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How to find newspapers: Home

A guide to finding newspapers and newspaper articles at the University of Reading.

Why use newspapers?

Newspapers can provide the latest developments in the field, and current opinion on developing events and controversial topics. They may also act as an historical record of events and opinion from the past.  See below for information about access to specific newspaper titles, and databases containing several titles.  

Finding Newspapers Online

The Library subscribes to a number of online UK newspapers, giving access to both current and historical issues for many titles.  All access options for these titles are given below, with the most recent access listed first.

The Daily Mail
The Economist
Financial Times
The Guardian
The Independent
The Observer
The Telegraph
The Times

Most of the following databases give access to several newspaper titles within each.

Most of the following databases provide access to historical issues from several newspaper titles within each.

Search Summon to find news articles

The Summon discovery service includes online newspaper articles covered by many of our subscriptions. Search for a topic in the box below. You may refine your search results, under 'Publication type', to show just 'Newspaper article', You may also refine by 'Publication date' to show the years you are interested in.


Finding non-English Language newspapers

Newspapers

 

Citing newspaper articles (Harvard style)

Elements to include:
  1. Author’(s) surname and initials
  2. Year of publication (in round brackets)
  3. Title of article (in single quotation marks)
  4. Title of newspaper (in italics - capitalize first word of each word in title except for linking words such as and, of, the, for)
  5. Edition if required (in round brackets)
  6. Day and month
  7. Section and Page reference if available

If accessed online: DOI or Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Examples:

Printed article

Reference list: Graham, K. (2020) 'The biggest tree and the smallest axe', The Guardian, 31 August, pp.21-22.

In-text citation: (Graham, 2020)

Online article

Reference list: Pinkstone, J. (2021) 'Mountains set the pace of evolution, not climate change, say scientists', The Daily Telegraph, 2 September. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/09/02/mountains-set-pace-evolution-not-climate-change-say-scientists/ (Accessed: 3 June 2025).

In-text citation: (Pinkstone, 2021)

Elements to include:

  1. Title of newspaper (in italics - capitalize first word of each word in title except for linking words such as and, of, the, for)
  2. Year of publication (in round brackets)
  3. Title of article (in single quotation marks)
  4. Day and month
  5. Page reference if available

Note: if you are using the online version of a newspaper, which often varies from the print edition, you would omit page reference and instead include Available at: URL (Accessed: date)

Examples

Printed article:

Reference list: The Daily Telegraph (2021) 'Walking on wooden floors could help to generate power', 2 September, p. 12.

In-text citation: (The Daily Telegraph, 2021, p. 12)

Online article:

Reference list: The Guardian (2021) 'We cannot allow inequality to increase within the education system', 2 September. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/inequality-education-exams-schools-private-b1900252.html (Accessed: 4 June 2025).

In-text citation: (The Guardian, 2021)

 

Need further assistance?

If you need help with finding information, then please contact your Academic Liaison Librarian for advice.

Newspapers vs. Journals

Newspapers are made up of very short articles usually written by journalists. There is no checking procedure and they may be biased. Academic journals are often peer-reviewed, focused on an academic discipline or subject, and include longer articles. These articles usually include abstracts, a literature review and bibliographies/reference lists. For more information on journals and how to find them, see our guide below.