How to Cite a Website in APA, MLA & Chicago Format (2026 Guide)

Citing websites correctly is one of the most common challenges students face when writing research papers. Unlike books or journal articles, websites can be tricky—some have no author, no date, or keep changing their content.

In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to cite any website in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats with clear examples you can follow.

Table of Contents

• Why Citing Websites Matters
• How to Cite a Website in APA Format
• How to Cite a Website in MLA Format
• How to Cite a Website in Chicago Format
• How to Cite a Website With No Author
• How to Cite a Website With No Date
• Common Website Citation Mistakes to Avoid
• FAQ

Why Citing Websites Matters

Proper website citations do three important things:

1. Give credit to the original source
2. Allow readers to verify your information
3. Protect you from plagiarism accusations

Without proper citations, even accidentally, you risk academic penalties—or worse, having your entire paper disqualified.

How to Cite a Website in APA Format

APA 7th edition is the current standard for most social sciences, business, and nursing programs.

Basic APA Website Citation Format

Reference list:

Author Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL

In-text citation:

(Author Last Name, Year)

APA Website Citation Examples

Standard website with author:

Reference: Johnson, M. T. (2025, September 15). Climate change impacts on coastal cities. Environmental Science Today. https://www.environmentalsciencetoday.com/climate-coastal-cities

In-text: (Johnson, 2025)

Website with organization as author:

Reference: World Health Organization. (2026, January 10). Mental health statistics 2026. https://www.who.int/mental-health-stats-2026

In-text: (World Health Organization, 2026)

Website with no date:

Reference: Smith, J. (n.d.). Understanding machine learning basics. Tech Learning Hub. https://www.techlearninghub.com/ml-basics

In-text: (Smith, n.d.)

Key APA Rules for Websites

• Only include the site name if it's different from the author
• Use "n.d." (no date) when publication date is unavailable
• Don't add a period after URLs
• Include retrieval dates only for pages that change frequently (like wikis)

How to Cite a Website in MLA Format

MLA 9th edition is standard for humanities, literature, and arts courses.

Basic MLA Website Citation Format

Works Cited:

Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Page." Site Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

In-text citation:

(Author Last Name)

MLA Website Citation Examples

Standard website:

Works Cited: Martinez, Elena. "The Future of Remote Work." Business Insights Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026, www.businessinsightsmagazine.com/future-remote-work.

In-text: (Martinez)

Website with corporate author:

Works Cited: American Psychological Association. "Stress Management Tips for Students." APA, 5 Jan. 2026, www.apa.org/stress-students.

In-text: (American Psychological Association)

Website with no author:

Works Cited: "Global Warming Statistics 2026." Climate Research Center, 20 Feb. 2026, www.climateresearchcenter.org/stats-2026.

In-text: ("Global Warming")

Key MLA Rules for Websites

• Enclose page titles in quotation marks
• Italicize the website name
• Abbreviate months longer than four letters (Jan., Feb., Mar., etc.)
• Include "https://" or "www." in URLs
• Publisher is optional if same as site name

How to Cite a Website in Chicago Format

Chicago style is common in history, some humanities, and business. It has two systems: Notes-Bibliography (NB) and Author-Date.

Chicago Notes-Bibliography (Footnotes)

Footnote format:

First Name Last Name, "Title of Page," Site Name, Month Day, Year, URL.

Bibliography format:

Last Name, First Name. "Title of Page." Site Name. Month Day, Year. URL.

Chicago Author-Date Format

Reference list:

Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Page." Site Name. Month Day, Year. URL.

In-text:

(Last Name Year)

Chicago Website Citation Examples

Notes-Bibliography:

Footnote: 1. Sarah Williams, "Advances in Renewable Energy," Green Tech News, April 8, 2026, https://www.greentechnews.com/renewable-2026.

Bibliography: Williams, Sarah. "Advances in Renewable Energy." Green Tech News. April 8, 2026. https://www.greentechnews.com/renewable-2026.

Author-Date:

Reference: Williams, Sarah. 2026. "Advances in Renewable Energy." Green Tech News. April 8, 2026. https://www.greentechnews.com/renewable-2026.

