How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA 9 Format

MLA 9 Newspaper Citations, What to Include and How to Format Them

In MLA 9th edition, citing a newspaper article follows the same core idea as other MLA citations. You identify the source clearly so readers can find it, and you present the information in a consistent order. A newspaper article is usually treated as a short work inside a larger container, the newspaper itself. That means the article title goes in quotation marks, and the newspaper name is italicized.

A standard newspaper citation in a Works Cited list usually looks like this:

Author. "Title of Article." Name of Newspaper, Date, Page(s).
If accessed online, add: URL (and sometimes an access date, if needed by your instructor).

Your rules about author names and author counts matter because they control how the entry begins, which affects both readability and alphabetizing in the Works Cited list.

Core Format for a Newspaper Article (Print)

Basic template

Last Name, First Middle. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, p. Page.

Notes on each part

• Author: The first author is inverted, and you must use the author’s full first name, not initials. This supports clear identification and helps avoid confusion between writers with similar names.
• Article title: Put the article title in quotation marks because it is a short work.
• Newspaper name: Italicize the newspaper name because it is the larger publication.
• Date: MLA typically uses Day Month Year (for example, 12 Oct. 2024). Use the date as shown by the source, but keep MLA’s order and abbreviations.
• Page numbers: Use p. for one page and pp. for multiple pages. If the newspaper uses section letters, include them (for example, p. A3).

Core Format for a Newspaper Article (Online)

Basic template

Last Name, First Middle. "Title of Article." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Notes for online articles

• Pages often disappear online, so you typically omit page numbers unless the site provides them clearly in a stable way.
• Use the direct URL to the article when possible. MLA 9 allows you to drop “https://” in many classroom settings, but it is often safer to keep the full URL unless your instructor requests otherwise.
• Access date: MLA 9 treats access dates as optional, but they can be useful if the article is updated frequently or likely to change. Follow your instructor’s preference.

Author Rules You Must Follow (And Why They Matter)

One author

• Rule: Use the author’s full first name, not initials. Invert the first author’s name.
• Why it matters: Works Cited entries are alphabetized by the first element, usually the author’s last name. Inversion makes that sorting consistent. Full first names reduce ambiguity.

Format:
Last Name, First Middle. "Article Title." Newspaper, Date, page or URL.

Two authors

• Rule: First author is inverted. Second author is in normal order. Use and between names.
• Why it matters: MLA’s “and” is consistent and easy to read. Keeping only the first author inverted preserves alphabetical ordering while still presenting both authors clearly.

Format:
Last Name, First Middle, and First Middle Last. "Article Title." Newspaper, Date, page or URL.

Three or more authors

• Rule: List only the first author (inverted, full first name), then add et al.
• Why it matters: Long author lists can distract from the key information. MLA’s approach keeps citations readable while still crediting the group.

Format:
Last Name, First Middle, et al. "Article Title." Newspaper, Date, page or URL.

No author listed

• Rule: Start with the title. Do not use “Anonymous” or “n.d.”
• Why it matters: MLA wants citations to reflect what the source actually shows. Starting with the title also ensures the entry can be alphabetized properly. Ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” only for alphabetizing, not for typing the title.

Format:
"Article Title." Newspaper, Date, page or URL.

Examples With Correct Formatting and Detailed Explanations

Example 1, One Author (Print Newspaper)

Works Cited entry
Garcia, Elena Marisol. "City Council Approves New Housing Plan." The Seattle Times, 14 Mar. 2024, p. B1.

Why this is formatted correctly

• Author: “Garcia, Elena Marisol” uses a full first name and inverts the first author’s name for alphabetizing.
• Title: The article title is in quotation marks because it is a piece within a larger publication.
• Newspaper: The Seattle Times is italicized as the container.
• Date and page: The date follows MLA order, and the page uses p. for a single page.

Practical tip

If the print article continues on another page, list the range if you have it, for example, pp. B1, B4.

Example 2, Two Authors (Online Newspaper)

Works Cited entry
Nguyen, Thomas Minh, and Priya Desai. "Wildfire Season Starts Earlier Across the West." Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025, https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-06-02/wildfire-season-starts-earlier.

Why this is formatted correctly

• Two authors: The first author is inverted, “Nguyen, Thomas Minh.” The second author is normal order, “Priya Desai.” The names are joined with and, as required.
• Online container and date: The newspaper name is italicized, and the publication date is included.
• URL included: Since it is online, the URL replaces page numbers.

Practical tip

Do not insert “Retrieved from” before the URL in MLA. Just place the URL at the end, followed by a period if your style requires it.

Example 3, No Author (Online Newspaper)

Works Cited entry
"Local Libraries Extend Weekend Hours." The Boston Globe, 18 Sept. 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2023/09/18/local-libraries-extend-weekend-hours/.

