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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 8th Edition): Newspaper Articles

MLA 8th Edition

Newspaper Article From a Website

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Title of website, Name of Newspaper, Date of Publication, URL. Accessed access date.

 Note: If the author's name is not listed, begin the citation with the title of the article.

Works Cited List Example

Litz, Sarah. "All the Fires: What You Need to Know on Size, Containment." RGJ, Reno Gazette-Journal, 12 July 2017, www.rgj.com/story/news/2017/07/12/farad-fire-updates-size-containment-hills-burn-west-verdi/471293001/. Accessed 12 July 2017.

 Note: This entry has no page numbers, so this information is left out of the citation.
In-Text Citation Example

(Author's Last Name)

(Litz)

 Note: This entry has no page numbers, so this information is left out of the citation.

 Note: If there is no author listed, the in-text citation would include the first word or words of the title of the article in quotation marks, e.g. ("All the Fires").

Newspaper Article in Print

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Name of Newspaper, Date of Publication, p. Page number. 

 Note: If the author's name is not listed, begin the citation with the title of the article.

Works Cited List Example

Cook, Lorne. "EU Warns 3 Nations of Legal Action." San Francisco Chronicle, 14 June 2017, p. A4+. 

 Note: If the article appears on non-consecutive pages (e.g., the article starts on page 4 then continues on page 12), write the first page number and a plus (+) sign. E.g., 4+
In-Text Citation Example

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

(Cook A4)

 Note: If there is no author listed, the in-text citation would include the first word or words of the title of the article in quotation marks, e.g. ("EU Warns").

How Can I Tell if it's a Newspaper?

Newspaper sections spread out on a table, Image from flickr, user NS Newsflash

Photo from Flickr, created by user NS Newsflash. Available under a Creative Commons license.

Not sure whether your article is from a newspaper? Look for these characteristics:

  • Main purpose is to provide readers with a brief account of current events locally, nationally or internationally.
  • Can be published daily, semiweekly or weekly.
  • Articles are usually written by journalists who may or may not have subject expertise.
  • Written for the general public, readers don't need any previous subject knowledge.
  • Little, if any, information about other sources is provided.

Articles may also come from journals or magazines.

Newspaper Article From a Library Database

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article: Subtitle if Any." Name of Newspaper [city of newspaper if city name not in name], Date of Publication, p. Page number if given. Name of Database, Permalink URL. 

Note: If the author's name is not listed, begin the citation with the title of the article.

Works Cited List Example

Worthington, Danika. "Dinosaur Find in Thornton: Triceratops Skull, Skeleton Found at Site of New Police, Fire Station." Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2017. NewsBank, frccwc.idm.oclc.org/login?url=infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/166A95ADA5DEAFD8?p=NewsBank. 

 Note: If an article ends with a question mark or exclamation mark (!), you do not need to add a period to mark the end of the title.
In-Text Citation Example

(Author's Last Name Page Number)

(Worthington)

 Note: If an article is only one page long, you do not need to provide the page number in the in-text citation.

 Note: If there is no author listed, the in-text citation would include the first word or words of the title of the article in quotation marks, e.g. ("Companies").