Print vs. Online

The core elements are similar, but format differs:

Print: Author, date, article title, newspaper name, page number(s).

Online: Author, date, article title, newspaper name, URL.

Cite the format you actually accessed.

Quick Reference by Major Style

APA (7th Edition):

Online:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2024, March 15). City council approves new housing plan. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/15/...

Print:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name, p. X or pp. X-X.

MLA (9th Edition):

Author. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, URL or pp. X-X.

Example:

Smith, Jordan. "City Council Approves New Housing Plan." The New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/03/15/...

Chicago (Notes-Bibliography):

Note:

Jordan Smith, "City Council Approves New Housing Plan," New York Times, March 15, 2024, URL.

Bibliography:

Smith, Jordan. "City Council Approves New Housing Plan." New York Times, March 15, 2024. URL.

Articles Without Authors

Many news articles lack bylines. Start with the article title:

APA:

Title of article. (Year, Month Day). Newspaper Name. URL

MLA:

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

Chicago:

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

Wire Service Articles (AP, Reuters)

For articles from news agencies:

Associated Press. (2024, March 15). Title of article. Newspaper Name. URL

The wire service is the author; the newspaper is where you accessed it.

Newspaper Names

Include "The" if it's part of the official name: The New York Times, The Washington Post.

Some styles drop "The" in citations—check your guide.

For less recognizable papers, add the city if not in the name:

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Page Numbers for Print

Single page: p. A1

Multiple pages: pp. A1, A4 (for discontinuous) or pp. A1-A4 (continuous)

Section and page: p. B3 or Section B, p. 3

Include section letters when newspapers use them.

Editions

If citing a specific edition (morning, late, national):

The New York Times, late ed., March 15, 2024, p. A1.

This matters for historical research where editions may differ.

Historical Newspapers

Older articles from archives or databases:

APA:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name, p. X. Database Name.

MLA:

Author. "Title." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, p. X. Database Name.

Include the database (ProQuest Historical Newspapers, Newspapers.com, etc.) if that's how you accessed it.

Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor

Opinion pieces:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of op-ed [Op-ed]. Newspaper Name. URL

Letters to the editor:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title or [Letter to the editor]. Newspaper Name. URL

The bracketed descriptor clarifies the type.

Editorials

Unsigned editorials use the newspaper as author:

The New York Times. (2024, March 15). Editorial title [Editorial]. URL

Or start with the title if preferred by your style guide.

Reviews

For book, film, or other reviews:

Reviewer, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of review [Review of Work reviewed, by Author]. Newspaper Name. URL

Newspaper vs. News Website

Some online news sources aren't traditional newspapers. News websites like CNN, BBC, or Vox should be cited as web articles with the site name. Digital-only publications like HuffPost or Politico vary—check if they consider themselves newspapers or magazines.

When in doubt, the citation format is similar: author, date, title, source, URL.

Paywalled Articles

Cite the article normally with its URL. Readers may encounter a paywall, but the URL is still the correct reference. Don't use a workaround URL.

The exact formatting for newspaper citations depends on your required citation style. Check the specific guide for your discipline below.