on Smithsonian Magazine (still usually cited like an online magazine article, because it is published within the Smithsonian Magazine site and functions as magazine content)

Your Works Cited entry should identify the article clearly, then show where it appears, then provide the publication date, and finally provide a URL. If you access it online, you typically do not need to include the access date unless your instructor requires it or the page is likely to change.

Core MLA 9 structure for a Smithsonian Magazine article (online)

Use this general template:

Author. "Title of Article." Smithsonian Magazine, Day Month Year, URL.

Key formatting points:

• Author: First author is inverted, last name first, then full first name, then middle name if shown.
• Article title: In quotation marks.
• Magazine title: In italics.
• Date: MLA uses Day Month Year when available, for example, 14 Mar. 2023.
• URL: Provide the direct link, without https:// if you prefer, but be consistent.

Author rules you must follow (and why they matter)

Your rules emphasize author name clarity, and that aligns with MLA’s goal of helping readers locate sources and recognize authors accurately.

Full first names, not initials

Rule: Author names must use full first names, not initials.

Why it matters: Full names reduce confusion, especially when multiple writers share a last name or initials. It also better reflects the author’s identity. In a Works Cited list, clarity is the point. Your reader should be able to identify and search for the author easily.

First author is inverted

Rule: The first author name must be inverted, (Last, First Middle).

Why it matters: MLA Works Cited is alphabetized, and inversion supports consistent sorting. It also makes scanning a Works Cited list easier because last names align.

Two authors, use “and,” second author not inverted

Rule: For two authors, use “and” between names. Only the first author is inverted.

Correct pattern:
Last, First Middle, and First Last.

Why it matters: This is a standard MLA convention. It keeps the entry readable while still alphabetizing by the first author’s last name.

Three or more authors, use “et al.” after the first author only

Rule: For three or more authors, list only the first author (inverted) followed by et al.

Correct pattern:
Last, First Middle, et al.

Why it matters: Long author lists can clutter citations. MLA uses et al. to keep citations clean while still crediting the group.

No author, start with the title

Rule: If there is no author, start with the title. Do not use Anonymous or n.d.

Correct pattern:
"Title of Article." Smithsonian Magazine, Day Month Year, URL.

Why it matters: If you cannot identify an author, the title becomes the most reliable first element for readers to locate the piece. It also keeps your Works Cited consistent and alphabetizable.

What to include, and what to leave out

Publisher

For an online Smithsonian Magazine article, you usually do not need to list the publisher separately, because the container, Smithsonian Magazine, is already clear. MLA 9 often omits a publisher for periodicals.

Access date

MLA 9 says access dates are optional. Use an access date if:

• Your instructor requires it.
• The page has no publication date.
• The content is likely to change, for example, a living page that is updated frequently.

If you include it, place it at the end:
Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

URLs and punctuation

• End the citation with the URL, followed by a period.
• Avoid copying tracking-heavy links if a clean, stable URL is available.
• Do not break URLs with extra punctuation.

Examples (with detailed explanations)

Example 1: One author, typical online Smithsonian Magazine article

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 format):
Henderson, Caspar. "Why Octopuses Are So Strange and So Smart." Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2020, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-octopuses-are-so-strange-and-so-smart-180974872/.

Why this is correct:
- Author is listed as Henderson, Caspar, which follows the inverted format and uses a full first name.
- Article title is in quotation marks.
- Container is Smithsonian Magazine in italics.
- Date is included in Day Month Year order.
- URL is included to show exactly where the article can be found.

Common pitfall to avoid: Writing Caspar Henderson instead of Henderson, Caspar in Works Cited. MLA requires inversion for the first author.

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

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 format):
Smith, John Michael, and Maria Lopez. "How Museums Preserve Fragile Textiles." Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Feb. 2022, www.smithsonianmag.com/example/how-museums-preserve-fragile-textiles-180979999/.

Why this is correct:
- The first author is inverted: Smith, John Michael.
- The second author is in normal order: Maria Lopez.
- “and” connects the two authors, as MLA requires.
- The rest of the citation follows the standard article in a magazine container pattern.

Common pitfall to avoid: Inverting the second author as Lopez, Maria. MLA does not do that for two-author entries.

Example 3: No author listed, start with the title

Works Cited entry (correct MLA 9 format):
"Inside the Race to Save Coral Reefs." Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2021, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/inside-the-race-to-save-coral-reefs-180978888/.

