How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Chicago Style

Newspaper articles provide current perspectives on events, making them valuable sources for contemporary research. Chicago style distinguishes between print newspaper articles and online articles, with specific formatting requirements. This guide covers both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems with clear examples.

Information to Gather

Collect these elements from the newspaper article:

• Author’s full name (byline)
• Article headline (exact title)
• Newspaper name (italicized)
• Publication date (month, day, year)
• Page number (for print articles)
• Section designation (if applicable)
• URL or database (for online articles)

For online articles, note the access date if the publication date is unclear.

Notes-Bibliography System for Newspapers

The Notes-Bibliography system uses footnotes and a bibliography for newspaper citations.

Print Newspaper Article

Full note:

1. Author First Last, "Article Headline," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Real-world example:

1. Elena Rodriguez, "New Climate Legislation Advances in Congress," The New York Times, March 15, 2024, A4.

Shortened note:

2. Rodriguez, "New Climate Legislation."

Bibliography entry:

Rodriguez, Elena. "New Climate Legislation Advances in Congress." The New York Times, March 15, 2024, A4.

Online Newspaper Article

1. Author First Last, "Article Headline," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

1. James Chen, "Tech Companies Report Record Profits," Business Daily, March 14, 2024, https://www.businessdaily.com/tech-profits-2024.

Author-Date System for Newspapers

Author-Date uses parenthetical citations with a reference list.

Print Newspaper In-Text Citation

(Author Year)
(Rodriguez 2024)

Print Newspaper Reference List

Author Last, First. "Article Headline." Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Example:

Rodriguez, Elena. "New Climate Legislation Advances in Congress." The New York Times, March 15, 2024, A4.

Online Newspaper Reference List

Author Last, First. "Article Headline." Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year. URL.

Example:

Chen, James. "Tech Companies Report Record Profits." Business Daily, March 14, 2024. https://www.businessdaily.com/tech-profits-2024.

Newspaper Articles Without Bylines

Some newspaper articles lack author attribution (staff-written or wire service articles). Start the citation with the article title.

Notes-Bibliography Without Author

1. "Article Headline," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Example:

1. "Supreme Court Rules on Healthcare Access," The Washington Post, March 10, 2024, A1.

Author-Date Without Author

Reference list:

"Article Headline." Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Articles from Wire Services or News Agencies

News articles from wire services like Associated Press (AP) or Reuters are cited similarly to authored articles.

Notes-Bibliography Wire Service

1. Associated Press, "Breaking News on Natural Disasters," News Service, March 12, 2024, https://newswire.example.com/breaking-news.

Or with specific writer:

1. Michael Park, "Breaking News on Natural Disasters," Associated Press, March 12, 2024, https://newswire.example.com/breaking-news.

Newspaper Articles from Database Services

Articles accessed through subscription databases (LexisNexis, ProQuest, etc.) include database information.

Notes-Bibliography Database Source

1. Author First Last, "Article Headline," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, accessed Month Day, Year, Database Name, URL.

Example:

1. Sarah Mitchell, "Healthcare Reform Debate Heats Up," The Boston Globe, March 8, 2024, accessed March 16, 2026, LexisNexis, https://www.lexisnexis.com/articles/healthcare.

Author-Date Database Source

Mitchell, Sarah. "Healthcare Reform Debate Heats Up." The Boston Globe, March 8, 2024. Accessed March 16, 2026. LexisNexis. https://www.lexisnexis.com/articles/healthcare.

Editorials and Opinion Pieces

Editorials and op-eds are cited similarly to regular articles, but the section may be indicated.

Notes-Bibliography Editorial

1. Author First Last, "Opinion: Title of Editorial," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page or URL.

Example:

1. Jennifer Adams, "Opinion: Why Education Reform Matters," The New York Times, March 14, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/opinion/education-reform.

Author-Date Editorial

Adams, Jennifer. "Opinion: Why Education Reform Matters." The New York Times, March 14, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/opinion/education-reform.

