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File:Edit-copy green.svg This is a Template documentation subpage for Template:Cite web.
It contains usage information, categories, and other content that is not part of the original template page.

This template is used to cite online sources in Wikipedia articles. {{Cite news}} can also be used when citing a news source; for general information about citations in Wikipedia articles, see Wikipedia:Cite sources. A general discussion of the use of templates for adding citations to Wikipedia articles is available at Wikipedia:Citation templates.

Usage

Common forms with authors in any format

Citations within a page should use consistent formats. However, there is no consensus about which format is best. The following examples are for citations where one or more authors are listed in a single |author=authors parameter, using any format. Also shown below are two separate date formats that are commonly used in Wikipedia:

Day Month Year
{{cite web |url= |title= |author= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=9 June 2026}}
Month Day, Year
{{cite web |url= |title= |author= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=June 9, 2026}}

Common forms with last1, first1; last2, first2

The examples hereafter will suffice for up to two authors each with first and last names; for more, just create more parameters in a similar style:

Day Month Year
{{cite web |url= |title= |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=9 June 2026}}
Month Day, Year
{{cite web |url= |title= |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=June 9, 2026}}

All parameters

When copying all parameters in either the vertical or horizontal layouts, delete those which are not needed.

All parameters, horizontal layout
{{cite web |url= |title= |first= |last= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |month= |year= |work= |publisher= |location= |page= |pages= |at= |language= |trans_title= |format= |arxiv= |asin= |bibcode= |doi= |doibroken= |isbn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |lccn= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |osti= |pmc = |pmid= |rfc= |ssrn= |zbl= |id= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |deadurl= |accessdate= |quote= |ref= |separator= |postscript=}}
All parameters, vertical layout
{{cite web
 | url =
 | title =
 | first =
 | last =
 | author =
 | authorlink =
 | coauthors =
 | date =
 | month =
 | year =
 | work =
 | publisher =
 | location =
 | page =
 | pages =
 | at =
 | language =
 | trans_title =
 | format =
 | arxiv =
 | asin =
 | bibcode =
 | doi =
 | doibroken =
 | isbn =
 | issn =
 | jfm =
 | jstor =
 | lccn =
 | mr =
 | oclc =
 | ol =
 | osti =
 | pmc =
 | pmid =
 | rfc =
 | ssrn =
 | zbl =
 | id =
 | archiveurl =
 | archivedate =
 | deadurl =
 | accessdate =
 | quote =
 | ref =
 | separator =
 | postscript =
}}

Examples

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |author=Doe, John |publisher=Open Publishing |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |author=Doe, John |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |author=Doe, John |date=30 April 2005 |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |author=Doe, John |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/digestofrules |title=Digest of Rules |publisher=National Football League |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

Using format

{{cite web |url=http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/green.pdf |title=List of psychotropic substances under international control |publisher=International Narcotics Control Board |format=PDF |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

Foreign language and translated title

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Honni soit qui mal y pense |author=Joliet, François |date=30 April 2005 |accessdate=6 July 2005 |language=French |trans_title=Shame on those who think evil }}

  • Joliet, François (30 April 2005). "Honni soit qui mal y pense" (in French). Retrieved 6 July 2005. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Using authorlink

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=My Favorite Things, Part II |author=Doe, John |authorlink=John Doe |publisher=Open Publishing |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=6 July 2005 }}

Using coauthors

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Our Favorite Things |first=John |last=Doe |coauthors=Smith, Peter; Smythe, Jim |publisher=Open Publishing |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=16 May 2006 }}

  • Doe, John (30 April 2005). "Our Favorite Things". Encyclopedia of Things. Open Publishing. Retrieved 16 May 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Our Favorite Things |first=John |last=Doe |coauthors=Peter Smith; Jim Smythe |publisher=Open Publishing |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=16 May 2006 }}

  • Doe, John (30 April 2005). "Our Favorite Things". Encyclopedia of Things. Open Publishing. Retrieved 16 May 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
No author

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Index of Sharp Things |publisher=Open Publishing |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=16 May 2006 }}

No author, no publisher

This abbreviated format should only be used when the editor cannot determine the publisher and author.

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Index of Sharp Things |date=30 April 2005 |work=Encyclopedia of Things |accessdate=6 July 2005}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.example.org/ |title=Index of Sharp Things |date=30 April 2005 |accessdate=6 July 2005}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/green.pdf |title=List of psychotropic substances under international control |date=30 April 2005 |format=PDF |accessdate=6 July 2005 |language=Greek }}

Using "archiveurl" and "archivedate" (and optionally "deadurl") for webpages that have been archived

{{cite web |url=http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/green.pdf |title=List of psychotropic substances under international control |date=30 April 2005 |format=PDF |accessdate=6 July 2005 |archiveurl=http://www.archive.org/2005-09-11/www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/green.pdf |archivedate=11 September 2005 }}

{{cite web |url=http://joanjettbadrep.com/cgi-bin/fullStory.cgi?archive=currnews&story=20060405-01shore.htm |title=Interview with Maggie Downs |date=31 March 2006 |publisher=The Desert Sun |archiveurl=http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:JAxf4v-pQmgJ:joanjettbadrep.com/cgi-bin/fullStory.cgi%3Farchive%3Dcurrnews%26story%3D20060405-01shore.htm |archivedate=26 April 2006 |deadurl=no }}

{{Cite web |url=http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/03772.html |title=London, United Kingdom Forecast : Weather Underground (weather and elevation at Heathrow Airport) |publisher=The Weather Underground, Inc. |accessdate=6 June 2008 |ref=harv | archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5yo0HaAk7 |archivedate=19 May 2011| deadurl=no }}

Using "quote"

{{cite web |url=http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/c.html |title=Daylight saving time: rationale and original idea |work=WebExhibits |year=2008 |accessdate=27 September 2009 |quote=... Lord Balfour came forward with a unique concern: 'Supposing some unfortunate lady was confined with twins ...' }}

Parameters

Syntax

Template:Csdoc

Template:Csdoc

Template:Csdoc

Description

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Template:Citation Style 1 Template:Wikipedia referencing Template:UF-COinS




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