Why this is correct:
- No author appears, so the citation begins with the title in quotation marks.
- The container is still Smithsonian Magazine in italics.
- The date and URL guide the reader to the exact page.
- No placeholder like Anonymous is used, which keeps the entry factual and MLA-compliant.

Common pitfall to avoid: Using n.d. for “no date.” MLA prefers you omit the date if none is available, or use an access date if needed.

Practical tips for citing Smithsonian Magazine correctly

Tip 1: Copy the article title exactly, then fix capitalization

MLA uses title case for English titles. Capitalize the first word, last word, and major words. Many websites already use title case, but not always.

Tip 2: Confirm whether the author is a person or a staff label

Sometimes a page may list “Smithsonian Magazine” or “Smithsonian Staff” instead of a person. If there is no clear individual author, treat it as no author and start with the title, unless your instructor wants you to treat the organization as the author. Consistency matters, and your Works Cited should not guess.

Tip 3: Use the publication date shown on the page

Smithsonian Magazine pages often display a date near the headline. Use it if present. If multiple dates appear, use the publication date rather than an update date, unless the update is the only date given.

Tip 4: Keep your Works Cited formatting consistent

Use a hanging indent in your final Works Cited page. MLA expects entries to be double-spaced, with a hanging indent for each entry. Even perfect content looks incorrect if the formatting is inconsistent.

Why these rules matter overall

These rules are not just formalities. They help your reader do three important things:

1. Identify the source quickly, especially when multiple articles have similar titles.
2. Locate the exact item you used, which is crucial for verification and further research.
3. Understand authorship clearly, which supports academic fairness and avoids misattribution.

If you want, paste a Smithsonian Magazine link you are using, and I can format the exact MLA 9 Works Cited entry using your author rules, including full first names and the correct author order.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for Smithsonian Magazine Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

What makes Smithsonian Magazine citations tricky in MLA 9

Smithsonian Magazine looks simple to cite because many pieces read like standard magazine articles. The edge cases appear because Smithsonian content can be accessed in multiple forms, print issues, web pages that update over time, pages with no clear author, and pages that behave like reference entries or curated features rather than single articles. In MLA 9, you cite the version you used, and you build the entry from core elements in the correct order. Special cases matter because small differences, such as whether a page is a print article, a web article, or a database reprint, change which elements you include and which container you name.

Your author rules matter especially here. Smithsonian pages sometimes show a byline in a format like “By J. D. Smith” or “Smithsonian staff.” Under your rules, you should convert names to full first names when possible, invert only the first author, and use “et al.” for three or more authors. Consistent author formatting keeps your Works Cited list easy to scan and correctly alphabetized.

The default MLA 9 pattern for a Smithsonian web article

For most Smithsonian Magazine articles read on the Smithsonian Magazine website, the entry usually looks like this:

• Author.
• “Title of Article.”
• Smithsonian Magazine,
• Day Month Year,
• URL.

MLA often allows you to omit “https://” in URLs. Keep punctuation and italics consistent. Article titles go in quotation marks, the magazine title is italicized.

Practical tip

If Smithsonian lists a date near the top and the page has clear magazine branding, treat it as a magazine article in a web container. If there is no date, see the “No date or changing pages” section below.

Special case 1, Print issue versus website version

Why it matters

A Smithsonian piece may exist both in print and online. MLA expects you to cite the version you actually used. Print citations use page numbers and issue information when available. Web citations use the URL and usually do not include page numbers.

What to do

• If you read the print magazine, cite it like a print magazine article, with volume and issue if you have them, plus page range.
• If you read it on the Smithsonian site, cite the website version with the URL and the web publication date.

Common pitfall

Do not mix print page numbers into a web citation. Also, do not cite the website URL if you used a PDF scan from a library database. Cite the database container instead.

Special case 2, Articles with two authors, or three or more authors

Why it matters

Smithsonian sometimes publishes co authored pieces, photo essays, or reported features with multiple contributors. Your rules require full first names, inversion for the first author only, “and” for two authors, and “et al.” for three or more.

What to do

• Two authors: First author inverted, second author normal order, joined with “and.”
• Three or more authors: First author inverted, then “et al.”

Common pitfall

Do not invert the second author. Do not list all authors when there are three or more. Do not use initials if the full first name is available.

Special case 3, No author listed, or “Smithsonian Staff”

Why it matters

Smithsonian pages sometimes have no byline, or they use a group label. Under your rules, if there is no author, you start with the title. This affects alphabetization and avoids inventing an author.

What to do

• If there is no author at all, begin with the article title in quotation marks.
• If the byline is a group name like “Smithsonian Staff,” treat it as the author exactly as shown. It is not a personal name, so you do not invert it.

