Chicago website citation format
For a signed web page, identify the author, page title, website, publication or revision date, and URL. A short note uses less information to point back to the source. The bibliography entry identifies the source in your final list. A page without a personal byline needs a closer look at who is responsible for the content.
The examples below label each output. In the first group, Nella Quillmere is the author, the words in quotation marks are the page title, and Bellweather Field Notebook is the website. The date belongs to the page; the address identifies that page rather than the site’s home page. All names and sources here are fictional.
Paste your page address above, then compare the fields with the page. Open Edit all fields to check the website name and dates. The result is only as useful as those details: a home-page title or a date guessed from a link can make a citation look finished while pointing to the wrong material.
Named author and publication date
- Full note
- Nella Quillmere, “Mapping the Footpaths of Bellweather Quay,” Bellweather Field Notebook, April 9, 2025, https://example.org/footpaths.
- Short note
- Quillmere, “Mapping the Footpaths.”
- Bibliography
- Quillmere, Nella. “Mapping the Footpaths of Bellweather Quay.” Bellweather Field Notebook, April 9, 2025. https://example.org/footpaths.
Organization responsible for the page
- Full note
- Bellweather Imaginary Survey Office, “Lantern Walk Survey Results,” June 12, 2025, https://example.org/lantern-walk.
- Short note
- Bellweather Imaginary Survey Office, “Lantern Walk.”
- Bibliography
- Bellweather Imaginary Survey Office. “Lantern Walk Survey Results.” June 12, 2025. https://example.org/lantern-walk.
No publication or revision date
- Full note
- Reedwhistle Imaginary Archive, “The Reedwhistle Footbridge Register,” accessed November 14, 2026, https://example.org/footbridges.
- Short note
- Reedwhistle Imaginary Archive, “Footbridge Register.”
- Bibliography
- Reedwhistle Imaginary Archive. “The Reedwhistle Footbridge Register.” Accessed November 14, 2026. https://example.org/footbridges.
- In-text citation
- (Reedwhistle Imaginary Archive, n.d.)
- Reference entry
- Reedwhistle Imaginary Archive. n.d. “The Reedwhistle Footbridge Register.” Accessed November 14, 2026. https://example.org/footbridges.
Common problems with web pages
Check the byline rather than copying a whole line into the author field. A label such as “By” or a job title is not part of a person’s name. Treat “Staff” with care: look for an actual credited person, group or organization instead of inventing an author. Use the organization option when that is the responsible author.
A website name and its owner can be different. Record the site name where the tool asks for it, and check which person or organization is responsible for the page. Chicago’s web-page examples list a bibliography entry under the owner or sponsor when no personal author is given.
If the page supplies a revision date, record it as Last modified rather than calling it a publication date. If there is no publication or revision date, include the date you accessed the page, or identify a dated archived version. In author-date style, use n.d. for the missing year; the access date does not become the publication year.
If you consulted an archived copy, identify that saved version. In Edit all fields, choose Archived page and supply Archived URL and Archive date. Check the saved page yourself; a working archive link does not prove that it contains the passage you used.
Do not fill a missing field with a guess just to remove a warning. Confirm No author or the no-date box only after checking the page. If the tool cannot read a site, keep the link and fill in the details yourself. You can still inspect and copy the result while reviewing the source.
Website or online article?
A journal, newspaper or magazine article is still that kind of source when you read it online. Choose the corresponding Source type in Edit all fields. Journal entries may need a journal title, volume, issue and article pages; a generic web-page form is not a substitute for those publication details.
If you used a book online, use the book guide. When checking a result, ask whether the fields describe the particular work you read, not just the website that hosts it. Keep a record of any page number or timestamp while you have the source open.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a website with no author in Chicago style?
Look for the organization responsible for the page. Chicago’s web-page bibliography examples use the site owner or sponsor when there is no personal author. Do not invent a person’s name.
How do I cite a website with no date?
If there is no publication or revision date, include an access date or cite a dated archived version. Author-date references use n.d. in place of the year. Check the page for a revision date before marking it undated.
Do I need an access date?
Include one for a web page with no publication or revision date, unless you cite a dated archived version. It is not a replacement for a date that the page actually provides. Follow any additional requirement in your assignment.
Should I include the full URL?
Include a URL that leads to the page you used, rather than only the website’s home page. Check that the address works. A stable link supplied by the site can help readers find the same source.
How do I cite a YouTube video?
Choose Online video in Source type. Enter the credited creator, video title, date, platform and URL, and check the result against the video. Check any missing details against the video itself.