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• Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples

Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples

Published on 19 May 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 7 November 2022.

To reference a website in Harvard style , include the name of the author or organization, the year of publication, the title of the page, the URL, and the date on which you accessed the website.

Different formats are used for other kinds of online source, such as articles, social media posts and multimedia content. You can generate accurate Harvard references for all kinds of sources with our free reference generator:

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Table of contents

Online articles, social media posts, images, videos and podcasts, referencing websites with missing information, frequently asked questions about harvard website references.

Blog posts and online newspaper articles are both referenced in the same format: include the title of the article in quotation marks, the name of the blog or newspaper in italics, and the date of publication.

The format for a magazine article is slightly different. Instead of a precise date, include the month, season, or volume and issue number, depending on what the magazine uses to identify its issues.

The URL and access date information are included only when the article is online-exclusive.

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To reference posts from social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, include the username and the platform in square brackets. Write usernames the way they appear on the platform, with the same capitalization and symbols.

If the post has a title, use it (in quotation marks). If the post is untitled, use the text of the post instead. Do not use italics. If the text is long, you can replace some of it with an ellipsis.

Online content is referenced differently if it is in video, audio or image form.

To cite an image found online, such as an artwork, photograph, or infographic, include the image format (e.g. ‘Photograph’, ‘Oil on canvas’) in square brackets.

Online videos, such as those on YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo and Dailymotion, are cited similarly to general web pages. Where a video is uploaded under the name of an individual, write the name in the usual format. Otherwise, write the username of the uploader as it appears on the site.

If you want to locate a specific point in a video in an in-text citation, you can do so using a timestamp.

For a podcast reference, you just need the name of the individual episode, not of the whole series. The word ‘Podcast’ is always included in square brackets. As with videos, you can use a timestamp to locate a specific point in the in-text citation.

Online sources are often missing information you would usually need for a citation: author, title or date. Here’s what to do when these details are not available.

When a website doesn’t list a specific individual author, you can usually find a corporate author to list instead. This is the organisation responsible for the source:

In cases where there’s no suitable corporate author (such as online dictionaries or Wikis), use the title of the source in the author position instead:

In Harvard style, when a source doesn’t list a specific date of publication, replace it with the words ‘no date’ in both the in-text citation and the reference list. You should still include an access date:

It’s important to assess the reliability of information found online. Look for sources from established publications and institutions with expertise (e.g. peer-reviewed journals and government agencies).

The CRAAP test (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose) can aid you in assessing sources, as can our list of credible sources . You should generally avoid citing websites like Wikipedia that can be edited by anyone – instead, look for the original source of the information in the “References” section.

You can generally omit page numbers in your in-text citations of online sources which don’t have them. But when you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a particularly long online source, it’s useful to find an alternate location marker.

For text-based sources, you can use paragraph numbers (e.g. ‘para. 4’) or headings (e.g. ‘under “Methodology”’). With video or audio sources, use a timestamp (e.g. ‘10:15’).

In Harvard referencing, up to three author names are included in an in-text citation or reference list entry. When there are four or more authors, include only the first, followed by ‘ et al. ’

A Harvard in-text citation should appear in brackets every time you quote, paraphrase, or refer to information from a source.

The citation can appear immediately after the quotation or paraphrase, or at the end of the sentence. If you’re quoting, place the citation outside of the quotation marks but before any other punctuation like a comma or full stop.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, November 07). Reference a Website in Harvard Style | Templates & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 22 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/harvard-website-reference/

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Which citation style should I use?

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Citing Sources: Which citation style should I use?

The citation style you choose will largely be dictated by the discipline in which you're writing. For many assignments your instructor will suggest or require a certain style. If you're not sure which one to use, it's always best to check with your instructor or, if you are submitting a manuscript, the publisher to see if they require a certain style. In many cases, you may not be required to use any particular style as long as you pick one and use it consistently. If you have some flexibility, use the guide below to help you decide.

Disciplinary Citation Styles

• Social Sciences
• Sciences & Medicine
• Engineering

When in doubt, try: Chicago Notes

• Architecture & Landscape Architecture → try Chicago Notes or Chicago Author-Date
• Art → try Chicago Notes
• Art History → use  Chicago Notes
• Dance → try Chicago Notes or MLA
• Drama → try Chicago Notes or MLA
• Ethnomusicology → try Chicago Notes
• Music → try Chicago Notes
• Music History → use  Chicago Notes
• Urban Design & Planning → try Chicago Notes or Chicago Author-Date

When in doubt, try: MLA

• Cinema Studies → try MLA
• Classics → try Chicago Notes
• English → use  MLA
• History → use   Chicago Notes
• Linguistics → try MLA
• Languages → try MLA
• Literatures → use  MLA
• Philosophy → try MLA
• Religion → try Chicago Notes

