How to Cite a Website in APA Format

Learning how to cite a website APA style is essential for students, researchers, and professionals who rely on online sources. APA (American Psychological Association) format is commonly used in the social sciences and some natural sciences to ensure clear attribution and consistent references.

This guide explains APA 7th edition rules, practical steps for common source types, in-text citation techniques, and a sample reference list. Use Rephrasely's free citation generator at https://rephrasely.com/citation to create citations automatically and reduce manual errors.

General Rules

Use APA 7th edition guidelines: author, date, title, source. For web-only sources, include the URL; do not include retrieval dates unless the content is designed to change over time (e.g., wikis).
Reference list entries are double-spaced with a hanging indent of 0.5 inches. If you use a citation generator, check spacing and indentation before submitting.
Titles of web pages are in sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns capitalized). Website names are in title case when cited separately.
If no author is listed, begin the entry with the title. If no date is provided, use (n.d.) for “no date.”
Provide DOIs for journal articles when available. If a DOI is not available, use the direct URL of the article.

How to Cite by Source Type

The following step-by-step formats use APA 7th edition. Use code-style formatting for examples to make them easy to copy.

Website (web page)

Format: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL

Example:

Smith, J. (2022, March 15). How to build a study plan. Helpful Learning. https://www.helpfullearning.org/study-plan

Steps:

Find the author. If an organization is responsible, use the organization as author.
Use the most specific date available (year, month day).
Write the page title in sentence case and include the website name if it’s different from the author.
Finish with the direct URL.

Book

Format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book (Edition if not first). Publisher.

Example:

Brown, L. M. (2019). Research methods for social science (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

Note: Do not include publisher location in APA 7th edition.

Scholarly Journal Article (with DOI)

Format: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example:

Perez, K., & Liu, S. (2020). Social media and attention spans. Journal of Media Psychology, 12(3), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1234/jmp.2020.0345

Online Report or Government Publication

Format: Organization Name. (Year). Title of report (Report No. if available). URL

Example:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Mental health indicators during the pandemic. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/report2021.pdf

YouTube Video

Format: Author or Username. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Site Name. URL

Example:

KhanAcademy. (2018, June 5). Thermodynamics basics [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxx

Blog Post

Format: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Blog Name. URL

Example:

Garcia, M. (2023, January 10). Ten quick tips for remote research. Researcher’s Corner. https://www.researcherscorner.com/remote-research

In-Text Citations

In-text citations briefly identify the source in the body of your paper. They correspond to the full reference list entry.

Two main styles:

Parenthetical: include author and year in parentheses. Example: (Smith, 2022).
Narrative: include the author in the sentence and the year in parentheses. Example: Smith (2022) recommends creating a study schedule.

Rules and examples:

One author: (Brown, 2019).
Two authors: use both names every time: (Perez & Liu, 2020).
Three or more authors: use the first author et al.: (Davis et al., 2021).
No author: use a shortened title in quotation marks and the year: (“How to build,” 2022).
Direct quote: include page or paragraph number: (Garcia, 2023, para. 4) or (Brown, 2019, p. 45).

Reference List

The reference list appears at the end of your paper and includes full publication details for every source cited.

Key formatting rules:

Title the list “References” and center it at the top of the page (APA style).
Entries are alphabetized by the first author’s last name or by title when no author is present.
Use a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 in.).
Include DOIs as hyperlinks when available. Use full URLs for web sources.

Sample reference list (APA-style entries):

Brown, L. M. (2019). Research methods for social science (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

Garcia, M. (2023, January 10). Ten quick tips for remote research. Researcher’s Corner. https://www.researcherscorner.com/remote-research

Perez, K., & Liu, S. (2020). Social media and attention spans. Journal of Media Psychology, 12(3), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1234/jmp.2020.0345

Smith, J. (2022, March 15). How to build a study plan. Helpful Learning. https://www.helpfullearning.org/study-plan

Actionable tip: generate references using Rephrasely's free citation generator, then paste results into your document and format spacing and indentation to match your professor’s requirements.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect author order or capitalization: Always list last names first and use initials for given names. Example error: john smith instead of Smith, J..
Omitting the date or using an incorrect date format. Use (n.d.) only when the source truly has no date.
Leaving out the URL or DOI, or including a URL that leads to a login page. Use direct public URLs or DOIs; do not use shortened links unless required.
Mixing citation styles. Don’t combine MLA or Chicago formatting with APA. Use consistent APA 7 rules for both in-text and reference entries.

Practical Workflow and Tools

To simplify citation tasks, follow this quick workflow: collect author, date, title, site name, and URL when you save a web source. Store this metadata in a citation tool or a note manager for later use.

Use Rephrasely's citation generator (https://rephrasely.com/citation) to auto-create proper APA entries. After generating citations, verify them manually for author names and dates. If you write with AI, Rephrasely’s AI writer and paraphraser can help craft content, while the plagiarism checker and AI detector can ensure originality and transparency. For multi-language sources, the translator tool can help check titles and author names.

Quick Checklist Before Submission

All in-text citations have corresponding reference list entries.
Reference list is alphabetized and uses hanging indents.
Correct use of italics (journal titles and book titles) and sentence case for article/webpage titles.
DOIs and URLs are included and clickable if submitting electronically.
Formatting consistent with APA 7 rules (double spacing, font, margins).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a web page with no author in APA?

Begin the reference with the title of the page, followed by the date (or (n.d.) if no date), the website name (if different), and the URL. Example: How to make study schedules. (n.d.). Student Success. https://www.studentsuccess.org/study-schedules. In-text, use a shortened title and year: (“How to make study schedules,” n.d.).

When should I include a retrieval date for a website?

Include a retrieval date only for sources that are designed to change over time, such as wikis or frequently updated dashboards. Format: Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL. For most stable web pages, do not include a retrieval date.

Can I use a citation generator for all my references?

Yes—citation generators like Rephrasely's free citation generator can save time and reduce errors. Always double-check generated citations for correct author names, dates, and URLs. Use tools such as the plagiarism checker and AI detector if you relied on AI-generated text to ensure originality and proper attribution.

How to Cite a Website in APA Format