How to Cite a Website APA, 7th Edition with Reference Examples
- Eduhelphub,
- May 30, 2023
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- 1.1. Introduction on How to Cite a Website APA Style
- 2.Common Rules of APA Format of Referencing
In the world of digitization, academia itself has adapted to online means of education. In fact, the assignments too are now written and submitted through online media. In such a scenario, the evidence to back arguments in the paper stands out to be incomplete if there is no reference to any digital source.
It is not always possible to keep on buying books and look through the library database to find magazines, journals, and articles that are current or from yesteryears till you get the supportive elements to prove your thesis. There are interviews, video recordings, online images, podcasts, and other crucial sources available on the internet that may serve strong points of explanation. You might want to add them as a reference. But how to cite a website APA format with specific rules to maintain a consistent and orderly appearance? EduHelpHub has done thorough research and presented to you a pertinent guide to cite websites and other digital sources in APA style.
Introduction on How to Cite a Website APA Style
All the elucidations below are based on the 7th edition of the APA style manual, which is the latest version in use to date. There are multiple other electronic sources other than websites that a student may use as an in-text citation followed by a bibliography listing. The requisites and formatting pattern of each source are slightly distinct from one another, as each differs in identification and the type of information they provide. The formatting rule is written followed by reference examples in each category. So, let’s get started with understanding how to cite a website APA format.
APA Citation of a Webpage
The online content of a webpage can be a web article, blog post, or interview. Also, there are different types of websites such as educational, organizational, and government-owned sites. The rules for citing all of them have been stated systematically.
Web Article with an Author
Last name of the author, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of the page. Site name. URL
Eyman, I. (2023, April 7). Which Probiotics Actually Boost Gut Health? An MD Explains. Camille Styles. https://camillestyles.com/wellness/best-probiotics-for-women/
- If the article is written by a corporation or group, the following would be the citation format:
Group/Organization name. (Year, Month Date). Title of the page. Site name (if applicable). URL
Sumito Corporation. (2023, May 24). Business Restructuring of TBC Corporation. https://www.sumitomocorp.com/en/jp/news/release/2023/group/16740
Web Article without an Author
You may come across an article where the name of the author is not provided. Additionally, you may have recorded that the page content has the possibility of getting changed or updated over time. In that case, add a retrieval date. Read further to know how to cite a website APA with these conditions.
Title of the page. (Year, Month Date). Site name. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL
The 50 Best Education Blogs. (2023, May 18). Detailed. Retrieved February 4, 2023, from https://detailed.com/education-blogs/
Web Article with no Date
Group/Author name. (n.d.). Title of the page. Site name (if applicable). URL
Vacation Rentals by Owner. (n.d.). The Ultimate Guide to Fall in Vermont. VRBO. https://www.vrbo.com/vacation-ideas/seasonal-vacations/the-ultimate-guide-to-fall-in-vermont
Web Article with Assigned DOI
Scholarly journals and documents that are available on the internet sometimes may have the potential to change URLs. Some publishers, in such instances, assign a unique identification number which is called a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Besides this, review the following format on how to cite a website APA style if there is more than one author of an article.
Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Publication date). Title of article. Title of journal, Volume number(Issue), page numbers. DOI
Lipscombe, K., Tindall-Ford, S., & Lamanna, J. (2021, January 8). School middle leadership: A systematic review. Sage Journal, 51(2), 137-149. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220983328
Web Article with no DOI
Follow the APA format of the previous section as it is leaving the DOI number.
Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Publication date). Title of article. Title of journal, Volume number(Issue), page numbers.
Citing a Wikipedia Article
Title of article. (Publishing Date). In Wikipedia. URL
Psychoanalytic theory. (2022). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalytic_theory
If you seek such ideas to use as your descriptive essay examples, EduHelpHub will be pleased to assist you.
