Use it for a specific page
Reference the page that provided the information, rather than only naming the website as a whole.
Video 12 of 16 · Foundations of Referencing
What is a webpage reference?
Reference the exact page, not just the website.
A webpage reference is used when you refer to information from a specific page on a website. It gives your reader enough detail to understand what page you used and where to find it.
Specific webpage
More than a URL
Clear source trail
Watch
Webpage references, explained simply
Use this video to understand what information is usually needed when referencing a specific online page.
Watch the video first, then use the sections below to check the main ideas.
In this lesson
Learn the essentials
A webpage reference should help your reader identify the exact online information you used.
Include enough detail
The author or organisation, date, page title, website name, URL and access date can all help identify the source.
Remember online sources can change
Because webpages can be edited, moved or removed, the access date and clear page details can be especially useful.
The source trail
What details help readers find a webpage?
The exact format depends on the referencing style, but these details often help your reader identify the page you used.
🏢
Author or organisation
Who created or published the page?
📄
Page title
What is the specific page called?
🔗
URL
Where can the page be found online?
📅
Access date
When did you view the page?
Example
A URL is only one part of the reference
A clear webpage reference gives the reader more context than a web address alone.
Organisation. Year. Page title. Website name. URL. Accessed date.
This shows who produced it, what page was used, where it is online and when it was accessed.
Quick checks
Before you submit
Is it the exact page?
Check that your reference points to the specific page you used, not just the website homepage.
Are the details clear?
Look for the author or organisation, date, title, website name, URL and access date where required.
Can someone else find it?
The reference should help your reader locate or understand the source even if the webpage later changes.
Read
Transcript
Open the transcript if you prefer to read the explanation or revisit a specific part of the video.
Read the transcript
A webpage reference is used when you refer to information from a specific page on a website.
A good webpage reference gives more than just the web address.
It should usually include details such as the author or organisation, the year or date, the title of the page, the name of the website, the URL, and the date you accessed it.
The exact format depends on the referencing style you are using.
Webpages can be useful sources, especially for organisations, government information, policies, guidance, or public reports.
But webpages can also change, move, or disappear.
That is why clear details are important.
A webpage reference helps your reader understand what page you used and where to find it.
Using Ref-Check
How this connects to Ref-Check
Ref-Check helps users check whether webpage references include enough clear details for readers to understand what page was used and where to find it.
Make the online source traceable
A webpage reference is strongest when it gives your reader a clear route back to the exact online page, not just a loose web address.