How-to · Step-by-step
How to cite a newspaper article
Citing a newspaper article means recording the author, headline, newspaper title, full date, and either the page (print) or the URL (online).
The step most authors miss
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Step by step
How to do it
1.Record the author and headline
Note the journalist’s byline and the article’s headline. If there is no named author, lead with the headline.
2.Record the newspaper and date
Note the newspaper’s title and the full publication date (day, month, year), which newspapers require because they publish frequently.
3.Find the page or URL
For a print article, record the section and page number; for an online article, copy the full URL.
4.Note the edition if relevant
If the article appeared in a specific edition (e.g. a regional or late edition), record it, as wording can differ between editions.
5.Assemble the entry
Arrange the elements per your style, treating the newspaper as the publication that carries the article.
APA 7th edition
Format: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Headline of article. Newspaper Title. URL — Worked example: Smith, J. (2021, March 14). Universities tighten citation rules. The Daily Example. https://www.dailyexample.com/article In-text: (Smith, 2021). The newspaper title is italicised and the full date is given; for a print article, end with the page after the newspaper title instead of a URL.
MLA 9th edition
Format: Author. "Headline of Article." Newspaper Title, Day Month Year, page or URL. — Worked example: Smith, Jane. "Universities Tighten Citation Rules." The Daily Example, 14 Mar. 2021, www.dailyexample.com/article. In-text: (Smith). The headline is in quotation marks and the newspaper title is italicised as the container; for print, end with "p. A4".
Chicago 17th edition (notes–bibliography)
Bibliography: Smith, Jane. "Universities Tighten Citation Rules." The Daily Example, March 14, 2021. https://www.dailyexample.com/article. — First footnote: 1. Jane Smith, "Universities Tighten Citation Rules," The Daily Example, March 14, 2021, https://www.dailyexample.com/article. Chicago often cites newspapers in notes only; page numbers are usually omitted because editions differ.
Common questions
FAQ
How do I cite an online newspaper article?+
Give the same core elements — author, headline, newspaper, full date — and end with the URL instead of a page number. All three styles present the URL as the retrieval location; APA and MLA do not require an access date for a dated news article unless the content is likely to change.
What if the article has no named author?+
Lead with the headline in the author position. APA: "Headline. (2021, March 14). Newspaper Title." MLA and Chicago likewise begin with the headline and alphabetise by its first significant word. Avoid using "Anonymous" unless the source itself credits the author that way.
Do I include the page number?+
For a print article, yes — give the section and page (e.g. "p. A4"). For online articles there are no fixed pages, so the URL replaces the page. Chicago often omits newspaper page numbers entirely because different editions paginate differently.