Why this is formatted correctly

• No author: The entry starts with the article title in quotation marks.
• Container: The newspaper name is italicized.
• No “Anonymous”: MLA does not want you to invent an author name.
• URL included: This is an online article, so the URL is part of the citation.

Practical tip

For alphabetizing in your Works Cited list, ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” only when sorting, but keep the title exactly as it appears in the citation itself.

Why These Rules Matter in an MLA 9 Citation Guide

These formatting rules are not just about looks. They help your reader do three important things:

1. Identify the source quickly: Quotation marks for the article and italics for the newspaper make it immediately clear what is the article and what is the publication.
2. Find the source reliably: Dates, page numbers, and URLs provide a clear path to the exact article you used.
3. Keep your Works Cited consistent and easy to scan: Inverted first author names support alphabetical ordering, and standardized author rules prevent messy variations.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Using initials instead of full first names

If the source provides the author as “J. Smith,” your rule requires expanding to the full first name when you can verify it. If you cannot verify the full name, do not guess. Use what the source provides, but your assignment rules may require you to find the full name from a reliable staff bio page.

Inverting the second author in a two author citation

Only the first author is inverted. The second stays normal order.

Forgetting quotation marks around the article title

Newspaper article titles are short works, they belong in quotation marks.

Italicizing the article title instead of the newspaper name

Italicize the newspaper name, not the article title.

Adding extra labels before the URL

MLA does not use “URL:” or “Retrieved from” in standard formatting.

Quick Checklist for Newspaper Citations (MLA 9)

• Author uses full first name, first author is inverted
• Two authors use and, second author is not inverted
• Three or more authors use et al. after the first author only
• No author, start with the title
• Article title in quotation marks
• Newspaper name in italics
• Include date, then page numbers for print or URL for online

If you want, I can also provide matching in text citation examples for each case, since MLA in text formatting changes slightly when there is no author or when there are two authors.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for Newspaper Citation Mla Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

Overview, what counts as a “newspaper” in MLA 9

In MLA 9, a newspaper article is usually treated as an article (the “container”) inside a newspaper (the larger container). Your Works Cited entry typically includes the author, the article title in quotation marks, the newspaper name in italics, the publication date, and then page numbers for print or a URL for online.

Newspaper citations get tricky because newspapers publish in many formats, print, web, apps, syndicated feeds, and databases. MLA 9 handles these by focusing on the core elements and choosing the most helpful version details for a reader to find the source.

Your special rules for author names also matter a lot with newspapers because bylines vary widely. Some articles have multiple reporters, some have staff bylines, and some have no author at all.

Core MLA 9 newspaper template (useful baseline)

Print newspaper (basic pattern)

Author. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year, p. Page.

Online newspaper (basic pattern)

Author. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year, URL.

If there is no page number online, you simply omit it. If there is no clear date, use the best available date information that appears on the article page.

Special cases and edge cases (and how to handle them)

1) No author listed (common with editorials, briefs, and wire updates)

If there is no author, MLA 9 says to start with the title of the article. Do not write “Anonymous,” and do not invent an author. In your alphabetized Works Cited list, ignore A, An, and The when alphabetizing by the title.

Why this matters: Starting with the title is not just a technicality. It makes your Works Cited honest and searchable. Readers can also locate the article even when the newsroom does not credit an individual writer.

Practical tip: Check the top and bottom of the article page. Some sites hide the byline near the end, or place it under an “About the author” link.

2) Two authors (co reported pieces)

For two authors, use the first author inverted and the second author in normal order, with and between them.

Your required format:
- First author: Last, First Middle
- Second author: First Last
- Use and, not an ampersand.

Why this matters: MLA formatting is designed to support consistent alphabetization and quick scanning. Inverting only the first author keeps entries consistent in the Works Cited list.

Common pitfall: Inverting both names. Do not write “Smith, Jordan, and Lee, Taylor.” The second name should not be inverted.

3) Three or more authors (large reporting teams)

For three or more authors, list only the first author (inverted, full first name) followed by et al. Do not list the remaining authors.

Why this matters: Newspapers often credit multiple contributors. MLA’s “et al.” rule prevents citations from becoming long and hard to read, while still giving credit and a clear path to the original source.

Common pitfall: Listing two or three names and then adding “et al.” Your rule is clear, only the first author appears, then et al.

4) Corporate or group bylines (staff, newsroom, editorial board)

Sometimes the byline is a group name like “The Editorial Board,” “Reuters,” “Associated Press,” or “Staff Reports.” This is not “no author.” In MLA, you can treat the group as the author when that is the credited creator.