When in doubt, try: APA or Chicago Notes

• Anthropology → try Chicago Author-Date
• Business → try APA (see also Citing Business Information from Foster Library)
• Communication → try APA
• Criminology & Criminal Justice → try Chicago Author-Date
• Economics → try APA
• Education → try APA
• Geography → try APA
• Government & Law (for non-law students) → try Chicago Notes
• History → try Chicago Notes
• Informatics → try APA
• Law (for law students) → use Bluebook
• Library & Information Science → try APA
• Museology → try Chicago Notes
• Political Science → try Chicago Notes
• Psychology → use  APA
• Social Work → try APA
• Sociology → use  ASA or Chicago Author-Date

When in doubt, try: CSE Name-Year or CSE Citation-Sequence

• Aquatic & Fisheries Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Astronomy → try AIP or CSE Citation-Sequence
• Biology & Life Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Chemistry → try ACS
• Earth & Space Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Environmental Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Forest Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Health Sciences: Public Health, Medicine, & Nursing → use AMA or NLM
• Marine Sciences → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Mathematics → try AMS or CSE Citation-Sequence
• Oceanography → try CSE Name-Year or APA
• Physics → try AIP or CSE Citation-Sequence
• Psychology  → use  APA

When in doubt, try: CSE Name-Year or IEEE

• Aeronautics and Astronautics → try CSE Citation-Sequence
• Bioengineering → try AMA or NLM
• Chemical Engineering → try ACS
• Civil and Environmental Engineering → try CSE Name-Year
• Computational Linguistics → try CSE Citation-Sequence
• Computer Science & Engineering → try IEEE
• Electrical and Computer Engineering → try IEEE
• Engineering (general) → try IEEE or CSE Name-Year
• Human Centered Design & Engineering → try IEEE
• Human-Computer Interaction + Design → try IEEE
• Industrial and Systems Engineering → try CSE Name-Yea r
• Mechanical Engineering → try Chicago Notes or Chicago Author-Date

See also: Additional Citation Styles , for styles used by specific engineering associations.

Pro Tip: Citation Tools Save Time & Stress!

If you’re enrolled in classes that each require a different citation style, it can get confusing really fast! The tools on the Quick Citation Generators section can help you format citations quickly in many different styles.

• << Previous: Why are there so many citation styles?
• Next: Citation Style Guides >>
• Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 11:00 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/citations

Citation Styles Guide

• Getting Started
• APA This link opens in a new window
• See also: Zotero & Mendeley This link opens in a new window
• See also: Preventing Plagiarism This link opens in a new window

How to Use This Guide

This guide was designed to provide you with assistance in citing your sources for your academic assignments. Each page contains resources for a specific citation style used at St. Kate's. You'll find quick citation guides, tutorials, and links to the official citation style websites. Most of your citation issues can be addressed by using these resources

If you have specific citation questions, reach out to a librarian or to the T utoring and Learning Center . They have peer tutors who can answer your citation questions as well.

You'll also find information about reference managers, like Zotero and Mendeley . These software programs are used to store and organize citations, and create bibliographies in your specific citation style. They can be huge time savers! See the Zotero and Mendeley guide for more information.

Why Should You Cite Your Sources?

To demonstrate academic integrity.  Citations help distinguish which words and ideas are your own, and which are not. When you misrepresent your academic achievements by not giving credit to others, you are committing plagiarism. (To learn more, review the  A cting With Integrity by Using Information Ethically tutorial  or see our  Preventing Plagiarism  page). Documenting your sources provides you with the opportunity to use information ethically and honestly.

To acknowledge the work of others.  By citing your sources, you are giving credit where it is due. You are acknowledging the hard work that has gone into producing research and the person(s) who performed that research. 

To provide credibility to your work and place your work in context.  Providing accurate citations puts your work and ideas into an academic context. They tell your reader that you’ve done your research, and know what others have said about your topic. Not only do citations provide context for your work but they also lend credibility and authority to your claims.   Quality academic writing is built upon the foundation of other scholars’ work. When you incorporate sources into your work, you position yourself within a broader scholarly conversation. Engaging with the intellectual work of other authors helps you develop your own ideas and perspectives.  

To help you and other researchers easily locate sources.  Having accurate citations will help you keep track of the sources and information you use so that you can easily find your sources again. Using a standardized format also allows readers to locate the sources you have cited, and check them for accuracy and reliability.

How Do I Choose a Citation Style?

While there are hundreds of citation styles, the following seven styles are used at St. Kate's.

• APA (American Psychological Association) is used in the social sciences, nursing, education, occupational therapy, and business.
• MLA (Modern Language Association) style is used in English, history, and humanities courses.
• AMA  (American Medical Association) is used by the physical therapy, physician assistant, and nutrition programs.
• Chicago and Turabian is used by the history and theology departments.
• CSE (Council of Science Editors) is used by the biology department.
• ASA (American Sociological Association) is used in sociology courses.

