APA Website Citations | Format & Examples

To create an APA website citation, you’ll need the following information: author, publication date, title of the page, website name, and the URL.

In cases where there is no author, you can list the title of the article first. Retrieval dates are only needed for pages that will likely be updated frequently.

When you cite the electronic version of a print publication (e.g., a magazine, newspaper, or dictionary), you add the URL to the end of the typical print reference format.

QuillBot’s free APA Citation Generator can automatically generate APA Style citations for you.

How to cite an online article in APA

The format for citations of online articles varies depending on the source of the article.

Online articles from magazines, newspapers, and blogs

Some online sources have print counterparts. For these types of sources (typically newspapers and magazines), the citation is identical to the print version but with the URL added at the end.

Blog posts use the same format, with the blog name substituted for the name of the newspaper or magazine.

Online-only news articles

Citations for articles from news sites without print versions (e.g., NPR, Reuters) have the same information as online articles from print sources. However, the article title should be in italics instead of the site name.

How to cite a website with no author in APA

Often, an organization or government agency is responsible for the content of a web page and can be listed as the author. If this name is the same as the site name, the site name can be left out of the reference.

If there is no person or organization identified as the author, you can place the title of the article or page in place of the author in the reference entry.

For the in-text citation, use the title (shortened if it is a long title). Notice that the title should be capitalized headline-style (with most words capitalized) in the in-text citation but not in the reference list entry.

APA citations of websites with no date

If a web page has no publication or revision date, the abbreviation “n.d.” (“no date”) can be used in place of the date on the reference page and in-text citations.

If the contents of the page will likely be updated, it’s a good idea to include an access date.

APA citations of social media posts

Because posts on social media are typically untitled, the first 20 words of the post can be used as the title (in italics). In square brackets, you can add any relevant details about the type of post and any multimedia additions (e.g., links, videos, images).

Sometimes, users on social media sites go by a username. If possible, use the author’s real name and add the username in square brackets.

Frequently asked questions about APA website citations

What does an APA in-text citation for a website look like?

APA in-text citations for online articles or websites include the author’s last name and publication year: (Patel, 2020). Often, the author is an organization: (National Institutes of Health, 2022).

When citing a quotation, you should include some type of locator. This could be a paragraph number (Patel, 2020, para. 10) or section title (Patel, 2020, Future Plans section).

For further information, read our guide on APA website citations.

How do I cite a source with no page numbers in APA Style?

APA in-text citations of quotations or paraphrases of specific text must include a locator. When no page numbers are available (e.g., when citing a website), you can use paragraph numbers or heading names (or a combination) instead: (Cordero, 2021, Key Facts section, para. 3).

When you refer to the source as a whole, you do not need to include any locator information.

How do I cite a source with no author in APA Style?

Often, when there is no individual author listed, the source can be attributed to an organization or agency (e.g., a report, a press release, a company’s website). In these cases, the organization name can be used in place of the author in both the APA in-text citation and APA reference page.

If there is no individual or organizational author (as is the case with some website sources), the title can be used instead. In the in-text citation, long titles can be shortened, and they can be formatted as in the reference list (i.e., either in italics or in quotation marks).

When should I include an access date in an APA citation?

Access dates are not normally required in APA Style in-text citations or references. They are never needed for online journal articles or ebooks.

But, if you create an APA citation for a website that is likely to be updated in the future, you should include an access date. For example:

The University of Texas at Arlington. (n.d.) Our alumni make history. Retrieved May 9, 2024, from www.uta.edu/about/alumni

How do I cite a source with an unknown author or publication date in APA?

In APA in-text citations, sources without a known author should be cited using the source title or organization name (Quillbot, 2024).

Sources without a publication date can use “n.d.” in lieu of the date (Yintl, n.d.).