Do I need to include the access date for all websites?

Yes, AMA style requires the access date for websites since online content can change. Use the format 'Accessed Month Day, Year.'

How do I format the URL in an AMA citation?

Include the complete URL without 'http://' or 'https://'. If the URL is very long, include the main web address. Some publishers allow shortened URLs.

What if the website doesn't have an author?

If there's no author, use the organization or institution name as the author. If neither exists, start with the website title.

How to Cite a Website in AMA Style

Websites are increasingly important sources in medical and health sciences research. AMA style provides specific guidelines for citing web pages, online resources, and digital content. This guide covers all aspects of website citation in AMA format.

Basic Website Citation Format

The standard format for citing a website in AMA style includes:

Author/Organization. Title of webpage. Website name. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Key components:

Author or organization name
Title of the specific web page
Name of the website
Publication date (if available)
Access date (required)
Complete URL

Individual Author Website Citation

When a website page has an identifiable author:

Author initials. Last name. Title of webpage. Website Name. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Smith JA. Understanding cardiovascular risk factors. American Heart Association. Published January 15, 2024. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.heart.org/en/about-us/cardiovascular-risk-factors

Breaking this down:

Author: Smith JA
Page title: Understanding cardiovascular risk factors
Website: American Heart Association
Published: January 15, 2024
Accessed: March 16, 2026
URL: www.heart.org/en/about-us/cardiovascular-risk-factors

Organization as Author

When an organization or institution authored the page, use the organization name as the author:

Organization Name. Title of webpage. Organization Website. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics. American Heart Association. Updated January 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.heart.org/statistics

Government Website Citation

Government websites follow the same format with the agency name as author:

Agency Name. Title of webpage. Agency Website. Published/Updated Date. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment. CDC.gov. Updated March 10, 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/index.html

Educational Institution Websites

Educational sites follow standard format:

Institution Name. Title of page. Institution Website. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Stanford School of Medicine. Clinical Trial Resources. Stanford Medicine. Published February 2025. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.stanford.edu/clinical-trials

Website Pages Without Publication Dates

When a publication date is unavailable, use “Accessed” with the date you retrieved the information:

Author/Organization. Title of webpage. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: National Institutes of Health. Biomedical Research Overview. NIH.gov. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/biomedical-research

Website Pages With Update Information

Include update dates when available:

Organization. Title of page. Website Name. Updated Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: World Health Organization. Global Health Data. WHO. Updated March 1, 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.who.int/data/gho

Complex URL Structures

For pages with very long URLs, use the main website address:

Author. Title of webpage. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. www.website.com

Or use the DOI if available:

Author. Title of webpage. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. doi:xxxxx

Complete Website Citation Examples

Example 1: Medical Organization Website

American Medical Association. Medical Student Education. AMA Education. Published 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.ama-assn.org/education

Example 2: University Medical Center Website

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Cardiac Surgery Overview. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Updated January 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/cardiac-surgery

Example 3: Professional Society Website

American College of Cardiology. Cardiovascular Guidelines. ACC.org. Published February 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.acc.org/guidelines

Example 4: Government Health Agency

National Cancer Institute. Understanding Cancer. Cancer.gov. Updated March 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding

Example 5: Individual Author on Medical Website

Johnson BC. Diabetes Management Strategies. Endocrine Society. Published December 2025. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.endocrine.org/diabetes-management

News Articles from Websites

For news articles published online:

Author initials. Last name. Headline. Publication Name. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Williams RT. New gene therapy shows promise in clinical trials. Medical News Today. Published March 10, 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gene-therapy-clinical-trials

Blog Posts and Opinion Content

Blog posts and opinion pieces follow similar format:

Author initials. Last name. Blog post title. Blog Name. Published Month Day, Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Davis KE. The future of personalized medicine. The Medical Perspective Blog. Published February 28, 2026. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.medperspective.com/future-personalized-medicine

PDF Documents from Websites

When citing a PDF from a website:

Author/Organization. Document Title. Website Name; Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: American Board of Medical Specialties. Certification Standards for Internal Medicine. ABMS. 2025. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.abms.org/pdf/internal-medicine-standards.pdf

In-Text Citation

In your paper, cite the website using a superscript number:

“According to the American Heart Association,¹ cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death.”

The superscript corresponds to the reference list entry with the complete website citation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Missing Access Date

Wrong: Smith JA. Understanding blood pressure. American Heart Association. www.heart.org/blood-pressure Correct: Smith JA. Understanding blood pressure. American Heart Association. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.heart.org/blood-pressure

Always include the access date.

Mistake 2: Incomplete URL

Wrong: Williams RT. Topic title. Website. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.website.com Correct: Williams RT. Topic title. Website. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.website.com/article/specific-page

Use the complete page URL, not just the domain.

Mistake 3: Italicizing the Website Title

Wrong: Author. Title. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL Correct: Author. Title. Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Only italicize publication names for journal or magazine articles online, not general website names.

Mistake 4: Missing Author or Organization

Wrong: Cardiovascular health overview. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.heart.org Correct: American Heart Association. Cardiovascular health overview. American Heart Association. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.heart.org

Always include the author or organization.

Mistake 5: Incorrect Date Format

Wrong: Brown LD. Title. Website. Accessed 3/16/26. URL Correct: Brown LD. Title. Website. Accessed March 16, 2026. URL

Use the full month name, day, and four-digit year.

Finding Website Citation Information

Checking Page Source

Right-click on a webpage and select “View Page Source” to find publication or update dates in meta tags.

Publisher Information

Look for publication information at the bottom of the page or in “About” sections.

Wayback Machine

For archived pages, the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine shows when pages were last captured.

Contacting Webmaster

If dates are unclear, contact the website administrator for publication information.

Citation Managers for Websites

Citation management tools can capture website information:

Zotero: Browser extension captures page metadata automatically
Mendeley: Web clipper function for saving web content
OneTab: Organizes tabs for later citation
Pocket: Saves articles with complete information

Dynamic vs. Static Content

Static Web Pages

Pages that remain relatively unchanged should be cited with access date.

Dynamic Content

For pages updated frequently (like news sites), include both publication and access dates.

Live Data Sites

For sites with constantly updating data, note that you accessed it on the specific date, as the information may have changed.

Practical Citation Checklist

Before finalizing your website citation, verify:

Author or organization name is correct
Page title matches exactly
Website name is accurate
Publication date is included if available
Access date is included
Complete URL is provided
Format matches AMA style exactly
All information came from the webpage

Conclusion

Citing websites in AMA style requires careful attention to specific elements, particularly the access date and complete URL. By following these guidelines, you’ll create accurate citations that allow readers to locate your web sources and understand when the information was accessed. Proper website citation demonstrates scholarly diligence and acknowledges the dynamic nature of online content. Always verify that the website is from a reliable source and that the information meets standards for academic research.