In-text: (Williams 2026)

Key Chicago Rules for Websites

• Page titles go in quotation marks
• Website names are italicized
• Accessed dates are optional but recommended for unstable sources
• Use full month names (don't abbreviate)

How to Cite a Website With No Author

No author listed? Here's what to do:

APA (No Author)

Start with the title:

Reference: Climate change effects on wildlife. (2026, March 5). Nature Foundation. https://www.naturefoundation.org/climate-wildlife

In-text: ("Climate Change Effects," 2026)

MLA (No Author)

Start with the title:

Works Cited: "Climate Change Effects on Wildlife." Nature Foundation, 5 Mar. 2026, www.naturefoundation.org/climate-wildlife.

In-text: ("Climate Change Effects")

Chicago (No Author)

Start with the title:

Bibliography: "Climate Change Effects on Wildlife." Nature Foundation. March 5, 2026. https://www.naturefoundation.org/climate-wildlife.

Footnote: "Climate Change Effects on Wildlife," Nature Foundation, March 5, 2026, https://www.naturefoundation.org/climate-wildlife.

Pro tip: Before using "no author," check for:

• An author bio at the bottom of the page
• An "About" section
• The organization or company name (this can be the author)

How to Cite a Website With No Date

When there's no publication date:

APA (No Date)

Use "n.d." (no date):

Reference: Brown, T. (n.d.). Introduction to quantum computing. Tech Explained. https://www.techexplained.com/quantum-intro

In-text: (Brown, n.d.)

MLA (No Date)

Simply omit the date:

Works Cited: Brown, Thomas. "Introduction to Quantum Computing." Tech Explained, www.techexplained.com/quantum-intro.

In-text: (Brown)

Chicago (No Date)

Use "n.d." and include an access date:

Bibliography: Brown, Thomas. "Introduction to Quantum Computing." Tech Explained. n.d. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.techexplained.com/quantum-intro.

Finding hidden dates:

• Check the URL (sometimes dates are embedded)
• Look at the page source code
• Use the Wayback Machine to find when it was first archived

Common Website Citation Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using the URL as the Title

❌ Wrong: www.example.com/article123

✅ Right: Find the actual page title from the browser tab or heading

2. Forgetting to Check for Updates

Websites change. If you cited a page months ago, verify it still exists and says what you quoted.

3. Citing the Homepage Instead of the Specific Page

❌ Wrong: https://www.nytimes.com

✅ Right: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/science/climate-research.html

4. Including "Retrieved from" When Not Needed

APA 7 dropped "Retrieved from" for most sources. Only use it with sources that change (like database entries or social media).

5. Mixing Up Citation Styles

Pick one style and stick with it throughout your entire paper. Don't use APA for one citation and MLA for another.

6. Not Including Page Numbers for In-Text Citations

If you're quoting directly from a paginated PDF or numbered paragraphs, include that information:

APA: (Johnson, 2026, p. 15) or (Johnson, 2026, para. 3)

MLA: (Johnson 15) or (Johnson par. 3)

Quick Reference Chart

APA 7 Website Citation:

• Author. (Year). Title of page. Site Name. URL
• In-text: (Author, Year)

MLA 9 Website Citation:

• Author. "Title." Site Name, Date, URL.
• In-text: (Author)

Chicago Website Citation:

• Author. "Title." Site Name. Date. URL.
• In-text: (Author Year) or footnotes

FAQ

Do I need to include the access date when citing websites?

For APA 7, only include access dates for sources that may change (like wiki pages). For MLA 9, access dates are optional but recommended. For Chicago, include them for undated sources.

How do I cite a website that has both an author and an organization?

Use the individual author's name in your citation. Only use the organization if no individual author is listed.

What if the website URL is really long?

Don't shorten URLs in academic citations. Use the full URL, even if it's long. URL shorteners can break or redirect incorrectly.

How do I cite a specific section of a webpage?

Link directly to that section if possible (look for anchor links). Otherwise, cite the whole page and mention the specific section in your text.

Can I cite Wikipedia?

Most professors don't accept Wikipedia as a primary source. However, you can use Wikipedia's references section to find original sources to cite instead.

Conclusion

Citing websites doesn't have to be complicated. Remember these key points:

• APA uses Author-Date format with "n.d." for no date
• MLA puts titles in quotes with abbreviated months
• Chicago offers two systems—choose based on your field
• When in doubt, include more information rather than less

The most important thing is consistency. Pick your style, follow the rules, and apply them the same way throughout your paper.

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