How to Cite a Newspaper in MLA | Format & Examples

To cite a newspaper article in MLA style, list the author, title, name of the newspaper, date of publication, and URL (for online articles) or page number (for print articles). Use the interactive example below to explore the format.

Page numbers in newspaper citations

In your Works Cited entry, always include page numbers when available. Use “p.” for a single page or “pp.” for multiple pages. Page numbers in newspapers are often written with letters, e.g. “D3”; make sure to include the letters if present.

Use an en dash for a range of consecutive pages (e.g. “pp. 4–6”). For articles that appear on non-consecutive pages (e.g. starting on the first page but continued on the sixth), MLA recommends just writing the first page number followed by a plus sign.

• pp. 1, 6–8
• pp. 1+

In an in-text citation, only add a page number if the article extends across multiple pages. If the article is entirely on one page, the page number is already specified in the Works Cited, so you just write the author’s last name in your in-text citation.

Citing a newspaper from a database

To cite a newspaper article you accessed through a database, just include the usual information for a print newspaper, followed by the name of the database in italics.

Note that a shortened version of the title is used in the in-text citation, since no author is listed for the article in this case.

Citing local newspapers

When citing a local newspaper (one that is not published nationally or internationally), it’s sometimes necessary to clarify the publication you mean by including the city name in square brackets after the name of the newspaper. You don’t need to do this if the city is already part of the newspaper name.

• Dallas Observer [Dallas]
• Dallas Observer
• The Gazette
• The Gazette [Montreal]

Frequently asked questions about MLA citations

How do I cite a local newspaper in MLA?

In an MLA style Works Cited entry for a newspaper, you can cite a local newspaper in the same way as you would a national one, except that you may have to add the name of the city in square brackets to clarify what newspaper you mean, e.g. The Gazette [Montreal].

Do not add the city name in brackets if it’s already part of the newspaper’s name, e.g. Dallas Observer.

How do I cite an article spread across non-consecutive pages in MLA?

When an article (e.g. in a newspaper) appears on non-consecutive pages (e.g. starting on page 1 and continuing on page 6), you should use “pp.” in your Works Cited entry, since it’s on multiple pages, but MLA recommends just listing the first page followed by a plus sign, e.g. pp. 1+.

Are article titles italicized in MLA?

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style, but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals, newspapers, websites, or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

“A Complete Guide to MLA Citation” is published on the Scribbr website.

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

How do I cite a source with no author or page numbers in MLA?

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title. Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation.

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

• Rajaram argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
• The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”