How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Bluebook (21st edition)
Learn how to cite print and online newspaper articles in Bluebook format (21st edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Bluebook Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Bluebook format for citing a newspaper article in your bibliography:
Bluebook Example for a Newspaper Article
Bluebook does not give a newspaper article an entry in the bibliography — it is cited in a note only. Here is that note, formatted by the official Bluebook CSL style definition:
Petra Novak, Universities Rethink the Reading List, The Daily Register, Sep. 3, 2024, at A4, https://www.example.org/reading-list.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your newspaper article.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Bluebook (21st edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Bluebook requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: bluebook.csl
Metadata to collect
- author
- article headline
- newspaper name
- publication date
- page or section, for print
- URL, for online
Common metadata traps
- Cite the print date and page for the print edition and the URL for the online version; do not mix them.
- Credit a wire service or syndicated author when the newspaper did not write the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a newspaper article in Bluebook?
- To cite a newspaper article in Bluebook (21st edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Bluebook format for a newspaper article citation?
- The Bluebook format requires specific elements like author, title, date, and source location arranged in a particular order.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a newspaper article in Bluebook?
- In Bluebook, the in-text citation for the example above is Petra Novak, Universities Rethink the Reading List, The Daily Register, Sep. 3, 2024, at A4, https://www.example.org/reading-list.
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