5. Web documents, websites and other electronic media

In this chapter:  
Website home page Web document
Web page Wiki

The goals of a citation to an online source are to credit the author/creator and to enable the reader to find the material.

When citing Internet sources, observe the following guidelines:

  • Follow previous sections for format of who (author), when (date) and what (title) elements.
  • For the ‘where’ element, direct readers as closely as possible to the information; whenever possible, reference specific documents rather than the home or menu pages.
  • The author of a website is usually the person or organisation responsible for the site.
  • Include retrieval dates only when the source material is likely to change over time (e.g. Facebook page, Twitter profile, a Google Map) and the webpage is not archived.
  • If the source undergoes regular revision, the date for the most recent update should be used.
  • It is often appropriate to include additional information after the title of the work (similar to including an edition number for a book). Sometimes this is included as part of the title (e.g. a report number).
  • The medium or format can be entered after the title (before the full stop) in square brackets.
  • When using direct quotes for sources that do not provide page numbers, use the paragraph number, if possible, preceded by the abbreviation ‘para.’ (e.g. Broome & Davies, 1999, para. 5). Alternatively, provide a heading or section name, or a heading or section name with a paragraph number.
  • When you are referring to specific information from a web page or web document within the text of an assignment, you must provide an author-date citation. If you are citing specific information, create a reference following the guidelines for how to cite and reference a web page or web document. If you cite information from more than one page within the same website, you will need to create a separate item in your reference list for each page.
  • If you are mentioning a website in passing, you do not need to include an entry in the reference list. Give the website name in-text, and include the URL in parentheses, rather than the usual author-date component.
1. WEBSITE HOME PAGE

a) Mentioning website in passing – In-text, include the website name.  Provide the URL in parentheses. A reference list entry is not required.

b) Mentioning specific information available on the home page. If the information is likely or intended to change, include the date you retrieved the information. If the author name and the website name are the same, omit the website name from the reference list entry.
In-text

Examples:

a) Comprehensive information about the University of Southern Queensland can be found on the University’s website (https://www.usq.edu.au/).

b) USQ offers flexible study options (USQ, 2019).
Reference

a) No entry in the reference list

b) Author Surname/Organisation, Initial. (Year). Title of work. Website Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Examples:

a) No entry in the reference list

b) University of Southern Queensland. (2019). Retrieved September 9, 2019, from https://www.usq.edu.au
2. WEB PAGE
  • Use this example for pages within a website
  • Include a retrieval date only if the information is likely or intended to change over time.
  • If the author name and the website name are the same, omit the website name from the reference list entry.
In-text

(Author Surname, Year)

Example:

Project work challenges …. (University of Southern Queensland, 2020).
Reference

Author Surname/Organisation, Initial. (Year). Title of the work. Website Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Example:

University of Southern Queensland. (2020). Overcoming project management pitfalls. https://www.usq.edu.au/research/regional-community-economic-development/project-management-pitfalls
3. WEB DOCUMENT
  • Treat the same as a web page.
  • If there is a document number (i.e. for a report), and it is not formally a part of the title, it can be included after the title, within parentheses. Do not use italics for a document number.
In-text

(Author Surname, Year)

Example:

Many students … (Hillman, 2005).

Teacher registration … (Queensland College of Teachers, 2017).
Reference

Author Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of the work. Website Name. URL

Example:

Hillman, K. (2005). The first year experience: The transition from secondary school to university and TAFE in Australia (Research Report 40).  Australian Council for Educational Research. https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=lsay_research

Queensland College of Teachers. (2017). Professional boundaries: A guideline for Queensland teachers. https://www.qct.edu.au/pdf/Professional%20Boundaries%20-%20A%20Guideline%20for%20Queensland%20Teachers.pdf
4. WIKI
  • Long topic titles can be shortened in the in-text citation.
  • In-text, use double quotation marks around the Title of Wiki Topic.
  • If an archived version of a wiki page is available (as is the case with Wikipedia pages) cite the archived version (no retrieval date is required).  If there is no archived version of the wiki page you are citing, include the URL and the date you retrieved the information.
In-text

(“Title of Wiki Topic,” Year)

Example:

The Pemberton arrived … (“Irish Famine Orphan Immigration,” 2014).
Reference

Title of Wiki Topic. (Year, Month Day). In Title of Wiki. Retrieved Month Day, Year from URL

Example:

Irish Famine Orphan Immigration. (2014, June 20). In PROV Wiki. http://wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php?title=Irish_Famine_Orphan_Immigration&oldid=166067

License

UniSQ APA 7 Referencing Guide Copyright © by University of Southern Queensland. All Rights Reserved.

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