Letters to the Editor

Letters published in newspapers are cited with the letter writer as author.

Notes-Bibliography Letter to Editor

1. Author First Last, Letter to the Editor, Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Example:

1. Patricia Williams, Letter to the Editor, The Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2024, A8.

Reviews in Newspapers

Book, film, or restaurant reviews published in newspapers are cited as articles.

Notes-Bibliography Review

1. Reviewer First Last, "Review of [Title]," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.

Example:

1. David Park, "Review of 'The Global Citizen,'" The New York Times Book Review, March 15, 2024, BR8.

Archival Newspaper Collections

Historical newspaper articles from archival databases follow similar formats with emphasis on the archive.

Notes-Bibliography Archival Newspaper

1. Author, "Headline," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page, Archive Name, accessed Date, URL.

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Locate the article’s byline (author name) or note if it’s unsigned.

Step 2: Copy the exact headline from the article.

Step 3: Identify the newspaper name (appears on masthead).

Step 4: Find the publication date (usually near the headline or at page bottom).

Step 5: For print articles, note the section and page number (A4, C1, etc.).

Step 6: For online articles, copy the complete URL.

Step 7: Choose Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date format.

Step 8: Verify all names, dates, and numbers for accuracy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using the article title without quotation marks
2. Forgetting to italicize the newspaper name
3. Omitting page numbers for print articles
4. Including incorrect publication dates or using print date for online-only articles
5. Inconsistent capitalization of article titles
6. Missing author attribution in the bibliography when provided in the article
7. Confusing newspaper name with city name (e.g., “The New York Times” not “The New York Times of New York”)

Using Citation Generators for Newspapers

Many citation tools support newspaper articles:

• EasyBib: Search newspapers by name or article title
• Zotero: Add newspaper URLs and auto-format citations
• CitationMachine: Newspaper option in source type menu
• Mendeley: Import from newspaper databases and generate citations

Always verify that generated citations include complete author, date, and page information.

Practice Examples

Example 1: Print Newspaper Article with Author

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Elizabeth Thompson, "Climate Summit Reaches Historic Agreement," Environmental News Today, March 14, 2024, A1.

Bibliography:
Thompson, Elizabeth. "Climate Summit Reaches Historic Agreement." Environmental News Today, March 14, 2024, A1.

Author-Date:

(Thompson 2024)

Thompson, Elizabeth. "Climate Summit Reaches Historic Agreement." Environmental News Today, March 14, 2024, A1.

Example 2: Online Article Without Author

Notes-Bibliography:

1. "Markets Rally on Economic Data," Financial Daily, March 15, 2024, https://www.financialdaily.com/markets-rally.

Bibliography:
"Markets Rally on Economic Data." Financial Daily, March 15, 2024. https://www.financialdaily.com/markets-rally.

Example 3: Editorial with Author

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Robert Williams, "Why We Must Act on Climate," The Washington Post, March 13, 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/climate-action.

Bibliography:
Williams, Robert. "Why We Must Act on Climate." The Washington Post, March 13, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/climate-action.

Example 4: Article from Database

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Maria Garcia, "New Trade Agreements Signed," International Business, March 10, 2024, accessed March 16, 2026, ProQuest Historical Newspapers, https://www.proquest.com/hnp/trade-agreements.

Bibliography:
Garcia, Maria. "New Trade Agreements Signed." International Business, March 10, 2024. Accessed March 16, 2026. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. https://www.proquest.com/hnp/trade-agreements.

Citing Newspaper Articles with Confidence

Newspaper articles provide timely, often eyewitness accounts of events, making them valuable for contemporary research. Chicago style’s clear formatting ensures readers can locate the specific article you’ve cited, whether in print archives or online databases.

Use our citation generator to verify your newspaper citations, particularly for online sources where URLs change. With these guidelines, your newspaper citations will meet academic standards while enabling source verification.