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Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide

Webpage Citation Overview

Chicago differs from other citation styles in that it treats social media and website citations as similar to personal communication. As such, website citations normally appear only as an in-text citation, or in the notes. Websites are only cited formally in the text or in the Reference List if they are used extensively or if the publication requires it. In this guide, additional citation examples are provided, as students often seek to cite all sources formally.

14.207 Citing Web Pages and Websites / Quick Guide Examples

  • If a website does not have a date of publication listed ,type n.d. (for no date) in place of a publication date, and provide the date that you accessed the website as part of the citation
  • The word website or web page (in parentheses) may be added after a title to add clarity to the citation
  • A timestamp may be added to a citation, following the date, for citations to frequently updated content, such as Wikipedia

A reference list citation should include as many of the following elements as possible. If an element is unavailable, skip that element:

  1. the owner or sponsor of a website
  2. publication date [or date of access if no publication date]
  3. title or description of a webpage (if specifically being referenced)
  4. title of the website as a whole
  5. a description of the type of content, if relevant to distinguish it from text (ex. video, audio)
  6. URL to the website

The in-text citation has the name, owner or sponsor of the website and the date in parenthesis. 

Webpage Example

In-text

In the text of your paper, even when using notes and bibliography style, cite social media as an in-text citation if there is limited use of the source.

Sample sentence for Website citation: The Bio page on Ibram X. Kendi's website details his impressive academic publication record and provides insight into his personal life. 

Follow In-text and Reference List examples only if item is used frequently or the source is examined extensively, or a formal citation is required

In-Text

(Kendi, n.d.)

Tip: If the website did have a year of publication available, you do not put a comma in the in-text citation. Ex (Kendi 2020)

Reference List 

Kendi, Ibram X. n.d. "Bio." Ibram X. Kendi (website). Accessed July 23, 2020. https://www.ibramxkendi.com/about.