How to Cite Websites in AMA Style

Website Citation Basics

Digital sources have become increasingly important in medical and scientific research. Websites provide access to current information, clinical guidelines, government health information, and professional organization standards. Properly citing web sources in AMA format requires including specific elements that help readers verify and locate the information.

AMA website citations differ from print sources by including access dates and complete URLs, reflecting the dynamic nature of web content that may change over time.

Basic Website Citation Format

The standard AMA format for website citations is:

Number. Author/Organization. Page title. Website Name. Publication/Update date. Accessed date. URL

Example:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Guidance and Recommendations. CDC Website. Updated March 10, 2026. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Breaking down the elements:

• 1. = Reference number
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention = Organization/Author
• COVID-19 Guidance and Recommendations = Page title
• CDC Website = Website name
• Updated March 10, 2026 = Last update date
• Accessed March 15, 2026 = Your access date
• https://www.cdc.gov/… = Complete URL

Author or Organization Names

For websites with identifiable authors, use their names:

Smith JA. Health Technology Blog. Published March 2026. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.healthtech.blog

For organizational websites, use the organization name:

American Heart Association. Cardiovascular Health Information. American Heart Association. Updated 2026. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.heart.org

If no author or organization is clearly identified, begin with the page title.

Page Title Formatting

Webpage titles appear in quotation marks with sentence-case capitalization:

"Clinical guidelines for managing hypertension"
"Resources for patient education in diabetes care"

Website Name

The name of the overall website appears after the page title:

Page Title. Website Name.

For example:

"Patient Safety Resources." Joint Commission.
"Mental Health Support Services." National Institute of Mental Health.

Publication and Update Dates

Use whichever date is most recent and relevant:

• Published date: Use when the content was originally created
• Updated date: Use when the content was last modified
• Accessed date: Always include when the content was accessed

Format dates as Month Day, Year:

Published March 15, 2026
Updated February 2026

If no date is available, note it:

[No publication date available]

Access Dates

Access dates are critical for web citations since content changes frequently. Always include when you accessed the material:

Accessed March 15, 2026
Accessed February 10, 2026

This date should reflect when you actually reviewed and cited the material.

URL Formatting

Include the complete, functional URL:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Do not add “http://” if “https://” is available, as secure connections are preferred. Some URLs are quite long; include the entire URL even if it extends the line.

Government and Institutional Websites

Government health agencies and institutional websites often have comprehensive citation information:

2. National Institutes of Health. Climate Change and Human Health. NIH Climate Change Research Center. Updated 2026. Accessed March 14, 2026. https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/climate-health

Include the specific agency or institute when relevant.

Online Medical Databases

For citations from databases like PubMed, MEDLINE, or medical encyclopedias:

3. PubMed. Article Search Database. National Library of Medicine. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Or for specific content within a database:

4. MedlinePlus. High Blood Pressure. National Library of Medicine. Updated March 2026. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressure.html

Professional Organization Websites

Guidelines and position statements from professional organizations:

5. American Academy of Pediatrics. Immunization Schedules. AAP Website. Updated March 2026. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.aap.org/en/immunization-schedules/

Blog and Social Media Content

For content from blogs or social platforms, use the author’s name (if available):

6. Johnson TA. Advances in Precision Medicine. Health and Technology Blog. Posted February 28, 2026. Accessed March 5, 2026. https://www.healthtech.blog/precision-medicine

For social media posts, include the platform:

7. Anderson ML. [Tweet about new clinical guidelines]. Twitter. Posted March 10, 2026. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://twitter.com/andersonml/status/123456789

PDF and Downloadable Documents

For downloadable files from websites:

8. Williams DD, Martinez SJ. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Chronic Disease Management. PDF document. Department of Health and Human Services. Published 2025. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://www.hhs.gov/guidelines/clinical-practice.pdf

Multimedia Content on Websites

For videos, podcasts, or other multimedia hosted on websites:

9. Chen ML. Understanding New Treatment Options [video]. Medical Education Channel. Posted March 8, 2026. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://www.mededuchannel.com/videos/treatment-options

Websites Without Clear Publication Dates

When publication dates are unavailable:

10. Thompson JR. Health Information Resources. Medical Information Portal. [No publication date]. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.medicalinfo.portal

Using GenText for Website Citations

GenText helps organize website citations by managing URLs, formatting dates correctly, and ensuring consistent structure across all online sources. The platform reduces the manual work of tracking publication and access dates, which is particularly helpful when managing numerous web sources.

Common Website Citation Errors

Error 1: Incomplete or incorrect URLs. Always verify URLs are functional.

Error 2: Missing access dates. Always note when you accessed the material.

Error 3: Failing to update access dates when revising documents.

Error 4: Using shortened URLs (like bit.ly) instead of full URLs.

Website Citation Verification

Before finalizing website citations:

• Verify the URL is complete and functional
• Confirm author/organization name is accurate
• Note both publication/update date and access date
• Check that page title is accurately copied
• Ensure URL is written in plain format without hyperlinks
• Test the link to confirm it reaches the correct page

Special Website Citation Situations

Website Content That Has Moved: If content has been moved to a new URL, use the new URL and note the change if relevant.

Content That Requires Login: For content behind paywalls or requiring authentication, include access information if relevant to your readers.

Database-Specific Search Pages: For database search results or customized content:

11. PubMed. [Search results for 'antibiotic resistance in hospitals']. National Library of Medicine. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=antibiotic+resistance+hospitals

Conclusion

Properly citing websites in AMA format ensures your medical and scientific writing maintains credibility while providing readers access to web sources. The inclusion of access dates and complete URLs reflects the dynamic nature of web content. By understanding these guidelines and using tools like GenText to manage citations, you maintain professional standards while accurately documenting your sources.