Many of us find our news sources through the internet. There is nothing wrong with this practice as long as you aren't hitting a paywall that limits your access. If you find you cannot read the full article without paying, check out Vogel Library resources to see if they can be accessed that way. You can always email me, and I can help you try different avenues to get what you need.
Another way for us to be critical consumers is to make sure we are doing our part in seeking out a variety of points of view. Looking at multiple perspectives, whether national versus local or television versus print, can be one way of doing this. Many of the databases at Vogel offer alternative press options and international perspectives.
Citation styles are a way for a scholar (you) to communicate with other scholars (your professor, librarian, reader, etc.) about the work of researchers (media writers and journalists). While citations can feel a bit unwieldy, it helps to break them down a bit.
Purdue OWL offers examples of these types of citations and your librarian is available to help you distinguish source types if you reach out to her!
Vogel Library, Wartburg College | 100 Wartburg Blvd, Waverly, IA, 50677 | Phone: 319-352-8500 | Email: asklibrarian@wartburg.edu