Works Cited for A Website – Do you want to know how to do works cited for a website? Here is an easy, detailed guide on citing a website in MLA, citing a page on a website, citing an article in a web magazine, and the correct way to cite an entire website. Read on!
One key feature that proves any research work authentic is citing the sources from which the information in the work was derived.
In other words, no project or research paper will be given due consideration if there is no reference to sources from which certain knowledge was obtained.
The information could come from libraries, museums, resource centers, or even the internet. This goes a long way to prove that your research was thorough and deserves good remarks.
Citing work from a website follows a format different from the other physical sources mentioned above, and that is why you need to pay keen attention to it.
The first step in knowing how to do works cited for a website is being conversant with the MLA format. Let us look at what this format is about.
What is MLA Format?
MLA is a short form for the “Modern Language Association.” It was developed with the objective of helping students, researchers, language fields, and literature scholars to present their papers and research work in a uniform format.
It makes the work easy to read by everyone who is supposed to read it. The good news is that due to the consistency of the format, virtually everybody has adopted it in their writings.
By reason of evolution, the Modern Language Association released the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook (which is the 8th edition) in 2016.
Citing A Website Using MLA
The following tips are helpful when citing a website using MLA format:
1. Include the author’s name, the page title, the name of the website, the publication date, and also the URL when citing an online work using the MLA format.
2. When doing an in-text citation, use either the author’s name or the source title written inside parentheses.
3. In most cases, the author and the publication date are not given when citing a web page or website; if this is the case, begin the citation with the page title and add the date you visited the page
4. When citing more than one page or article from a specific site, ensure you include separate works cited for each, depending on how many there are. The MLA citation generator is a great help in achieving that.
How To Do Works Cited For A Website
Now, let us consider how to do works cited for a website in different cases:
1. Citing A Webpage on a Website
When citing a webpage on a website, you list the author’s name, the title of the page (in quotation marks), the name of the site (in italics), the date of publication, and the URL.
Format: Author last name, First name. “Page Title.” Website Name, Publication Date (Day Month Year), URL.
The in-text citation often includes only the author’s name. To pinpoint a specific passage on a long page, you can specify a reduced section title. Please avoid the use of paragraph numbers unless they are explicitly stated on the page.
Additionally, both blog posts and online articles from newspapers and magazines use this same format.
Example: Asadu, Chinedu. “Lawmakers in Nigeria try to resolve rift between authorities and Africa’s richest man.” AP News, 23 July 2024, https://apnews.com/article/dangote-refinery-cd3d4ef8eff4c762fb1088cf16b80072
2. Citing a whole Website
When citing a whole website instead of a particular page, include the author’s name if it is available for the entire site, such as in the case of a blog written by a single author. Otherwise, just begin with the website’s name.
Also, list the copyright date shown on the website; in the absence of such information, provide the access date following the URL.
Format: Author last name, First name. Website Name. Year or Year range, URL. Accessed Date (Day Month Year).
Example 1: Harison, Jade. Chidant. 2024, www.chidant.edu/english/. Accessed 22 July 2024.
OR
Example 2: Chidant. 2024, www.chidant.edu/english/. Accessed 22 July 2024.
3. Citing A Webpage with no Author or Date
If there is no specified author, cite the organization as the author only if it is different from the name of the website.
When the organization name is the same as the website name, begin the Works Cited entry with the title instead. In the in-text citation, use a shortened form of the title.
Also, if a publishing date is not provided, omit it and instead include an access date at the end.
Format: Organization Name. “Page Title.” Website Name, URL. Accessed Date (Day Month Year).
Example 1: The Associated Press. “Challenges of refinery construction in Nigeria.” AP News, https://apnews.com/article/refinery-construction-in-Nigeria-vq6s8gy4wei9f908tr6421bg91z36729. Accessed 20 July 2024.
OR
Example 2: “Challenges of refinery construction in Nigeria.” AP News, https://apnews.com/article/refinery-construction-in-Nigeria-vq6s8gy4wei9f908tr6421bg91z36729. Accessed 20 July 2024.
Additional Recommended Resource: FREE MLA Format Citation Generator
Best Free Online Citation Tools
BibMe
It is among the best free bibliography and citation tools available online. Everything you need for your eLearning content creation is there. This tool has the following features:
- 4 Different Referencing Styles: BibMe can assist you in citing your project properly, whether you’re using MLA, APA, Turabian, or Chicago.
- Wide Range of Tools: It’s possible to find a wide range of digital and print-based resources.
- Plagiarism Checker: To avoid using someone else’s work, this tool checks your writing for plagiarism against various online sources.
Citation Machine
This is, without a doubt, among the most user-friendly free bibliography and citation tools available on the internet. This tool has the following features:
- A Wide Range of Citation Styles: Citation Machine can assist you with all four major referencing styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian. However, it has a massive library of 7.000 extra reference styles for various areas.
- Guides and Resources: A tutorial on how to correctly reference in APA, MLA, and Chicago is available on the site.
- Plagiarism Checker: This site, like BibMe, has this functionality. However, it is only available for premium subscribers.
- Several Sources: Citation Machine lets you reference content from various sources, including novels, periodicals, magazines, publications, movies, and more.
Citefast
Despite its simple layout, this platform provides all of the essential features of a great free online bibliography and citation tool. This tool has the following features:
- 3 Different Citation Styles: There’s an in-text reference generator as well as APA, MLA, and Chicago to handle all of your fundamental reference needs.
- A Wide Range of Sources: Websites, textbooks, magazines, periodicals, YouTube resources, and various other digital and print materials are all available.
- Style Guides for All 3 Citation Styles: A wider array of APA, MLA, and Chicago style guidelines.
Also see: Best Nigerian Authors Of All Time
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