How to Cite an Encyclopedia Entry
Updated July 2026
An encyclopedia entry is cited like a chapter in a reference work: the entry title is the work, the encyclopedia is the container, and you add the publisher/site and date. Whether it's print, Britannica online, or Wikipedia, the same shape applies — with one twist for entries that change over time.
Here are the patterns in each style, plus the author, edition, and retrieval-date rules.
The format
An encyclopedia entry follows the same reference-work shape as the dictionary example above: entry title → encyclopedia (container) → publisher/site → date/URL.
Merriam-Webster. (2024). Consolidation. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolidation
In-text(Merriam-Webster, 2024)
Merriam-Webster. "Consolidation." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, 2024, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolidation. Accessed 1 June 2026.
In-text(Merriam-Webster)
Merriam-Webster. "Consolidation." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolidation.
In-text(Merriam-Webster 2024)
Author vs. editor vs. organization
Signed entries (the author is named, common in academic encyclopedias): lead with the entry author. Unsigned entries: the entry title or the publishing organization takes the author position — e.g., Britannica's editors, or Encyclopaedia Britannica itself. In APA, a group publisher with no individual author becomes both author and source if they match.
Online entries change — use a retrieval date when needed
Online encyclopedias update entries continuously. For a version that may change with no archived/dated version, APA adds a retrieval date: Retrieved June 12, 2026, from URL. If the entry shows a specific publication or revision date (or you link an archived version), you don't need the retrieval date. Print editions cite the edition and year instead.
Wikipedia is a special case
Most instructors don't accept Wikipedia as a cited source — use it as a map to the citable primary sources in its references section. If your instructor does permit it, APA cites the archived version: click View history → the dated permanent link, so your citation points to the exact text you read. Full walkthrough: How to Cite Wikipedia.
In-text and credibility
In-text is author–date in APA — (Britannica, 2024) — or a shortened entry title when unsigned. Encyclopedias are tertiary sources (summaries of summaries): great for orientation, weak as evidence. Chase the primary sources they cite and cite those directly. Official guidance: the APA Style Blog and the MLA Style Center.
Keep every citation you make.
A free account saves your citation history and organizes sources into projects with notes and tags.
Create a free account →Find the sources you should be citing.
Premium searches 250 million scholarly works by topic, recommends citations for your claims, and flags statements in your writing that need support.
Go Premium — $5/monthFrequently asked questions
- How do I cite an unsigned encyclopedia entry?
- Move the entry title (or the publishing organization) into the author position. In text, use a shortened title or the organization name with the date.
- Do I need a retrieval date for an online encyclopedia?
- Only when the entry can change and there's no dated or archived version. If a publication/revision date is shown, or you link an archived version, skip the retrieval date.
- Can I cite Wikipedia?
- Usually not as a direct source — most instructors disallow it. Use its references section to find citable primary sources. If permitted, cite the dated archived version from the page history.
- Is an encyclopedia a good source?
- It's a tertiary source — excellent for orientation, weak as evidence. Prefer the primary and secondary sources the entry itself cites.