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APA 7th

Web and social media

Websites (but not a specific document/page on that site)

Rule

When citing an entire website with no mention of a specific page or particular information on the website, it is sufficient to give the address of the site in the text. No reference list entry is required.

Format

(Whole website address)

Example

Apple is one of the most visited consumer technology websites in the world (https://www.apple.com).

Web page with author

Format

(Author’s surname, year)

Example

In a recent article on the 1918 flu pandemic Tobias (2020) suggested …


OR


. . . in the 1918 pandemic (Tobias, 2020)

Web page with corporate author

Format

(Organisation name, year of publication)

Example

A webpage regarding educational discounts offered by Samsung (2020) states . . 


OR


Information on education discounts are offered by one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies (Samsung, 2020)

Web page, unknown author

Rule

Give the first few words of the title. If the title is from an article use double quotation marks. Also include the year of publication.

Format

(“Page title”, Year)

Example

An Australian government agency recommends checking rainwater tanks in Queensland (“Unsealed rainwater tanks”, 2019).

Web page, no date

Rule

Use the letters n.d. - an abbreviation of the words ‘no date’.

Format

(Author, n.d.)

Example

In a self-published autobiographical article, audiovisual organisation Bose (n.d.) mention . . .


OR


The company’s history is outlined in a self-published autobiography (Bose, n.d.)

Tips

  • Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view other examples such as multiple authors.

Reference list

Format

Author, A. A. & Author, B. B. (YYYY, Month DD). Title of work. Site Name. https://xxxxxx

Website examples

Craig, E. (2020, April 9). How boredom can inspire adventure. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200408-how-boredom-can-inspire-adventure


Monash University. (n.d.). A proud history. https://www.monash.edu/about/who/history

Documents examples

Hughes, L., & McMichael, T. (2011). The critical decade: Climate change and health. Climate Council. https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/uploads/1bb6887d6f8cacd5d844fc30b0857931.pdf 


Department of Health and Human Services. (2018, March 27). Guide for community and not-for-profit groups: Cake stalls. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/publications/policiesandguidelines/guide-for-community-cake-stalls-mar-18

Tips

  • Give the most specific date possible; include retrieval date only if the content is designed to change and the page is not archived.  In that case end with: Retrieved Month DD, Year, from https://xxxxxx
  • Use the year of publication if there is no more specific date, or if the source undergoes regular revision, use the most recent update.
  • Use (n.d.), i.e. no date where no publication date is available.
  • Regardless of how specific the date you use is, the in-text citation entry requires only YYYY.
  • Omit the site name when it is the same as the author.
  • When mentioning an entire website in general, in your text give the URL in parentheses (no in-text citation or reference list entry is required) e.g. We created our references using the APA Style (https://apastyle.org).

Reference list

Format

Post 

Author, A. A. [Screen name if applicable]. (YYYY, Month DD). Post title. Blog name. https://xxxxxx



Comment

Author, A. A. (YYYY, Month DD). Title or first sentence [Comment “article or post title”]. Blog name. https://xxxxxx

Example

Post

Thomson, P. (2020, September 7). LitReview–Getting to structure, part one. Patter. https://patthomson.net/



Comment

Langan, K. (2020, September 9). This was really useful, thanks so much for sharing! [Comment on the post LitReview–Getting to structure, part one”]. Patter. https://patthomson.net/2020/09/07/litreview-getting-to-structure-part-one/#comments

Tips

  • If the author's full name is not listed use their screen name without brackets.
  • If the author is a group or a company do not use a full stop between the author's name and the screen name.
  • Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view other examples such as multiple authors.

In-text citation

Format

(Author family name, year of publication).

Example

...(National Geographic, 2020)


OR


National Geographic (2020)...

Tips

  • Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view other examples such as multiple authors.

Reference list

Format

Profile

Author, A. A. or Group Name [@username]. (n.d.). Content up to first 20 words [X profle]. X. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://xxxxxx


Post

Author, A. A. or Group Name [@username]. (YYYY, Month DD). Content up to first 20 words [Post]. X. https://xxxxxx

Example

Profile

APA Style [@APA_Style]. (n.d.). Posts [X profile]. X. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from https://twitter.com/APA_Style


Post

National Geographic [@NatGeo]. (2020, August 17). Ravens can plan for the future. Octopuses create armor out of coconut shells. Some animals have senses we can’t even understand  [Thumbnail with link attached] [Post]. X. https://twitter.com/NatGeo/status/1295090469072928773

Tips

  • If the post includes an image or link to an article indicate that in square brackets after the title; for example [Video attached], [Image attached].

In-text citation

Format

(Author family name or Username or Group Name, year of publication).

Example

. . . (World Health Organization, 2020)


OR


World Health Organization (2020) . . .

Tips

  • Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view other examples such as multiple authors.

Reference list

Format

Page

Author, A. A. or Username or Group Name. (n.d.). Update title up to first 20 words [Page type]. Facebook. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://xxxxxx


Post

Author, A. A. or Username or Group Name. (YYYY, Month DD). Update title up to first 20 words [Page type]. Facebook. https://xxxxxx

Example

Page

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://www.facebook.com/WHO/


Post

World Health Organization. (2020, January 14). Urgent health challenges for the next decade: [exclamation mark emoji] Elevating health in the climate debate. The climate crisis is a health crisis [Image attached]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/WHO/photos/a.167668209945237/2853056008073097/?type=3&theater


World Health Organization. (2020, September 24). How to wear a fabric mask safely during COVID-19: Don'ts. [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/WHO/videos/1010459366082970

Tips

  • Replicate emojis where possible or include name in square brackets. For example [winking face emoji] for https://emojipedia.org/winking-face/  

 

For examples of Web-based documents, see Government and business reports in this guide.
For further guidance, see the Social Media and Webpages and Websites sections in the APA Style website