Citing an Online Interview
If you have conducted an interview in-person one to one, or through emails, then the source must only be included as an in-text citation, and not in the bibliography. The in-text citation in APA format will be:
(“Personal Interview”, May 14, 2023)
This is how to cite a website APA style if an interview is posted online in an audio or printed text form:
Lastname, F. M. (Interviewee). (Publishing Date). Title/Interview Description. URL
Austin, S. (2023, May 19). I think the show gets interesting in the next couple episodes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2023/05/20/steve-austin-on-new-ae-show-why-he-texted-cm-punk-recently/
Citing Government Websites
Government Department. (Date). Title of the document. Parent Agency. URL
National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (2023, April 17). Engaging Community Volunteers Helps Reduce Food Insecurity in Montana. United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/blogs/engaging-community-volunteers-helps-reduce-food-insecurity-montana
Citing Online Available Books
Name of the author(s). (Date). Title of the book: Subtitle (Edition). Publisher. URL or DOI
James, H. (2010). Bundle of Letters: From the Same to Same (5th ed.). Amigo Reader. https://libro.eb20.net/Reader/rdr.aspx?b=553929
Social Media APA Citation
As a researcher, you may work on an ad topic or write about a celebrity, company, or brand. You may want to take polls or refer to a particular comment. There are many other reasons to take reference from such a source. So, let’s see how to cite a website APA that refers to a social media handle.
- Use the following format if you want to refer to a Facebook post:
Username/Group name. (Date or n.d. whichever is applicable). Content description till first 20 words. [Post type]. Facebook. URL
Burger King Jamaica. (2023, May 15). Cook-off competition. [Image]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=631661728990550&set=a.554888153334575
This type of competition would serve a good point to include in an essay introduction when you are writing upon reality shows.
- Use the following format of how to cite a website APA if you want to refer to a Facebook page:
Username/Group name. (Date or n.d. whichever is applicable). Page type – for example, Home, Photos, About, etc. [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved Date, from URL
Elle. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.facebook.com/ELLEuk
- How to cite a website APA style when it is an Instagram post:
Name [@username]. (Date or n. d. whichever is applicable). Content description till first 20 words/Picture title. [Post type]. Instagram. URL
LADbible [@ladible]. (2023, May 16). Firefighters chop down tree burning from inside. [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CsRzH-jotUm/
- How to cite a website APA style when it is an Instagram profile:
Name [@username]. (Date or n. d. whichever is applicable). Profile page type – for example, IGTV, Posts, Tags [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved Date, from URL
Discovery+ [@discoveryplus]. (n.d.). Reels [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved July 25, 2021, from https://www.instagram.com/discoveryplus/reels/
- How to cite a website APA style when it is an Instagram highlight:
Name [@username]. (Date or n. d. whichever is applicable). Highlight title [Highlight]. Instagram. Retrieved Date, URL
Steve Harvey [@iamsteveharveytv]. (n.d.). Paper [Highlight]. Instagram. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18018907093344319/
- When you want to use a Twitter post as a reference:
Name [@Twitter handle]. (Date). Content description till first 20 words/Media title. [Name of the media attached, if any] [Tweet/Moment]. Twitter. URL
Milloy, S. [@JunkScience]. (2023, January 16). Twitter tried to censor it but just wound up exposing (again) the lying nature of climate alarmism. [Image with link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/JunkScience/status/1615027198909349899/photo/1
- How to cite a website APA when you want to use a Twitter profile as a reference:
Name [@Twitter handle]. (n.d.). Twitter tab [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved Date, URL
Catturd [@catturd2]. (n.d.). Replies [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://twitter.com/catturd2/with_replies
Online Forum
- Learn how to cite a website APA format when you intend to refer to a forum post:
Name [@username]. (Date). Post title/description. [Online forum post]. Publisher. URL
Lacey. [@LuckyLaceyKS]. (2023, May 24). What movie blew your mind when you first saw it? [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/13qk9vl/what_movie_blew_your_mind_when_you_first_saw_it/
- Learn how to cite a website APA format when you intend to refer to a particular forum comment:
Name [@username]. (Date). Comment till first 20 words. [Comment on online forum post name]. Publisher. URL
Daniels. P. J. [@Eyeballus]. (2023, May 18). Humans will need to adapt to climate change in various ways to mitigate its impacts and ensure their well-being. [Comment on online forum post How will humans adapt to climate change?]. Quora. https://qr.ae/pyyOi7
YouTube or Video Blog
Whether it is a video taken from YouTube or any other blog, the APA citation website format is similar in both situations.
