You've found that perfect website, the one that holds the exact piece of information you need for your paper. Now comes the slightly less thrilling part: citing it correctly. If you're working with the APA 7th edition, you might be wondering, "How do I even begin to cite this website?"
Think of it like this: every source you use is a breadcrumb leading your reader back to the original path. For websites, APA 7th edition gives us a clear, albeit sometimes nuanced, map.
At its heart, citing a website in APA 7th edition follows a straightforward structure when the content doesn't neatly fit into another category (like a specific journal article or a video). You'll typically need the author's last name and first initial, the year of publication, the specific title of the web page, the name of the website itself, and finally, the URL.
Let's break that down. For the author, if it's an individual, you'll use their name. If it's an organization, use the organization's name. If there's no clear author, you can often start with the title. The date is crucial – look for the publication or last updated date. The title of the web page should be italicized. Then, you'll list the name of the larger website (like a news organization's main site or a university's homepage) and, of course, the direct link.
For instance, if you found an article on FiveThirtyEight about the longevity of TV spinoffs, it might look something like this: Austerlitz, S. (2015, March 3). How long can a spinoff like ‘Better Call Saul’ last? FiveThirtyEight. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-long-can-a-spinoff-like-better-call-saul-last/
Now, here's where it gets a little more specific, and honestly, quite interesting. What if your source isn't just a plain web page? APA 7th edition has provisions for those too.
Diving into Social Media Citations
Social media is a huge part of our digital landscape, and APA 7th edition acknowledges this. When you're citing something from Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, the goal is to preserve as much of the original post's context as possible.
For Facebook posts, you'll include the user's name, the date, the first 20 words of the post, and any relevant source or post type (like '[Video attached]' or '[Status update]'). Then, you'll list 'Facebook' and the URL.
Twitter follows a similar pattern. You'll need the account holder's name, their Twitter handle, the date, the first 20 words of the tweet, any attached source types, and then 'Twitter' followed by the URL.
Instagram citations are also quite detailed. You'll list the account holder's name, their Instagram handle, the date, the first 20 words of the caption, and indicate if it includes photographs or videos, followed by 'Instagram' and the URL.
It's really about being as precise as possible. The key takeaway is that APA 7th edition provides a framework, but you always want to choose the most specific source type available. If you're citing a newspaper article you found online, you'd use the newspaper format, not the general website format. Similarly, a YouTube video gets its own specific citation style.
Keeping track of your sources as you research is more than just good practice; it's about academic integrity. Tools can certainly help streamline this process, making sure those breadcrumbs are laid out clearly and accurately for your readers. It’s about giving credit where it’s due and allowing others to explore the same resources you found so valuable.