Your instructor should specify which citation style is to be used in a course. If you're not sure, ask! You may use multiple styles as an undergraduate. At the graduate level, your citation style will be determined by your academic discipline.

• Next: APA >>
• Last Updated: Jul 28, 2023 11:48 AM
• URL: https://libguides.stkate.edu/citationstyles

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Easybib® guides & resources, mla format guide.

This is the total package when it comes to MLA format. Our easy to read guides come complete with examples and step-by-step instructions to format your full and in-text citations, paper, and works cited in MLA style. There’s even information on annotated bibliographies.

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Get the facts on citing and writing in APA format with our comprehensive guides. Formatting instructions, in-text citation and reference examples, and sample papers provide you with the tools you need to style your paper in APA.

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Looking to format your paper in Chicago style and not sure where to start? Our guide provides everything you need! Learn the basics and fundamentals to creating references and footnotes in Chicago format. With numerous examples and visuals, you’ll be citing in Chicago style in no time.

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Harvard Referencing Guide

Learn the requirements to properly reference your paper in Harvard style. The guides we have provide the basics and fundamentals to give credit to the sources used in your work.

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Cite a Website

Don't let plagiarism errors spoil your paper, citing a website in apa.

Once you’ve identified a credible website to use, create a citation and begin building your reference list. Citation Machine citing tools can help you create references for online news articles, government websites, blogs, and many other website! Keeping track of sources as you research and write can help you stay organized and ethical. If you end up not using a source, you can easily delete it from your bibliography. Ready to create a citation? Enter the website’s URL into the search box above. You’ll get a list of results, so you can identify and choose the correct source you want to cite. It’s that easy to begin!

If you’re wondering how to cite a website in APA, use the structure below.

Author Last Name, First initial. (Year, Month Date Published). Title of web page . Name of Website. URL

Example of an APA format website:

Austerlitz, S. (2015, March 3). How long can a spinoff like ‘Better Call Saul’ last? FiveThirtyEight. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-long-can-a-spinoff-like-better-call-saul-last/

Keep in mind that not all information found on a website follows the structure above. Only use the Website format above if your online source does not fit another source category. For example, if you’re looking at a video on YouTube, refer to the ‘YouTube Video’ section. If you’re citing a newspaper article found online, refer to ‘Newspapers Found Online’ section. Again, an APA website citation is strictly for web pages that do not fit better with one of the other categories on this page.

Social media:

When adding the text of a post, keep the original capitalization, spelling, hashtags, emojis (if possible), and links within the text.

Facebook posts:

Structure: Facebook user’s Last name, F. M. (Year, Monday Day of Post). Up to the first 20 words of Facebook post [Source type if attached] [Post type]. Facebook. URL

Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached]

Post type examples: [Status update], [Video], [Image], [Infographic]

Gomez, S. (2020, February 4). Guys, I’ve been working on this special project for two years and can officially say Rare Beauty is launching in [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Selena/videos/1340031502835436/

Life at Chegg. (2020, February 7) It breaks our heart that 50% of college students right here in Silicon Valley are hungry. That’s why Chegg has [Images attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/LifeAtChegg/posts/1076718522691591

Twitter posts:

Structure: Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [Twitter Handle]. (Year, Month Day of Post). Up to the first 20 words of tweet [source type if attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. URL

Source type examples: [Video attached], [Image attached], [Poll attached]

Example: Edelman, J. [Edelman11]. (2018, April 26). Nine years ago today my life changed forever. New England took a chance on a long shot and I’ve worked [Video attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/989652345922473985

Instagram posts:

APA citation format: Account holder’s Last name, F. M. [@Instagram handle]. (Year, Month Day). Up to the first 20 words of caption [Photograph(s) and/or Video(s)]. Instagram. URL

Example: Portman, N. [@natalieportman]. (2019, January 5). Many of my best experiences last year were getting to listen to and learn from so many incredible people through [Videos]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsRD-FBB8HI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If this guide hasn’t helped solve all of your referencing questions, or if you’re still feeling the need to type “how to cite a website APA” into Google, then check out our APA citation generator on CitationMachine.com, which can build your references for you!

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• Best Apps and Extensions for APA Style Citations

Apps and Extensions to Help You With APA Citations

Many colleges and universities, including Purdue Global, rely on the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual to guide writing usage and grammar style. While the best resource for APA Style is both the website and the publication manual itself, if you’re in the middle of research and need help quickly, you might need to look at research management software in the form of citation generators.

Many developers have created helpful generators to create citations and help you write in APA Style. From APA citation apps to browser extensions to websites, here are some citation manager tools.

