If you want to cite a standard web page, blog, non-printed book, or forum post in APA format, you've come to the right place. All you have to do is follow a few simple steps to order and format the information correctly. Keep in mind that books, articles and magazines published on the Internet should be cited in the same way as books, articles and magazines in their printed versions.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Website or blog
Step 1. Write the name of the author
Put the last name first and then the first initial. If there are multiple authors, include the last name and the initial of the first name of each one, separating them with commas and with the conjunction “and” before the last one. For instance:
- Doe, J.
- Wilcox, M. and Smith, R.
Step 2. Indicate the publication date
The date must be in the format of day, month and year. Write it in parentheses and then put a period at the end. For instance:
- Doe, J. (December 31, 2012).
- Wilcox, M. and Smith, R. (May 1, 2010).
Step 3. Include the title of the document
This should be the name of the page or blog post, not the entire site. It begins with a capital letter in the first word and in proper names, and ends with a period. Here are some examples:
- Doe, J. (December 31, 2012). Statistics and analysis.
- Wilcox, M. and Smith, R. (May 1, 2010). Study on citation standards.
Step 4. Write a description of the format
Next, describe the type of online post you are citing, such as a blog or web page post. It begins with a capital letter in the first word, places the information in brackets and ends with a period. For instance:
- Doe, J. (December 31, 2012). Statistics and analysis [Website].
- Wilcox, M. and Smith, R. (May 1, 2010). Study on citation standards [Blog Post].
Step 5. Finish by specifying the location from where you retrieved the information
Type "Retrieved from" and type the URL of the page you are going to cite. For instance:
- Doe, J. (December 31, 2012). Statistics and analysis [Website]. Recovered from
- Wilcox, M. and Smith, R. (May 1, 2010). Study on citation standards [Blog Post]. Recovered from
Step 6. Write only the author and the year in a text citation
If you want to include a citation in text, simply open parentheses, write the author's last name, write a comma and include the year of publication. Finally, close parentheses. For instance:
- (Doe, 2012).
- (Wilcox and Smith, 2010).
Method 2 of 4: Website without an author
Step 1. Enter the name of the article or page
Do not put the title in quotation marks or italics. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word, as well as any proper name. For instance:
Analysis of the Colorado River
Step 2. Specify the publication date if possible
Put the date in parentheses following the format of day, month and year. If you only have the year, include it. If there is no date, write “n.d.”. Write a period after the closing of parentheses. For instance:
- Analysis of the Colorado River (May 28, 2011).
- Water shortage in the US (n.d.).
Step 3. Include the retrieval date
Include the date along with the word "Recovered." Write the date in the format of day, month and year, and end with a comma. For instance:
Analysis of the Colorado River (May 28, 2011). Retrieved on January 1, 2013,
Step 4. Cite the name of the website and the URL from which you got the information
Enter the information with the word "from." Write the website and then include a colon. Lastly, enter the URL.
Analysis of the Colorado River (May 28, 2011). Retrieved on January 1, 2013, from Water Problems:
Method 3 of 4: Book Online
Step 1. Use the format only if the book was never printed
In most cases, online books should be cited in the same way as printed books. However, if they are only available on the Internet but not physically, the format is slightly different.
Step 2. Write the name of the author or authors
It begins with the last name and then the initial of the first name. Include the author's middle initial if available.
- Davis, J.
- Doyle, A. C.
Step 3. Indicate the publication date
The date must be in the format of day, month and year. Put it in parentheses. If not available, write the abbreviation "n.d." and put a period after the closing parentheses.
- Davis, J. (s.f.).
- Doyle, A. C. (1900).
Step 4. Write the name of the e-book
Italicize the title by capitalizing the initial letter of the first word. If there is a subtitle, also capitalize the initial of the first word after the colon.
- Davis, J. (s.f.). Northwest Birdsong.
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). Sherlock Holmes Adventures.
Step 5. Describe the format of the book
After including the title, put the book format in brackets and end with a period.
- Davis, J. (s.f.). Northwest Birdsong [Kindle Version X].
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). Sherlock Holmes Adventures [EPUB Version].
Step 6. Specify the URL
If the document is directly available, enter the URL with the phrase “Retrieved from”. If you can buy it or if it is not directly available, enter the URL with the phrase “Recovered from”.
- Davis, J. (s.f.). Northwest Birdsong [EPUB version]. Available at https://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio? inkey = 1-9780931686108-0
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). Sherlock Holmes Adventures [EPUB Version]. Recovered from
Method 4 of 4: Forum website
Step 1. Mention the author's name or username
If available, use the author's real name by writing his last name first, then his first and middle initials. However, if their real name does not appear, you must include their username.
- Smith, A. B.
- JellybeanLover1900.
Step 2. Include the publication date
Due to the nature of online message boards and forums, the posting date will almost always be listed. Write it in the format of day, month and year enclosed in parentheses. Lastly, write a period.
Smith, A. B. (2006-01-08)
Step 3. Write the name of the publication
Capitalize the initial letter of the first word. However, do not type the title in italics or in quotation marks.
Smith, A. B. (2006-01-08). Famous discoveries in astronomy
Step 4. Include identifiers if possible
If the post or message number is available, put it in brackets. Otherwise, skip this step. Finally, put a period.
- Smith, A. B. (2006-01-08). Famous discoveries in astronomy [msg 14].
- Doe, J. (October 17, 2008). New news to report.
Step 5. Enter the URL of the location where the message was posted
Include the specific URL of the thread and enter it with the phrase “Message posted to”.