Newspaper articles in Harvard referencing follow the standard author-date format, but with a few key differences from journal articles: the specific date (day and month) is included, page numbers use "p." for print articles, and online articles include a URL and access date instead. The newspaper name is italicised, and the article title appears in single quotation marks.
Print Newspaper Article (With Author)
The most straightforward case — a named journalist writing a news story in a printed newspaper.
Reference list:
Ahmed, S. (2024) 'Teachers call for smaller class sizes amid rising pupil numbers', The Guardian, 14 March, p. 5.
In-text citations:
Parenthetical:(Ahmed, 2024)
Narrative:Ahmed (2024) reports that the National Education Union has renewed its call for…
Key Elements
| Element | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Author | Journalist's surname and initials |
| Year | Year of publication |
| Article title | In single quotation marks, sentence case |
| Newspaper name | In italics |
| Date | Day and month |
| Page number | p. X (single page) or pp. X–Y (page range) |
Article Spanning Multiple Pages
If the article starts on one page and continues on another:
Fernandez, R. (2024) 'The housing crisis hits university towns', The Times, 22 January, pp. 1, 4.
Print Newspaper Article (No Author)
When no author is identified, begin the reference with the article title:
Reference list:
'Rail strikes disrupt services across southern England' (2024) The Daily Telegraph, 8 February, p. 3.
In-text citations:
Parenthetical:('Rail strikes disrupt services', 2024)
Narrative:The article 'Rail strikes disrupt services' (2024) reports that…
Shorten long titles in the in-text citation, keeping enough words to match the reference list entry unambiguously. For more detail, see How to Cite a Source With No Author in Harvard.
Online Newspaper Article
For articles accessed online, replace the page number with the URL and an access date:
Reference list:
Patel, N. (2024) 'AI tutoring tools divide opinion among university lecturers', The Guardian, 3 June. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jun/03/ai-tutoring-tools-divide-opinion (Accessed: 10 June 2025).
In-text citations:
Parenthetical:(Patel, 2024)
Narrative:Patel (2024) notes that lecturers are increasingly concerned about…
Key Differences From Print
| Element | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Page number | p. X / pp. X–Y | Omitted |
| URL | Omitted | Included |
| Access date | Not needed | (Accessed: Day Month Year) |
Editorial or Opinion Piece
Editorials and opinion pieces are formatted like standard articles, with a format identifier in square brackets after the title:
Editorial (Unsigned)
Many newspaper editorials are published without a named author — the newspaper itself is the voice. Use the newspaper as the corporate author or begin with the title:
Reference list:
'The NHS at 75: a service under strain' (2023) The Guardian [Editorial], 5 July. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/05/nhs-75-editorial (Accessed: 15 July 2025).
In-text:
('The NHS at 75', 2023)
Opinion Piece (Named Author)
Reference list:
Torres, M. (2024) 'Why we need to rethink student debt' [Opinion], The Observer, 12 May. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/may/12/student-debt-opinion (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
In-text:
(Torres, 2024)
Letter to the Editor
Letters to the editor are short reader responses published in the letters section. Include [Letter to the editor] in square brackets:
Reference list:
Williams, K. (2024) 'RE: AI tutoring tools divide opinion' [Letter to the editor], The Guardian, 6 June, p. 28.
In-text:
(Williams, 2024)
For online letters:
Williams, K. (2024) 'RE: AI tutoring tools divide opinion' [Letter to the editor], The Guardian, 6 June. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date).
Wire Service / Press Agency Article
Articles from wire services (Reuters, Associated Press, PA Media) may appear without an individual author. Use the agency name as the corporate author:
Reference list:
Reuters (2024) 'Global grain prices fall after Ukraine export deal extended', Reuters, 18 April. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/global-grain-prices-fall (Accessed: 22 April 2025).
In-text:
(Reuters, 2024)
If the same wire story is published in another newspaper, you have two options:
Cite the newspaper version if that's what you read:
'Global grain prices fall after export deal extended' (2024) The Times, 19 April, p. 34.
Cite the wire service directly if you accessed it from the agency's website.
When to Include Page Numbers vs. URLs
| Source | Page Numbers | URL + Access Date |
|---|---|---|
| Print newspaper (physical copy) | Yes | No |
| Online newspaper article | No | Yes |
| Newspaper database (LexisNexis, ProQuest) | Include if shown; otherwise omit | Include database name |
Articles Accessed via a Database
If you access the article through a database like LexisNexis or ProQuest:
Ahmed, S. (2024) 'Teachers call for smaller class sizes amid rising pupil numbers', The Guardian, 14 March, p. 5. Available at: LexisNexis (Accessed: 20 March 2025).
Summary: Newspaper Article Reference Formats at a Glance
| Source Type | Reference List Format |
|---|---|
| Print article (with author) | Author (Year) 'Title', Newspaper, Day Month, p. X. |
| Print article (no author) | 'Title' (Year) Newspaper, Day Month, p. X. |
| Online article | Author (Year) 'Title', Newspaper, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date). |
| Editorial | 'Title' (Year) Newspaper [Editorial], Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date). |
| Opinion piece | Author (Year) 'Title' [Opinion], Newspaper, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date). |
| Letter to the editor | Author (Year) 'Title' [Letter to the editor], Newspaper, Day Month, p. X. |
| Wire service | Agency (Year) 'Title', Agency Name, Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date). |
Common Mistakes With Newspaper Article Citations
| Mistake | Why It's Wrong | Correct Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Omitting the specific date (day and month) | Newspapers publish daily — the year alone is ambiguous | Include the day and month in the reference list entry |
| Using italics for the article title | Article titles use single quotation marks; the newspaper name is italicised | 'Article title' / Newspaper Name |
| Including page numbers for online articles | Online articles don't have fixed page numbers | Use the URL and access date instead |
| Forgetting the access date for online articles | Newspaper websites update and remove content frequently | Always include (Accessed: Day Month Year) |
| Using the website URL instead of the article URL | A general URL (www.theguardian.com) doesn't lead to the article | Use the direct link to the specific article |
| Including "The" inconsistently in the newspaper name | Keep it consistent — if the masthead says "The Guardian," include "The" | Match the newspaper's official name |
What's Next?
Now that you know how to reference newspaper articles, explore these related guides:
- How to Reference a Website in Harvard Style — rules for web pages, blogs, and online articles
- How to Cite a Source With No Author in Harvard — handling sources with no identifiable author
- Harvard Reference List — the complete guide to formatting your reference list
