How to Cite The New York Times in Chicago 17 Format

The New York Times is one of the most frequently cited newspapers in academic writing, appearing in research across political science, history, media studies, sociology, and countless other disciplines. Citing it correctly in Chicago 17th Edition format requires attention to several details that distinguish it from general newspaper article citations: the italicized title drops the initial "The," articles often lack page numbers in online editions, and section designations vary between print and digital formats.

This guide covers everything you need to cite New York Times articles accurately in both the Notes-Bibliography (NB) and Author-Date systems, with realistic examples and common pitfalls to avoid.

Key Formatting Rules for New York Times Citations

Drop "The" from the Title

Chicago style requires that you omit the initial article "The" from newspaper names. Write New York Times, not The New York Times. The name is always italicized.

Online vs. Print Articles

Most researchers now access New York Times articles online. For online articles, include the URL. For print articles, include the section and page number if available (e.g., sec. A, p. 1). Chicago 17 does not require access dates for published newspaper articles unless the content is likely to change, but many instructors still prefer them.

Author Bylines

New York Times articles almost always have named authors. If an article genuinely has no author, begin the footnote with the article title and the bibliography entry with the newspaper name. However, double-check the byline—it sometimes appears at the end of the article rather than the top.

Newspaper Articles Are Often Omitted from Bibliographies

Chicago 17 (§14.191) notes that newspaper articles cited in the notes do not need to appear in the bibliography. However, if a newspaper source is central to your argument or cited repeatedly, including it in the bibliography is recommended. Follow your instructor's or publisher's preference.

Where to Find Citation Information on The New York Times

Locating all the details you need for a complete citation can be tricky on the New York Times website. Here is where to find each element:

• Author name: Listed directly below the headline or, for opinion pieces and guest essays, at the top of the article with a contributor label. Some interactive or multimedia pieces list authors at the bottom.
• Article title: The main headline at the top of the article. Use the headline as displayed, preserving its original wording. Convert to headline-style capitalization if the original is in all caps or sentence case.
• Publication date: Appears below the headline, usually next to the author name. The New York Times displays dates in "Month Day, Year" format (e.g., March 15, 2025), which matches Chicago style.
• Section: Check the URL for section indicators (e.g., /us/politics/, /opinion/, /business/). For print editions, the section letter appears on the physical page. Online section names are not typically required in Chicago citations.
• URL: Copy the URL from your browser's address bar. New York Times URLs are generally stable and persistent. Remove any tracking parameters (text after a ?) for a cleaner citation.
• Edition or special section: If citing a print edition, note whether it is the national or metropolitan edition, as page numbers can differ between them.

Detailed Examples

Example 1: Standard News Article (Online)

First Footnote:

1. David Leonhardt, "The Morning: A Search for Common Ground," New York Times, January 8, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/briefing/search-for-common-ground.html.

Shortened Footnote:

2. Leonhardt, "Search for Common Ground."

Bibliography:

Leonhardt, David. "The Morning: A Search for Common Ground." New York Times, January 8, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/briefing/search-for-common-ground.html.

Example 2: Opinion/Editorial with Two Authors

First Footnote:

3. Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, "The Case for Radical Optimism," New York Times, March 2, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/opinion/radical-optimism-technology.html.

Shortened Footnote:

4. Klein and Thompson, "Radical Optimism."

Bibliography:

Klein, Ezra, and Derek Thompson. "The Case for Radical Optimism." New York Times, March 2, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/opinion/radical-optimism-technology.html.

Example 3: Print Article with Section and Page

First Footnote:

5. Jim Tankersley, "Economy Adds 250,000 Jobs, Beating Expectations," New York Times, February 7, 2025, sec. B, p. 1.

Shortened Footnote:

6. Tankersley, "Economy Adds 250,000 Jobs."

Bibliography:

Tankersley, Jim. "Economy Adds 250,000 Jobs, Beating Expectations." New York Times, February 7, 2025, sec. B, p. 1.

Example 4: Article with No Named Author

First Footnote:

7. "New York City Declares State of Emergency over Migrant Crisis," New York Times, October 7, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/07/nyregion/nyc-migrant-emergency.html.

Shortened Footnote:

8. "New York City Declares State of Emergency."

Bibliography:

New York Times. "New York City Declares State of Emergency over Migrant Crisis." October 7, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/07/nyregion/nyc-migrant-emergency.html.

