How to Cite a Website in Chicago Manual of Style (Author-Date)
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
(Author Year) Reference: Author. Year. Page Title. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.
Citation Components
Author or Organization
Full name or organization. Use in (Author Year) format for in-text citations.
Year
Year of publication. Use in parentheses for in-text citations: (Author Year).
Page Title
Title of the webpage in sentence case.
Website Name
Name of website or organization.
Access Date
Month Day, Year format. Include 'Accessed' before the date.
URL
Full web address.
Real-World Example
Example Source
World Health Organization
2023
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines
WHO
June 15, 2023
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/covid-19-vaccine
Formatted Citation
World Health Organization. 2023. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines. WHO. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/covid-19-vaccine.
In-Text Citation
(World Health Organization 2023)
(Author Year) - single source, (Author Year, XX) - with page reference
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
(WHO 2023) - using acronym instead of full name in in-text citation
Right:
(World Health Organization 2023) - use full author name
Why: Chicago author-date style prefers full names in in-text citations unless the acronym is universally known.
Wrong:
Reference: WHO. Vaccines. 2023. Retrieved from https://...
Right:
Reference: World Health Organization. 2023. Coronavirus disease vaccines. WHO. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL
Why: Must include full title, access date format (Month Day, Year), and complete URL.
Wrong:
(WHO, 2023) - using comma instead of space between author and year
Right:
(World Health Organization 2023) - use space, not comma
Why: Chicago author-date uses space between author and year in parenthetical citations, not comma.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I format in-text citations in Chicago author-date style? ▼
(Author Year) format goes in parentheses. For example: (Johnson 2023). Page numbers go after the year: (Johnson 2023, 45).
When should I include the access date? ▼
Include the access date for websites and online sources: Accessed Month Day, Year.
How do I cite if there's no author? ▼
Use the organization name or the title of the page in place of the author.
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