MLA Newspapers & Magazines
Complete guide to citing newspaper articles, magazine articles, and popular press sources in MLA format
Basic Newspaper & Magazine Citation Format
Newspapers and magazines are periodical publications that provide news, analysis, and commentary on current events. Citations include author, article title, publication name, date, and page numbers or URLs.
Newspaper & Magazine Citation TemplateEssential
Author. "Article Title." Publication Name, Date, pp. #-#.
Example: Smith, John. "Education Reform Advances." The New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024, pp. A1, A6.
Print Newspaper Articles
Daily Newspapers
For print newspaper articles, include the author, article title in quotation marks, newspaper name in italics, publication date, and page numbers.
Format:
Author. "Article Title." Newspaper Name, Date, pp. #-#.
Example:
Johnson, Maria. "Student Loan Forgiveness Program Expands." The Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2024, pp. A1, A8.
Multiple Page Numbers
When an article spans non-consecutive pages, list all page numbers separated by commas.
Chen, David. "Technology in Schools Sees Major Investment." Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024, pp. A1, A12-A14.
No Author Listed
When no author is credited, start with the article title.
"College Enrollment Numbers Rise." USA Today, 10 Feb. 2024, p. B3.
Online Newspaper Articles
Digital Newspaper Articles
For online newspaper articles, include the URL instead of page numbers. Use the permalink when available.
Format:
Author. "Article Title." Newspaper Name, Date, URL.
Example:
Rodriguez, Ana. "Online Learning Platform Adoption Accelerates." The Guardian, 5 Apr. 2024, www.theguardian.com/education/online-learning-platforms.
News Website vs. Print Edition
Some articles appear only online or have different content than print versions. Specify when citing from the digital-only version.
Wilson, Sarah. "Interactive Learning Tools Transform Classrooms." Education Week, 12 Jan. 2024, www.edweek.org/technology/interactive-learning-tools.
Magazine Articles
Print Magazine Articles
Magazine citations follow a similar format to newspapers but may include volume and issue numbers for academic or specialized magazines.
Weekly/Monthly Format:
Author. "Article Title." Magazine Name, Date, pp. #-#.
Example:
Thompson, Carol. "The Future of Higher Education." Time, 8 Apr. 2024, pp. 24-31.
Academic or Specialized Magazines
Some magazines include volume and issue numbers. Include these when available.
Foster, Jennifer. "STEM Education Initiatives." Educational Leadership, vol. 81, no. 6, Mar. 2024, pp. 45-52.
Online Magazine Articles
For online magazine articles, replace page numbers with the URL.
Martinez, Elena. "Remote Learning Success Stories." The Atlantic, 2 May 2024, www.theatlantic.com/education/remote-learning-success.
Special Article Types
Editorial and Opinion Pieces
For editorials and opinion pieces, include "Editorial" or "Opinion" after the title to clarify the article type.
Kim, Jennifer. "Rethinking Standardized Testing." Editorial. The New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024, p. A22.
Brown, Michael. "Why Schools Need More Funding." Opinion. The Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/school-funding.
Letters to the Editor
For letters to the editor, include "Letter" after the title.
Davis, Lisa. "Supporting Teacher Development." Letter. USA Today, 20 Jan. 2024, p. A14.
Review Articles
For book, film, or other reviews, include "Review of" and the work being reviewed.
Anderson, Kevin. "A Fresh Take on Learning Theory." Review of Teaching for Tomorrow, by Sarah Wilson. Education Review, 1 Apr. 2024, pp. 12-15.
In-Text Citations
Basic In-Text Citations
Use the author's last name and page number for print sources, or just the author's name for online sources without page numbers.
Recent reports show improvement in graduation rates (Johnson A8).
Online learning adoption has accelerated significantly (Rodriguez).
No Author In-Text Citations
When no author is listed, use a shortened version of the article title.
College enrollment continues to rise ("College Enrollment" B3).
The article reports that "student engagement has improved dramatically" ("College Enrollment").
Same Publication, Multiple Articles
When citing multiple articles from the same publication on the same date, include a shortened title to distinguish between them.
Education funding has increased (Smith, "Budget Increases" A1).
Teacher shortages persist in rural areas (Smith, "Rural Challenges" A6).
Complete Citation Examples
Newspaper & Magazine Examples
Print Newspaper Article:
Peterson, Laura. "Technology Integration in Rural Schools." The Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2024, pp. B1, B5.
Online Newspaper Article:
Garcia, Carlos. "Student Mental Health Support Expands." The Boston Globe, 25 Mar. 2024, www.bostonglobe.com/education/mental-health-support.
Magazine Article:
Taylor, Amanda. "The New Age of Distance Learning." Newsweek, 12 Feb. 2024, pp. 34-39.
Editorial:
Wong, Lisa. "Investing in Early Childhood Education." Editorial. Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2024, p. A16.
No Author:
"New Scholarship Program Announced." The Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024, p. C2.
Common Citation Mistakes
Avoid These Errors
❌ Wrong:
Smith, John. Education Reform Advances. The New York Times, March 15, 2024, A1.
✅ Correct:
Smith, John. "Education Reform Advances." The New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024, p. A1.
Article titles use quotation marks; newspaper names are italicized
❌ Wrong:
Johnson, M. "Student Success." New York Times. 2024. Page A8.
✅ Correct:
Johnson, Maria. "Student Success." The New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024, p. A8.
Use full name, proper date format, and "p." for page numbers
❌ Wrong:
Chen, David. "Technology in Schools." LA Times, March 18, 2024, pages A1, A12-A14.
✅ Correct:
Chen, David. "Technology in Schools." Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024, pp. A1, A12-A14.
Use full newspaper name, MLA date format, and "pp." for multiple pages
❌ Wrong:
Wilson, Sarah. "Online Learning." Education Week. Retrieved from www.edweek.org on April 12, 2024.
✅ Correct:
Wilson, Sarah. "Online Learning." Education Week, 12 Jan. 2024, www.edweek.org/technology/online-learning.
Don't use "Retrieved from"; include publication date; use clean URL