How to Cite The Washington Post in MLA 9 Format

Core pieces you should include

Author (with the name rules you listed)

The author element matters because it tells readers who created the work and it determines alphabetizing in the Works Cited list.

Follow these rules:

• Use full first names, not initials.
  Example, use “Robert Samuels,” not “R. Samuels.” This improves clarity and avoids confusion between authors with similar initials.
• Invert the first author’s name in Works Cited.
  Format: Last, First Middle.
• Two authors: use and, and do not invert the second author.
  Format: Last, First Middle, and First Last.
• Three or more authors: list only the first author, then add et al.
  Format: Last, First Middle, et al.
• No author: start with the title of the article.
  Do not use “Anonymous,” and do not insert “n.d.” The title becomes the first element.

Title of the article (in quotation marks)

The article title is a short work, so MLA uses quotation marks.

• Put the article title in “quotation marks.”
• Capitalize in title case (capitalize major words).
• End the title with a period inside the closing quotation mark.

Newspaper name (in italics)

The newspaper is the container, the larger publication that holds the article.

• Italicize the newspaper name: The Washington Post
• Follow it with a comma.

Publication date

MLA prefers the day month year format.

• Example: 14 Mar. 2024
• If the article does not show a day, use what is available (month and year, or just year). Use the information the page provides.

URL

For online Washington Post articles, include the URL.

• MLA 9 allows you to drop “https://,” but including it is fine if you are consistent.
• Do not put the URL in angle brackets.
• Place a period at the end of the citation, after the URL.

Access date (often useful for news sites)

MLA 9 says access dates are optional, but they are often a good idea for online news because pages can update, move, or be paywalled.

• Format: Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
• Put the access date at the end.

Why these rules matter (and how they help you)

These formatting rules are not just picky details. They serve practical purposes:

• Alphabetizing and scanning: Inverting the first author’s name makes it easy to alphabetize and lets readers scan a Works Cited page quickly.
• Identity clarity: Using full first names reduces confusion, especially when multiple journalists share a last name or initials.
• Consistency across sources: MLA’s standard order helps readers recognize key information fast, even if they have never seen your source before.
• Retrievability: Including the container (The Washington Post), date, and URL gives a reader multiple ways to locate the article.

Examples with correct MLA 9 formatting and explanations

Example 1, One author (most common)

Works Cited entry

Zakrzewski, Cat. “TikTok Faces a New Deadline Under Federal Law.” The Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/04/24/tiktok-deadline-law/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- The author is listed first, and the name is inverted: Zakrzewski, Cat.
- The article title is in quotation marks and ends with a period inside the quotes.
- The Washington Post is italicized as the container.
- The date is in day month year format.
- The URL is included, and the access date is added at the end.

Tip: If the page lists the author as “Cat Zakrzewski,” you still invert it in Works Cited. If the page lists a middle name, include it, for example “Zakrzewski, Catherine Ann,” if that is how it appears on the article page.

Example 2, Two authors (use “and,” second author not inverted)

Works Cited entry

Boburg, Shawn, and Robert O’Harrow Jr. “Inside the Investigation into a Major Data Breach.” The Washington Post, 5 Sept. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/09/05/data-breach-investigation/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- The first author is inverted: Boburg, Shawn
- The second author is in normal order and connected with and: and Robert O’Harrow Jr.
- The rest follows the standard newspaper article pattern.

Common pitfall: Many writers mistakenly invert both authors, like “O’Harrow Jr., Robert.” Do not do that in MLA for a two author Works Cited entry. Only the first author is inverted.

Example 3, No author (start with the title)

Works Cited entry

“How to Prepare for a Winter Storm.” The Washington Post, 12 Dec. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/12/12/prepare-winter-storm/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- There is no author listed, so the citation begins with the article title.
- The title is still in quotation marks because it is an article.
- The newspaper name, date, and URL still appear in the usual places.

Alphabetizing note: In your Works Cited list, alphabetize this entry by “How,” not by “The,” because the title does not begin with “The.” If it did, you would ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” for alphabetizing purposes.

In-text citations for The Washington Post

MLA in-text citations usually use the author’s last name and a page number. Online newspaper articles typically do not have stable page numbers, so you usually cite only the author.

