How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA Style: A Simple Guide

How to Cite a Newspaper Article in MLA Style: A Simple Guide

Learning the Basics of MLA Citation for Newspapers

When writing a research paper in MLA format, it's essential to understand how to properly cite newspaper articles as sources. This can seem intimidating at first, but with this guide, you'll be able to learn how to cite a newspaper article correctly and easily include them on your Works Cited page.

Section 1: Understanding the Basics of Newspaper Citation in MLA

When citing a newspaper article in MLA style, you need to provide basic information about the source, including the author, title, publication date, and any other relevant details. The format for citing a newspaper article is as follows:

Lastname, Firstname. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year of Publication, Page Numbers.

For example: Smith, John. "The Impact of Climate Change." New York Times, 10 Jan. 2020, pp. 12-15.

Section 2: Identifying the Author and Title

When citing a newspaper article, it's essential to identify both the author and title correctly. If there is no author listed, you can use the title of the article instead. In this case, if there is no author listed, the citation would look like this:

Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year of Publication, Page Numbers.

For example: "The Impact of Climate Change" in The New York Times (10 Jan. 2020), pp. 12-15.

Section 3: Including the Source Information

When citing a newspaper article, you also need to include information about the source, such as the publication date and page numbers. This is usually found on the first page of the newspaper or in the online version's metadata.

Here are some examples:

• Print Newspaper:
  • Publication Date (DD Month YYYY)
  • Page Numbers (pp. XXX-XXX) Smith, John. "The Impact of Climate Change." New York Times, 10 Jan. 2020, pp. 12-15.
• Online Newspaper:
  • URL
  • Day Month YYYY
  • Title of Article
  • Publication Date (if available)
  • Page Numbers (pp. XXX-XXX) https://www.nytimes.com/article/the-impact-of-climate-change accessed 10 Jan. 2020, pp. 12-15.

Section 4: Handling Editorials and Op-Ed Pieces

When citing editorials or op-ed pieces in MLA style, you need to note that they are typically unsigned. In this case, the citation would look like this:

Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Day Month Year of Publication, pp. XXX-XXX.

For example: "The Need for Climate Action" in The New York Times (10 Jan. 2020), pp. 12-15.

Section 5: Citing Newspaper Articles with No Date

If the publication date is not available or not specified, you can omit it from the citation. Here are some examples:

• Print Newspaper:
  • Title of Article
  • Page Numbers (pp. XXX-XXX) Smith, John. "The Impact of Climate Change." New York Times, pp. 12-15.
• Online Newspaper:
  • URL
  • Day Month YYYY
  • Title of Article
  • Page Numbers (pp. XXX-XXX) https://www.nytimes.com/article/the-impact-of-climate-change accessed 10 Jan. 2020, pp. 12-15.

Conclusion

Citing newspaper articles in MLA style can seem daunting at first, but with this guide, you should be able to master the basics of citation and create a comprehensive Works Cited page for your research paper. Remember to always check the source information carefully and consult multiple sources if necessary.