Citing and referencing: Newspapers

A guide to the styles recommended by Monash schools and departments for students and researchers

Newspapers

A newspaper article

Format

Print: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article.

Online: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article, URL.

Examples

Thorpe, Lidia. "This Isn’t Just About a Tree, It's About Indigenous Recognition." The Age, 28 Oct. 2020, www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/this-isn-t-just-about-a-tree-it-s-about-indigenous-recognition-20201028-p569hi.html.

Clarke, Mitchell. "Harper's Legacy." Ranges Trader Star Mail [Dandenong Ranges], 22 Sept. 2020, pp. 1+.

Marshall, Konrad. "'I Don't Crave the Battle': The Different Goals That Keep Triple Flag-Winner Bachar Houli Playing." The Age, 31 Oct. 2020, Good Weekend sect., pp. 8-11.

Mahdawi, Arwa. "The Meaning of Kamala Harris: The Woman Who Will Break New Ground as Vice-President." The Guardian, 9 Nov. 2020, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/08/the-meaning-of-kamala-harris-the-woman-who-will-break-new-ground-as-vice-president.

"Petrov Deserts His Russia!" The Argus, 9 June 1955, p. 8, trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71887299.

Explanation

Cite a newspaper article as you would a journal article.

For publication dates, abbreviate all months with more than four letters to the first three letters (e.g. Oct.), except for September (which should be Sept.).

If the newspaper is a less well-known or local publication, include the city name in brackets after the title of the newspaper, as seen in the Ranges Trader Star Mail example.

For a newspaper section, include the title of the section immediately before the page numbers. Do not italicise a section title (see Marshall example above).

If the author is not available, omit that portion of the citation. Cite the article title first, and complete the citation as you would for any other article of that kind.

If page numbers are not available (e.g. for an online article), omit that portion of the citation. If an article is spread over non-consecutive pages - for example, an article might begin on page 3, then skip to page 14, record only the first page number and a plus sign +, leaving no intervening space.

When a source carries more than one date, use the most relevant one. For example, if you are citing an article available online that is also available in print, use the date of the online version of the article. If there is more than one edition available for that date (an early or late edition of a newspaper), identify the edition following the date (e.g. 21 May 2012, late ed.).

 

Newspaper article from an online database

Format

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article. Database, URL.

Examples

Grant, Stan. "Our Anger Is Not UnAustralian." Sun Herald, 23 Feb. 2020, p. 31. Factiva, global.factiva.com/redir/default.aspx?P=sa&NS=18&AID=9MON001700&an=SHD0000020200222eg2n0001t&drn=drn%3aarchive.newsarticle.SHD0000020200222eg2n0001t&cat=a&ep=ASI

"Why Tattoos Are Still Frowned Upon in East Asia, Even As Young People Embrace Them - While Younger People Are Embracing Body Art, Confucian Values Hold Sway." South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), 2 Oct. 2020, Features sec., p. 11. NewsBank, infoweb-newsbank-com.ap1.proxy.openathens.net/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/17DD9E9418F505D8. 

Sri Ayu, Reny. "Literasi Pohon Pustaka" ["Literacy Through Library Tree"]. Kompas, 27 Nov. 2020, p. 16. Factiva, global-factiva-com.ap1.proxy.openathens.net/du/article.aspx/?accessionno=WC59361020201127egbr001bk&fcpil=en&napc=S&sa_from=&cat=w.

Explanation

Databases contain many articles from a range of newspapers. In the example above, the name of the newspaper is Globe and Mail, and it can be found in the database Factiva. ​Both the name of the newspaper and the database should be capitalised.

If the author is not available, omit that portion of the citation. Cite the article title first, and complete the citation as you would for any other article of that kind.

When a title is in a language other than English you may use the original title in addition to the English translation. The translation should be put in square brackets.

 

Editorial

Format

Print: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Editorial." Editorial. Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article.

Online: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Editorial." Editorial. Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article. Database, URL.

Examples

"A Call to Arms On Greenhouse Emissions." Editorial. The Age, 31 Oct. 2020, p. 34.

"Restoring the Web's Lost Promise." Editorial. The Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2020. ProQuest, search.proquest.com/docview/2465298732?accountid=12528.

Explanation

​Include "Editorial" following the title of the editorial to clarify the type of work it is. If there is no title, omit this element.

If the author is not available, omit that portion of the citation. Cite the article title first, and complete the citation as you would for any other article of that kind.

If page numbers are not available, omit that portion of the citation.

If the article is not from a larger database (e.g. ProQuest), then simply omit database from the citation.

 

 

Letter to the editor

Format

Print: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Letter." Letter. Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article.

Online: Last Name, First Name. "Title of Letter." Letter. Title of Newspaper, day month year, page range of article. Database, URL.

Examples

Soafkin, Cheryl. "Disabled at Risk." Letter. The Age, 3 Aug. 2020, p. 16.

Bernard, Cathy. Letter. New York Times, 22 Oct. 2013, nytimes.com/2013/10/27/travel/letters-to-the-editor.html?_r=0.

Explanation

​Include "Letter" following the title of the letter to clarify the type of work it is. If there is no letter title, simply omit this element (see Bernard example).

If the author is not available, omit that portion of the citation. Cite the article title first, and complete the citation as you would for any other article of that kind.

If page numbers are not available, omit that portion of the citation.

If the article is not from a larger database (e.g. ProQuest), then simply omit database from the citation.