ACS · Newspaper article
How to cite a newspaper article in ACS
A newspaper citation covers journalism: reporting in a daily or weekly paper, in print or online. The full date matters far more than for academic sources, because a paper publishes continuously, and the classic mistake is citing the outlet when the style wants the specific article and its author.
Worked example · ACS
(1) Lovelace, A. Universities Rethink the Thesis Defense. The Example Times. June 3, 2025. https://www.example.org/news/thesis-defense (accessed 2026-01-10).
Rendered with the official ACS style file from a placeholder source (reserved example DOI and domain), so the format is exactly what the style produces. In text: This generator renders the numeric variant, with references numbered in citation order.
What to collect before you cite a newspaper article
- The journalist's name, if the piece is bylined
- Headline of the article
- Name of the newspaper
- Full publication date, including the day
- URL for online pieces, or the section and page for print
- The date you accessed it, for online pieces
Have a DOI? Generate the reference instantly
Journal articles, many books and reports carry a DOI. Paste it and get the ACS entry from the same engine that produced the example above.
Citing a whole thesis, not one source?
CiteDash keeps your bibliography in ACS automatically, verifies every citation against a real paper, and compiles to DOCX, PDF or LaTeX.
Citing a newspaper article in ACS: FAQ
The article has no byline. Who is the author?
Most styles move the headline into the author position, or use the newspaper as a corporate author. Do not credit 'Staff writer' unless the paper literally printed that.
Can I cite journalism in an academic thesis at all?
Yes, for what journalism is good for: events, dates, public statements, contemporary reaction. For scientific claims, chase the study the article reports on and cite that instead.
The story was updated after I read it. Which date do I use?
The date of the version you used, plus your access date. If the update changed the substance you rely on, re-read and cite the current version.
What does the in-text citation look like in ACS?
This generator renders the numeric variant, with references numbered in citation order.
Is the example on this page hand-written?
No. It is rendered by the same citation engine and official CSL style file CiteDash uses for full thesis bibliographies, from a clearly-marked placeholder source, and a test re-renders it on every release so the page can never drift from the engine.