Why this matters: It reflects how the piece is attributed publicly. It also helps readers find the same article again, especially with wire services.

Practical tip: Use the group name exactly as it appears in the byline. If the byline is “Associated Press,” do not shorten it to “AP.”

5) Print versus online differences (page numbers, sections, editions)

Print page numbers and sections

For print newspapers, include the page number if provided. If the newspaper uses section letters, include them as printed, for example, p. A6.

If the article runs on multiple pages, MLA commonly uses the first page plus a plus sign, for example, pp. A1+. If you have the full range, you can list it, but newspapers often make that hard to confirm.

Online articles with no pages

Online newspaper articles usually have no page numbers. In that case, omit page numbers and include the URL.

Why this matters: Page numbers help locate print articles quickly. URLs help locate online articles quickly. MLA’s goal is findability, not forcing print rules onto web sources.

6) Articles accessed through a database (ProQuest, Gale, EBSCO)

If you accessed the newspaper article through a database, the database becomes an additional container. You cite the article, then the newspaper, then the database name in italics, then the date of access is optional, and then a stable link or the database item URL if available.

Why this matters: Database links and versions can differ from the public website. Including the database helps your reader retrieve the same text through library access.

Common pitfall: Citing only the database and leaving out the newspaper title. The newspaper is still the original container and should appear.

7) Updated or corrected articles (timestamps, “Updated” notes)

Many online newspapers show both a publication date and an updated time. MLA 9 generally prefers the date of publication. If the update is significant to your use, you can include the update date in your optional elements, or choose the date that best reflects the version you consulted, as long as you are consistent and clear.

Practical tip: If you quote a passage that could change due to updates, it can be helpful to include an access date at the end. MLA treats access dates as optional, but they can be useful for changing web content.

8) Early online release and print publication mismatch

Some stories appear online first and later in print. Cite the version you used. If you read it online, cite it as an online article with a URL. If you used the print paper, cite the print version with the page number.

Why this matters: Your citation should match what you actually consulted. That is important for academic honesty and for reader verification.

9) Short items, briefs, letters to the editor, and editorials

These can look unusual because they may have:
- No author
- A section label like “Editorial” or “Letter”
- A short headline that resembles a topic rather than a full title

Treat them like any other newspaper article. Use the headline as the title. If there is no author, start with the title. If a letter has an author, cite that person as the author.

Common pitfall: Treating an editorial as a “web page” instead of a newspaper article. If it is published in a newspaper, keep the newspaper as the container.

Examples (with explanations and correct formatting)

Example 1, no author, online newspaper article

Works Cited entry:

"City Council Approves New Housing Plan." Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.latimes.com/example/housing-plan.

Why it is formatted this way:
- No author is listed, so the entry starts with the article title in quotation marks.
- The newspaper name is italicized because it is the container.
- The date uses MLA’s Day Month Year format.
- The URL replaces page numbers because this is an online article.

Tip: If the URL is extremely long, MLA allows you to shorten it if the shortened link still works and clearly identifies the page.

Example 2, two authors, print newspaper with section page

Works Cited entry:

Hernandez, Lucia Marie, and David Kim. "Storm Recovery Efforts Expand Across Coast." The Seattle Times, 6 Oct. 2023, p. A3.

Why it is formatted this way:
- First author is inverted and uses a full first name, “Hernandez, Lucia Marie.”
- Second author is not inverted, “David Kim,” and “and” connects the two names.
- The article title is in quotation marks.
- The newspaper title is italicized.
- The page includes the section letter, which is common in newspapers.

Common pitfall to avoid: Writing “Hernandez, Lucia Marie, and Kim, David.” The second author should not be inverted.

Example 3, three or more authors, database version

Works Cited entry:

Patel, Rina S., et al. "Inflation Pressures Small Businesses Nationwide." The Wall Street Journal, 9 Jan. 2025, ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/0000000000.

Why it is formatted this way:
- Three or more authors, so only the first author appears, inverted, followed by et al.
- The article and newspaper are cited as usual.
- The database name, ProQuest, is italicized as a second container.
- A database link is included to help readers retrieve the database record.

Tip: If your database provides a DOI, use it instead of a URL. Many newspaper databases do not, so a stable link is often the best option.

Why these rules matter (beyond “formatting”)

• Clarity and respect in author names: Using full first names helps identify writers accurately, especially when multiple reporters share a last name. It also avoids erasing identity through initials.
• Consistency for alphabetizing: Inverting only the first author supports a clean Works Cited list that readers can scan quickly.
• Findability: The newspaper title, date, and URL or page number are the fastest way for someone else to locate the exact article you used.
• Transparency about versions: Database, print, and online versions can differ. Citing the version you consulted protects the integrity of your evidence.