Websites for Citations

Several websites can help generate citations in APA Style and other styles. When looking for a citation generator, test that it appropriately cites different sources and reviews all of your citations for accuracy before submitting any class assignments.

Academic Writer ®

Academic Writer is a tool that is offered by many institutions, including Purdue Global, to help students write in APA Style. It is developed by the APA and includes videos and tutorials about APA Style. You can also manage your references and format your paper by creating an account within the site.

APA Citation Wizards

This online tool offers a quick and easy way to create references for online books, online journal articles, and web pages.

Citation Machine ®

This tool allows students to create references in APA and a variety of other formats. You can either enter the information manually or search source by name or URL, which the Citation Machine then will fill in automatically.

Cite This For Me

Cite This For Me is a free citation generator that can create citations in APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, ASA, IEEE, and AMA style. The site is fairly bare-bones, providing only the generator and some general guidance on when citations are appropriate.

Formatically

This web-based citation generator offers a simple interface and quick results. It gives you results in MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard format.

This old-style online citation generator creates a basic citation for books in APA format. Choose APA from the menu on the left and fill out the fields to create a citation.

Mendeley is an all-inclusive research tool. It is primarily used as a document organizer and research aid, but it also generates references, citations, and bibliographies in a number of different styles.

This web-based generator is easy to use and walks you through everything you need to do to get APA citations. It also offers AMA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, MLA, and more. Be sure to use the most recent version of APA (7th edition) when you use it.

Scribbr is an easy-to-use online citation generator that uses the 7th edition of APA Style. The generator is free for students. Scribbr also offers a plagiarism checker, spell checker, and grammar proofing.

Zotero is a robust research tool available for download and includes a quick version for use online. While the program is helpful for many types of research, it also offers a feature that creates references and bibliographies for any text editor and directly inside Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.

Apps for Citations

Almost 45% of U.S. website users browse the web and work on their mobile devices, according to StatCounter . A number of mobile-first citation apps are available to help with APA citation.

Author ( Apple )

This paid app available for Apple devices provides a tailor-made writing environment. It provides a word processor that automatically saves and works well with Apple apps like Reader. As part of the tool, you can create automatic citations by copying from PDF in the companion application Reader and pasting as a full citation in Author or pasting the BibTex or DOI from an academic PDF.

Citation Generator ( Free Google Play Version , Paid Google Play Version )

This mobile app, offered in both a lite and full version, offers no-nonsense citation guidance. The free version only supports book, newspaper, software, X (formerly Twitter), and website sources, whereas the paid version includes 25 in-text citations and reference generators.

Citation Maker ( Google Play Store )

This app has an easily understandable layout that produces both MLA and APA formats and can work with a variety of resource formats. It also gives you a preview as you type and can even create citations with incomplete information. Some reviews suggest you double-check results produced by Citation Maker for capitalization errors.

Citationsy ( Apple and Google Play Store )

This app, available for both Apple and Android devices, allows you to use your device to scan barcodes of references and then generate citations. Citationsy includes search engines for books, music, podcasts, and scientific papers.

Easy Referencing – Citation ( Apple )

This app for iPads will scan a book barcode and serve up citations for a variety of styles, including APA. It also supports university-specific styles and will use the correct one required.

Google Chrome Browser Extensions

Almost 50% of U.S. online users prefer Google Chrome for their browser, according to StatCounter . One appeal of the browser from tech giant Google is that it comes with a robust selection of extensions. Several Chrome extensions can help you create APA citations.

Bibcitation Bibliography & Citation Generator

This extension works on websites and journal articles, generating citations in MLA, APA, Chicago, and more. It can add citations to a list if you have an account with Bibcitation.com.

This extension creates Endnote, APA, MLA, and customized bibliography items from journal articles, books, and more. The program allows you to copy the citation to put it into an editable format.

Citationsy – Cite Websites and Papers

An extension version of the Citationsy mobile apps above, this tool cites articles, books, papers, podcasts, songs, websites, and more. It supports APA, Harvard, MLA, and many other reference styles.

Cite This For Me: Web Citer

This extension automatically creates citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard styles. Browse to your web page and click the button for a citation.

EasyBib Toolbar

This toolbar not only generates citations but also gives you advice on the credibility of the website you’re citing, which can help with the overall strength of a paper or other work. It will format, alphabetize, and make your bibliography ready to use.

Free APA and MLA Citation Generator

This extension quickly generates sources in MLA, APA, or Chicago. It allows you to add to a bibliography with a quick click of the toolbar icon.

MyBib: Free Citation Generator

This simple browser extension creates APA format, MLA 8 format, and Harvard referencing style citations that can be downloaded and put into Microsoft Word. The extension works with any URL, including PDFs hosted online.

