How to Cite an Editorial in-Text
Editorials are articles written by editors for periodicals. MLA style, commonly known as Modern Language Association style, requires citation of editorials with unknown authors.
Citing an editorial in-text requires beginning with the title of the article in double quotation marks, followed by its magazine name in italics. Finally, separate any additional fields like date or page(s) with commas.
Title of Article
Newspaper articles provide readers with current local, national or international news. They may be published daily, semiweekly or weekly.
They often feature photos and numerous advertisements, yet do not assume prior subject knowledge by the reader. Furthermore, they often employ jargon specific to a particular trade or industry.
Cite the title of the article in italics, followed by the name of the newspaper. Finally, include the date of publication and page number(s).
If your article is spread across non-consecutive pages (e.g., starting on page 1 and continuing until p. 5), then you don’t need to include the page number in your citations.
After the citation, add the author’s last and first names. If the article is published online, include a website URL and access date as optional fields. For further details on MLA formatting standards, consult the Eighth Edition of the MLA Handbook for guidance.
Name of Newspaper
Newspapers provide a reliable source for news and information on the world around us. They frequently cover political events, crime, business, art, society and sports.
An editorial is an opinionated article published in a newspaper or magazine with the purpose of shaping public opinion, encouraging critical thinking and sometimes inspiring readers to take action.
A successful editorial will focus on issues, not individuals. Furthermore, it should abstain from name-calling or any petty tactics of persuasion.
When referencing an editorial in-text, use the following format: Author last name, First name, Title of Article; Newspaper name, Day Month Year with Pages or pages + Page number(s).
If the article was accessed online, include a URL instead of page number. If it spans multiple non-consecutive pages (e.g., begins on page 1 then continues on p. 5), only specify the number if absolutely necessary; otherwise, leave it out altogether.
Date of Publication
The date of publication is typically displayed in several places on a magazine or newspaper, such as on the cover or spine, back page, or around the table of contents.
When researching a source with multiple publication dates, use the one that most accurately represents your research objectives. According to the MLA 9 Handbook, it is best to locate books’ publication dates directly from their sources rather than relying on online catalogs or book retailers since their information may be inaccurate.
The date of publication is often the most critical element in any citation. When using regular citations, this date of publication should be given along with other pertinent information like the author, publication year and title of article/work. Journal sources should also be cited with their volume/issue number included. Fortunately, online archives such as Google’s Wayback Machine provide this data on various websites.
Page Number
When citing an article with multiple pages, be sure to include a page number in capital letters.
Page numbers are essential in document navigation, as they enable readers to locate specific pages within a numbered document and estimate its overall size.
When creating a document, it is ideal to use the same page number on both sides. This can be especially beneficial when the publication includes different languages on one page.
Citing an editorial in-text requires more precision than other types of sources, but there are numerous examples to guide you and precise instructions for doing it correctly in MLA style.