How to Cite a Newspaper Article in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)
Learn how to cite newspaper articles in APA, MLA, and Chicago format with clear examples. Includes print, online, and no-author citations.
How to Cite a Newspaper Article in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)
Citing newspaper articles correctly is essential for academic credibility. Whether you're referencing a breaking news story, an editorial, or an investigative report, each citation style has specific rules you need to follow.
This guide covers everything you need to know about citing newspaper articles in APA, MLA, and Chicago format—with examples you can copy and adapt.
Table of Contents
- Why Newspaper Citations Matter
- How to Cite a Newspaper Article in APA Format
- How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA Format
- How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Chicago Format
- Special Cases: No Author, No Date, Wire Services
- FAQ
Why Newspaper Citations Matter
Newspaper articles are valuable sources for:
- Current events and breaking news — capturing real-time reactions and facts
- Historical research — understanding how events were reported at the time
- Expert opinions — editorials and op-eds from thought leaders
- Data and statistics — original reporting with primary source information
Using newspaper sources adds credibility to your research, but only if you cite them correctly. A wrong format can cost you marks—or worse, trigger plagiarism concerns.
How to Cite a Newspaper Article in APA Format
APA (American Psychological Association) is the standard for social sciences, education, and psychology papers.
APA Reference List Format (Print)
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name, page(s).
Example:
Thompson, J. (2026, January 15). The future of AI in education. The New York Times, A12.
APA Reference List Format (Online)
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Name. URL
Example:
Garcia, M. (2026, March 8). Student loan forgiveness: What you need to know. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/student-loans-2026
APA In-Text Citation
Use the author's last name and year:
- Parenthetical: (Thompson, 2026)
- Narrative: Thompson (2026) reported that...
APA Key Rules
- Capitalize only the first word of the title (and any proper nouns)
- Italicize the newspaper name
- Don't include "Retrieved from" before URLs (updated APA 7th edition rule)
- Include page numbers for print articles, URLs for online
How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA Format
MLA (Modern Language Association) is standard for humanities, literature, and arts papers.
MLA Works Cited Format (Print)
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, page(s).
Example:
Thompson, Jennifer. "The Future of AI in Education." The New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026, p. A12.
MLA Works Cited Format (Online)
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example:
Garcia, Maria. "Student Loan Forgiveness: What You Need to Know." The Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2026, www.washingtonpost.com/student-loans-2026.
MLA In-Text Citation
Use the author's last name and page number (if available):
- Parenthetical: (Thompson A12)
- Narrative: Thompson argues that...
- No page number: (Garcia)
MLA Key Rules
- Capitalize all major words in the title
- Use quotation marks around article titles
- Italicize the newspaper name
- Abbreviate months longer than 4 letters (Jan., Feb., etc.)
- Don't include "https://" in URLs
How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Chicago Format
Chicago style offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (for humanities) and Author-Date (for sciences). Most history and arts papers use Notes-Bibliography.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography (Print)
Footnote:
- First Name Last Name, "Title of Article," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, page.
Bibliography:
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year.
Example:
- Jennifer Thompson, "The Future of AI in Education," The New York Times, January 15, 2026, A12.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography (Online)
Footnote:
- First Name Last Name, "Title of Article," Newspaper Name, Month Day, Year, URL.
Example:
- Maria Garcia, "Student Loan Forgiveness: What You Need to Know," The Washington Post, March 8, 2026, https://www.washingtonpost.com/student-loans-2026.
Chicago Author-Date (In-Text)
- Parenthetical: (Thompson 2026)
- Reference list follows similar format to APA
Chicago Key Rules
- Don't abbreviate months
- Page numbers are optional in bibliography (required in footnotes)
- URLs should be included for online sources
- Access dates are generally not required unless no publication date exists
Special Cases
No Author Listed
Sometimes articles don't have a byline. Here's how to handle it:
APA:
Title of article. (2026, January 15). The New York Times, A12.
MLA:
"Title of Article." The New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026, p. A12.
Chicago:
"Title of Article." The New York Times, January 15, 2026.
No Date Available
APA: Use (n.d.) for no date
Thompson, J. (n.d.). Title of article. Newspaper Name. URL
MLA: Omit the date
Thompson, Jennifer. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, URL.
Chicago: Include "n.d." or "accessed" date
Thompson, Jennifer. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name. Accessed January 20, 2026. URL.
Wire Service Articles (AP, Reuters)
Wire service articles often have no author. Cite the wire service as author:
APA:
Associated Press. (2026, February 10). Breaking: Major policy change announced. The Guardian. URL
MLA:
Associated Press. "Breaking: Major Policy Change Announced." The Guardian, 10 Feb. 2026, URL.
Editorial or Op-Ed
Treat editorials like regular articles, but you can note the type if relevant:
APA:
Smith, J. (2026, April 1). Why we need education reform [Editorial]. The Chicago Tribune, B4.
Multiple Authors
APA (2 authors):
Thompson, J., & Garcia, M. (2026, January 15). Title. Newspaper, page.
APA (3+ authors):
Thompson, J., Garcia, M., & Lee, S. (2026, January 15). Title. Newspaper, page.
MLA (2 authors):
Thompson, Jennifer, and Maria Garcia. "Title." Newspaper, date, page.
MLA (3+ authors):
Thompson, Jennifer, et al. "Title." Newspaper, date, page.
Quick Reference Table
| Element | APA | MLA | Chicago | |---------|-----|-----|--------| | Article title | Sentence case | Title Case in "quotes" | Title Case in "quotes" | | Newspaper name | Italics | Italics | Italics | | Date format | Year, Month Day | Day Month Year | Month Day, Year | | Page numbers | After newspaper name | After date | In footnote | | URL format | Full URL | No https:// | Full URL | | Months | Don't abbreviate | Abbreviate (4+ letters) | Don't abbreviate |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to italicize the newspaper name
- Wrong date format for your citation style
- Missing page numbers for print sources
- Including "Retrieved from" in APA 7 (outdated rule)
- Using the wrong capitalization for article titles
- Omitting the URL for online newspaper articles
FAQ
Do I need to include the city in the newspaper name?
Only if the city isn't part of the newspaper's official name. For example:
- The New York Times — no city needed (it's in the name)
- The Times (London) — include city for clarity
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis) — include city if not obvious
Should I cite the print or online version?
Cite the version you actually used. If you read it online, cite the online version with the URL. If content differs between versions, note which you accessed.
How do I cite a newspaper article with no page numbers online?
Simply omit page numbers and include the URL. For in-text citations in MLA, use the author's name without a page number.
Can I cite a newspaper article I found through a database?
Yes. For database access:
- APA: Include the database URL if it's a stable link, or just the article URL
- MLA: Include the database name and URL
- Chicago: Include the database name
How do I cite a newspaper article in the middle of my paper?
Use in-text citations:
- APA: (Author, Year) or Author (Year)
- MLA: (Author Page) or Author argues...
- Chicago: Use footnotes or (Author Year) depending on system
Conclusion
Citing newspaper articles doesn't have to be complicated. The key is knowing which format your professor requires and following its rules consistently:
- APA: Year first, sentence case titles, full URLs
- MLA: Date last, title case in quotes, abbreviated months
- Chicago: Full dates, footnotes or author-date, flexible formatting
When in doubt, check with your instructor or use a reliable citation tool to double-check your work.
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