This tool exports web pages and creates a built-in bibliography in MLA and APA format. It also checks a page’s credibility.

13 APA Formatting Guidelines and Style Tips

Basic apa guidelines.

1. Margins: Use 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.

2. Font: Use the same, legible font throughout the entire paper. Acceptable fonts include 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, 12-point Times New Roman, and 11-point Georgia. See the font page of the APA site to see which additional fonts are allowed.

3. Line spacing: Double-space the entire paper, including the title page, block quotations, and the reference list. Do not add blank lines before or after headings or extra spacing between paragraphs.

4. Paragraph alignment and indentation: All paragraphs should align to the left margin. Leave the right margin ragged, and don’t use full justification.

5. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right of every page header, including the title page, starting with page number 1.

6. Placement of tables and figures: There are two options:

• Place all tables and figures on separate pages after the reference list.
• Embed each table and figure within the text after its first callout.

Call out the table or figure in the text before embedding it (e.g., write “see Figure 1” or “Table 1 presents”).

Reference List Guidelines

7. Alphabetize references by the last names of the first author of each source.

8. Capitalize all major words in the title of a journal.

9. Capitalize only the first letter in article titles. If there’s a colon in the title, capitalize the first letter after the colon. Do not underline, italicize, or put the title in quotation marks.

10. Italicize the titles of books and journals.

11. Use a hanging indentation for each reference; the first line of the reference should be aligned to the left, but each additional line needs to be indented.

Final Checks

12. Check page order: Each section should start on a new page. Arrange pages in the following order:

• Title page (page 1)
• Text (starts on page 2)
• Reference list (starts on a new page after the text)

13. Check headings: Headings should reflect the content in each section.

• Start each main section with a Level 1 heading.
• Use Level 2 headings for subsections of the introduction.
• Use the same level of heading for sections of equal importance.
• Avoid having only one subsection within a section (have two or more or none).

Two resources from the APA that provide further guidance:

• Style and Grammar Guidelines
• A step-by-step guide for creating and formatting APA Style student papers

If you need additional help, check with your university writing center.

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How To Do In-Text Citations in MLA Format: A Quick Guide for Students

An in-text citation is a reference to information originating from another source. In-text citations must be used when you summarize, quote, paraphrase or refer to another source within a written document, such as academic literature. 

In-text citations are essential in academic writing. Without them, how would readers verify the information is reliable and accurate? Trustworthy authors include their sources for verifiable information rather than opinions so readers know where the evidence for claims can be explored further.

The Modern Language Association manages MLA style standards with the purpose to “strengthen the study and teaching of language and literature” and standardize how information sources are credited in scholarly writing. Not only does the MLA recommend proper citation format, but it also suggests proper general formatting, including document spacing, margins and font size.

As you begin authoring scholarly works, you’ll find the need to credit sources. Use this quick guide to learn how to do in-text citations in MLA format.

What is MLA format?

How to do in-text citations in mla, how to do a works cited page in mla, common challenges and solutions, tips for effective in-text citations.

MLA citation style is a system for crediting sources in scholarly writing and has been widely used in classrooms, journals and the press since 1931. What began with a three-page style sheet for the MLA’s scholarly journal became a uniform writing style preferred by academics and the editorial media everywhere.

Since its inception, the in-text citation style has changed from a recommended combination of footnotes and in-text citations in MLA format. The 1951 style guide suggested : “If the reference is brief, insert it, within parentheses, in the text itself . . . ; if it is lengthy, put it in a [foot]note.” As technology and society changed, so did the MLA style. In 1995, the document added recommendations for citing CD-ROMs and online databases. In 2016, the MLA published one of the most modern versions of the MLA Handbook , wherein in-text citations in MLA style should now be written according to a template of core elements.

The modern-day components of an in-text citation in MLA format, as of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook , include:

• Author’s name
• Page numbers (if applicable)

These short in-text citations serve as references to a Works Cited list, which should follow a written piece of work and list all sources used in detail.

Authors who correctly use in-text citations in MLA style will prove their credibility, integrity and responsibility to share accurate and reliable information and simultaneously protect themselves from stealing sources and ideas from other writers, also known as plagiarism. Plagiarism is a severe offense , and many institutions have strict rules against the practice .

Now that you understand the importance of citations let’s review how to use in-text citations in MLA style. When referring to another author’s work in your own written text, you must use parenthetical citations, including the source in parentheses within the sentence that refers to the work. 

If a source does not have page numbers, use another numbering system, such as chapters, sections, scenes or articles that are explicitly numbered. If there are no numbered divisions within the work, simply cite the author’s name.

The basic format for in-text citations in MLA writings is as follows:

• The pail of water was at the top of the hill, which Jack and Jill decided to climb (Mother Goose 1) .

