How do I format the publication date for newspaper articles?

For newspapers, use the format: Day Month Year (15 Mar. 2024). Include the specific day you accessed or that the article was published, as newspapers publish daily and specific dates matter for historical records.

What if a newspaper article spans multiple non-consecutive pages?

When an article jumps across pages (such as pp. A1, A8), format it as: pp. A1, A8 or pp. A1+. The plus sign indicates the article continues on other pages. Always include the first page number and all specific pages cited.

Should I include the newspaper's city of origin?

MLA 9th Edition does not require the newspaper's city. However, if the newspaper's city is important for identification (distinguishing between newspapers with the same name), you may include it in parentheses: *The Times (London)* or *The Times (New York)*.

How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA Format

Direct Answer

To cite a newspaper article in MLA format, use this structure: Author. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Date, page number. For online newspaper articles: Author. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publisher, Date, URL. Include the author’s name, article title in quotation marks, newspaper name in italics, publication date, and page number (for print) or URL (for online).

Complete MLA Newspaper Article Citation Format

Newspaper articles are primary sources for historical events, current affairs, and public information. Citing them correctly preserves the specific publication date and location information that makes newspaper sources valuable.

Basic Newspaper Article Citation Structure (Print)

Author. "Title of Article." Name of Newspaper, Day Month Year, page number.

Basic Newspaper Article Citation Structure (Online)

Author. "Title of Article." Name of Newspaper, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

Detailed Element Breakdown

Author: The journalist’s name as bylined in the article. Last name first, followed by comma and first name.

Example: Smith, John.

Article Title: The complete headline of the article, placed in quotation marks with title case capitalization.

Example: “Political Crisis Unfolds in Capital”

Newspaper Name: The name of the newspaper, italicized. Use the full official name as it appears in the masthead.

Example: The Washington Post

Publication Date: The specific date the article was published. Format: Day Month Year (without commas between elements).

Example: 15 Mar. 2024

Page Number: For print articles, include the specific page(s) where the article appears. Use p. for single page, pp. for multiple pages.

Example: p. A12 or pp. A1+

Publisher: For online articles, include the newspaper’s publisher if different from the newspaper name.

Example: Washington Post Company

URL: For online newspaper articles, include the complete URL where the article can be accessed.

Example: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/article

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Gather Essential Newspaper Information

Locate these elements from the newspaper article:

Author’s name from the byline
Complete article headline
Official newspaper name from the masthead
Publication date (day, month, year)
Page number(s) for print articles, or URL for online articles
Publisher name (for online articles)

Step 2: Format the Author’s Name

Write the author’s last name first, followed by a comma, space, and first name. Include middle initials if available.

Single Author: Smith, John. Two Authors: Smith, John, and Mary Johnson. Multiple Authors: Smith, John, et al. No Author Listed: Begin with article title.

Step 3: Add the Article Title

Type the complete article headline in quotation marks. Apply title case capitalization, capitalizing all major words. Place a period inside the closing quotation mark.

Example: “Economic Crisis Deepens Across Nation.”

Step 4: Insert Newspaper Name

Italicize the complete newspaper name as it appears in the masthead. Do not abbreviate.

Example: The New York Times

Step 5: Add Publication Date

Write the date in the format: Day Month Year (no commas between elements). Abbreviate months to three letters.

Example: 15 Mar. 2024

Step 6: Include Page Number or URL

For print articles, add page number(s). For online articles, add the URL.

Example (Print): p. A8 Example (Online): https://www.nytimes.com/article-name

Complete Examples for Different Newspaper Types

Print Newspaper Article (Single Author)

Anderson, Patricia. "New Environmental Policy Announced." The Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024, p. A1.

Newspaper Article Spanning Multiple Pages

Chen, Robert. "Investigation into Government Spending." The New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024, pp. A1+.

Online Newspaper Article

Martinez, Carlos. "Tech Company Announces Major Layoffs." CNN, Turner Broadcasting System, 12 Mar. 2024, https://www.cnn.com/business/tech-layoffs.

Newspaper Article with Multiple Authors

Williams, Jennifer, and David Lee. "Climate Summit Produces Landmark Agreement." The Guardian, 13 Mar. 2024, p. B5.

Newspaper Article Without Byline/Author

"Stock Market Reaches New Heights." The Wall Street Journal, 11 Mar. 2024, p. C1.

Newspaper Opinion Piece or Column

Thompson, David. "Why Education Reform Matters Now." The Boston Globe, 10 Mar. 2024, p. A7.

International Newspaper Article

Garcia, Maria. "European Parliament Debates New Regulations." The Times (London), 14 Mar. 2024, p. 5.

Newspaper Article Accessed Through Database

Johnson, Michael. "Historical Archaeological Discovery Made." The Associated Press, 12 Mar. 2024, p. A4. EBSCO News Source, https://www.ebscohost.com/databases.

MLA In-Text Citations for Newspaper Articles

When citing newspaper articles in your paper, use the author-page format in parentheses. Most newspaper articles include specific page numbers, which should be cited.

With Page Number: (Anderson A1)

Without Author (Using Article Title): (“New Environmental Policy”)

Direct Quote: According to recent reports, “environmental policies significantly impact industrial practices” (Anderson A1).

Paraphrase: New government regulations will reshape how companies report environmental data (Chen A8).