• One author: (Zakrzewski)
• Two authors: (Boburg and O’Harrow)
• Three or more authors: (Boburg et al.)
• No author: use a shortened title in quotation marks, (“How to Prepare”)

If you quote or refer to a specific part of the article, you can also use a paragraph number if your instructor allows it, but MLA does not require paragraph numbers for most web sources.

Practical tips for getting Washington Post citations right

Tip 1, Copy the URL carefully

Some Washington Post links include tracking text or extra parameters. If possible, use a clean URL that still loads correctly. Do not remove parts that break the link.

Tip 2, Watch for updated articles

News articles can be updated after publication. If the page shows an “Updated” date, MLA practice varies by instructor. A safe approach is to cite the date shown as the publication date on the page and include an access date to document when you viewed it.

Tip 3, Keep formatting consistent

Choose one approach for URLs, either include “https://” consistently or omit it consistently. MLA allows both, but inconsistency looks careless.

Tip 4, Do not confuse the article title with the site name

The article title goes in quotation marks. The newspaper name is italicized. Do not italicize the article title.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Using initials instead of full first names. Your rule requires full first names, so do not shorten them.
• Inverting the second author in a two author citation. Only the first author is inverted.
• Listing all authors when there are three or more. Use the first author plus et al.
• Starting with the website name when there is an author. The author comes first if available.
• Forgetting quotation marks around the article title.
• Leaving out the date when it is clearly provided.

Quick template you can reuse

Use this fill in format for most Washington Post articles:

Last, First Middle. “Article Title.” The Washington Post, Day Month Year, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

If you want, paste a Washington Post link and the author name as shown on the page, and I can format the exact MLA 9 Works Cited entry and the matching in-text citation using your rules.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for The Washington Post Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

Special and edge cases when citing The Washington Post in MLA 9

Citing The Washington Post in MLA 9 is usually straightforward, but newspaper content often comes with missing details, changing URLs, multiple versions, or nonstandard authorship. These special cases matter because MLA citations are designed to help readers locate the exact item you used, and to give clear credit to the people or organizations responsible for the work.

A standard MLA 9 entry for a Washington Post article usually follows this pattern:

Author. "Title of Article." The Washington Post, Day Month Year, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Not every article will have all of those parts in a clean, obvious form. The sections below explain what to do when something is unusual, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Author name edge cases (including your required name rules)

One author, use the full first name, invert the first author

MLA normally allows initials if that is what the source shows, but your guide requires full first names for clarity and respect. That means you should write the author as:

Last, First Middle.

Practical tip: If the byline shows initials, check the author page on The Washington Post site to find the full first name.

Two authors, second author is not inverted

If there are two authors, invert only the first author. Use and between names.

Last, First Middle, and First Last.

Common pitfall: Inverting both authors, or using an ampersand. Use “and,” and only invert the first author.

Three or more authors, use et al. after the first author only

If there are three or more authors, list only the first author, then add et al.

Last, First Middle, et al.

Common pitfall: Listing three names and then “et al.” Your rule is first author only, then “et al.”

No author listed

Some Washington Post pieces, such as unsigned briefs, staff editorials, or newsletters, may not list a person. In that case:

• Start with the title in quotation marks.
• Do not use “Anonymous.”
• Do not insert “n.d.”

This matters because MLA’s Works Cited is alphabetized, and the title becomes the anchor for both alphabetizing and matching in-text citations.

Titles and section labels that confuse readers

Titles with a colon, keep the punctuation

If the article title includes a subtitle, keep the colon exactly as shown.

Section or newsletter names are not the container

You might see labels like “Opinions,” “Morning Mix,” “The Fix,” or “The 7.” Treat these as sections, not the main container. The main container is still The Washington Post.

Practical tip: If you want to include a section name, you can include it later in the entry as an optional detail, but do not replace The Washington Post with the section name.

Dates and updates, what to do when the page shows multiple times

Use the publication date you can verify

Many Washington Post pages show “Published” and “Updated” timestamps. MLA’s goal is to identify the version you used.

• If the page clearly shows a publication date, use that date.
• If the page only shows an updated date, use the date available.
• If both are shown and the update is significant to your use, you may cite the updated date because it reflects what you read.

Common pitfall: Guessing a date from a URL or from a social media share. Use the date shown on the article page.

