This article has been reviewed and updated with current information, new examples, and the latest academic requirements for 2026
To avoid plagiarism and increase the authenticity of your work, learn how to cite websites in APA. If you want to cite websites in APA, then include the author’s name, publication date, webpage title, website name, and URL. This will help you give credit to the source and make your work more credible.
The APA citation style is the most popular formatting method for academic papers. It is used in a variety of subjects like psychology, anthropology, sociology, biology, business, chemistry, communication and media studies, criminology, economics, education, forestry, linguistics, nursing, science, social science, etc. However, citing in APA format is not easy, especially. If you want to know how to cite websites in APA format, then read this blog. Here, we have shared the 7th edition of the APA citation rules for all types of websites.
How to Cite a Website in APA Format (7th Edition)
Citing a website in APA format is simpler than most students think — once you know the basic formula. This guide covers the APA 7th edition rules (the current standard used by most universities) with examples for every type of website you are likely to need.
The Basic APA Website Citation Format
Author Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of the page or article. Website Name. URL
Example:
Smith, J. (2023, March 15). *How climate change affects ocean temperatures*. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/example
What each part means:
| Part | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Author | Last name, then first initial. Use a comma between multiple authors. |
| Date | Year first, then month and day in parentheses. If only a year is available, just write the year. |
| Title | Title of the specific page or article — in italics. Only capitalise the first word and proper nouns. |
| Website Name | The name of the website (not the URL). Not italicised. |
| URL | Full web address. No angle brackets needed in APA 7th edition. |
How to Cite a Website With No Author
If there is no author listed on the page, start with the title of the page instead. Put the title in italics.
- Format : Title of the page. (Year, Month Day). Website Name. URL
- Example : Understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on academic performance. (2022, September 8). Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/example
How to Cite a Website With No Date
If the page has no publication date, write (n.d.) — which stands for “no date” — in place of the year.
- Format : Author, A. A. (n.d.). Title of the page. Website Name. URL
- Example : Johnson, K. (n.d.). *The history of jazz music in New Orleans*. Jazz Archives Online. https://www.jazzarchives.org/example
How to Cite a Website With No Author and No Date
- Format : Title of the page. (n.d.). Website Name. URL
- Example : How to file a tax return in the United States. (n.d.). IRS. https://www.irs.gov/example
How to Cite a Government Website
Government websites follow the same basic format. The author is often a government agency rather than a person.
- Format : Agency Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of the page. Government Department Name. URL
- Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, July 10). COVID-19 vaccination guidance for healthcare workers. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/example
Note : When the author and the website name are the same, you only need to write the name once. Move it to the author position and omit it from the website name slot.
Example (same author and site) :
World Health Organization. (2022, November 3). Monkeypox: Key facts. https://www.who.int/example
How to Cite a News Website Article
- Format : Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). *Title of the article*. News Organisation. URL
- Example : Rosenberg, E. (2023, August 22). *Supreme Court rules on student loan forgiveness*. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/example
How to Cite a Blog Post
- Format : Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of the blog post [Blog post]. Website Name. URL
- Example : Brown, T. (2023, January 5). Ten ways to improve your writing in 30 days [Blog post]. Write Better. https://www.writebetter.com/example
The [Blog post] label goes in square brackets right after the title — only for blog posts, not for regular web articles.
How to Cite a Social Media Post
- Twitter / X : Author, A. A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). *First 20 words of the tweet* [Tweet]. Twitter. URL
Example : NASA [@NASA]. (2023, September 3). *ICYMI: Yesterday, our Artemis team tested the Space Launch System rocket* [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/example
- Facebook : Author, A. A. [Page Name]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of the post [Status update]. Facebook. URL
<Instagram : Author, A. A. [@username]. (Year, Month Day). *Description of the image or first 20 words of the caption* [Photograph]. Instagram. URL
How to Cite a YouTube Video
- Format : Creator Name [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Day). *Title of the video* [Video]. YouTube. URL
- Example : Khan Academy [Khan Academy]. (2019, February 14). *Introduction to the atom* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example
How to Cite a Wikipedia Article
APA does not recommend citing Wikipedia for academic work because its content can change. However, if you must cite it:
- Format : Title of the article. (Year, Month Day). In Wikipedia. URL of the specific version (use the “permanent link” from the page’s history)
- Example : Photosynthesis. (2023, October 12). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Photosynthesis&oldid=example
In-Text Citations for Websites
When you mention a website source inside your writing, use this format:
(Author Last Name, Year)
Example : Research suggests that teenagers who sleep fewer than seven hours a night perform significantly worse on memory tests (Johnson, 2022).
If there is no author, use a shortened version of the title:
(“How to file a tax return,” n.d.)
If there is no date:
(Smith, n.d.)
If you are quoting directly (using the exact words), add a page number or paragraph number:
(Smith, 2023, para. 4)
Quick Reference Table
| Situation | What to Do |
|---|---|
| No author | Start with the page title (italics). |
| No date | Write (n.d.). |
| No author AND no date | Title (n.d.). Website. URL |
| Government website | Use the agency name as the author. |
| Author = website name | Write it once in the author position. |
| Blog post | Add [Blog post] after the title. |
| Social media | Add [Tweet], [Status update], etc., after the title. |
| YouTube | Add [Video] after the title. |
Common Mistakes When Citing Websites in APA
1. Using APA 6th edition rules instead of 7th
In APA 6th, you sometimes had to include “Retrieved from” before the URL. APA 7th edition removed this. Do not write “Retrieved from” unless you need to include a retrieval date because the content changes (like a wiki or a live database).
2. Not italicising the page title
The title of the specific page or article should always be in italics. The website name is NOT italicised.
3. Using the homepage URL instead of the specific page URL
Always link to the exact page you used, not the website homepage.
4. Capitalising every word in the title
APA uses sentence case for article and page titles — only the first word and proper nouns are capitalised.
Wrong: How Climate Change Affects Ocean Temperatures
Right: How climate change affects ocean temperatures
5. Forgetting the retrieval date
For most websites, you do not need a retrieval date. But if the content on a page changes regularly (a wiki, a live dashboard, a frequently updated database), add: Retrieved [Month Day, Year], from [URL].
Conclusion
The discussion above highlights how to cite a website in APA format. It is evident that different types of websites have different citations, and the citation also changes with the number of authors or publishers of the document. If you need more information on APA citations or need help developing APA citations, connect with our citation helpers. They will offer you high-quality annotated bibliography assignment help services. Specifically, according to your requirements, they will assist you in citing websites in APA referencing style.
FAQs
1: Do I need to include a retrieval date when citing a website in APA?
Usually no. APA 7th edition only requires a retrieval date if the source content is designed to change over time — like a wiki entry or a live data page. For most web articles and pages, no retrieval date is needed.
2: What if the website has no page title?
This is rare. If there is truly no title, use a description of the page in square brackets: [Homepage of the National Sleep Foundation].
3: Should I include the website name if it is the same as the author?
No. If the author and the website are the same organisation (like the WHO or CDC), write the organisation name as the author and omit it from the website name position.
4: How do I cite a PDF I found on a website?
Treat it like a web source. Use the author, date, title (not italicised for PDFs of reports — use the format for the type of document), and the direct URL to the PDF.
5: Do URLs need to be hyperlinked or plain text?
In a printed document, URLs are plain text. In a digital document, they are usually blue and hyperlinked. Either is acceptable in APA 7th edition.
6: What if I cannot find the author’s full name — only a username?
Use the username in place of the author’s name, without brackets. For social media, place the real name first (if known) and the username in square brackets after.