If including a direct quote from a source, enclose the entire quote within quotation marks to avoid confusing the reader. The in-text citation should fall outside the quotation marks at the end of the sentence before the sentence’s period. Paraphrased information does not need quotation marks but does need proper in-text citation.

It should be noted that any information included in your in-text citations must refer to the source information on the Works Cited page listed at the end of your document.

If you’re wondering how to list the references on the Works Cited page, the format varies depending on the type, such as a book or a website.

How to cite a book in MLA

• Author last name, first name. Title. Publisher, year.

How to cite an article in MLA

• Author last name, first name. “Article title.” Publication, volume/issue, publication month. Year, page numbers. Database, reference URL.

How to cite a website in MLA

• Author last name, first name. “Title.” Publication, publication month. Year, web page URL.

While constructing your paper, you may encounter a few citation challenges, such as a source with multiple authors or no known author. Though this can be confusing, this is how to use in-text citations in MLA style for challenging situations.

How to cite multiple authors in MLA

To write an in-text citation in MLA format for a source with multiple authors , simply list each author’s last name before the page number. Sources with more than two authors should cite the first author, followed by “et al.” For example:

• 2 authors: (Hall and Oates 1)
• 3+ authors: (Hall et al. 1)

How to cite sources with no author in MLA

Sources with no author must match the first listed element within its Works Cited entry. For example:

• In-text citation: (Baa, Baa, Black Sheep 0:15)
• Works Cited entry: “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.” Spotify . https://open.spotify.com/track/1Zpe8ef70Wx20Bu2mLdXc1?si=7TlgCyj1SYmP6K-uy4isuQ

How to cite indirect or secondary sources in MLA

A secondary source is a publication that provides second-hand information from other researchers. You may use secondary sources in your research, though it’s best practice to search for the primary source that supplied the first-hand information, so cite it directly.

If you don’t have access to the original source, include the original author and the author of the secondary source , with the abbreviation “qtd. in” indicating where you accessed the secondary quote. “Qtd. in” stands for “quoted in.” For example:

• (qtd. in Baa, Baa, Black Sheep 0:15)

Using et al. in MLA citations

As described above, et al. is used instead of listing all names of three or more authors, editors or contributors within your citations. It can also cite collections of essays, stories or poems with three or more contributors. When using et al., you should always use the last name of the first writer listed on the source. For example:

• (Earth et al. “September” 0:15)
• Contributors: Earth, Wind and Fire

The most crucial part of in-text citations in MLA style is to keep a consistent and accurate format within the entire body of work. Always use the same punctuation within the in-text citations and the same formatting for sources of the same type. Ensure that double-checking citations is part of your overall proofreading process. All citations, like the written work, should be precise and error-free.

Various tools exist to help you collect and manage your sources and citations. Popular tools include Zotero , EndNote and RefWorks . These tools can create citations for you and keep track of your research documents so you can reference them again if needed. It’s wise to track your sources as they’re included in your writing rather than compiling and citing them when finished.

More resources for writing in MLA format

For the most up-to-date in-text citation information, refer to the MLA Handbook , which can be found online, in bookstores and libraries. The most recent edition of the MLA Handbook is the 9th edition, published in spring 2021.

The MLA also operates the MLA Handbook Plus , a subscription-based digital platform that offers all of the content included in the print edition, plus annual updates and valuable resources, and can be accessed anywhere, whether you’re traveling, at home or in the classroom.

The MLA Style Center offers free online sources on the official MLA style, including templates, questions and answers and advice.

Furman University offers trained consultants for students on campus to provide one-on-one or small-group assistance for writing projects at the Writing & Media Lab (WML). You can make an appointment with a WML Consultant or stop by the James B. Duke Library in the Center for Academic Success (room 002) for on-demand help (subject to scheduling).

The Writing & Media Lab can help with many tasks related to student writing and multimedia projects, including:

• Brainstorming a paper or project
• Outlining your ideas
• Reading through your writing
• Creating a presentation or poster
• Helping you practice your presentation
• Planning a video or podcast
• Revising, proofreading, or editing

Mastering the art of in-text citations in MLA format will ensure that you, as an academic author, will portray yourself as a serious, responsible and factual writer who uses accurate and reliable sources.

The perspectives and thoughts shared in the Furman Blog belong solely to the author and may not align with the official stance or policies of Furman University. All referenced sources were accurate as of the date of publication.

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Top 20 Free Citation Generators

Cite websites, books, articles, ...

What is a citation generator?

Getting citations and reference lists correctly done can be very confusing and time-consuming. A citation generator (also called citation maker) can help you with this task. A citation generator is a program that creates citations for you with some information that you provide (like author, title, publication date, or simply a link).