Time of day is usually unnecessary

MLA citations typically do not require times. Include only the day, month, and year unless your instructor or project requires time precision.

URLs, paywalls, and “share” links

Use a stable URL when possible

The Washington Post sometimes generates long URLs with tracking parameters. MLA prefers clean URLs.

• Remove tracking strings when they are clearly optional, such as parts after a question mark.
• If the URL is extremely long, MLA allows you to shorten it, but only if it still works.

Paywalled content is still citable

A paywall does not change the citation format. Cite the page you used.

Practical tip: If you accessed the article through a library database instead of the public website, you should cite the database version as your container. If you used the Washington Post site directly, cite The Washington Post as the container.

When to include an access date

MLA 9 treats access dates as optional, but they are useful for news sites because pages can change, and URLs can break. Include an access date when:

• The article is updated frequently.
• The URL is likely to change.
• You used a cached, archived, or shared version.

No page numbers, print versus web

Most online Washington Post articles do not have page numbers, so you simply omit them. If you are citing a print version, you can include the page number after the date, for example: p. A3.

Common pitfall: Adding “pp.” or inventing page numbers for web pages. Do not do that.

Corporate authors and editorial board pieces

Editorials and staff positions

If the author is listed as something like “Editorial Board” or a newsroom team name, treat it as the author exactly as shown. If there is no named author at all, start with the title.

Be consistent, and do not invent a person’s name.

2 to 3 formatted examples with explanations

Example 1, two authors (your required name formatting)

Works Cited entry
Miller, John Andrew, and Sarah Elizabeth Klein. "How Cities Are Rethinking Downtown After Remote Work." The Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/10/14/downtown-remote-work/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Why it is formatted this way
- The first author is inverted, “Miller, John Andrew,” which supports alphabetical sorting.
- The second author is in normal order, “Sarah Elizabeth Klein,” and joined with “and,” which matches MLA style and your rule.
- The article title is in quotation marks because it is a part of a larger container.
- The Washington Post is italicized as the container.
- The access date is included because online news pages can be updated or moved.

Common pitfalls to avoid
- Do not write “Miller, J. A.” since your guide requires full first names.
- Do not invert the second author, and do not use “&.”

Example 2, three or more authors (et al.)

Works Cited entry
Rodriguez, Maria Elena, et al. "What the New Climate Report Means for Coastal Homeowners." The Washington Post, 3 May 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/05/03/climate-report-coastal-homes/.

Why it is formatted this way
- With three or more authors, listing only the first author plus “et al.” keeps the citation readable while still crediting the group.
- The first author remains inverted and uses a full first name.
- No access date is shown here, which is acceptable in MLA 9 when the source is stable and clearly dated. You can still add an access date if your project prefers it.

Common pitfalls to avoid
- Do not list multiple authors before “et al.”
- Do not write “et. al.” The correct form is “et al.” with no period after “et.”

Example 3, no author (start with the title)

Works Cited entry
"Election Updates: Key Races to Watch Tonight." The Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/08/election-updates/.

Why it is formatted this way
- When no author is given, the title moves to the first position.
- This keeps your Works Cited accurate and avoids inventing an author.
- In-text citations would also use a shortened version of the title, which helps readers match the in-text citation to the Works Cited entry.

Common pitfalls to avoid
- Do not put “Anonymous” or “Staff.”
- Do not leave the author slot blank with punctuation hanging, such as starting with a period.

Practical tips and common pitfalls checklist

Practical tips

• Always look for the author’s full first name on the author profile page if the byline is abbreviated.
• Copy the article title carefully, including punctuation and capitalization as shown.
• Use the date shown on the page, not the date you found it on social media.
• Prefer clean URLs without tracking parameters.
• Consider adding an access date for online news, especially for live updates or frequently revised pages.

Common pitfalls

• Using initials for first names when full names are available, which violates your guide’s clarity requirement.
• Inverting the second author in a two-author citation.
• Listing multiple authors and then adding “et al.” instead of using only the first author plus “et al.”
• Treating a section name like “Opinions” as the container instead of The Washington Post.
• Adding page numbers to web articles or inventing missing details.

