Chicago 18 author-date: cite a webpage

Year first, month and day later

In this author-date entry for a webpage, only the year follows the author. The page title is in quotation marks, the site name follows, and the month and day of the page's date come after the site name, before the URL. The date must belong to the page itself, not to a copyright line that covers the whole site.

For the Sample Library page, the author-date example is: Stone, Maya. 2024. “A Sample Web Page.” Sample Library. June 1. https://example.org/sample-page.

Workbench steps for the page

The fields Example Institute and London from this page's record can be filled too. Because a site name is given, the entry names Sample Library and leaves the publisher out, and this webpage form never prints a city.

• Choose Chicago 18 author-date reference and Webpage; Version consulted must be Online version.
• Enter Maya Stone, the title A sample web page and the title-case form A Sample Web Page.
• Type Sample Library in Containing work or site and the URL https://example.org/sample-page.
• Fill the publication year 2024, month 6 and day 1. With the year alone, the entry drops the June 1 part.
• Press Create reference.

Undated pages and access dates

This version of the workbench needs a publication year for every source, so it cannot build an entry for an undated page; it shows Publication date: provide the source information. Use the Chicago source linked below for undated pages. Access-date fields are available, but this author-date webpage entry does not print an access date when the page has a date.

A difference in the Citelle app

The app can read the page's citation tags when you paste its link into Add a source, and choosing Web page fills Accessed with today. Its Chicago author-date entry for a webpage prints the year but not the month and day, so the June 1 part of this example would be missing. If your instructions follow the dated form shown here, build this entry in the workbench or add the month and day yourself. For a page with no date the app adds an Accessed date instead.

Webpage errors to avoid

• Treating the access date as the page's publication date.
• Using the site's footer year for a page that shows its own date.
• Citing a downloaded report or journal article as a webpage.
• Dropping the month and day when the page gives them.
• Leaving the Containing work or site field empty; the workbench needs the site name for every webpage.

Gather the source details

• Identify a named author or responsible organization.
• Record the page title and relevant site or publisher role.
• Check the date that applies to this page.
• Retain the exact source location and the access date required by the chosen convention.

Author

Maya Stone

Title as supplied

A sample web page

Publication year

2024

Containing work or site

Sample Library

Publisher

Example Institute

Publication place

London

Source location

https://example.org/sample-page

Publication date

2024-06-01

Sources

• Chicago18: Author-date examples

Next guide: Chicago 18 bibliography: cite a webpage