How to Cite a Website in APSA Style Manual

This guide explains how to format a website citation in APSA Style Manual. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a website in APSA Style Manual:

Template

Author (or Organization). Year. "Title of Page." *Website Name*. URL (accessed Month Day, Year).

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Pew Research Center 2024)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Pew Research Center. 2024. "Public Trust in Government: 1958--2024." *Pew Research Center*. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/public-trust-in-government (accessed January 10, 2026).

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author or organization
Use the individual author or organizational name. If no author, use the organization that published the page.
2
Add the year
Write the publication year. If no year, write "N.d." (no date).
3
Write the page title
Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.
4
Add the website name
Italicize the website or publication name.
5
Include URL and access date
Provide the full URL followed by the access date in parentheses: (accessed Month Day, Year).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting the access date for web sources.
Not placing the page title in quotation marks.
Forgetting to italicize the website name.
Using "Retrieved from" instead of the APSA "(accessed ...)" format.
Omitting the year when it is available on the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an access date required for APSA web citations?

Yes. APSA requires an access date for all online sources. Use the format: (accessed Month Day, Year).

How do I cite a government website in APSA?

Use the government agency as the author: U.S. Department of State. Year. "Page Title." *Website Name*. URL (accessed Date).

What if the website has no date?

Use "N.d." (capitalized N, lowercase d, period) in place of the year.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your website:

Author(s) or Organization
Date of publication or last update
Title of page or article
Website name
URL
Date accessed (if no publication date)

Generate citations automatically with CiteDash

Stop formatting citations by hand. CiteDash automatically generates accurate APSA Style Manual citations for all your sources while you research and write.

Start Free Trial More APSA Style Manual Guides

Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author or organization

Use the individual author or organizational name. If no author, use the organization that published the page.

Add the year

Write the publication year. If no year, write "N.d." (no date).

Write the page title

Place in double quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.

Add the website name

Italicize the website or publication name.

Include URL and access date

Provide the full URL followed by the access date in parentheses: (accessed Month Day, Year).