A good citation and bibliography maker needs to be simple, easy to use, and create accurate citations, so make sure to find the right tool.

How can using a citation generator help you?

Using a good and reliable citation app can help you save time and improve your grades. Instead of wasting time and energy by manually citing sources, you can focus on the actual content of your work and don't have to worry about losing points for careless spelling or punctuation mistakes in your citations. A citation generator can help you create accurate citations in APA, MLA, Harvard, or hundreds of other citation styles.

Is it okay to use a citation generator?

It is absolutely ok to use a citation generator. Use it responsibly - many citation tools that are out there don't give you full or accurate citations. Using a citation and bibliography generator also doesn't mean you don't have to make sure you credit sources properly and don't plagiarize. A citation generator can only work with the correct information that you provide.

Top 20 free citation generators

Check out the top 20 most commonly used free citation generators:

1. APA citation generator

The APA style, developed by the American Psychological Association, is most likely the most popular citation style overall. The APA citation style uses in-text citations and a reference list. Both can be created with just a click with BibGuru's APA citation generator.

2. MLA citation generator

The MLA citation style was developed by the Modern Language Association of America. The MLA style has been widely adopted by scholars across the world. The MLA style uses parenthetical citations in-text (author, page) linked to a corresponding works cited page with all literature used in text.

3. Harvard citation generator

The Harvard style is one of the most widely used citation styles in the world, mostly due to its simplicity. The Harvard citation style uses the author-date system for in-text citations, which means the author's last name and the year of publication in round brackets are placed within the text. A reference list outlines all the sources directly cited in the work.

4. Chicago citation generator

The Chicago format was developed by the University of Chicago Press. The Chicago style offers authors a choice between two formats. In the notes and bibliography system, sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes in the text and listed in a separate bibliography. The author-date system consists of in-text citations and a reference list.

5. Turabian citation generator

The Turabian citation style is the same as the Chicago style, except a few minor differences. Just like the Chicago style, the Turabian style comes in two varieties: the author-date and notes and bibliography system.

6. AMA citation generator

AMA stands for American Medical Association. The AMA style is widely used, not just in medicine and health fields, but also in many other fields, journals, and textbooks. The AMA style uses superscript arabic numerals for references in-text, and requires you to place a list of all cited references at the end of the document.

7. CSE citation generator

The CSE style was developed by the Council of Science Editors. The CSE style has three systems to cite sources, the Name-Year (N-Y) system, the Citation-Name (C-N) system, and the Citation-Sequence (C-S) system. Regardless of which system your institution requires, BibGuru will help you get the fastest and most accurate citations for the CSE style with our CSE citation generator.

8. ASA citation generator

ASA stands for American Sociological Association. The ASA style uses the author-date system for in-text citations (parenthetical referencing style) and a complete list of references cited at the end of an article, before any appendices. Use the BibGuru ASA citation generator to create ASA citations with just a few clicks.

9. ACS citation generator

The ACS style was developed by the American Chemical Society for academic writing in chemistry. The ACS style uses both numbered and author-date citation systems and references can be cited in three ways. BibGuru can help you create accurate citations in all ACS systems.

10. Vancouver citation generator

The Vancouver citation style is a numeric citation system used in biomedical, health and some science publications. It uses numbers within the text that refer to numbered entries in the reference list. Try the BibGuru citation generator to create fast and accurate citations in the Vancouver style.

11. APSA citation generator

The APSA style (short for American Political Science Association), in most instances, follows the guidelines from the Chicago Manual of Style. While the Chicago style entails two separate citation styles, the notes and bibliography style, and the author-date style, APSA employs only the author-date style, including a reference list at the end of your paper.

12. DOI citation generator

DOI stands for digital object identifier and is a string of numbers, letters, and symbols used to uniquely identify an article and document and link it to the web. How you cite a DOI depends on the citation style you use. Many citation styles, including APA or MLA ask you to include the DOI at the end of your citation in the bibliography.

13. IEEE citation generator

IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE style includes in-text citations, numbered in square brackets, referring to a full citation in the reference at the end of your paper.

14. GSA citation generator

The GSA style was developed by the Geological Society of America (GSA). The GSA provides citation guidelines and examples on their website. GSA citations consist of two parts, in-text citations and a reference list (named 'References Cited').

15. ISBN citation generator

An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a numeric commercial book identifier, which is a number unique for every book. With BibGuru, you can automatically create a citation in thousands of different citation styles just entering the ISBN of your book.

16. JAMA citation generator

JAMA stands for Journal of the American Medical Association and the citation style was created by the AMA. It uses superscript arabic numerals for references in-text, e.g. ^1 numbered in consecutive order. A reference list with full citations is included at the end of the document. The reference list must be in numerical order to reflect the order of the in-text citations.

