How to Cite a Website in Chicago Style

Websites have become indispensable sources for academic research, from government databases to university press publications. Citing websites in Chicago style requires attention to available publication information and the distinction between the page and the site. This guide covers both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems with practical examples for various website types.

Information to Gather from Websites

Before creating your website citation, collect these elements:

• Author or creator name (if available)
• Page title (the specific page you’re citing, not the website name)
• Website or organization name (the overall site)
• URL (the complete web address)
• Publication date or access date
• Any relevant sections or article numbers

Navigate to the page you’re citing and check the header, footer, and about sections for this information.

Notes-Bibliography System for Websites

The Notes-Bibliography system requires specific formatting for website citations to distinguish them from print sources.

Full Note for Website

1. Author First Last, "Page Title," Website Name, accessed Month Day, Year, URL.

Real-world example:

1. Sarah Mitchell, "Climate Change Policy Updates," Environmental Affairs Network, accessed March 16, 2026, https://www.environmentalaffairs.org/climate-policy-2024.

If the publication date is available (and author is listed):

1. Sarah Mitchell, "Climate Change Policy Updates," Environmental Affairs Network, March 15, 2024, https://www.environmentalaffairs.org/climate-policy-2024.

Shortened Note

2. Mitchell, "Climate Change Policy Updates."

Bibliography Entry

Mitchell, Sarah. "Climate Change Policy Updates." Environmental Affairs Network. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://www.environmentalaffairs.org/climate-policy-2024.

Or with publication date:

Mitchell, Sarah. "Climate Change Policy Updates." Environmental Affairs Network. March 15, 2024. https://www.environmentalaffairs.org/climate-policy-2024.

Author-Date System for Websites

Author-Date provides a more streamlined format for in-text citations and reference lists.

In-Text Citation

(Author Year)
(Mitchell 2024)

If no author is available:

(Website Name Year or Access Date)
(Environmental Affairs Network 2024)

Reference List Entry

Author Last, First. Year. "Page Title." Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Real-world example:

Mitchell, Sarah. 2024. "Climate Change Policy Updates." Environmental Affairs Network. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://www.environmentalaffairs.org/climate-policy-2024.

Websites with No Author Listed

When an author isn’t identified, begin the citation with the page title and website name.

Notes-Bibliography Without Author

1. "Page Title," Website Name, accessed Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

1. "Data Privacy Guidelines," Privacy International, accessed March 14, 2026, https://www.privacyinternational.org/guidelines.

Author-Date Without Author

In-text:

(Privacy International)

Reference list:

Privacy International. "Data Privacy Guidelines." Accessed March 14, 2026. https://www.privacyinternational.org/guidelines.

Organization as Author

When a website is operated by an organization without individual authors, use the organization name as the author.

Notes-Bibliography with Organizational Author

1. World Health Organization, "Global Health Statistics 2024," WHO.int, accessed March 10, 2026, https://www.who.int/publications/health-statistics-2024.

Author-Date with Organizational Author

Reference list:

World Health Organization. 2024. "Global Health Statistics 2024." WHO.int. Accessed March 10, 2026. https://www.who.int/publications/health-statistics-2024.

Government and Educational Institution Websites

Government websites, university pages, and institutional publications follow the same format but may emphasize organizational authority.

Notes-Bibliography Government Website

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Regulations on Air Quality Standards," EPA.gov, accessed March 12, 2026, https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-standards.

Author-Date Government Website

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Regulations on Air Quality Standards." EPA.gov. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-standards.

Blog Posts and Online Articles

Blog posts and online articles from news sites follow standard website citation format, though publication date is often available.

Notes-Bibliography Blog Post

1. Author First Last, "Post Title," Blog Name, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

1. James Rodriguez, "The Future of Remote Work," WorkplaceTrends Blog, March 15, 2024, https://workplacetrends.blog/future-remote-work.

Author-Date Blog Post

Rodriguez, James. 2024. "The Future of Remote Work." WorkplaceTrends Blog. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://workplacetrends.blog/future-remote-work.

