APA / MLA citation for websites is NOT correct

Deschatjes

I have just been corresponding with the APA with respect to the correct format to cite a website or blog. I will give an example to show how Zotero is not doing this correctly!

Zotero Output:
Hume-Pratuch, J. (2014, July 25). How to Use the New DOI Format in APA Style. APA Style Blog. Blog post. Retrieved August 6, 2014, from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2014/07/how-to-use-the-new-doi-format-in-apa-style.html

(How to Use the New DOI Format in APA Style. APA Style Blog. is in italics when output from Zotero)

Correct format should be:
Hume-Pratuch, J. (2014, July 25). How to Use the New DOI Format in APA Style [Blog post]. Retrieved August 6, 2014, from http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2014/07/how-to-use-the-new-doi-format-in-apa-style.html

(nothing should be in italics)

Additionally, for MLA style, the publisher should be included, but Zotero does not have a field for this, so it appears as n.p. and has to be manually adjusted.

aurimas

I see that website/blog type is not bracketted and that needs to be fixed.

I also see that we always include access date, though APA says:

When a DOI is not available, and a URL is included, do not include retrieval dates unless the source material may change over time (e.g., wikis).

So it seems very optional (for Wikipedia, we actually fetch a URL to that exact copy of the article, so it won't change). But, I suppose, it's better to be on the safe side.

I'm not sure what you mean about the publisher. What is a publisher for a web page? Both webpage and blog include website title and blog title, respectively, if that's what you mean. Though I don't exactly see where that would go. APA manual does say

Include the information "Retrieved from" followed by the URL where the message can be retrieved. Include the name of the list to which the message was posted, if this information is not part of the URL.

but they don't give an example. I assume it would look something like (Edit: oops, I see that the publisher comment was for MLA)

Vinckevicius, A. (2014, July 22). Lookup engine hosting [Mailing list]. Retrieved from zotero-dev Google Group https://groups.google.com/d/topic/zotero-dev/ZoxwFrpj3KQ/discussion

Deschatjes

Thanks Aurimas.
yes, access date is optional.
The [blog post] is easy enough to "force" as I just incorporate it in the title but the bigger issue is the fact that the title is in italics, whereas for APA it should not be ... that means I need to manually change all the italics to normal text! As I do a lot of writing about social media you can imagine this gets really laborious.

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Blog (Weblog) and Video Blog Post

Include the title of the message and the URL. Please note that titles for items in online communities (e.g. blogs, newsgroups, forums) are not italicized. If the author’s name is not available, provide the screen name.

J Dean. (2008, May 7). When the self emerges: Is that me in the mirror? [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.spring.org.uk/the1sttransport

Psychology Video Blog #3 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqM90eQi5-M

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The issue with MLA is as follows:
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A Listserv, Discussion Group, or Blog Posting

Cite Web postings as you would a standard Web entry. Provide the author of the work, the title of the posting in quotation marks, the Web site name in italics, the publisher, and the posting date. Follow with the medium of publication and the date of access. Include screen names as author names when author name is not known. If both names are known, place the author’s name in brackets. Remember if the publisher of the site is unknown, use the abbreviation n.p.

Editor, screen name, author, or compiler name (if available). “Posting Title.” Name of Site. Version number (if available). Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher). Medium of publication. Date of access.

Salmar1515 [Sal Hernandez]. “Re: Best Strategy: Fenced Pastures vs. Max Number of Rooms?” BoardGameGeek. BoardGameGeek, 29 Sept. 2008. Web. 5 Apr. 2009.
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As mentioned in my earlier comment, I cannot find a space to put the "publisher" / website owner, even if it is known, so this would have to be added manually.

aurimas

Update is awaiting approval: https://github.com/citation-style-language/styles/pull/1050

With the update, you have:
[APA] Smith, J. (1999, January 12). Page Title [Website Type]. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from http://www.example.com
[MLA] Smith, John. “Page Title.” Website Type. Website Title. N.p., 12 Jan. 1999. Web. 28 July 2014. (website type moved before title)

There is no way to specify publisher for website and that will not be remedied any time soon, so manual editing is the only way to go for now.

Deschatjes

Hi Aurimas
Thanks - that's amazing!

And the issue with "Please note that titles for items in online communities (e.g. blogs, newsgroups, forums) are not italicized. "?

Is it possible to address that as well?

Thanks again

aurimas

Yes, as shown in the examples I gave in the above post, APA would not italicize titles with this patch.