Helpful Hints and Sample Format for Citing the Web Sources

Helpful Hints for Citing the Web Sources

Keep in mind that many resources on the Internet are also available in a print format.

All of the information may not be available for a site; the goal is to provide readers with enough information so they can locate the web site.   So, if you cannot find some of the information, cite what is available (see first two examples – Basic Citation Information and Personal Site).

 

·         Name of the author, compiler, editor, narrator, translator of the site, copyright owner. 

·         If the site is the same as the print version (book, magazine, newspaper, or reference book), give the complete publication information (see sample format for citing print sources above)

o   For an article in an online scholarly journal, give the page numbers, if there are no page number, use the abbreviation, n. pag.

·         If citing the entire web site, italicize the title of the site.  If the web site, has no title, use a description such as Home page (do not italicize)

·         If citing an article from a web site, put the title of the article in quotes and the name of the web site in italics

·         The name of the Publisher or Sponsor of  the site. If none, use N.p.

·         The date on a web site is its copyright date, its date posted, or the  last time page was updated  If there is no date, use n.d.

·         Medium (Web)

·         Date of access (day month year)

·         Web sites usually do not have page numbers. 

The numbers that appear on a hard copy from a printer are the total number of pages printed.  There is an exception: 

Since PDF files are exact copies, if the page numbers are included on the print out of the original article, the page numbers are included in the citation.

 

Sample Format for Citing Web Sources

 

Basic Citation

Example 1

 

(Rainbows).

 

Rainbows.  N.p., 2007. Web. 12 Mar. 2008.

Name of the Web Page.  No Publisher/Sponsor. Publication Date.

    Medium. Date of access. 

Basic Citation

Example 2

 

(“Hurricanes”).

“Hurricanes.”  The Weather Channel. N.p.,   n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2008.   

“Title of the Page.”  Name of the Site. No Publisher/Sponsor, No

     date.  Medium. Date of  access.

Basic Citation

Example 3

Sponsoring Organization

 

(“Smoking Cessation”).

“Smoking Cessation.”  Doctors Against Smoking.

       American Cancer Society, 2009. Web. 10 Mar. 2008. 

       “Title of the Page.”  Name of the Site.  Name of the

       Publisher/Sponsor, Publication Date. Medium.

      Date of access.

 

 

 

 

Personal Site

 

(Johnson).

Johnson, James.  William Shakespeare. N.p., 2009. Web. 12. Sept.

     2002.

Site creator’s last name, first name. (if given)  Name of the Site.  

     No publisher/sponsor, date.  Medium. Date of access

       (if no title is given use Home Page)        

 

Online Dictionary

 

(“Hydrogen”).

“Hydrogen.”  Entry 4, def. 12.  Oxford English Dictionary

       Online.  2nd ed.  Oxford UP, 2008. Web.  20 May 2008.

“Definition.” Entry, Definition number.  Name of Book.  Edition.

       Publisher, year.  Medium.  Date of access.

 

 

 

 

Scholarly Project or Non-Subscription Database

 

(Frost).

Frost, Robert.  “Apple-Picking Time.”  Project Guttenberg.

        Ed. Matthew Hill. Library U of Penn, 2002.  Web.

       19 May 2008.

Author’s last name, first name.  (if given)  “Title of the Work.”

         Name of the Site.  (other information such as editor, if given)

         Publisher/Sponsor, Copyright Date.  Medium.

          Date of access.

 

 

Online Book

Within a

Scholarly Project

 

(Hawthorne).

Hawthorne, Nathaniel.  Complete Works.  1885.  Project Bartleby.

         Ed. Nathan Pullano.  Bartleby, 2007. Web.  25 Apr. 2009.

Author’s last name, first name.  Name of the Book.  Date.  Name

         of the Project.  Editor’s name.  (if given)  Publisher/

        Sponsor,  Date. Medium. Date of access.

 

 

Google Book

 

(Whittier).

Whittier, John.  “A Prayer.” The Freedmen’s Book.  Ed. L Maria

        Child. Boston, 1866. 178. Google Book.  Web. 15

        May 2008.

Author’s last name, first name. “Title of the Essay.”  Name of the

         Book.  Editor (if given). City of Publication, Copyright

         Date.  Page.  Publisher/Sponsor.  Medium.

         Date of access.

 

Online Periodical

Scholarly Journal

 

(Robinson).

Robinson, Amy.  “The Modern IMC.”  English Journal 9.1

      (1999): n. pag. Web. 10 June 2009. 

Author’s last name, first name.  “Title of the Article.”  Name of

         Scholarly Journal Volume. Issue (Year): no pages. 

        Medium. Date of access.

 

 

 

 

Online Magazine

 

(Shine).

Shine, Ann.  “Web Connections.”  U.S. News and World Report.

       US News Online, 20 Aug. 2007.  Web. 10

       Nov. 2009.

Author’s last name, first name.  “Title of the Article.”  Name of

         the Magazine.  Publisher/Sponsor, Date.  Medium. Date of

         access.

 

 

 

Online Newspaper

 

(Gorski).

Gorski, Bob.  “The Kennedy Assassination.”  The New York

         Times.  The New York Times, 22 Nov. 1963. Web. 12 Jan.

        2001.       

Author’s last name, first name.  “Title of the Article.”  Name

         of the Newspaper or Newswire.  Publisher/Sponsor, Date. 

        Web.  Date of access.         

 

Digital Files on the Web

 

 

 

Online Music

 

(Simon).

 

Simon, Paul.  “Spirit Voices.”  The Rhythm of the Saints.  ITunes,

        30 Sept. 2002. Web. 2 Oct. 2002.

Composer or performer.  “Title of the Song.”  Name of the CD.

          (if given)  Publisher/Sponsor, Date.  Medium. Date of

           access.

 

 

Blog Entire

 

(Smith).

Smith, John. A Brave New World. CNN, 27 May 2009. Web.

      19 Sept. 2009.

Author’s last name, first name. Name of the Blog.  Publisher/

      Sponsor, Date.  Medium.  Date of access.

 

 

Blog Entry

 

(Smith).

Smith, John. “It Begins.” A Brave New World. CNN, 27 May

      2009. Web.  19 Sept. 2009.

Author’s last name, first name. “Title of the Entry.” Name of

      the Blog. Publisher/Sponsor, Date.  Medium.  Date of access.

 

 

E-Mail

 

(Schmo).

Schmo, Joseph.  “School.”  Message to Ann Schmo.  22 May

         2002. E-mail.

Writer’s last name, first name.  “Title of message from

      Subject Line.”  (if given) E-mail name of recipient. 

      Date of the message. Medium.

 

 

 

Podcast

(Meyer).

Meyer, Stephanie.  “The Making of Twilight.” Host Lauren

     Anderson.  Teen Reads Podcasts. ALA, 13 Apr. 2007.

     MP3 file. 10 Jan. 2009.

Podcaster’s last name, first name. “Name of the Podcast.” Host.

       Name of the Site.  Publisher/Sponsor, Date.  Medium.

       Date of access.

 

 

 

Online Video Clip

 

(Hush).

Hush, Tony.  “The Quiet Librarian.” YouTube.  N.p.,

     22. Sept. 2008. Web.  28 Oct. 2009.

Author’s last name, first name.  “Title of the Clip.” Title of the  

     Web Site.  No Publisher/Sponsor, Date.  Medium.

     Date of access.