How to Cite a Website in APA 7th Edition: A Comprehensive Guide

Accurately citing your sources is a cornerstone of academic integrity and credibility. In the digital age, websites have become indispensable resources for research and information. The American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition provides a clear and structured method for citing websites, ensuring proper attribution and allowing readers to locate your sources. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of how to cite a website in APA 7th edition format, covering various scenarios and examples to ensure your citations are accurate and impactful.

Understanding the Basics of APA Website Citation

Before diving into specific examples, let’s break down the fundamental components of an APA 7th edition website citation. A standard website citation in APA format typically includes the following elements:

• Author: This could be an individual, a group, or an organization. If no author is explicitly named, consider using the website or organization name if appropriate.
• Date: This is the date the content was published or last updated. Include the year, month, and day if available. If no date is found, use “n.d.” (for “no date”).
• Title of Page: This is the specific title of the webpage you are citing. It should be italicized.
• Site Name: This is the name of the website itself. If the site name is the same as the author, omit the site name.
• URL: Provide the direct URL of the webpage. APA 7th edition generally does not require “Retrieved from” before URLs unless the source is unarchived and likely to change.

Let’s explore how these elements come together in different citation scenarios.

Citing a Webpage with an Individual Author

When a webpage clearly identifies an individual author, the citation format is as follows:

Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). *Title of page*. Site Name. URL

Example:

Let’s say you want to cite an article from Medium written by David Price.

Price, D. (2018, March 23). *Laziness does not exist*. Medium. https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01

In this example:

• Author: Price, D. (David Price)
• Date: (2018, March 23) – Year, Month, and Date of publication.
• Title of page: Laziness does not exist – Italicized webpage title.
• Site Name: Medium – Name of the website.
• URL: https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-exist-3af27e312d01 – Direct link to the webpage.

Citing a Webpage with a Group or Organization Author

Often, websites are created by organizations or groups. In these cases, use the group or organization name as the author.

Group name. (Year, Month Date). *Title of page*. Site Name. URL

Example:

Consider citing information from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website.

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2019, November 21). *Justice served: Case closed for over 40 dogfighting victims*. ASPCA. https://www.aspca.org/news/justice-served-case-closed-over-40-dogfighting-victims

Here:

• Author: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
• Date: (2019, November 21)
• Title of page: Justice served: Case closed for over 40 dogfighting victims
• Site Name: ASPCA (Since the author and site name are the same, we could omit the site name in theory, but in this context, keeping “ASPCA” clarifies the source).
• URL: https://www.aspca.org/news/justice-served-case-closed-over-40-dogfighting-victims

Citing a Webpage with No Author

If the webpage does not list an author, start the citation with the title of the page.

*Title of page*. (Year, Month Date). Site Name. URL

Example:

Let’s cite a recipe from Budgetbytes where no specific author is mentioned for the recipe page itself.

*Tuscan white bean pasta.* (2018, February 25). Budgetbytes. https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/

In this citation:

• Author: Tuscan white bean pasta. (Title takes the author’s place)
• Date: (2018, February 25)
• Site Name: Budgetbytes
• URL: https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/

Citing a Webpage with No Date

When the publication date is not available on the webpage, use “(n.d.)” in place of the date.

Author or Group name. (n.d.). *Title of page*. Site Name. URL

Example:

Consider citing the “Mental health conditions” page from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website, which may not display a specific publication date.

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). *Mental health conditions*. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions

Here, “(n.d.)” indicates “no date” is available.

Citing Wikipedia Articles in APA Format

Wikipedia articles are treated as a specific type of online reference work in APA 7th edition. It’s recommended to cite the archived version of a Wikipedia page because content can change frequently.

Title of article. (Year, Month Date). In *Wikipedia.* URL of archived version of page

Example:

To cite the “Quantum mechanics” Wikipedia article, you would use the date of the specific version and link to the archived version.

Quantum mechanics. (2019, November 19). In *Wikipedia*. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Quantum_mechanics&oldid=948476810

To find the archived version, click “View History” on a Wikipedia page and select the date/timestamp of the version you want to cite.

Citing Online News Articles

The format for citing online news articles depends on whether the source is from a website associated with a print newspaper or a website that is purely online news.

News Article from a Website with Associated Newspaper:

Italicize the newspaper title.

Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of article. *Title of Publication*. URL

Example:

Citing an article from the Washington Post website:

Richards, C. (2019, December 9). Best music of 2019: Lana Del Rey sings lullabies about the end of America. *Washington Post*. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/best-music-of-2019-lana-del-rey-sings-lullabies-about-the-end-of-america/2019/12/06/6e82c5ec-15d8-11ea-a659-7d69641c6ff7_story.html

News Article from a Website with No Associated Newspaper:

Italicize the article title, not the website name.

Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). *Title of article*. Name of publishing website. URL

Example:

Citing an article from BBC Worklife:

Jones, J. (2020, May 10). *Why flats dominate Spain's housing market*. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200506-why-do-flats-dominate-spains-housing-market

In-Text Citations for Websites

In addition to reference list citations, you need to include in-text citations within your paper when you refer to information from a website. For websites, use the author-date format.

• For individual author: (Lastname, Year) – e.g., (Price, 2018)
• For group/organization author: (Group Name, Year) – e.g., (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2019)
• For no author: ( Title of page, Year) – Italicize the title and use the first few words if the title is long. e.g., (Tuscan white bean pasta, 2018)
• For no date: (Lastname, n.d.) or (Title of page, n.d.)

Example In-text Citations:

According to Price (2018), the concept of laziness is a myth…

…Animal cruelty cases are being actively pursued (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2019).

One popular recipe highlights the simplicity of Italian cooking (Tuscan white bean pasta, 2018).

Tips for Accurate and Effective Website Citations

• Be Precise with Dates: Look carefully for publication or last updated dates. They are often found at the top or bottom of webpages.
• Identify the Author Clearly: Determine if there is an individual author, organization, or if no author is listed.
• Use the Exact Title: Copy the title of the webpage accurately and italicize it.
• Find the Correct Site Name: The site name is usually located prominently, often in the header or footer of the website.
• Ensure the URL is Correct: Double-check that the URL is accurate and directly links to the cited webpage.
• Consult Official APA Resources: For complex cases or further clarification, always refer to the official APA Publication Manual or the Purdue OWL website, a reliable resource for APA formatting.

Citing websites in APA 7th edition doesn’t have to be daunting. By understanding the core components and applying the correct format for each scenario, you can accurately and effectively credit your online sources, enhancing the credibility and academic rigor of your work. Remember to prioritize clarity and accuracy, ensuring your readers can easily locate and verify the sources you’ve used.

A logo of Purdue OWL, a writing resource, is displayed.