If you need to cite regular web pages, blogs, unpublished books in APA format, or forum posts, you are reading the right article! All you need to do is follow a few simple steps to properly sort and format the information. Keep in mind that books, articles, and magazines published on the internet must be cited using the same format as printed books, articles, and magazines.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Citing a Website or Blog
Step 1. Write the author's name
The name must be written in the format “last name, first initials”. If there are multiple authors, list the names in “last name, first initial” format, separating each name with a comma, and inserting the symbol and (“&”) before the last author's name. As an example:
- Purwadinata, H.
- Purwadinata, H. & Storia, E.
Step 2. Insert the issue date
The date must be stated in the “year-month-date” format, and insert a comma to separate the year and month (adjust the name of the month according to the language used). Enter the date in parentheses, followed by a period. As an example:
- Purwadinata, H. (2012, December 31).
- Purwadinata, H. & Storia, E. (2010, May 1).
Step 3. Enter the title of the document
The title of the document is the name of the web page or blog post, and not the name of the website or blog as a whole. Capitalize the first letter of the first word only, and end the name with a period. Here are some examples:
- Purwadinata, H. (2012, December 31). Statistics and analysis.
- Purwadinata, H. & Storia, E. (2010, May 1). Source citation rules.
Step 4. Include a description of the format
After entering a title, describe the publication format from which you are citing (eg a blog post or web page). Capitalize the first letter in the first word of the format name, enter the format name in parentheses, and end with a period. As an example:
- Purwadinata, H. (2012, December 31). Statistics and analysis [Web page] (or “web page” for English).
- Purwadinata, H. & Storia, E. (2010, May 1). Source citation rules. [blog upload] (or “blog post” for English).
Step 5. End the citation entry with source retrieval information
Write “Accessed from” (or “Retrieved from” for English), then enter the URL of the quoted page. As an example:
- Purwadinata, H. (2012, December 31). Statistics and analysis [Web page]. Accessed from
- Purwadinata, H. & Storia, E. (2010, May 1). Source citation rules. [Blog upload]. Accessed from
Step 6. Include the author's name and year of publication for the in-text citation
If you need to include a citation in the text, just type in an opening parenthesis, enter the author's last name, add a comma, and include the year of publication. End entries with closing brackets. As an example:
- (Purwadinata, 2012).
- (Purwadinata & Storia, 2010).
Method 2 of 4: Citing Websites without Author's Name
Step 1. Enter the title of the article or page
Don't type the title in quotation marks or italic text. Only capitalize the first letter of the first word, as well as your own name. Add a dot after it. As an example:
Colorado River Analysis
Step 2. Determine the issue date if possible
Enter the date in parentheses in the “year-month-date” format and insert a comma between the year and month. If only the year information is available, simply add the year. If there is no issue date information, enter “n.d.” (no date or no date). Continue with closing brackets and periods. As an example:
- Colorado River Analysis. (2011, May 28).
- The Water Shortage Phenomenon in the United States (n.d.).
Step 3. Enter the date of access
Enter the date the document was accessed, starting with the word " Retrieved " (or "Accessed on"). Type the date in the “month-date-year” format, and add a comma after it. As an example:
Colorado River Analysis. (2011, May 28). Retrieved January 1, 2013,
Step 4. Enter the name of the website and the URL of the information source
To add a site name, start with the word “from” (or “from” in Indonesian). Enter the site name, then follow it with a colon. End with the source URL.
Colorado River Analysis. (2011, May 28). Accessed January 1, 2013, from Water Problems:
Method 3 of 4: Citing Books Online
Step 1. Use this format only if the source book was never printed
Usually, books available on the internet need to be cited in the same format as printed books. However, if the book is only available on the internet and has never been printed, the format used is slightly different.
Step 2. Enter the author's name
Each name must be added in the “last name, first name initial” format. Enter the author's middle initial if available.
- Davis, J.
- Doyle, A. C.
Step 3. Enter the date of issue
Dates must be entered in “year-month-date” format, with a comma after the year information. Close date entries with closing brackets. If there is no date information, write the abbreviation “n.d.” (no date). Continue with closing brackets and periods.
- Davis, J. (n.d.).
- Doyle, A. C. (1900).
Step 4. Type in the name of the e-book
Write the title in italics and capitalize the first letter of the first word. If there is a subtitle, capitalize the first letter of the first word after the colon.
- Davis, J. (n.d.). Familiar birdsongs of the Northwest
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Step 5. Determine the format of the book
After entering the title, enter the book format in square brackets. End with a dot.
- Davis, J. (n.d.). Familiar birdsongs of the Northwest [Kindle X version] (or “Kindle X version” for English).
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [EPUB version] (or “EPUB version” for English).
Step 6. Enter the URL
If the source text is directly accessible, include the source URL, beginning with the phrase " Retrieved from ". If the text must be purchased or is not available directly, prefix the URL with the phrase " Available from " or "Available in".
- Davis, J. (n.d.). Familiar birdsongs of the Northwest [EPUB version]. Available at https://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio? inkey=1-9780931686108-0
- Doyle, A. C. (1900). The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [EPUB version]. Accessed from
Method 4 of 4: Citing Forum Websites
Step 1. Enter the author's name (or username)
If available, use the author's real name in the “last name, first initial, middle initial” format. If the author doesn't include his real name, use his screen name or username.
- Vallen, V.
- ViaVallenLover1900.
Step 2. Enter the date of issue
Due to its shape as a message board or online forum, the date of publication is almost always displayed on every post. Enter the date in “year-month-date” format and enter it in parentheses. End with a dot.
Vallen, V. (2006, January 8)
Step 3. Enter the title of the upload
Capitalize the first letter of the first word. Don't italicize the title or type it in quotes.
Vallen, V. (2006, January 8). Famous discoveries in astronomy
Step 4. Include identification entries if possible
If a post or message number is available, include it in square brackets. If it's not available, you can skip this step. End with a dot after it.
- Vallen, V. (2006, January 8). Famous discoveries in astronomy [14th Message] (or “Msg 14” for English).
- Kharisma, N. (2008, October 17). New news report.
Step 5. Include the URL of the page or forum containing the message
Enter a thread specific URL and start with the phrase " Message posted to " (or "Message uploaded to" in Indonesian)
