How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Bluebook (21st Edition)

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a newspaper article in Bluebook (21st Edition):

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Write the author name

   Write the journalist's full name (first then last) in small capitals for law review format.

2. 2

   Write the article title

   Italicise the article title. Use title case.

3. 3

   Add the newspaper name

   Write the abbreviated newspaper name in small capitals (e.g., N.Y. Times, Wash. Post, Wall St. J.).

4. 4

   Include the date

   Write the date in Month Day, Year format using Bluebook month abbreviations.

5. 5

   Add the page number

   Write 'at' followed by the section and page number (e.g., at A1). End with a period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not abbreviating the newspaper name per Bluebook (e.g., 'N.Y. Times' not 'New York Times').
• Using 'p.' before the page number instead of 'at'.
• Failing to italicise the article title.
• Using the wrong date format (Bluebook uses abbreviated months).
• Omitting 'at' before the page number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your newspaper article:

• Author(s)
• Date of publication
• Title of article
• Newspaper name
• Page number(s) (print)
• URL (online)