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 the author’s name as published, including initials.
  Example, use “Robert Samuels” if that is the byline, or retain “R. Samuels” if that is how the author is credited.
• 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 invent “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.”
• Use MLA title capitalization for English titles and the appropriate language’s rules for other titles.
• End the title with a period inside the closing quotation mark unless it already ends in a question mark or exclamation point.

Newspaper name (in italics)

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

• Italicize the newspaper name: 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 recommends omitting “http://” and “https://” from ordinary URLs in citations.
• 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 names as published helps readers identify the credited journalists.
• 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 (Washington Post), date, and URL gives a reader multiple ways to locate the article.

Examples with correct MLA 9 formatting and explanations (fictional data and illustrative URLs)

Example 1, One author (most common)

Works Cited entry

Talven, Iva. “TikTok Faces a New Deadline under Federal Law.” Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2024, 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: Talven, Iva.
- The article title is in quotation marks and ends with a period inside the quotes.
- 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 “Iva Talven,” you still invert it in Works Cited. If the page lists a middle name, include it, for example “Talven, Iva Mae,” if that is how it appears on the article page.

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

Works Cited entry

Fenwick, Orren, and Nera Pellis. “Inside the Investigation into a Major Data Breach.” Washington Post, 5 Sept. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/09/05/data-breach-investigation/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Why this is correct
- The first author is inverted: Fenwick, Orren
- The second author is in normal order and connected with and: and Nera Pellis
- The rest follows the standard newspaper article pattern.

Common pitfall: Many writers mistakenly invert both authors, like “Pellis, Nera.” 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.” Washington Post, 12 Dec. 2022, 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 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: (Talven)
• Two authors: (Fenwick and Pellis)
• Three or more authors: (Fenwick et al.)
• No author: use a shortened title in quotation marks, (“How to Prepare”)

If the source explicitly numbers its paragraphs, you can use those numbers with “par.” or “pars.” Do not count unnumbered paragraphs yourself.

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

Follow MLA’s recommendation to omit “http://” and “https://” from ordinary URLs in citations. Keep DOIs in https://doi.org/ form.

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

• Changing the published author name. Retain full names or initials as credited.
• 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.” 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 Washington Post in MLA 9

Citing 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." 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 published name, invert a personal name

MLA allows initials if that is what the source shows. For a personal name with a surname and given names, use this order:

Last, First Middle.

Practical tip: If the byline shows initials, retain them in the Works Cited entry.

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 invent “Anonymous”; retain it only if explicitly credited.
• 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 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 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

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 retain the newspaper as the first container and add the database as a second container. If you used the Washington Post site directly, cite 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.

Formatted examples with explanations (fictional data and illustrative URLs)

Example 1, two authors (your required name formatting)

Works Cited entry
Darsen, Ivo Julian, and Lira Mae Pellis. "How Cities Are Rethinking Downtown after Remote Work." Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2024, 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, “Darsen, Ivo Julian,” which supports alphabetical sorting.
- The second author is in normal order, “Lira Mae Pellis,” 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.
- 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 shorten a published full name to “Darsen, I. J.”; retain initials if the source itself uses them.
- Do not invert the second author, and do not use “&.”

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

Works Cited entry
Talven, Mira Elena, et al. "What the New Climate Report Means for Coastal Homeowners." Washington Post, 3 May 2025, 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 the name as published.
- 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." Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2024, 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 invent “Anonymous” or “Staff”; retain an explicitly credited author or group.
- Do not leave the author slot blank with punctuation hanging, such as starting with a period.

Practical tips and common pitfalls checklist

Practical tips

• Use the author’s name as it appears in the byline, retaining any initials.
• Preserve the article title’s wording and punctuation, but apply MLA title capitalization to English titles.
• 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

• Expanding or shortening the author’s published name instead of retaining it.
• 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 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. Published author names help readers identify the credited writers. 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. An access date is optional and is especially useful if the content is likely to change or your instructor requests it. 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." 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 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." 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 for nonconsecutive pages. For a specific passage in print, include the page number, like (Lastname A1). 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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