How to Cite a Newspaper Article in APA Format

Understanding Newspaper Articles and APA Citations

Newspaper articles are valuable sources for current events, commentary, and reporting. In academic writing, proper citation of newspaper articles allows readers to verify information and locate the original reporting.

APA format distinguishes between print and online newspaper articles, with slight variations in how you present publication information. Understanding these differences ensures your citations are accurate and complete.

Format for Print Newspaper Articles

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Article title. Newspaper Name, page range.

Example:

Smith, J. K. (2023, March 15). Climate policy reshapes energy markets. *The New York Times*, A1-A4.

Format for Online Newspaper Articles

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Article title. Newspaper Name. https://doi.org/xxxxx or url

Example:

Martinez, R. C. (2023, March 17). Technology sector faces new regulations. *The Washington Post*. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/tech

Key Elements Explained

Author Information

Include the article author’s name as shown. If no author is listed, begin the citation with the newspaper name.

Publication Date

Use the full date format: Year, Month Date. Abbreviate months to three letters (Jan, Feb, Mar, etc.).

Article Title

Use sentence case capitalization. The title is not in quotation marks or italics in APA format.

Newspaper Name

The newspaper name appears in italics. Include the full name as it appears in the publication.

Page Numbers or URL

For print articles, use page ranges. For online articles, include the URL or DOI.

Detailed Examples

Print Newspaper Article

Johnson, T. R., & Lee, S. J. (2023, February 28). Education reform sparks national debate. *The Boston Globe*, B2-B5.

Online Newspaper Without Author

*CNN Breaking News*. (2023, March 16). Major scientific breakthrough announced. *CNN*. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/science

Newspaper Article with DOI

Williams, K. A. (2023, March 10). Economic trends signal recovery. *The Wall Street Journal*. https://doi.org/10.1234/wsj.example

Newspaper Editorial or Opinion Piece

Garcia, M. S. (2023, March 12). The path forward: Opinion. *The Guardian*, A11.

In-Text Citations for Newspaper Articles

Use the standard author-date format:

(Smith, 2023)

If quoting directly, include page numbers:

(Smith, 2023, p. A1)

For articles without an author, use the newspaper name:

(The New York Times, 2023)

Distinguishing News Articles from Opinion Pieces

News Article Citation

Anderson, B. J. (2023, March 20). Healthcare costs continue to rise. *USA Today*, 3A.

Opinion or Editorial Citation

Thompson, K. A. (2023, March 18). We must address mental health crisis. *The Washington Post*, B7.

Using GenText for Newspaper Citation Management

Tracking newspaper articles from multiple sources can be challenging, especially with online publications constantly updating. GenText assists with newspaper citations by:

• Formatting newspaper articles in proper APA style automatically
• Tracking publication dates and page numbers
• Converting between print and online source information
• Managing citations from news archives and databases
• Organizing articles by date, publication, or topic
• Generating accurate reference lists

Common Mistakes with Newspaper Citations

1. Using quotation marks around article titles: Article titles are not quoted in APA format.
2. Forgetting the full publication date: Always include month and date.
3. Omitting page numbers for print articles: Specify the page range or first page.
4. Inconsistent formatting of newspaper names: Use italics consistently.
5. Incorrect URL formatting: Include the complete, working URL.

Checklist for Newspaper Article Citations

• Author name is correctly formatted (or newspaper name if no author)
• Full publication date is included (Year, Month Date)
• Article title uses sentence case
• Newspaper name is italicized
• Page numbers are provided (for print articles)
• URL or DOI is included (for online articles)
• No quotation marks around article title
• In-text citation uses author-date format

Finding and Verifying Newspaper Information

When citing newspaper articles, verify:

• The correct spelling of the newspaper name
• The full publication date
• The author’s name (if listed)
• Page numbers for print editions
• The stable URL or DOI for online articles

Newspaper articles are contemporary sources that add current relevance and credibility to academic work when properly cited.