Common pitfall

Do not write “Anonymous” and do not use “n.d.” If no date is shown, omit the date and consider adding an access date only if the content is likely to change.

Special case 4, No date, updated pages, and unstable content

Why it matters

Some Smithsonian pages are updated quietly, or they function like ongoing hubs. MLA 9 allows you to omit a date if none is provided. If the page is likely to change, adding an access date can help a reader locate what you saw.

What to do

• If no publication date is provided, omit it.
• If the page shows “Updated” information, use the date that best matches the version you used. If both a published date and an updated date appear, prefer the date that reflects the text you consulted. If the update date is the only clear date, use it.
• Add an access date only when useful, for example, when the page is frequently updated or the date is missing.

Common pitfall

Do not invent dates. Do not add “n.d.” in MLA.

Special case 5, Smithsonian content found in a database or news aggregator

Why it matters

You might read Smithsonian Magazine through a library database, such as EBSCOhost, Gale, or ProQuest. In MLA, the database becomes the second container. This changes the citation because the URL on the open web is not the version you used.

What to do

Cite the article, then the magazine as the first container, then the database as the second container, then the database URL or permalink.

Common pitfall

Do not cite the Smithsonian Magazine website URL if you accessed the article inside a database. Use the database permalink or stable URL.

Special case 6, Sections, series pages, and “magazine like” web pages

Why it matters

Smithsonian has topic pages, collections, and landing pages that look like articles but behave more like navigational pages. These often lack authors and sometimes lack clear dates.

What to do

• If you are citing a specific article page, cite it as an article.
• If you are citing a topic hub or collection page, treat it as a web page. Start with the page title, then the site name, then date if present, then URL.

Common pitfall

Do not force a hub page into an “article” format if it is not written as a single authored piece.

Example 1, Two authors on the Smithsonian website (with explanation)

Works Cited entry (correct formatting):

Nguyen, Maya Linh, and Carlos Eduardo Rivera. “Mapping the Hidden Rivers Beneath American Cities.” Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/fictional-example.

Why this is correct
- The first author is inverted, “Nguyen, Maya Linh,” which supports alphabetizing by last name.
- The second author is not inverted and is connected with “and,” which matches MLA style and your rule set.
- The article title is in quotation marks because it is a short work within a larger container.
- Smithsonian Magazine is italicized as the container.
- The date is in MLA’s day month year format.
- The URL points to the page you used.

Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing “Nguyen, M. L.” or “Rivera, Carlos Eduardo,” for the second author.
- Using an ampersand instead of “and.”

Example 2, Three or more authors (et al.) and why it matters

Works Cited entry (correct formatting):

Patel, Anika Rani, et al. “Inside the Conservation Lab Restoring Ancient Textiles.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2023, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/fictional-example-2.

Why this is correct
- Only the first author is listed, inverted, with a full first name.
- “et al.” replaces the remaining authors, which keeps the entry readable and consistent.
- The rest follows the standard web magazine pattern.

Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing all authors before “et al.”
- Using “et. al.” with incorrect punctuation. MLA uses “et al.” without a period after “et.”

Example 3, No author and no clear date (title first, optional access date)

Works Cited entry (correct formatting):

“Why Some Volcanoes Glow Blue at Night.” Smithsonian Magazine, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/fictional-example-3. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.

Why this is correct
- With no author, the title moves to the first position, which follows MLA and your “NO AUTHOR” rule.
- No date is included because none is provided. MLA allows omission rather than guessing.
- An access date is included because undated web content can change, and it helps a reader understand when you viewed it.

Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting with “Anonymous.”
- Adding “n.d.” for no date.
- Alphabetizing under “The” if the title begins with “The.” In MLA alphabetization, you ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” when ordering entries.

Practical tips for getting Smithsonian citations right

Check the byline carefully

Smithsonian sometimes places the author line near the top, but occasionally it appears lower on the page. If the author is a person, convert the name to full first name when you can verify it from the page or an author profile.

Use the page you actually read

If you read it on Smithsonian’s site, cite that. If you read it in a database, cite the database version. If you read a print issue, cite the print issue.

Copy the URL thoughtfully

Prefer a clean, stable URL. Remove tracking parameters if present. MLA does not require “https://” but consistency across your Works Cited matters.

Keep punctuation and formatting consistent

Quotation marks for the article title, italics for Smithsonian Magazine, commas between core elements, and a period at the end of the entry.

