Note all of the information about the web resource you want to use in your report or essay. Write what kind of source it is (e.g., journal article from a database or online journal, personal website, online encyclopedia), the date that the site was last updated (if available), the author of the site or material in the site you want to use (if available) and the main website the web page falls under (who the page is directly affiliated with or who runs the page). Also include the date you accessed the page, the name of the electronic database you are using (if applicable), the website address and the volume and issue number of the journal if you are using an online or electronic database journal.
Format the citation in the particular style you are using. For example, if you are writing a literature essay, you will most likely follow the Modern Language Association's (MLA) formatting for citations. Citations include the bibliography or works cited page at the end of the essay as well as citations within the body of the report or essay. An example from the Purdue Online Writing Lab demonstrates a MLA citation for a journal article:
Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. Medium of publication.
Social science papers use the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Yale College provides an example of an APA journal article from the web:
Hitchens, C. (2004, June 21). Unfairenheit 9/11. Slate. Retrieved October 28, 2004, from http://slate.msn.com/id/2102723/
[author.] [(posting date).] [article title.] [online journal title.] [Retrieved date of access,] [from URL]
Use the most recent edition of the citation handbook as website citation formatting changes frequently. For example, MLA citations are no longer required to include the website address because website addresses change and the same material is often available in more than one place on the Internet. APA requires the entire web address be cited either within the text (if citing an entire website) or in the list of references (if citing a page within a website). You can also include the date of retrieval for the website or page within the references list if you feel a site or page may change over time.
Double-check your citations for accuracy. Go back and look at the website again if you are unsure of any detail. Check that your punctuation and formatting is exactly correct for each entry.