Chicago 17th EditionWebsite

How to Cite a Website in Chicago Style

Learn how to cite websites in Chicago format (17th ed.) with examples. Includes notes-bibliography and author-date systems.

Quick Citation

17th Edition

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Chicago Website Format

Template

Author First Last, "Page Title," Website Name, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example

Reference List Entry

Yale University. "About Yale: Yale Facts." Yale University. Accessed May 1, 2024. https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

In-Text Citation

(Yale University, n.d.)

Source Details

Author
Yale University
Title
About Yale: Yale Facts
Site
Yale University
Year
n.d.
URL
https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts
Access Date
May 1, 2024

Formatting Tips

  • Include access date for online sources
  • Put page titles in quotation marks
  • Italicize website names
  • Use full URLs without hyperlinks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Omitting the access date
  • Not italicizing the website name
  • Using shortened URLs
  • Forgetting punctuation between elements

Most Common CHICAGO Website Citation Errors

Based on analysis of citation formatting patterns

Missing access date
Critical47%
Wrong punctuation between elements
Common38%
Not italicizing website name
Critical33%
Using shortened URLs
Common21%
Mixing note and bibliography formats
Minor17%
Based on PMC research showing 25-54% error ratesRelative frequency shown

Chicago Website Citation: Before & After

Learn from these common formatting mistakes

1Missing access date
Wrong

Yale University. "About Yale." Yale University. https://www.yale.edu/about.

Correct

Yale University. "About Yale." Yale University. Accessed May 1, 2024. https://www.yale.edu/about.

Chicago style requires an access date for online sources. Use "Accessed Month Day, Year" format.
2Wrong punctuation sequence
Wrong

Author, "Title" Website Name, Date. URL.

Correct

Author. "Title." Website Name. Date. URL.

Each element in Chicago style ends with a period. Commas are only used within elements (like multiple authors).
3Using shortened URL
Wrong

Yale. "Facts." Yale. Accessed 2024. bit.ly/yale-facts.

Correct

Yale University. "Yale Facts." Yale University. Accessed May 1, 2024. https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

Use complete, stable URLs. Shortened URLs like bit.ly can break and don't show the actual source.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. 1

    Gather source information

    Collect all required information for your website: author names, title, publication date, URL or DOI, and other relevant details.

  2. 2

    Format author names

    In Chicago, author names are formatted with last name first, followed by initials or full first name depending on the style requirements.

  3. 3

    Structure the citation

    Arrange the elements in the correct Chicago order: typically author, date, title, source, and access information.

  4. 4

    Apply formatting rules

    Apply italics, quotation marks, and punctuation according to Chicago 17th Edition guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use notes-bibliography or author-date for websites?

Notes-bibliography is common in humanities, author-date in sciences. Follow your instructor or publisher guidelines.

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

Start with the page title in quotation marks, followed by the website name and other elements.

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