The information should at least be accurate to the day for websites with a high fluctuation and many updates (such as prominent online newspapers), a reference to the time can also be helpful.
Since content on web pages can change, it is essential to indicate the access date. This information is not mandatory and can be omitted if not present. If a DOI number is available, you can use it instead of or in addition to the URL. Please do not put it at a point in the URL where a hyphen already exists, as this could lead to confusion among readers.Įxample: /en/citing/how-to-cite-a-website It would be best to place the hyphen in the middle of the word. You should not insert hyphens to indicate a line break (this adds additional characters to the URL and thus distorts it). When separating lines in the bibliography, pay attention to the hyphens within the domain. The URL must be given in its entirety and must not be shortened. If the date is unavailable, the retrieval date is used in the quick reference, or it must be indicated as "without date". The publication date can be found on the article itself - especially for scientific and journalistic pieces. The section where the reference text is placed should also be named for large websites with many sections. Here, once again, the nature of the source should be made clear by placing the words "website" or "online". If there is no article title available, the page title can be used (however, this may also be an unkempt page with little meaningfulness).Įxample: "How to cite a website: a comprehensive guide" If you cannot find this information directly on the text (which may indicate a less reputable resource), you should see the name in the imprint. The following information is necessary for the citation: Once the decision has been made to cite a source, consider a few things when citing. Register now (it's free) Important tips for citing internet sources Sometimes they are simply an aid or help in finding good primary sources. Helpful texts do not always have to be suitable sources. Is the information content high and the content unique? However, a direct indication of the concrete publication is optimal.Īre (good) sources also indicated in the potential source?īe it by linking or by a list of the sources used at the end of the text: Stating the origin of one's information is a good sign of a reputable source. Here it is often stated who is responsible for the website's content.
If no author is indicated, a look at the imprint can help. This point is essential both for formal source citation and for checking seriousness. The only exception is if the online publication differs from the print version in essential points. However, it should be noted here that print products also available as online publications should be cited from the print version.
Websites of universities, state institutes, recognized publishers, or professional journals are usually considered trustworthy. You can use such sites as a springboard for researching other sources.ĭoes the website belong to a recognized organization? Anyone who does not include their real name in an imprint is unsuitable as a primary source in academic writing. What sounds banal excludes the particularly unserious sources already at first sight. To assess whether the Internet source at hand is trustworthy, you should take a look at the following criteria: This applies to term papers, bachelor and doctoral theses, and other publications. For scientific work, only references that are classified as very reputable should be used since the credibility of one's work is mainly dependent on the sources used. Source criticism is of particular importanceīefore you can even start citing a digital source, it is essential to sift through the source. Printed sources should, in most cases, have a preference over digital sources due to the immutability of books and journals and the seriousness of the publications, which is sometimes easier to assess. You have to keep a few things in mind to ensure the accuracy of the reference. When writing a scientific paper, sources from the Internet may be relevant in addition to the classic citation of printed material.