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APA Citation and Formatting: Webpages and Websites

Attention Students!

This guide is a starting point. For full details on correctly citing resources and creating references, please consult
the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Ed.) (2020), or Cites & Sources (6th Ed.) (2021).

Please Note! Library staff do not teach APA, and cannot evaluate or correct work. If you need help with APA Style, please contact your instructor.

How Do I Cite Webpages and Websites?

Below are some best practices for citing websites and webpages (10.16):

  • Use the webpages and websites category if there is no other reference category that fits, and if the work has no parent or overarching publication, such as a journal.
  • When citing multiple pages from the same website, create a separate reference list entry for each.
  • If a website is mentioned but information from that website is not quoted or referenced, do not create a reference list entry. Instead, include the name of the website in the text of the assignment or paper, followed by the URL in parentheses.
  • The author of a webpage or website may need to be determined from context. Look for an "About" page or the acknowledgements page. If you cannot determine the author from context, consult your instructor or the Library.
  • Only use the copyright date if you can ensure that this date applies to the content being cited. Do not use the copyright date from the footer of the site. Instead, use the "last updated" date on the page being cited, if it applies to the work being cited (9.15). If no separate date of publication is listed, the work is treated as having no date (9.17).
  • When the name of the author and the name of the site are the same, omit the name of the site from the source component of the reference list entry.
  • Include a retrieval date only when the content of the website or webpage is designed to change over time, and the page is not archived.

A screenshot of an article on the CBC News website. The article is titled, “She spent 10 days in hospital during Walkerton's tainted water scandal. Now she's studying to be a doctor”. It was written by Hayden Watters and it was published on May 17, 2020. Blue arrows point to the title, author, date, and URL.

Reference List Entry: Format (10.16)
Author, A. (Date). Title of article. Site name. Retrieval date, if applicable. URL

Example
Watters, H. (2020, May 17). She spent 10 days in hospital during Walkerton's tainted water scandal. Now she's studying to be a doctor. CBC.ca. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/walkerton-20-anniversary-ecoli-1.5573287

Please Note! Information may be found in multiple locations on a website or webpage. Look at the page or site carefully to find all of the information required for the reference list entry.

Parenthetical Citation 
(Author, Date), e.g.: (Watters, 2020)

Narrative Citation 
Author (Date), e.g.: Watters (2020)

Please Note! This format is used for articles published in online news sources, e.g.: CBC, HuffPost, BBC, etc.

An example of a webpage with an individual author. Blue arrows point to the URL, the name of the site, the title of the article, the author, and the date.

Reference List Entry: Format (10.16)
Author, A. (Date). Title of article. Site name. Retrieval date, if applicable. URL

Example
Stiepan, D. (2024, April 16). Mayo Clinic minute: The vital role of phlebotomists in blood collection. Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-the-vital-role-of-phlebotomists-in-blood-collection/

Please Note! Information may be found in multiple locations on a website or webpage. Look at the page or site carefully to find all of the information required for the reference list entry.

Parenthetical Citation 
(Author, Date), e.g.: (Stiepan, 2024)

Narrative Citation 
Author (Date), e.g.: Stiepan (2024)

A screenshot of an article on the World Health Organization website. The article is titled, “Food Safety”. It was written by the World Health Organization. No date of publication is listed. Blue arrows point to the title, publishing organization, and URL.

Reference List Entry: Format (10.16)
Author, A. (Date). Title of page. Site name. Retrieval date, if applicable. URL

Remember! An author can be a person or multiple people, or a group or organization. 

Example
World Health Organization. (n.d). Food safety. https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-safety/

Remember! If the date does not appear on the page and cannot be determined from context, use "n.d.", for "no date". Only use the copyright date if you can ensure that this date applies to the content being cited. Do not use the copyright date from the footer of the site. Instead, use the "last updated" date on the page being cited, if it applies to the work being cited (9.15). If no separate date of publication is listed, the work is treated as having no date (9.17).

Remember! When the name of the author and the name of the site are the same, omit the name of the site from the source component of the reference list entry.

Parenthetical Citation 
(Author, Date), e.g.: (World Health Organization, n.d.)

Narrative Citation 
Author (Date), e.g.: World Health Organization (n.d.)

A screenshot from the Statistics Canada website. The page is titled, “Canada's population clock (real-time model)”. It was created by Statistics Canada. No date of publication is listed. It was retrieved on April 18, 2024. Blue arrows point to the title, publishing organization, and URL.

Reference List Entry: Format (10.16)
Author, A. (Date). Title of page. Site name. Retrieval date, if applicable. URL

Remember! An author can be a person or multiple people, or a group or organization. 

Example
Statistics Canada. (2020, May 18). Canada's population clock (real-time model). Retrieved April 18, 2024, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2018005-eng.htm

Remember! When the name of the author and the name of the site are the same, omit the name of the site from the source component of the reference list entry.

Remember! If the contents of a page are designed to change over time, include a retrieval date.

Parenthetical Citation 
(Author, Date), e.g.: (Statistics Canada, 2024)

Narrative Citation 
Author (Date), e.g.: Statistics Canada (2024)

Please Note!

This guide is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. (2020). Library staff have reviewed the information in this guide, and to the best of our knowledge, it is accurate. However, mistakes do occur. Students bear sole responsibility for ensuring that their citations are correct, and that their assignments meet the criteria laid out by their instructor. Students are encouraged to contact Peer Tutoring or the Writing Clinic for assistance.