You will need to modify the above based on any parts that you don't have, like a date or a publication number, or add parts that you need, such as a Retrieved from ... date only if the content is designed to change and is unarchived. Web sources vary widely.
If you are missing a lot of the above citation information, be careful about using the source -- sometimes this is a warning sign that this web source is not very high-quality. Look closely for other signs of credible websites. But sometimes it is still all right to use.
Here are some tips for how to cite web pages when information is missing.
Jump to more specific examples by using the table below:
| Web Page | Blog |
| No Author, No Date | Social Media |
| Corporate / Group Author | Unarchived Pages |
Normally, do NOT include the retrieval date. The only exception is for content that is unarchived, has no date, and is easily or frequently changed (e.g., transitory forms of social media, live-update type of web content).
Remember that APA encourages researchers to use the name of a corporate author, a governmental organization, an office, a department, etc. as the author (see example directly below).
However, if no author can be found, begin the citation with the title of the Web page.
If no date can be found, you can use n.d. for the date. You may need to include a retrieval date -- see more here.
Other missing information? View this page from APA, Missing reference information.
Often for governmental sources, you will have multiple "layers" of offices in the Source / Publisher position, separated by a comma. The most immediate office responsible for writing the content is the Author, and the parent offices are the Source.
Leave out the Source or Publisher element if it is virtually the same as the Author.
Blogs are treated more like periodicals than websites, which is why the blog title is italicized, the same as a journal or magazine article, rather than following the other web page citations on this page.
If you can find no author's name, use the screen name. Use the year, month, and day for the date of publication.
Only if a source meets all three of these criteria would you use the Retrieved from date as part of your citation.
References
Schemm, N.Research, citation, & class guides: APA style (7th ed.): Web pages. https://libguides.uww.edu/apa/web
Corporation/Group/Organization's Name. (Year webpage was last updated/published, Month Day if given). Title of page: Subtitle (if any). URL
Example:
Canadian Cancer Society. (2013, April 14). Cancer research. http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-101/cancer-research/?region=on
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Corporation/Group's Name, Year)
Example: (Canadian Cancer Society, 2013)
Corporation/Group/Organization Name. (Year website was last updated/published, Month Day if given). Title of website. URL
Example:
Jam Jar. (n.d.). Jam Jar Commercial. http://www.jam-jar.ca/commercial
In-Text Paraphrase:
Corporation/Group Name, Year)
Example: (Jam Jar, n.d.)
Note: Since this website does not include any publication date, the date information is written as n.d. (no date).
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year website was updated/published, Month Day if given). Title of website. URL
Note: To mention a web site in general, do not create a reference list entry or an in-text citation.
Example:
Mabillard, A. (2011, December 29). Shakespeare online. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Author's Last Name, Year)
Example: (Mabillard, 2011)
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Year webpage was last updated/published, Month Day if given). Title of page: Subtitle (if any). Website name. URL
example:
Kmec, J. (2012, March 13). Where’s the Boss? And What Counts as “Work”? The Society Pages. https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/03/13/wheres-the-boss-and-what-counts-as-work/
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Author Last Name, Year)
Example: (Kmec, 2012)
Title of page: Subtitle (if any). (Year webpage was last updated/published, Month Day if given). Name of Website. URL
example:
Timeline: Environmental movement (n.d.). The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/environment
Or, to emphasize that the page could be updated, include a retrieval date:
Timeline: Environmental movement (n.d.). The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/environment
Note: For further explanation of retrieval dates, see the Tips section on this page.
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Shortened title, Year)
Example: (Timeline: Environmental, n.d)
Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of Publication, Month Day). Title of document: Subtitle if given (edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher if different from author. URL
Example:
Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. (2010, April 27). Your preschool child's speech and language development. http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/earlychildhood/ speechlanguage/brochure_preschool.aspx
In-Text Paraphrase:
(Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee, Year)
Example: (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2010)