To cite a website, the format varies depending on the citation style you are using. Here are the basic formats for the most common styles:
APA Style
-
Format:
Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of web page. Website Name. URL -
Example:
Austerlitz, S. (2015, March 3). How long can a spinoff like ‘Better Call Saul’ last? FiveThirtyEight. <http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-long- can-a-spinoff-like-better-call-saul-last/> -
In-text citation: (Author Last Name, Year)
This style italicizes the webpage title and includes the full date if available
MLA Style
-
Format:
Author Last Name, First Name. “Title of Web Page.” Website Name , Publisher (if different from website name), Date of publication, URL. -
Example:
Brice, Makini. “U.S. Senate Expected to Begin Debating Coronavirus Package on Thursday.” Reuters , 4 March 2021, [www.reuters.com/article/us-health- coronavirus-usa-congress/u-s-senate-expected-to-begin-debating-coronavirus- package-on-thursday-idUSKBN2AW18U](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- coronavirus-usa-congress/u-s-senate-expected-to-begin-debating-coronavirus- package-on-thursday-idUSKBN2AW18U). -
In-text citation: (Author Last Name)
Titles of pages are in quotation marks, website names are italicized, and the date format is day month year
Chicago Style
- Chicago style typically includes the author, title of the page, website name, publication or last modified date, and URL, formatted according to Chicago guidelines. (Not detailed in the search results but generally follows similar elements.)
General Tips
- If no author is available, start with the title of the webpage.
- Use the most specific date available.
- Include the URL at the end.
- For social media posts or videos, include additional details such as post type or media type
You can also use online citation generators like Citation Machine or Scribbr to create citations automatically by entering the website URL
