Citation
How to cite a website
Web pages are the most-cited — and most mis-cited — source. Here’s the format in three styles, plus how to handle a missing author or date.
What you need
Gather as many of these as exist: author (person or organisation), date published or updated, page title, site name, and the URL.
Examples
APA 7
Rivera, M. (2024, June 12). How photosynthesis works. ScienceLearn. https://example.org/photosynthesis
In-text:
(Rivera, 2024)MLA 9
Rivera, Maria. “How Photosynthesis Works.” ScienceLearn, 12 June 2024, example.org/photosynthesis. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
In-text:
(Rivera)Chicago 18 (notes-bibliography)
Rivera, Maria. “How Photosynthesis Works.” ScienceLearn. June 12, 2024. https://example.org/photosynthesis.
Note:
1. Maria Rivera, “How Photosynthesis Works,” ScienceLearn, June 12, 2024, https://example.org/photosynthesis.No author or no date
If there’s no author, lead with the page title. If there’s no date, APA uses (n.d.); MLA relies on the access date. Never invent a date or author — leave it out and adjust the order.
Frequently asked questions
What if the website has no author?
Start with the title of the page instead, then the date and site. In-text, use a short form of the title in quotation marks.
What if there’s no date?
Use (n.d.) — “no date” — in APA. In MLA, simply give the access date at the end.
Do I need the access date?
MLA recommends an access date for pages that may change. APA only includes a retrieval date for content designed to change (like a live map or wiki).
How do I cite a page with a long messy URL?
Use the clean, canonical link to the page itself. You don’t need tracking parameters after the “?”.
These guides explain the current editions in plain language and are a study aid, not official style manuals. For exact rules and edge cases, check your assignment brief and the official APA, MLA or Chicago guidance — and when in doubt, ask your instructor.