How to Properly Cite a Webpage

When using information from a website, it’s important to provide a clear reference so others can trace the original source. Several standard citation styles are commonly used, and your school, university, or publisher may require a specific one. Below is a simple guide to the key details you’ll need, along with examples of popular formats.

Always follow the citation style required by your institution or publication. If some details are missing (such as author or date), include as much information as you can. Also, bBe consistent, use the same citation style throughout your work.

Details Required

To correctly reference a webpage, try to include as many of the following details as possible:

• Author Name: The author of the page is not always obvious. Check the article itself or the website’s “About” page.
  
• Published Date: This is when the content was first published or last updated. It is often shown near the page title or at the bottom of the page.
  
• Retrieved (Accessed) Date: The date you viewed the page. Use today’s date, or the actual date you accessed the content.
  
• Website Name: The name of the overall website or organisation hosting the content.
  
• Article Title: The title of the specific webpage or article, usually displayed prominently at the top.
  
• Webpage URL: The full internet address of the page being cited (typically starting with https://).

Citation Format Examples

APA Style (American Psychological Association)

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL

Example:
Smith, J. (2024, March 10). How to cite online sources. Example Website. https://example.com/page

APA style generally does not require a retrieval date unless the content is likely to change over time.

Harvard Style

Author/Editor (Year). Title of webpage. Website Name. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

Example:
Smith, J. (2024). How to cite online sources. Example Website. Available at: https://example.com/page
(Accessed: 27 April 2026).

MLA Style (Modern Language Association)

Author. "Title of Webpage." Website Name, Publisher (if different), Date Published, URL. Accessed Day Month Year.

Example:
Smith, John. "How to Cite Online Sources." Example Website, 10 Mar. 2024, www.example.com/page
. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Note: MLA style often omits “https://” and may shorten URLs where appropriate.

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