Social Media Posts and Comments

Social media content can be cited but requires careful attention to preservation and context.

Notes-Bibliography Social Media

1. Username, "Post text or title," Platform, Post date, accessed Access date, URL.

Example:

1. @NationalArchives, "New digitized documents from 1920s available online," Twitter, March 14, 2024, accessed March 16, 2026, https://twitter.com/NationalArchives/status/1234567890.

Online Videos and Multimedia

Website-hosted videos follow a similar format with emphasis on platform and date.

Notes-Bibliography Online Video

1. Creator Name, "Video Title," Platform, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

1. Dr. Sarah Chen, "Quantum Computing Explained," YouTube, March 10, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Websites Without Clear Publication Dates

When publication date is unavailable, rely on access date and emphasize it in the citation.

Notes-Bibliography No Publication Date

1. Author, "Page Title," Website Name, accessed Month Day, Year, URL.

Author-Date No Publication Date

In the reference list, use “n.d.” (no date) and emphasize the access date:

Author Last, First. n.d. "Page Title." Website Name. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Locate the page title (usually at the top of the web page).

Step 2: Identify the author or organization responsible for the page.

Step 3: Find the website name (may differ from URL).

Step 4: Note the publication date if available; if not, record your access date.

Step 5: Copy the complete URL from the address bar.

Step 6: Determine whether access date or publication date is more relevant.

Step 7: Format according to Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date guidelines.

Step 8: Verify all information for accuracy and completeness.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using only the domain name instead of the specific page title
2. Omitting quotation marks around the page title
3. Forgetting to include the website name in addition to the URL
4. Using only the access date when publication date is available
5. Including unnecessary URL parameters or tracking codes
6. Inconsistent formatting between website and print source citations
7. Confusing the website name with the organization name

Choosing Between URLs and DOIs

When a website offers both a DOI and URL, prefer the DOI as it provides permanent access:

1. Author, "Page Title," Website, Year, https://doi.org/10.1234/example.

Maintaining URLs in Long Papers

For papers with numerous website citations, consider using a shortened URL service or footnotes to manage length, though the full URL should be available for verification.

Practice Examples

Example 1: Standard Website with Author and Publication Date

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Jennifer Adams, "Digital Transformation in Small Business," Business Review Online, February 28, 2024, https://www.businessreviewonline.com/digital-transformation.

Bibliography:
Adams, Jennifer. "Digital Transformation in Small Business." Business Review Online. February 28, 2024. https://www.businessreviewonline.com/digital-transformation.

Author-Date:

(Adams 2024)

Adams, Jennifer. 2024. "Digital Transformation in Small Business." Business Review Online. https://www.businessreviewonline.com/digital-transformation.

Example 2: Government Website with Organization Author

Notes-Bibliography:

1. U.S. Census Bureau, "2024 Population Estimates," Census.gov, accessed March 16, 2026, https://www.census.gov/population-estimates-2024.

Author-Date:

(U.S. Census Bureau 2024)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. "2024 Population Estimates." Census.gov. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://www.census.gov/population-estimates-2024.

Example 3: Blog Post

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Marcus Williams, "AI Ethics in Healthcare," Tech Ethics Today, March 1, 2024, https://techethicstoday.blog/ai-healthcare-ethics.

Author-Date:

(Williams 2024)

Williams, Marcus. 2024. "AI Ethics in Healthcare." Tech Ethics Today. https://techethicstoday.blog/ai-healthcare-ethics.

Citing Websites with Confidence

Websites range from peer-reviewed journals to personal blogs, so evaluating source credibility is important alongside accurate citation. Chicago style provides clear guidelines to distinguish website sources from others and ensure your citations enable readers to locate and verify your sources.

Use our citation generator to format your website citations accurately, and always verify that URLs are complete and functional at the time of submission. With these guidelines, you’ll cite websites professionally while maintaining academic integrity.