How to Cite Wikipedia?
Why People Use Wikipedia Citation?
When you are working on an academic assignment, it is necessary to cite every used source. Otherwise, you will be accused of plagiarism, and your work will be rejected.
Here are only some of the reasons why proper formatting is crucial for any type of work:
- Addressing sources helps you to back your points of view and to show the audience that your data is credible. In addition, you save readers’ time, as they don’t need to search for proofs of your words;
- You will learn how to look for sources and distinguish credible from false ones. It is a great analytical skill that can be applied in multiple spheres in the future;
- The outlook of your assignment will become more structured and appealing;
- Your work can become a basis for future research if the readers would want to learn more on their own.
There are many sources that can be used: journals, articles, books, and other publications. However, Wikipedia occupies one of the leading positions because it contains brief and up-to-date information on most of the topics. It is easily accessible, and you don’t need to go to the library. That is why students are really interested in how to cite Wikipedia in text depending on the required formatting style. If you are also looking for such information, just go on reading!
How to Cite Wikipedia in Different Format Styles?
Below you will find examples on citing Wikipedia in one of the most popular formats.
How to Cite Wikipedia in APA
Here is how to cite Wikipedia APA in the reference list and in-text.
Reference List
- Format: Entry name. (n.d.) in Wikipedia. Date, when it was retrieved from URL.
- For example, Film Criticism. (n.d.) in Wikipedia. Retrieved February 12, 2019 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism
In-Text Citation
- Format: (Publication name, date, number of the paragraph)
- For example, (Wikipedia, February 12, 2019, paragraph 3)
MLA
How to cite Wikipedia using MLA format:
Reference List
- Format: ‘Entry title.’ Wikipedia: Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Inc., d/m/y of last modification, time, URL. D/m/y of access.
- For example, ‘Film Criticism’ Wikipedia: Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Inc., 31 March 2019, 2:49 AM, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism Accessed 12 April, 2019.
In-Text Citation
- Format: (‘Entry title’)
- For example, (‘Film Criticism’)
Chicago
Want to learn how to cite Wikipedia Chicago? Follow the guidelines below.
Reference List
- Format: Year. ‘Entry title.’ Access date or date of last modification. URL
- For example, Wikipedia. 2019. ‘Film Criticism.’ Last modified 31 March 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism
In-Text Citation
- Format: (Wikipedia and year)
- For example, (Wikipedia 2019)
Turabian
Reference List
- Format: ‘Entry title.’ In Wikipedia. Published. Year. M/d/y of access. URL.
- For example: ‘Film Criticism.’ In Wikipedia. Wikimedia Inc. 2019. Accessed April 12, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism
In-Text Citation
- Format: (Publisher and year)
- For example: (Wikipedia 2019)
AAA
Reference List
- Format: ‘Entry title.’ Website Wikipedia, month and day. Access [month day, year]. URL
- For example, 2019 ‘Film Criticism.’ Website Wikipedia, March 31. Last accessed [April 12, 2019]
In-Text Citation
- Format: (Publisher and year)
- For example, (Wikipedia 2019)
APSA
Reference List
- Format: Wikipedia, publication year. ‘Entry title.’ URL (access month and day, year)
- For example, Wikipedia, 2009. ‘Film Criticism.’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism (April 12, 2019).
In-Text Citation
- Format: (Author and year)
- For example, (Wikipedia 2019)
Vancouver
- Format: Entry title [Wikipedia on the Internet]. Location (in case of an online source, location of the publisher): Publisher. Y/m/d, when the entry started. Available: URL
- For example, Film Criticism [Wikipedia on the Internet]. St. Petersburg (FL): Wikimedia Inc. 2009 August 23. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism
OSCOLA
- Format: ‘Entry title’ (Article from Wikipedia, d/m/y) <URL> day/m/y of access
- For example, ‘Film Criticism (Article from Wikipedia, 23 August, 2009) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism> accessed 12 April 2019.
IEEE
- Format: ‘Entry title’, in Wikipedia: Free Encyclopedia [Online], month and day, year. Available at: URL [month and day, year of access]
- For example, ‘Film Criticism, in Wikipedia: Free Encyclopedia [Online], August 23, 2009. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism [April 12, 2019].
AMA
- Format: Entry title. Wikipedia. URL. Publication date [month and day, year]. Updated [month and day, year]. Last access [month and day, year].
- For example, Film Criticism. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism. Published [August 23, 2009]. Updated [March 31, 2019].
ACS
- Format: Entry title. URL (Access month and day, year).
- For example, Wikipedia. Film Criticism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_criticism (accessed April 12, 2019).
Using the Wikipedia Citation Generator
- Open the cited article;
- Press ‘cite the page’ in the ‘tools’;
- Find the required citation style;
- Select your citation by dragging the mouse across the necessary citation;
- Copy it;
- Open any editor you are used to. It can be MS Word, Google Documents, etc.;
- Paste the citation by pressing CTRL + V for Windows or Command + V for Apple.
Now you are ready to cite any Wikipedia source not depending on the formatting style you are given. Moreover, you can always use a citation generator and avoid any difficulties!
