Citing a website properly in APA style in the 6th edition format is an essential part of maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism. Website citations give credit to the authors of the original content and provide readers with information to locate the source material. However, websites can often lack specific information (like the author or date), where adjustments might be necessary. This article discusses the various types of formatting of APA 6th edition website citation.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- 1 APA 6th Edition Website Citation – In a Nutshell
- 2 Definition: APA 6th edition website citation
- 3 APA 6th edition website citation
- 4 APA 6th edition website citation: Online articles
- 5 APA 6th edition website citation: No author
- 6 APA 6th edition website citation: No date
- 7 APA 6th edition website citation: Social media
- 8 FAQs
APA 6th Edition Website Citation – In a Nutshell
Here are some key things you should know about APA 6th edition website citation guidelines:
- APA 6th edition website citation includes the author, date of publication, page title, and URL.
- You can begin the APA 6th edition website citation with the article title if there is no author.
- If the page is likely to change with time, the APA 6th edition website citation rules require you to add a retrieval date.
- Furthermore, the APA 6th edition website citation manual dictates that, if you are citing an online variant of a print publication like a newspaper or paper, you use the same style as print with the URL at the end.
Definition: APA 6th edition website citation
APA 6th edition website citation typically includes information such as the author, publication date, page or article title, and URL if you cite an online version of a print publication. See the various types of sources below with examples for general format guidelines according to the APA 6th edition website citation manual.
Examples
Blog post APA 6th edition website citation:
| Format: | Author's last name, Initial(s). (Publication year, month day). Title [Blog post]. Retrieved from URL |
| Reference example: | Smith, J. & Robert, K. B. (2018, June 12). Tips for improving academic performance [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.academics.com/academic-performance-tips |
| In-text citation: | According to an article (Smith & Robert, 2018)... or As mentioned before (Smith & Robert, 2018)… |
Webpage APA 6th edition website citation:
| Format: | Author's last name, Initial(s). (Publication year, month day). Title. Retrieved from URL |
| Reference example: | Smith, J. & Robert, K. B. (2018, December 30). Tips for improving academic performance. Retrieved from https://www.academics.com/academic-performance-tips |
| In-text citation: | In-text citation: According to an article (Smith & Robert, 2018)… or As mentioned before (Smith & Robert, 2018)… |
Newspaper article APA 6th edition website citation:
| Format: | Author's last name, Initial(s). (Publication year, month day). Article title. Print source. Retrieved from URL |
| Reference example: | Smith, J. & Robert, K. B. (2018, July 15). Tips for improving academic performance. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.academics.com/ |
| In-text citation: | According to an article (Smith & Robert, 2018)… or As mentioned before (Smith & Robert, 2018)… |
in Your Thesis
APA 6th edition website citation
According to the APA 6th edition website citation manual, you can refer to a website in your text. In such a case, a URL in parentheses after the site name would be sufficient.
Example
One of the most famous social media platforms, Twitter (https://twitter.com) allows users to share unfiltered options.
APA 6th edition website citation: Online articles
The APA 6th edition website citation guidelines for online article citations differ depending on the article’s source. See the guidelines below:
Articles from blogs
The general APA 6th edition website citation format for blog posts features the words “blog post” and the URL.
Example
William, B. (2021, August 20). Social Media and Intelligence: All you need to know [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://conduct.com/2021/8/10/social-media-and-intelligence-all-you-need-to-know/
Articles from online versions of magazines and newspapers
All online versions of print publications like newspapers are usually cited the same way as their print versions. Note that the citation requires the homepage URL and not the specific article.
Example
McCarthy, M. (2015, May 24). The art of compassion. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.thenewyorktimes.com/
Other online articles
According to the APA 6th edition website citation guidelines, this citation should include a direct URL link to the article instead of the general website.
Example
Gates, J. (2022, May 24). Twitter loses over a billion dollars. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-1092838
The general citation format includes the author’s name. However, some websites do not list their authors. In this case, the author’s name in the in-text citation format can be replaced with the article or page title.
Example
| Format: | Article title. (Date: Year, Month Day). Retrieved from URL |
| Example: | Immigration Bills: New bills regarding immigrants in the US. (2021, August 15). Retrieved from https://www.thenewyorker.com/news/immigration-bills-127820 |
| In-text citation: | (“Immigration bills,” 2021) |
APA 6th edition website citation: No date
Some websites or articles do not list their publication date. When citing such sources, you should replace the date with “n.d.” meaning “no date.” If the online source is likely to change, it would be wise to include the date you accessed it.
Example
| Format: | Author or organization name. (n.d.). Article Title. Retrieved date month day, year, from URL |
| Example: | University of Massachusetts. (n.d.). Psychology introduction. Retrieved June 20, 2021, from https://www/psychologyintroduction.co/psychology-intro.html |
| In-text citation: | (University of Massachusetts, n.d.) |
APA 6th edition website citation: Social media
The APA 6th edition website citation manual for website citation does not offer specific instructions for citing social media content. Instead, the 7th edition covers this area. The rule here is to use the first twenty words of the post as a title in italics.
Example
Marco, B. (2022, May 15). Last week the ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement on the future of the department. Instagram. https://bit.IIy.01i0iki
According to the APA 6th Edition Website Citation manual, you can use the user name in the citation instead of the real name.
FAQs
If a website’s date is not mentioned, you can replace it with the term “n.d.” meaning “no date.”
APA website citations should include the author, publication date, page or article title, and URL.
The basic format for citing online versions of print publications includes the URL at the end of the other standard content in APA website citation.
Any specific page or article citations should include a formal in-text citation and an entry in the reference list page.