Multiple Authors: (Williams and Lee B5)

Citing Entire Article: If you reference the article broadly, cite the author and page: (Anderson A1)

Online Article Without Page Numbers: (Martinez)

Citation Variations for Special Newspaper Types

Newspaper Editorial or Letter to Editor

Smith, Jennifer. Letter to the Editor. *The New York Times*, 14 Mar. 2024, p. A6.

Newspaper Correction or Retraction

"Correction." *The Washington Post*, 15 Mar. 2024, p. B2.

Syndicated Newspaper Article

Anderson, Patricia. "Political Analysis from the Capital." *Los Angeles Times*, 12 Mar. 2024, p. B3. Originally published in *The Washington Post*.

Newspaper Supplement or Special Section

Williams, Robert. "Technology in the Modern Home." *The New York Times* Sunday Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024, pp. 35-38.

Historical Newspaper Article

Davis, Robert. "Great Depression Deepens Economic Crisis." *The New York Times*, 19 Oct. 1929, p. 1.

Newspaper Article from Microfilm or Microfiche

For articles accessed through archival formats, note the location:

Thompson, John. "Industrial Revolution Transforms Society." *Manchester Guardian*, 3 Mar. 1890, p. 4. Microfilm, Library of Congress, Washington DC.

Different publications require different citation formats:

Newspaper Article: Published in daily or weekly newspapers with specific dates
Magazine Article: Published in weekly or monthly magazines (uses different date format)
Journal Article: Peer-reviewed academic articles (uses volume/issue format)
Online Article: Articles on news websites (may follow newspaper or online article format)

Common Newspaper Article Citation Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrect Date Format: Use Day Month Year (15 Mar. 2024), not 3/15/2024 or March 15, 2024.

Missing Page Number: Newspaper articles are identified by page number. Never omit this element for print articles.

Not Italicizing Newspaper Name: Always italicize the newspaper’s name. This distinguishes it from the article title in quotation marks.

Incomplete Author Information: Use the full byline name exactly as it appears. Don’t abbreviate author names.

Wrong Section Notation: Different sections use different notations: A1-A20 (news), B1-B10 (business), C1-C20 (sports). Include the letter designating the section.

Abbreviating Newspaper Names: Don’t shorten names like “NYT” for New York Times or “WaPo” for Washington Post. Use full official names.

Advanced Citation Scenarios

Article from News Wire Service

Associated Press. "Major Storm System Impacts East Coast." *Associated Press*, 15 Mar. 2024, p. A2.

Newspaper Article with Photograph or Illustration

Foster, Michael. "Climate Change Impacts Visible Worldwide." *National Geographic*, 12 Mar. 2024, pp. 42-48. Photographs by Sarah Chen.

Newspaper Article in Foreign Language

Müller, Hans. "Neue Entwicklungen in der Politik." *Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung*, 14 Mar. 2024, p. 3. Translated by Patricia Davis.

Historic Newspaper Article from Archive

Smith, John. "Stock Market Crash Begins Economic Downturn." *The Wall Street Journal*, 29 Oct. 1929, p. 1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers, https://search.proquest.com/hnpwallstreetjournal.

Newspaper Article from Subscription Website

Williams, Jennifer. "Technology and Privacy: Finding Balance." *The New York Times*, 13 Mar. 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/article. Subscriber-only content.

Using Newspaper Citations Effectively

Verify Publication Information: Confirm the newspaper name, date, and page number against the original source.

Distinguish News from Opinion: Clearly label opinion pieces or columns as such so readers understand the source type.

Consider Source Timeliness: For time-sensitive topics, newspaper sources provide immediacy but may lack depth. Complement with other sources.

Check Newspaper Credibility: Recognize differences between major newspapers, local papers, and opinion-focused publications.

Preserve Historical Context: When citing older newspapers, remember they represent contemporary perspectives that may differ from modern understanding.

Using GenText for Newspaper Article Citations

Managing citations from multiple newspapers and publications is complex. GenText’s citation generator automatically formats newspaper article citations to MLA 9th Edition standards. Input your newspaper information—author, article title, newspaper name, publication date, and page number or URL—and GenText creates perfect citations.

GenText handles all newspaper types: major publications, online newspapers, foreign newspapers, and archived articles. Our tool ensures consistent formatting, proper date formats, and complete publication information, saving you time on citation management and allowing you to focus on your research content.

Best Practices for Newspaper Article Citations

Record Complete Information Immediately: Note all citation elements when you find an article. Missing information later requires returning to the source.

Use Official Newspaper Names: Use the exact name as it appears in the masthead, not shortened or informal versions.

Include Proper Date Formatting: Consistent date formatting across all citations enhances professionalism and readability.

Verify Page Numbers: For print articles, confirm page numbers. Some databases provide different page numbers than print editions.

Maintain Alphabetical Order: Arrange newspaper citations alphabetically by author’s last name on your Works Cited page.

Conclusion

Newspaper articles provide timely, detailed coverage of current events and contemporary issues. Citing them correctly demonstrates your engagement with primary sources and current information while giving proper credit to journalists whose work you’re referencing.

Whether you’re citing breaking news, investigative journalism, or historical newspaper archives, accurate newspaper article citations meet professional standards and strengthen your academic work. Use this guide as your reference, consult GenText’s citation generator for instant formatting accuracy, and continue developing strong research practices that will benefit your academic career.