Why these rules matter

These special-case rules are not just picky formatting. They protect accuracy and fairness. Full first names reduce confusion between writers with similar surnames. Correct author order and inversion make your Works Cited easy to scan and alphabetize. Clear handling of missing authors prevents misinformation. Clean, working URLs and sensible access dates improve traceability, which is the point of citation in academic writing.

If you want, share one or two Washington Post links you are using, and I can format them to match your exact rules, including edge cases like live update pages, newsletters, or database access.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a Washington Post article in MLA 9 when I found it online?

In MLA 9, cite an online Washington Post article with the author, the article title in quotation marks, the newspaper name in italics, the publication date, and the URL. Include an access date only if your instructor asks for it, or if the content is likely to change. A practical example is citing a breaking news story you read on your phone. Start your Works Cited entry like this: Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." The Washington Post, Day Month Year, URL. In your in-text citation, use the author’s last name, or a shortened title if there is no author. If you accessed the piece through an app, still cite the web version if it provides a stable URL. For more guidance, see MLA’s advice on web works: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/

How do I cite The Washington Post if there is no author listed on the article?

If a Washington Post article has no named author, MLA 9 tells you to begin the Works Cited entry with the article title. Keep the title in quotation marks, then list The Washington Post in italics, followed by the date and the URL. This often happens with staff-written briefs, wire-service summaries, or interactive pages where a byline is omitted. For in-text citations, use a shortened version of the title in quotation marks, for example, ("Shortened Title"). Avoid using “Anonymous” unless the article explicitly says that. If the page lists an organization or desk, such as “Washington Post Staff,” you can treat that as the author. MLA’s guidance on missing authors is summarized here: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-entries-missing-elements/

Do I need to include the URL, a permalink, or the database link when citing a Washington Post article?

Use a stable public URL whenever possible. If you read the article on washingtonpost.com, cite the direct URL from the browser address bar. If you accessed it through a library database like ProQuest, Gale, or EBSCO, MLA recommends citing the database as the container, and using the database’s stable link or DOI if provided, rather than a long session-based URL. A practical scenario is a student who can only access paywalled content through the campus library, in that case, include the database name in italics after The Washington Post, then the URL or DOI supplied by the database. If both a permalink and a long tracking URL appear, choose the permalink. For MLA container rules, see: https://style.mla.org/containers/

How do I cite a Washington Post article I read in print instead of online?

For a print Washington Post article, MLA 9 typically includes the author, the article title in quotation marks, the newspaper name in italics, the date, and the page number or page range. You do not include a URL for print. This is common if you used a physical newspaper in a library, or if your instructor asked you to work from print copies. A Works Cited entry often looks like: Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." The Washington Post, Day Month Year, p. A1. If the article spans multiple pages, use “pp.” and the range, or list the first page plus a plus sign if the continuation pages are not clear. In-text citations use the author’s last name, like (Lastname). More on MLA Works Cited basics is here: https://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/

How do I cite a Washington Post editorial, opinion column, or letter to the editor in MLA 9?

Editorials and opinion pieces are cited like other newspaper articles, but you should preserve any labels that clarify the genre when they are part of the page, such as “Opinion” or “Editorial,” if it helps readers identify what you used. A practical example is citing an op-ed for a persuasive essay, you would cite the author, the op-ed title, The Washington Post, the date, and the URL. If the piece is unsigned and clearly an institutional editorial, you can treat The Washington Post as the author, but only when the publication itself is presented as responsible for the content. In-text citations follow the same rule, author name if available, otherwise a shortened title. MLA’s guidance on corporate authors can help: https://style.mla.org/corporate-authors/

How do I cite a Washington Post video, podcast, or interactive graphic in MLA 9?

For Washington Post multimedia, MLA 9 asks you to cite the specific work and identify the format. Start with the creator if known, which may be a reporter, host, or production team. Then give the title of the video or podcast episode in quotation marks, the website or platform as the container, The Washington Post as publisher when applicable, the date, and the URL. A practical scenario is citing a Washington Post podcast episode you listened to for a media analysis, include the episode title, the podcast title in italics, and the date. If the creator is unclear, begin with the title. In-text citations use the creator’s last name or a shortened title. MLA’s guidance on audiovisual works is here: https://style.mla.org/citing-audio-visual-materials/

Last Updated: 2026-01-01
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