How Do I Reference a Web Page?

The multitude of information available on line can make it difficult to accurately reference source material.This is because different citation rules apply to different types of content. According to Virginia Tech, liberal arts and humanities typically use the MLA citation style. For references to be considered valid in the eyes of academic institutions, publishers or news organizations, they must follow their applicable style guide to the letter. Check your educational or organizational guidelines before creating your citations as they may require a style other than MLA.

Instructions

All types of content

1. Place the content creator's last name in parentheses at the end of the sentence that contains the reference.

2. If you're citing text, place a comma after the name then the page number.

3. If a name is unavailable, use the organization or user name associated with the content.

4. Organize the entries of your citation page alphabetically by author.

5. Double-space each entry on the citation page. Indent the second and any following lines by five spaces. Capitalize the first word following each period and all significant words of names and titles.

Web page

1. On the citation page, place the author's last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name, followed by a period. If the author is a company or organization, write its name as it appears on the web page.

2. Place the title of the web page in quotes. Insert a period inside the end quote.

3. Place the website on which the page appears in italics, followed by a period. Then, include the company or organization to which that website belongs, followed by a comma.

4. Include the date the page was created or updated, the word "Web," and the date you viewed the page, following each of these entries with a period.

Internet Video

1. On the citation page, place the creator's last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name, followed by a period. If he is the director, place a comma, followed by "dir" between the first name and the period.

2. Place the title of the video in quotes. Insert a period inside the end quote.

3. Place the "channel" or page on which the video appears in italics, followed by a period. Include the company or organization hosting that channel, followed by a comma.

4. Include the date the video was created or updated, the word "Web," and the date you viewed the page, following each of these entries with a period.

Online Journal or Magazine Article

1. On the citation page, place the author's last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name, followed by a period.

2. Place the title of the article in quotes. Insert a period inside the end quote.

3. Place the website on which the article appears in italics, followed by the volume number, a period, issue number, publishing date in parentheses, colon, page number of your reference and a period.

4. Include the word "Web," and the date you viewed the page, following both of these entries with a period.

References

• Virginia Tech University Library: MLA (Modern Language Association)
• Long Island University: MLA Citation Style

Resources

• Virginia Tech University Library: Citation Style and Manuals