To cite a website in-text, you usually include the author (or title) and year or page title , depending on the citation style you’re using.

Quick Scoop

Here’s how to handle in-text citations for websites in the three most common styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago (author–date).

APA: Author and Year

In APA, you generally cite a website in-text using the author’s last name and the year of publication.

  • Basic format (paraphrase):
    • (Author, Year)
    • Example: (Smith, 2023)
  • If you mention the author in the sentence (signal phrase):
    • Smith (2023) argues that social media reshapes news consumption.
  • No author (use title):
    • Shorten the title and put it in quotation marks, plus the year:
    • ("Future of Renewable Energy," 2023)
  • Direct quote from a long webpage:
    • Add a locator if available (section title and/or paragraph):
    • Smith (2023, “Policy Changes” section, para. 4) claims that…

MLA: Author or Title (No Year Needed)

In MLA, in-text citations point to the first element in the Works Cited entry—usually the author’s last name. You don’t include the year in the citation.

  • Basic format (paraphrase or quote):
    • (Author)
    • Example: (Walker)
  • Mentioning the author in the sentence:
    • Walker notes that website design has become more accessible.
  • No author (use a shortened title):
    • Use quotation marks around a shortened version of the page title:
    • (“How to Build”)
  • Whole website (not a specific page):
    • Often you just mention the site name in your sentence and ensure it appears in the Works Cited, e.g.,
    • According to Elementor’s website, web creators have more tools than ever before.

Chicago (Author–Date) In Text

If you’re using the Chicago author–date system, websites are cited in-text similarly to APA: author plus year.

  • Basic format:
    • (Author Year)
    • Example: (Brown 2022)
  • With a specific part or section (if needed):
    • Add a locator such as a section or paragraph if the source provides one:
    • (Brown 2022, “Methods”)
  • Mentioning the author in the sentence:
    • Brown (2022) explains that online recipes can be updated frequently.

In the Chicago notes-and-bibliography system, you would typically use footnotes or endnotes instead of parenthetical in-text citations.

Two Practical Patterns to Remember

  • APA / Chicago author–date
    • Paraphrase: (Author, Year) or (Author Year)
    • No author: ("Shortened Title," Year)
    • With locator: (Author, Year, section or para.)
  • MLA
    • Paraphrase or quote: (Author)
    • No author: (“Shortened Title”)

Example Mini-Paragraph (APA vs. MLA vs. Chicago)

APA: Social media has changed how people consume political news (Smith, 2023).
MLA: Social media has changed how people consume political news (Smith).
Chicago (author–date): Social media has changed how people consume political news (Smith 2023).

Quick Checklist

Before finalizing your in-text website citation, ask:

  • Do I know which style my instructor or publisher wants (APA, MLA, Chicago)?
  • Am I matching the in-text citation to the first element of the reference/Works Cited/bibliography entry?
  • If there’s no author , did I use a shortened title instead?
  • For APA/Chicago, did I include the year?

Bottom note:
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.