What’s Going On Here
MLA 9 uses a container system: Author → “Article Title.” Newspaper Name (city if needed), Date, Page(s). In-text citations just need the author’s last name and page number. For online New York Times pieces, skip the page number and add a URL or DOI instead. Word 365 and Google Docs handle most of this automatically, but if you pick the wrong source type or leave fields blank, your bibliography will look messy.
Quick Fix Summary
Open your document → hit References → Bibliography → Insert Bibliography in Word 365 (Version 2403) or Tools → Citations → Insert Citation in Google Docs (March 2026). Make sure the source type is set to “Newspaper Article,” then fill in every field exactly as it appears on the New York Times page. Finally, click Update Citations and Bibliography to see the changes.
How Do You Actually Cite a New York Times Article in MLA?
Print version: Lastname, Firstname. “Article Title.” New York Times, Day Month Year, p. X.
Online version: Lastname, Firstname. “Article Title.” New York Times, Day Month Year, URL.
Why Does MLA 9 Keep Changing My Bibliography Format?
Because MLA 9 is container-based, and Word/Google Docs sometimes misreads which container you picked. If you accidentally choose “Magazine” instead of “Newspaper,” the formatting falls apart. (Honestly, this trips up even experienced writers.) Double-check the source type and required fields every time.
Which Version of MLA Should I Use Right Now?
MLA 9 (2021) is the current standard as of 2026. If your software still defaults to MLA 8, update it through the MLA Style Center.
Can I Trust Word 365 or Google Docs to Format This Correctly?
Mostly, but not always. Both tools pull the container title into italics and place the date after the paper name—just like MLA wants. Still, always eyeball the final bibliography. (If you’ve ever seen a bibliography with “New York Times” in plain text instead of italics, you know what I mean.)
What Are the Exact Menu Paths for Word 365?
Open the document in Word 365 (build 2403).
Place the cursor where the citation should go.
Add the source:
- References → Manage Sources → New → Type: Newspaper → fill every field.
Required fields: Author, Article Title, Newspaper Name, Publication Date (Day Month Year), Page(s) or URL.
Insert the citation:
- References → Bibliography → Insert Citation → choose the source.
Generate the bibliography:
- References → Bibliography → Insert Bibliography.
Double-check:
- City of publication: “New York” is redundant because “New York Times” already implies New York, NY.
- Page number: skip it if the article is online-only.
- Access date: only add it if the publication date is missing.
What About Google Docs? Where Are the Steps?
Open the document in Google Docs (March 2026).
Place the cursor where the citation should appear.
Add the source:
- Tools → Citations → Add citation source → choose Newspaper → fill every field.
Required fields: Author, Article Title, Newspaper Name, Publication Date (Day Month Year), URL.
Insert the citation:
- Tools → Citations → Insert Citation → choose the source.
Generate the bibliography:
- Tools → Citations → Insert Bibliography.
Double-check:
- City of publication: “New York” isn’t needed.
- Page number: leave it out for online articles.
- Access date: only include it when the publication date is missing.
I Picked the Wrong Source Type—Now What?
No worries. In Word, go to References → Manage Sources, delete the wrong entry, and add it again with the correct “Newspaper” type. In Google Docs, open Tools → Citations, find the incorrect source, and hit the trash-can icon before re-adding it properly.
My Bibliography Looks Messed Up—How Do I Fix It?
Manual override in Word: Select the bibliography → References → Bibliography → Convert Bibliography to Static Text → edit the entry to match MLA exactly.
Fallback to plain text: Copy the MLA handbook template:
Lastname, Firstname. “Article Title.” New York Times, Day Month Year, URL (omit if print).
Paste it where the bibliography should appear, then press Enter.
Cross-check the URL: If the link is broken, swap in a working permalink from The New York Times.
Do I Really Need the City of Publication?
Not for the New York Times. MLA 9 says you can skip “New York” because the newspaper’s name already implies it. (This rule trips up a lot of people, so don’t feel bad if you’ve included it before.)
What If the Article Has No Page Number?
Leave it blank. Online-only New York Times articles don’t have page numbers, and MLA 9 says to omit them entirely.
When Do I Need an Access Date?
Only when the publication date is missing or hidden. Otherwise, skip it—MLA 9 doesn’t require it for standard New York Times pieces.
How Can I Avoid Messing This Up Next Time?
Before you start citing, open the article in an incognito window and copy the exact publication date and URL. Save the URL in a note labeled “MLA source” so you always have the raw data. In Word, go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options → Replace and add shortcuts like ;;NYT that auto-expand to the full citation template. Google Docs users can create a Tools → Citation templates snippet library so every future citation pulls the same fields automatically.
What’s the One Thing Everyone Gets Wrong About This?
Assuming the city of publication is required. (It isn’t for the New York Times.) Double-check that field every time—it’s the most common mistake.