Practical checklist and common pitfalls

Quick checklist

• Did you use full first names for authors, not initials?
• Is the first author inverted, and only the first author inverted?
• Two authors, did you use “and” with the second author in normal order?
• Three or more authors, did you use only the first author plus et al.?
• No author, did you start with the title and avoid “Anonymous” or “n.d.”?
• Print, did you include page numbers, including section letters?
• Online, did you include a working URL and omit page numbers?
• Database, did you include the database name in italics?

Common pitfalls

• Using initials for author first names.
• Inverting the second author’s name in two author entries.
• Mixing print and online details, like adding “p. A3” to an online citation with no pages.
• Omitting the newspaper title when citing a database record.
• Treating a wire service byline as “no author” when it is actually the credited author.

If you tell me whether your guide needs to cover database only citations, or whether you want separate templates for print, web, and database, I can tailor the headings and examples to match your exact scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a newspaper article in MLA 9 for my Works Cited page?

In MLA 9, cite a newspaper article with the core elements in this order: author (if listed), article title in quotation marks, newspaper title in italics, publication date, page number(s) if available, and the URL if you used an online version. For example, a print article might look like: Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." Newspaper Title, 15 May 2024, p. A3. If you read it online, replace page numbers with the URL (without https://) and include an access date only if your instructor requires it or the content is likely to change. If there is no author, start with the article title. For more guidance and examples, see Purdue OWL MLA Works Cited basics: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html

How do I cite an online newspaper article in MLA 9, and do I need the access date?

For an online newspaper article, MLA 9 typically uses: Author. "Article Title." Newspaper Name, Day Month Year, URL. If the article has a stable publication date and URL, you usually do not need an access date. Add an access date if your teacher asks for it, if the page has no clear date, or if the content is updated frequently (for example, live election results or developing stories). Practical scenario: you used a breaking news page that changes throughout the day. Include an access date to show when you consulted it. Example format: Lastname, Firstname. "Title." Newspaper, 3 Oct. 2025, www.example.com/story. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025. For MLA’s official guidance on when to include access dates, see the MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org/formatting-papers/

What if the newspaper article has no author, or it is credited to a newsroom staff?

If there is no author listed, begin the Works Cited entry with the article title in quotation marks. Then list the newspaper title in italics, the date, and the page number or URL. If the article is credited to an organization or a newsroom label like "Associated Press" or "Reuters," treat that as the author if it is presented as the byline. Practical scenario: you found a short report labeled "Associated Press" on a newspaper site. Use Associated Press as the author, then the article title, then the newspaper site where it appears. If the site clearly republishes wire content, keep the site as the container (the newspaper) and include the URL you used. For author and group author rules, see MLA Style Center guidance: https://style.mla.org/author/

How do I cite a newspaper article I found in a database like ProQuest or Gale in MLA 9?

When you access a newspaper article through a library database, MLA 9 treats the database as a second container. Start with the article details, then add the database name in italics and the stable URL or DOI if provided. Practical scenario: you found a historical New York Times article in ProQuest. Your entry typically looks like: Author. "Article Title." Newspaper Title, Day Month Year, p. A1. ProQuest, URL. If the database provides a document ID or a stable link, use that rather than the browser address bar if it is more permanent. Page numbers are often available in databases even when the online newspaper page does not show them, include them when provided. For container and database examples, see Purdue OWL MLA citations: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html

How do I do in-text citations for newspaper articles in MLA, especially if there is no page number?

MLA in-text citations usually use the author’s last name and a page number, like (Garcia A3) for print newspapers that use section pages. If you are citing an online newspaper article with no page numbers, use only the author’s last name in parentheses, like (Garcia). If there is no author, use a shortened version of the article title in quotation marks, like ("City Council Approves"). Practical scenario: you quote a sentence from an online article that has no author. In your sentence, include the title in your Works Cited entry, and use the shortened title in the in-text citation. Avoid using paragraph numbers unless the source provides them. For in-text citation rules and title shortening, see MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org/in-text-citations/

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

Cite editorials and opinion pieces like other newspaper articles, but include the label if it helps readers understand the source type. If the piece is titled "Editorial" with no individual author, start with "Editorial" as the title, then the newspaper name, date, and page or URL. If it is an opinion column with an author, cite the author and the column title normally. Practical scenario: you cite a signed opinion column from the print edition. You might write: Nguyen, Linh. "Why Transit Funding Matters." Newspaper Title, 12 Feb. 2024, p. B2. For a letter to the editor, use the letter’s author if provided and the letter title, then add "Letter" if your instructor wants clarity. For guidance on special source types and optional descriptors, see MLA Style Center: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/

Last Updated: 2025-12-31
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