How to Cite a Website in Chicago Manual of Style

How to cite a website in Chicago step by step

1. Pick your system. Decide between notes-bibliography and author-date, since author-date needs a year while a note can use a full date.
2. Author or owner. Use the page author if named, otherwise the organization or site that owns the content.
3. Title and site. Put the page title in quotation marks and give the website name separately.
4. Date the page. Use the publication or last revised date; if none exists, give your access date in the note.
5. Add the URL. Paste the full URL so the exact page can be reached.

Common website citation variations

How do I cite a website with no author in Chicago?

Start with the organization that owns the site as the author. If no organization is identifiable, begin with the page title and keep the rest of the order the same.

How do I cite a website with no date in Chicago?

Use n.d. in place of the year and add an access date before the URL, since the access date becomes the only time anchor.

Do I need an access date for a website in Chicago?

Chicago requires an access date only when the page shows no publication or revision date, or when your discipline or instructor asks for one.

How do I cite a whole website rather than one page in Chicago?

You can often describe the site in the text and give the URL in a note rather than a formal bibliography entry. Add a formal entry only if you cite specific content.