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How to Cite a Website (MLA, APA, Chicago)

Websites are among the most commonly cited sources in academic papers, but they can also be the trickiest to cite correctly. Unlike books, websites often lack clear authors, publication dates, or page numbers — and their content can change or disappear over time. This guide shows you exactly how to cite websites in MLA 9th edition, APA 7th edition, and Chicago style, with examples covering the most common scenarios you will encounter.

Format Rules

Key Information to Locate Before Citing

Before you cite a website, gather these details: (1) Author name — look for a byline, an 'About' page, or a content attribution at the bottom. (2) Publication or last-updated date — often near the byline or at the bottom of the page. (3) Page title — the specific article or page title, not the website name. (4) Website/organization name — the name of the website or publisher. (5) URL — the direct link to the specific page. (6) Access date — the date you visited the page (required by some styles).

What Counts as 'No Author'

A source has no individual author when the content is attributed to an organization rather than a named person, when there is no byline or attribution at all, or when the author is listed only as 'Staff' or 'Admin.' In these cases, use the organization name as the author (APA) or begin with the page title (MLA and Chicago).

Handling Missing Publication Dates

When no date is visible on a webpage, look in the page source (Ctrl+F for 'date' or 'published'), check the URL for a date, or look at the Google search result snippet. In MLA, omit the date if none is found. In APA, use 'n.d.' (no date). In Chicago, include an access date to acknowledge the date could not be found.

When to Include an Access Date

MLA recommends including an access date when a page has no publication date or when content may change frequently (like a Wikipedia article or a company 'About' page). Format: Accessed 15 Mar. 2025. APA only requires an access date when the content changes over time (e.g., wikis, social media profiles). Chicago recommends an access date whenever no publication date is available.

Citing Specific Web Page vs. Entire Website

Always cite the specific page you used, not the website's home page — unless the home page itself is what you are citing. The URL should lead directly to the content you referenced. If a page requires a login or has an unstable URL, describe the path to it rather than a direct link.

DOIs vs. URLs

If a web-based article has a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), always use the DOI instead of the URL in APA format. DOIs are stable permanent links, whereas URLs can change. Format: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. If there is no DOI, use the URL. In MLA and Chicago, use the URL regardless (DOIs are not required).

MLA vs. APA vs. Chicago — Side-by-Side

Compare how each style handles the same source type so you can choose the right format.

Source Type	MLA	APA	Chicago
Website Article — Author and Date Known	Doe, Jane. "The Benefits of Meditation." Healthline, 12 June 2023, www.healthline.com/meditation-benefits.	Doe, J. (2023, June 12). The benefits of meditation. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/meditation-benefits	Footnote: Jane Doe, "The Benefits of Meditation," Healthline, June 12, 2023, https://www.healthline.com/meditation-benefits. Bibliography: Doe, Jane. "The Benefits of Meditation." Healthline. June 12, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/meditation-benefits.
Website Article — No Author	"What Is Climate Change?" United Nations, Jan. 2024, www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change.	What is climate change? (2024, January). United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change	Footnote: "What Is Climate Change?" United Nations, January 2024, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change. Bibliography: "What Is Climate Change?" United Nations. January 2024. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change.
Website Article — No Date (n.d.)	National Geographic Staff. "Amazon Rainforest." National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rain-forests/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.	National Geographic Staff. (n.d.). Amazon rainforest. National Geographic. Retrieved March 10, 2025, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rain-forests/	Footnote: National Geographic Staff, "Amazon Rainforest," National Geographic, accessed March 10, 2025, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rain-forests/. Bibliography: National Geographic Staff. "Amazon Rainforest." National Geographic. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rain-forests/.
Organizational / Government Website	"COVID-19 Overview and Infection Prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Feb. 2024, www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html.	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, February 2). COVID-19 overview and infection prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html	Footnote: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "COVID-19 Overview and Infection Prevention," updated February 2, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html. Bibliography: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "COVID-19 Overview and Infection Prevention." Updated February 2, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/index.html.
Wikipedia Article	"Renaissance." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Mar. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance.	Wikipedia contributors. (2025, March 1). Renaissance. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance	Footnote: "Renaissance," Wikipedia, last modified March 1, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance. Bibliography: "Renaissance." Wikipedia. Last modified March 1, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance.
Blog Post	Godin, Seth. "The Practice of Shipping." Seth's Blog, 7 Dec. 2020, seths.blog/2020/12/the-practice/.	Godin, S. (2020, December 7). The practice of shipping. Seth's Blog. https://seths.blog/2020/12/the-practice/	Footnote: Seth Godin, "The Practice of Shipping," Seth's Blog (blog), December 7, 2020, https://seths.blog/2020/12/the-practice/. Bibliography: Godin, Seth. "The Practice of Shipping." Seth's Blog (blog). December 7, 2020. https://seths.blog/2020/12/the-practice/.
Online News Article with Author	Robbins, Rebecca. "FDA Approves New Alzheimer's Drug." The New York Times, 6 Jan. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/health/alzheimers-drug-fda.html.	Robbins, R. (2023, January 6). FDA approves new Alzheimer's drug. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/health/alzheimers-drug-fda.html	Footnote: Rebecca Robbins, "FDA Approves New Alzheimer's Drug," New York Times, January 6, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/health/alzheimers-drug-fda.html. Bibliography: Robbins, Rebecca. "FDA Approves New Alzheimer's Drug." New York Times. January 6, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/health/alzheimers-drug-fda.html.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to include the full URL when citing a website?▾

In most cases, yes. MLA 9th edition recommends including the URL starting with the domain name (omitting https://). APA 7th edition requires the full URL including https://. Chicago requires the full URL. If a URL is extremely long or will break across lines awkwardly, you may link to the homepage or a DOI if available. In printed papers, long URLs can be broken before punctuation marks such as slashes or hyphens.

Can I cite a website if it has no author listed?▾

Yes. When no individual author is named, MLA begins the citation with the article title; APA and Chicago use the organization name as the author. Never invent an author name or omit the citation entirely. When the organization name is very long, APA allows you to abbreviate it after the first in-text citation (e.g., use CDC after first spelling out Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Should I cite Wikipedia in academic papers?▾

Most instructors discourage citing Wikipedia as a primary source because its content can be edited by anyone and may not be reviewed by experts. However, Wikipedia can be useful for finding background information and locating primary sources through its reference sections. If you do need to cite Wikipedia (for example, to document how a topic is popularly understood), all three style guides have formats for it. Always verify information in Wikipedia against more authoritative sources.

What is a DOI and when do I use it instead of a URL?▾

A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent alphanumeric code assigned to scholarly publications, formatted as https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. In APA format, always use a DOI instead of a URL when one is available, because DOIs are permanent and will not break even if the website changes. In MLA and Chicago, you can use either a DOI or URL. You can check for a DOI using CrossRef.org if the article page does not display one prominently.

How do I cite a web page that has since been deleted or changed?▾

If you accessed a page that has since changed or been removed, include the date you accessed it (required by some styles, recommended by others) so readers know when the information was available. You can also check the Wayback Machine (web.archive.org) to find an archived version and cite the archived URL with its capture date. This helps readers verify the source even if the original page is gone.