Note: When no author is named, the bibliography entry begins with the newspaper title in italics, followed by the article title. In the footnote, simply begin with the article title in quotation marks.

Common Mistakes When Citing The New York Times

Step-by-Step: Citing a New York Times Article

1. Identify the author. Look for the byline beneath the headline. If multiple authors are listed, note them in the order they appear. If no author is credited, you will start with the article title instead.
2. Copy the article title exactly. Place it in quotation marks. Apply headline-style capitalization per Chicago rules: capitalize the first and last words and all major words. Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), prepositions (of, in, for), or coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) unless they are the first word.
3. Write the newspaper name. Italicize New York Times and omit the initial "The." Follow it with a comma.
4. Add the publication date. Use the format Month Day, Year (e.g., January 15, 2025). Do not abbreviate month names in Chicago style.
5. Include the URL for online articles. Copy the URL directly from your browser. Remove any query strings or tracking parameters that appear after a ? in the URL. End with a period.
6. For print articles, add section and page. Use the format "sec. A, p. 12" after the date. If the article spans nonconsecutive pages, list them as "pp. A1, A14."
7. Format the bibliography entry. Invert the first author's name (Last, First). Place the article title after the author. Remember that Chicago considers newspaper articles optional in the bibliography—include them if the source is important to your argument.
8. Create shortened footnotes for subsequent references. Use the author's last name and a shortened version of the article title (typically the first few distinctive words).

Special Cases

Citing a New York Times Book Review

Book reviews published in the New York Times follow the standard newspaper format, but you should include the phrase "review of" followed by the book title and author:

9. Jennifer Szalai, "In His New Book, an Economist Champions Industrial Policy," review of The Rise and Fall of American Growth, by Robert J. Gordon, New York Times, June 12, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/12/books/review/example.html.

Citing a New York Times Interactive Feature

Interactive or multimedia features should be cited like standard articles. If the piece has a distinct title, use it. If it is part of a named series, include the series name:

10. Sarah Almukhtar et al., "How Every Member of Congress Voted on the Infrastructure Bill," New York Times, November 6, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/11/06/us/politics/infrastructure-bill-vote.html.

Use "et al." in footnotes when there are four or more authors. In the bibliography, you may list up to ten authors before using "et al."

Citing a New York Times Newsletter or Briefing

Newsletters like "The Morning" should be treated as regular articles with the newsletter name as the article title or as part of a series identifier.

Notes-Bibliography vs. Author-Date

The examples above primarily use the Notes-Bibliography (NB) system, which is more common in the humanities. If your field uses the Author-Date system (common in the sciences and social sciences), the format changes slightly:

Author-Date In-Text Citation:

(Haberman 2024)

Author-Date Reference List Entry:

Haberman, Maggie. 2024. "Trump Begins Final Push as Campaign Enters Closing Days." New York Times, November 4, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/us/politics/trump-campaign.html.

Note that in the Author-Date system, the year follows the author name immediately, and the full date still appears after the newspaper title.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to include the URL for New York Times articles?

Yes, for articles accessed online, Chicago 17 recommends including the URL. New York Times URLs are stable and serve as reliable locators. If your instructor requires a DOI and one is not available, the URL is sufficient. You do not need to include an access date unless the content is time-sensitive or subject to change (such as a live-updating article).

How do I handle a New York Times article behind a paywall?

Cite the article normally with its URL. Chicago style does not require you to note that an article is behind a paywall. Your readers are expected to access the source through their own subscriptions or library databases. If you accessed the article through a database like ProQuest, you may cite the database URL or a stable/persistent link instead.

Should I include "The" before New York Times?

No. Per Chicago 17 (§14.194), the initial article "The" is dropped from newspaper names in both notes and bibliography entries. Always write New York Times, never The New York Times. This rule applies consistently whether the name appears in a footnote, bibliography, or running text within a citation.

How do I cite a New York Times article I found through a database like LexisNexis or ProQuest?

Cite it as you would any New York Times article, but replace the nytimes.com URL with the database name or a stable database URL. For example:

11. Jane Doe, "Article Title," New York Times, April 10, 2023, ProQuest.

If the database provides a stable or persistent URL, include it instead of just the database name.

For complete rules on Chicago 17th Edition formatting, see our Chicago 17th Edition guide. For general newspaper citation rules, visit our How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Chicago 17 guide.