When composing a document that references the media, a specific question often arises regarding the formatting of publication titles: do you underline the name of a newspaper. The short answer is that underlining is a legacy convention from the typewriter era that has largely been replaced by modern standards. Today, the predominant style guides for professional and academic writing favor italicizing the names of newspapers to distinguish them from the surrounding text. This shift reflects a move toward digital consistency, where italics are universally supported and considered the standard for denoting larger, standalone works.
The Evolution of Style: Underline vs. Italic
To understand the current rule, it is necessary to look back at the origins of the underline directive. Before the advent of word processors, typewriters were the primary tool for creating typed documents. Since typewriters could not produce italics, underlining served as the practical equivalent to visually distinguish titles of longer works. Consequently, generations were taught to underline books, plays, and newspapers. However, as technology advanced, style authorities began to update their recommendations to align with the capabilities of modern word processing software, leading to a clear preference for italics over underlining in contemporary style guides.
AP Style and Journalistic Standards
For those writing for the web or adhering to journalistic standards, the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook provides the definitive rules. AP style, which prioritizes clarity for a fast-reading audience, explicitly states that quotation marks should be used around the names of most newspapers. This differs significantly from the academic world, where italics are common. Therefore, a journalist writing for an AP-compliant publication would format a reference as "The New York Times" rather than *The New York Times* or Underline The New York Times. The goal is immediate recognition and readability for the reader.
Academic and Long-Form Writing
In academic institutions and formal publishing, the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the Chicago Manual of Style generally dictate that the titles of newspapers be italicized. This rule applies to essays, research papers, and scholarly articles where the source is a major publication. Following this convention signals to the reader and the instructor that the writer is familiar with standard formatting practices. It creates a clean visual hierarchy, allowing the title of the newspaper to stand out without the visual noise that underlines can create, especially in dense blocks of text.
Digital Publishing and Readability
Beyond the rules of style, the practical aspect of digital readability plays a crucial role in the decision to underline a newspaper name. Underlined text is often associated with hyperlinks on the internet, and using underlines for titles can confuse readers about the functionality of the text. If a name is underlined and appears clickable, but does not lead to a URL, it creates a poor user experience. Italics, on the other hand, provide the necessary visual distinction for titles without interfering with the user interface conventions of the web. This makes the document cleaner and ensures the focus remains on the content rather than potential navigation elements.
Practical Application and Exceptions
While the general rule is to italicize or use quotes, it is important to acknowledge that specific organizations or internal style guides might retain unique formatting requirements. For instance, a historical publication might choose to underline names to evoke a specific era or aesthetic. However, in the vast majority of standard writing scenarios, the safest approach is to follow the digital standard. If you are submitting work to a publication or institution, consulting their specific style guide is always the prudent first step to ensure compliance with their formatting expectations.
