Rule for use of Def. Article

[betsysimpkins]

Ok, so I'm testing students on the uses of definite articles. My question is specifically about the general vs. specific direct object.

Mauricio ha estado leyendo LOS anuncios clasificados en el periodico.
OR
Mauricio ha estado leyendo anuncios clasificados en el periodico.

I believe that the "en el periodico" makes it specific enough to justify the definite article rather than a general category.

What do you think?

[JPablo]

Mauricio ha estado leyendo LOS anuncios clasificados en el periodico.
Mauricio ha estado leyendo anuncios clasificados en el periodico.

Not sure if I am fully tracking with your question, but my understanding in Spanish is as follows,
The first sentence refers to THE specific classified ads in the paper. [ads about a specific subject.]
The second one refers to classified ads in general, [still] in the paper.

I.e., the first sentence would refer to "specific ads" regarding "jobs as, let's say, coal heaver" or "jobs as a programmer" (or whatever, but THE ads about something specific.)

The second refers to any kind of ads, totally in general, in the paper.
Does that help at all? :)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I agree with JPablo.
"Los" is not specific to the newspaper, but to a category assumed to be known by the interlocutor.

[betsysimpkins]

Thanks! Yes, you were helpful. Again, I think it is correct with or without the article because whether it is a general category or specifically IN the newspaper, is apparently subject to interpretation. Thanks again!

[JPablo]

Okay. Glad to be of help.
By the by, "en el periódico" = "in the newspaper" in Spanish we call it "complemento circunstancial", i.e., "adverbial complement".
When you wrote "direct object" in your original post, I take you were not using the 'grammatical' expression, but just "directly" the "object [thing]".