Why these rules matter overall

These special case decisions are not cosmetic. They tell your reader exactly what you used and where to find it. Correct author formatting supports fair credit and reliable alphabetization. Correct container choices distinguish between a magazine website, a print issue, and a database reprint. Careful handling of missing authors and missing dates prevents you from adding information that might be wrong, which protects your credibility and helps readers verify your sources.

If you share one Smithsonian URL you are working with, I can identify which special case it fits and format the Works Cited entry using your author rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a Smithsonian Magazine article in MLA 9?

In MLA 9, cite a Smithsonian Magazine article like a magazine article. Start with the author’s last name, then first name. Put the article title in quotation marks. Italicize the magazine title, then add the publication date, and the page range if you used a print issue. If you read it online, include the URL (without https:// is acceptable) and add an Accessed date if your instructor wants it or if the content is likely to change. Example (web): Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Smithsonian Magazine, Day Month Year, www.smithsonianmag.com/.... Accessed Day Month Year. If there is no day listed, use the most specific date provided. For more guidance, see the MLA Works Cited basics at https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and the MLA magazine article format overview at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_periodicals.html.

What should I do if a Smithsonian Magazine article has no author listed?

If no author is credited, begin the Works Cited entry with the article title in quotation marks. Then list Smithsonian Magazine in italics, followed by the date and the URL for an online article, or the issue details and page numbers for print. This is common for short news posts, staff blurbs, or pages where a byline is not visible. Do not invent an author or use “Anonymous” unless the page explicitly says that. In your in-text citation, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks, plus a page number for print if available. Example in-text: (“Ancient Fossils Rewritten” 42). For official MLA guidance on starting entries when no author is present, see https://style.mla.org/citing-works-without-an-author/.

How do I cite a Smithsonian Magazine article I read online, and do I need an access date?

For an online Smithsonian Magazine article, include the author, the article title in quotation marks, Smithsonian Magazine in italics, the publication date, and the URL. MLA 9 treats URLs as optional but recommended for online sources, especially when readers need a direct path to the page. An access date is optional in MLA 9, but it is a good idea if your instructor requires it, if the page has no clear publication date, or if the content is likely to be updated. Practical scenario, you used an online article for a current event topic and expect it may change. Add “Accessed Day Month Year.” Example ending: “... www.smithsonianmag.com/.... Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.” For more on URLs and access dates, see https://style.mla.org/urls-in-works-cited/.

How do I cite a Smithsonian Magazine print issue article versus the website version?

Cite the version you actually used. If you used the print magazine, include the page range and omit the URL. Format: Author. “Article Title.” Smithsonian Magazine, Day Month Year, pp. xx-xx. If you used the website version, include the URL and usually omit page numbers because web pages do not have stable pagination. Practical scenario, you found a PDF scan of a print article online. If it is a true PDF of the print layout with page numbers, you can cite it like a print article and include the PDF URL, depending on your instructor’s preference. If it is a web page that only resembles the print article, treat it as a web source. For help choosing containers and versions, see https://style.mla.org/containers/.

How do I write in-text citations for Smithsonian Magazine articles in MLA?

MLA in-text citations usually use the author’s last name and a page number for print sources. Example: (Nguyen 52). For Smithsonian Magazine online articles, there is typically no page number, so use only the author’s last name: (Nguyen). If there is no author, use a shortened title in quotation marks: (“Vanishing Wetlands”). Practical scenario, you cite two Smithsonian Magazine articles by the same author. Add a shortened title after the author’s name to distinguish them: (Nguyen, “Vanishing Wetlands”). If you mention the author in your sentence, place only the page number in parentheses for print, or omit the parenthetical entirely for web sources without page numbers. For MLA in-text rules, see https://style.mla.org/in-text-citations/.

How do I cite Smithsonian Magazine photos, captions, or embedded videos within an article in MLA 9?

If you are citing a photo, caption, or embedded video, decide what you are using as evidence. If you are using the article’s text, cite the article. If you are analyzing a specific image or video, cite that media item if it has its own credit and title, and include the hosting page as the container. Practical scenario, you discuss a photograph credited to a specific photographer within a Smithsonian Magazine web article. You can start with the photographer’s name, then the image title or a brief description in quotation marks, then the website container: Smithsonian Magazine, publication date if provided, URL, and access date if needed. If no separate credit exists, cite the article and refer to the figure in your prose. For MLA guidance on images and media, see https://style.mla.org/citing-images/ and the Purdue OWL media section at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_other_common_sources.html.

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