Cite Website Apa Purdue Owl

When citing a website in APA style, as per the guidelines provided by the Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue Owl), the general format for citing a website includes the author’s last name, first initial, publication date, title of the page, title of the website, and the URL. If some of this information is missing, the citation is adjusted accordingly. Here’s a breakdown based on the Purdue Owl’s guidelines:

Basic Citation Elements

1. Author: Lastname, F.M. (If the author is not available, the title is used in the in-text citation.)
2. Publication Date: (Date of publication or update in the format YYYY, MM DD)
3. Title of the Page: In title case, no quotes or italics.
4. Title of the Website: In title case and italicized.
5. URL: The website’s URL, without the “http://” or “https://” prefix.

APA Citation Example

• With Author: Smith, J. (2022, February 15). How to cite a website. Purdue Owl. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
• Without Author: How to cite a website. (2022, February 15). Purdue Owl. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
• No Date: Smith, J. (n.d.). How to cite a website. Purdue Owl. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

In-Text Citations

• With Author: (Smith, 2022)
• Without Author: (“How to Cite a Website”, 2022)
• No Author, No Date: (“How to Cite a Website”, n.d.)

Reference List Entry

The format provided above is for both the in-text citation and the reference list entry, with minor adjustments based on the presence or absence of elements like the author’s name or publication date.

Tips from Purdue Owl

• When citing a source with no author, use the title in the in-text citation, and it is capitalized as it would be in a title.
• For sources with no publication date, use “n.d.” in the reference list entry and in-text citation.
• Always double-check the URL to ensure it is correct, and consider including a DOI (if available) for sources that have one, as it leads directly to the source and is more stable than a URL.

APA 7th Edition Updates

As of the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual, the guidelines for citing websites and online sources have been updated to reflect current practices and technologies. The Purdue Owl website is regularly updated to align with these changes, providing the most current guidance on APA style citations for academic writing.