Newspapers

Use a newspaper article when you are looking for current information and local events. A newspaper is a collection of articles usually published daily. Since there is often one in every city, it is a great source for local information. There are both national newspapers, such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and local newspapers that can be found in most towns and cities. 

 

When do I use a newspaper article?
Use a newspaper article when you need the following:

  • to find current information about international, national, or local events
  • to find editorials, commentaries, expert or popular opinions

Where do I find a newspaper article?
Newspapers can be found in print, online, or in a periodicals database. Many are available at your local school or public library.

How is a newspaper organized?
Newspapers typically have some type of table of contents on the front page. They are divided into sections, including news, business, editorials, living (daily life & entertainment), sports, classified ads, obituaries, weather, and comics. The news section is typically divided into local, regional, national, and world news.

How do I use a print newspaper?
Think about what information you need. Use the table of contents on the front page to locate the section you need. Sections of a newspaper are often grouped together and each group identified by letters, e.g. C5 (section C, page 5).

How do I use an online newspaper?
Online newspapers may be exact replicas of the equivalent print newspaper or offer a selection of key articles from the print newspaper, while some are published exclusively online. Some online newspapers only post the current issue, while some have back issues that are searchable to find an article on a specific subject.

How do I use a database to find newspaper articles?
Searching a database by topic will result in sources from magazines, journals, newspapers, eBooks, and more. Most databases' advanced search feature allows your search to be limited by the type of source you are looking for. You can also limit your source by date of article or by a specific newspaper.