Lastname, F. M. [Screen name, if any]. (Date). Title of the video/Video description [Video file]. YouTube/Site name. URL
Marketing Against the Grain. [@MATGpod]. (2023, April 10). The MASSIVE AI Opportunity [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/shorts/YTx1ep4oPq0?feature=share
APA Citation of a Podcast
- How to cite a website APA style if the reference is a Podcast:
Lastname, F. M. (Hosts). (Date from-to). Podcast title [Audio podcast]. Site name. URL
Wilson, K., & Tulleken, X. (Hosts). (2021-2022). Dopamine [Audio podcast]. BBC Sounds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0brz7c9
- How to cite a website APA style if the reference is directly pointing towards a Podcast episode:
Lastname, F. M. (Hosts). (Date). Episode name [Audio podcast episode]. In Name of audio series. Publishing site name. URL
Soares, N. (Host). (2023, April 5). Deep Deceptiveness [Audio podcast episode]. In LessWrong Curated Podcast. Listen Notes. https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/lesswrong-curated/deep-deceptiveness-by-nate-CHkaQg5qFeY/
APA Citation of an Image or Slide
- Suppose you came across an image like digital art or an infographic, or a clipart matching your demonstration speech ideas. This is how you cite the source using APA format:
Name of the creator/photographer. (Publishing year). Image description [Type of work]. Source. URL
Campbell, V. (2023, May 3). Scotch Mist [Photograph]. The Weather Channel. https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2023-05-03-weather-photographer-of-the-year-awards-winning-photos
- Sometimes information extracted from PowerPoint presentations becomes necessary to cite in the argument. How to cite a website APA in such a case? Go through the below format:
Name. (Date). Slide title [PowerPoint slides]. URL
Chan, S. (2013, April 11). Stock Pitch WM [PowerPoint slides]. https://www.slideshare.net/sindychan212/stock-pitch-wm
APA Citation of an Entry
There could be a unique rare-known word you have used in your piece, the source of which should be referred to in the bibliography. Check how to cite a website APA when a source is an online dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus:
Name. (Year). Entry Title. Name of the Editor(s) (Ed.), Reference title (Edition). Publisher. URL or DOI
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Whatchamacallits. In Merriam-Webster.com thesaurus. May 25, 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whatchamacallits
Citing a Downloaded Software in APA Style
Name of the developer. (Published year of the version). Title (Version #.#). [Software type]. Publisher/Mobile App Store name. URL
343 Industries. (2021, November 15). Halo Infinite. [Video Game]. Xbox Game Studios. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240440/Halo_Infinite/
There may not be a version mentioned in many mobile applications and desktop software. Without worrying about how to cite a website APA in that situation, just get a look at the above example.
Common Rules of APA Format of Referencing
APA is the abbreviation for American Psychological Association which focuses on building a set of rules which allow students and scholar researchers to use already published works of other authors in their own piece of research or speech outline maintaining a cohesive and well-organized structure. If nothing is mentioned in the university or college guidelines or by immediate instructors, then one can follow the APA citation format for psychology, education, and science disciplines. The formats and examples of previous sections clearly tell you how to cite a website APA in a variety of situations. It can be discerned that there is a certain common pattern of using each element. Let’s take a look at how to identify if an article follows an APA 7th edition citation format by going through its bibliography/referencing list:
- The reference entry always begins with the name of the author or creator. If it is the name of an individual, first you have to write the last name of the person, followed by a comma, and then the first and middle initial of their name, followed by a period. Whereas, if it is the name of an organization, then the entire name of the group is mentioned as it is.
- The date pattern is always the same – Year, Month Date within a bracket. In cases where the specific date is missing, just write the year. And if nothing is mentioned, then write “n.d.” within brackets, meaning “not dated”.
- No space is to be added within brackets.
- “Retrieved from” is written before URL and DOIs only when the content of the article or media is likely to change in due course. Examples of how to cite a website APA in that scenario are only if it is a review page or an article with comments. There is no other special application.
- After every essential element a period (.) is placed to distinguish it from the next mentioned element.
This article only refers to the instances where you need to extract a portion of information from electronic media. Apart from how to cite a website APA style, there are many other types of sources that one might cite. If interested to learn those, feel free to reach our experts. We assure you to always provide updated information.