17. Knisley citation generator

The Knisley citation style is based on a student handbook written by Karin Knisley. She basically recommends using the CSE style. More precisely, she recommends the Name-Year system, as it has the advantage that people working in the field will know the literature, and on seeing the authors' names, will understand the reference without having to check the reference list.

18. MHRA citation generator

MHRA stands for Modern Humanities Research Association. This referencing style is mainly used in arts and humanities. To cite sources in your text, you use numbers to denote a citation (instead of naming authors in the text). These numbers are linked to a full reference in footnotes (or endnotes) and in your bibliography.

19. Newspaper citation generator

How to cite a newspaper depends on the citation style you use. You never have to worry about getting your newspaper citations wrong with BibGuru. Use our BibGuru citation generator to create the fastest and most accurate citations possible.

20. SAA citation generator

The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) citation style is the preferred citation style for the academic journals published by the SAA, and their citation guidelines can be found online. The SAA citation style works with in-text citations and a References Cited page.

History of citation generators

Citation generators and bibliography makers have been around for almost 20 years. Some are able to cite certain source types automatically, while others require you to enter all data by hand. Below we have compiled a list of the first-generation citation generators for you to compare.

Citation generators

Citation guides, alternative to.

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From our blog

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• Free Tools for Students
• Harvard Referencing Generator

Free Harvard Referencing Generator

Generate accurate Harvard reference lists quickly and for FREE, with MyBib!

🤔 What is a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator is a tool that automatically generates formatted academic references in the Harvard style.

It takes in relevant details about a source -- usually critical information like author names, article titles, publish dates, and URLs -- and adds the correct punctuation and formatting required by the Harvard referencing style.

The generated references can be copied into a reference list or bibliography, and then collectively appended to the end of an academic assignment. This is the standard way to give credit to sources used in the main body of an assignment.

👩‍🎓 Who uses a Harvard Referencing Generator?

Harvard is the main referencing style at colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also very popular in other English-speaking countries such as South Africa, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. University-level students in these countries are most likely to use a Harvard generator to aid them with their undergraduate assignments (and often post-graduate too).

🙌 Why should I use a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator solves two problems:

• It provides a way to organise and keep track of the sources referenced in the content of an academic paper.
• It ensures that references are formatted correctly -- inline with the Harvard referencing style -- and it does so considerably faster than writing them out manually.

A well-formatted and broad bibliography can account for up to 20% of the total grade for an undergraduate-level project, and using a generator tool can contribute significantly towards earning them.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Harvard Referencing Generator?

Here's how to use our reference generator:

• If citing a book, website, journal, or video: enter the URL or title into the search bar at the top of the page and press the search button.
• Choose the most relevant results from the list of search results.
• Our generator will automatically locate the source details and format them in the correct Harvard format. You can make further changes if required.
• Then either copy the formatted reference directly into your reference list by clicking the 'copy' button, or save it to your MyBib account for later.

MyBib supports the following for Harvard style:

🍏 What other versions of Harvard referencing exist?

There isn't "one true way" to do Harvard referencing, and many universities have their own slightly different guidelines for the style. Our generator can adapt to handle the following list of different Harvard styles:

• Cite Them Right
• Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• University of the West of England (UWE)

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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Reference List: Textual Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Basic Format for Books

Edited book, no author, edited book with an author or authors, a translation.

Note : When you cite a republished work, like the one above, in your text, it should appear with both dates: Plato (385-378/1989)

Edition Other Than the First

Article or chapter in an edited book.

Note : When you list the pages of the chapter or essay in parentheses after the book title, use "pp." before the numbers: (pp. 1-21). This abbreviation, however, does not appear before the page numbers in periodical references, except for newspapers. List any edition number in the same set of parentheses as the page numbers, separated by a comma: (2nd ed., pp. 66-72).

Multivolume Work

Articles in periodicals.

APA style dictates that authors are named with their last name followed by their initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period. The title of the article is in sentence-case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns in the title are capitalized. The periodical title is run in title case, and is followed by the volume number which, with the title, is also italicized. If a DOI has been assigned to the article that you are using, you should include this after the page numbers for the article. If no DOI has been assigned and you are accessing the periodical online, use the URL of the website from which you are retrieving the periodical.

Article in Print Journal

Note: APA 7 advises writers to include a DOI (if available), even when using the print source. The example above assumes no DOI is available.

Article in Electronic Journal

Note :  This content also appears on Reference List: Online Media .

As noted above, when citing an article in an electronic journal, include a DOI if one is associated with the article.

DOIs may not always be available. In these cases, use a URL. Many academic journals provide stable URLs that function similarly to DOIs. These are preferable to ordinary URLs copied and pasted from the browser's address bar.

Article in a Magazine

Article in a newspaper.