To Italicize or Not to Italicize: The Great New York Times MLA Dilemma
So, you're knee-deep in a research paper, and suddenly, the question hits you like a ton of bricks: Do I italicize The New York Times in MLA style? Panic sets in. You start to question your life choices. Did you really major in English? Can you even read? Fear not, my friend. You're not alone in this existential crisis.
The Short Answer: Yes, You Italicize It
Let's cut to the chase. Yes, you do italicize The New York Times when using MLA style. It's like the golden rule of citation, right up there with "Thou shalt not plagiarize." But let's be honest, rules are made to be broken, right? Right? Okay, maybe not in this case.
The Long Answer: It's Actually Kind of Complicated
While the general rule is to italicize the name of the newspaper, there's a tiny, itty-bitty exception. If you're referring to the newspaper in the body of your text as a general reference, you don't need to italicize it. For example, you could say, "The New York Times is a leading American newspaper." No italics needed. But if you're citing a specific article from the newspaper, then yes, you italicize it.
Example:
- Italicized: I read an interesting article in The New York Times about the impact of AI on the job market.
- Not italicized: The New York Times reported on a recent study about climate change.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Let's be real, MLA citations can be a real pain. But fear not, we're here to help. Here are some common mistakes people make when citing the New York Times in MLA:
- Forgetting to italicize: This is a classic. Just remember, newspapers get the fancy italics treatment.
- Putting the article title in italics: Nope, just the newspaper name. Article titles go in quotation marks.
- Messing up the date format: MLA has specific rules for formatting dates. Check the style guide for details.
How to Format Your New York Times Citation
Okay, so you know to italicize the newspaper name. But how do you actually format the citation? Here's a basic breakdown:
- Author's last name, first name. "Article Title." Newspaper Name, Date, page number.
Example:
Smith, John. "AI is Taking Over the World." The New York Times, 12 May 2024, A1.
FAQ: How-To Questions
How to cite a New York Times article without an author? If there's no author listed, start the citation with the article title in quotation marks, followed by the newspaper name in italics.
How to cite an online New York Times article? Include the URL of the article at the end of the citation.
How to format the date in a New York Times citation? Use the day-month-year format (e.g., 12 May 2024).
How to handle a New York Times article with multiple authors? List all authors in the order they appear on the article.
How to cite a New York Times editorial? Treat editorials like regular articles, but include the word "Editorial" after the article title.