How to Cite a Newspaper Article in Vancouver

This guide explains how to format a newspaper article citation in Vancouver. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a newspaper article in Vancouver:

Template

Author(s). Title of article. Newspaper Name. Year Mon Day;Section:page(col.).

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(1)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Kolata G. New Alzheimer's drug shows promise in clinical trial. The New York Times. 2023 Sep 12;Sect. A:1.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
Write the journalist's surname followed by initials (no full stops).
2
Write the article title
Use sentence case. Do not use quotation marks or italics. End with a full stop.
3
Add the newspaper name
Write the full newspaper name (not abbreviated). End with a full stop.
4
Include the date
Write the date in Year Mon Day format (e.g., 2023 Sep 12) followed by a semicolon.
5
Add section and page
Write the section designation (e.g., 'Sect. A:') followed by the page number. For online articles, add '[Internet]' after the title and 'Available from:' with the URL at the end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Italicising the article title or the newspaper name (Vancouver uses no italics).
Not abbreviating the month.
Using a comma between the date elements instead of no punctuation (Year Mon Day has no internal punctuation).
Omitting the section designation when available.
Using 'p.' instead of the section and page format.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite an online newspaper article in Vancouver?

Add '[Internet]' after the article title. Include '[cited Year Mon Day]' after the date and 'Available from:' followed by the URL at the end.

Does Vancouver abbreviate newspaper names?

No. Unlike journal names, newspaper names are written in full in Vancouver style.

How do I format the section and page number?

Write 'Sect.' followed by the section letter, a colon, and the page number: Sect. A:1. If no section is designated, just write the page number.

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)

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author

Write the journalist's surname followed by initials (no full stops).

Write the article title

Use sentence case. Do not use quotation marks or italics. End with a full stop.

Add the newspaper name

Write the full newspaper name (not abbreviated). End with a full stop.

Include the date

Write the date in Year Mon Day format (e.g., 2023 Sep 12) followed by a semicolon.

Add section and page

Write the section designation (e.g., 'Sect. A:') followed by the page number. For online articles, add '[Internet]' after the title and 'Available from:' with the URL at the end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Italicising the article title or the newspaper name (Vancouver uses no italics).

Not abbreviating the month.

Using a comma between the date elements instead of no punctuation (Year Mon Day has no internal punctuation).

Omitting the section designation when available.

Using 'p.' instead of the section and page format.