This guide explains how to cite news articles using the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition style. Accurate citations are crucial for academic integrity and giving credit to sources.
Table of contents
Basic Format
The general format for citing a news article in APA 7th edition is:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper Title. URL (if online)
Elements Explained
- Title of Article: Capitalize only the first word, the first word after a colon or em dash, and proper nouns. Do not italicize.
- Newspaper Title: Italicize the name of the newspaper.
- URL: If the article was accessed online, include the full URL.
Examples
Print Article
Kronholz, J. (2002, May 2). Bibliography mess: Web muddles the fineries of scholarly citations. Wall Street Journal. p. A.1.
Online Article with URL
Kronholz, J. (2002, May 2). Bibliography mess: Web muddles the fineries of scholarly citations. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1020288533895288440
News Website (e.g., CNN, BBC)
Treat news websites like other web sources. Follow the standard web source citation format.
Important Considerations
- DOI: If the article has a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), include it in the citation instead of the URL. The DOI provides a persistent link.
- No Author: If there’s no author, begin the citation with the article title.
In-Text Citations
When referring to the news article within your text, use the author-date format. Here are some examples:
- (Kronholz, 2002)
- Kronholz (2002) argued that…
- As mentioned in the Wall Street Journal (Kronholz, 2002)…
If the article has no author, use the title (or a shortened version) in the in-text citation:
- (“Bibliography Mess,” 2002)
Specific Page Numbers
If you are quoting directly from the article or referring to a specific page, include the page number in the in-text citation:
- (Kronholz, 2002, p. A1)
Tips for Accuracy
- Double-Check: Always verify the information you include in your citation against the original source.
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent citation style throughout your document.
- APA Manual: Refer to the official APA 7th edition manual for comprehensive guidelines and examples.
- Shorten Titles: If the article title is excessively long, shorten it for in-text citations, but ensure it remains recognizable. For example, if the title is “The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Communities: A Case Study,” you could shorten it to “Climate Change Impact” in the in-text citation.
Example with No Author
If the news article doesn’t have an author, start with the title. For example:
“New Economic Policy Announced.” (2026, February 24). The Global Times. https://www.example.com/newseconomicpolicy
In-text citation: (“New Economic Policy,” 2026)
Citing news articles correctly in APA 7th edition is essential for academic writing. By following these guidelines and paying attention to detail, you can ensure that your sources are properly credited and your work maintains academic integrity.
Citing Articles from News Aggregators
If you found the article through a news aggregator (like Google News or Apple News), cite the original source, not the aggregator. Locate the originating news organization (e.g., The New York Times, Reuters) and use that in your citation.
Citing Articles with Multiple Authors
If the article has multiple authors, include all authors in the reference list entry, up to a maximum of 20. If there are more than 20 authors, list the first 19, followed by an ellipsis (…) and then the last author.
Example:
Smith, J. A., Jones, B. C., Williams, D. E., Brown, F. G., Davis, H. I., Miller, K. L., Wilson, N. O., Garcia, P. Q;, Rodriguez, R. S., Anderson, T. U., Thomas, V. W., Jackson, X. Y., White, Z. A., Harris, A. B., Martin, C. D., Thompson, E. F., Perez, G. H., Lewis, I. J., Moore, K. L., & Taylor, L. M. (2026, February 24). Groundbreaking research in astrophysics. Science Today. https://www.example.com/astrophysics
Citing Brief News Items or Blog Posts from News Sites
Sometimes news sites publish short news items or blog posts that are more akin to social media updates than full-fledged articles. In these cases, treat them as you would any other blog post or online comment. Be sure to include the author (if available), date, title (if any), and URL.
When to Include “Retrieved From”
In APA 7th edition, you generally do not need to include “Retrieved from” before the URL unless the source material is likely to change over time. News articles are generally considered stable sources, so “Retrieved from” is usually unnecessary.
Examples of Different Types of News Sources
Op-Ed or Editorial
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of op-ed. Newspaper Title. URL (if online)
Letter to the Editor
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of letter (if any). [Letter to the editor]. Newspaper Title. URL (if online)
Final Thoughts
Mastering APA 7th edition citation for news articles takes practice. By understanding the core principles and applying them consistently, you’ll be well-equipped to properly cite your sources and avoid plagiarism. Remember to always consult the official APA manual for the most up-to-date guidance. If in doubt, err on the side of over-citing rather than under-citing.
