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Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide

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Webpage Citation Overview

Chicago differs from other citation styles in that it treats social media and website citations as similar to personal communication. As such, website citations normally appear only as an in-text citation, or in the notes. Websites are only cited in the bibliography if there are no notes used. In this guide, additional citation examples are provided, as students often seek to cite all sources in the notes and bibliography.

14.207 Citing Web Pages and Websites Quick Guide Examples

  • If a website does not have a date of publication listed, provide the date that you accessed the website as part of the citation
  • The word website or web page (in parentheses) may be added after a title to add clarity to the citation
  • A timestamp may be added to a citation, following the date, for citations to frequently updated content, such as Wikipedia

A note or bibliography citation should include as many of the following elements as possible. If an element is unavailable, skip that element:

  1. title or description of a webpage (if specifically being referenced)
  2. title of the website as a whole
  3. the owner or sponsor of a website
  4. publication date [or date of access if no publication date]
  5. a description of the type of content, if relevant to distinguish it from text (ex. video, audio)
  6. URL to the website

In a shortened note include the website owner's last name or sponsor's full title, as well as a shortened version of the web page or web site.

In a full note, include all of the citation details with elements of the citation separated by commas rather than periods. 

In the bibliography, invert the first author's name, so that the last name appears first. Organize the bibliography by the author's last names. If it is a corporate or organization website, arrange alphabetically in the bibliography list, by the name (Ex. Government of Canada). Separate elements of the citation by periods instead of commas. Include the full page range of the article.

Webpage Example

In-text

In the text of your paper, even when using notes and bibliography style, cite social media as an in-text citation if there is limited use of the source.

Sample sentence for Website citation (shown with Note #10 below): The Bio page on Ibram X. Kendi's website details his impressive academic publication record and provides insight into his personal life. 

Follow Notes and Bibliography examples only if item is used frequently or the source is examined extensively

Shortened Note

10. Kendi, "Bio."

Note 

10. "Bio," Ibram X. Kendi (website), accessed June 29, 2020, https://www.ibramxkendi.com/about.

Bibliography 

Kendi, Ibram X. "Bio." Ibram X. Kendi (website). Accessed June 29, 2020. https://www.ibramxkendi.com/about.
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