11. INTERNET CITATIONS
Citing to an internet source is acceptable in three situations: (i) the internet source is the authenticated, official, or exact copy of a source that either is currently available in print format or has been replaced by the internet source as the official resource of the state or federal government or entity; (ii) the internet source has print characteristics; or (iii) the original location of the source is electronic.
In situations (i) and (ii), the internet source should be cited in full compliance with the applicable rule in the Florida Style Manual. Providing a link to these sources is unnecessary unless the link will substantially ease access to the source. Note that an internet source has print characteristics when it is divided into separate pages with permanent page numbers. Common examples of internet sources with print characteristics are PDF copies of law review articles, magazine articles, or e-books.
When the source’s original location is electronic, however, linking to the source is required. Name authors in ordinary type. Institutional authors are typically omitted but must be provided where (i) the source’s author is not clearly announced and (ii) the host site’s title fails to identify clear domain ownership.
11.1 Page Title
Page titles distinguish the individual page being cited from the host site. While copying a cited page’s clearly announced heading is often advisable, the page title must only identify the source material—titles that are unduly long may be abbreviated. Capitalize page titles according to FSM Rule 1 or Bluebook Rule 8.
11.2 Host Site Title
Capitalize host site titles consistent with the source. In legal documents, host sites are named in ordinary type; in scholarly works, they are named in Large and Small Caps.
11.3 Date and Time
Include the source’s date and time of publication in a parenthetical following the host site title. However, if the source has been updated since publication, provide the date and time of the source’s latest update in a parenthetical following the URL. If the source is undated, include instead a “last visited” parenthetical after the source’s URL.
11.4 Archival
Archival of internet sources is highly encouraged to prevent link rot. Many reliable archival tools are available—The Harvard Law School Library provides one at perma.cc. A source’s permanent link is provided in brackets following the link to its original webpage.
11.5 The Basic Form of Citation
The basic form is:
► [author], [page title], [Host Site] (date & time), [appended URL] [permanent archive link].
► [author], [page title], [Host Site], [appended URL] (last visited parenthetical).
Legal Documents:
► Laura Baisas, The 2024 Florida Python Challenge Begins, Popular Science (Aug. 9, 2024, 9:47
AM), https://www.popsci.com/science/florida-python-challenge/ [https://perma.cc/BWD3-
AF3E].
►Steve Maugeri, Florida Python Challenge Continues Goal to Stabilize Everglades Ecosystem, CBS
News, https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/now-in-its-11th-year-florida-python-challenge-
continues-goal-to-stabilize-everglades-ecosystem/ (Aug. 16, 2024, 6:25 PM).
► Nonnative Species in the Everglades, Florida Python Challenge, https://flpythonchallenge.org/
everglades/nonnative-species-in-the-everglades/ (last visited Aug. 16, 2024).
Scholarly Works:
► Laura Baisas, The 2024 Florida Python Challenge Begins, Popular Science (Aug. 9, 2024, 9:47
AM), https://www.popsci.com/science/florida-python-challenge/ [https://perma.cc/BWD3-
AF3E].
► Steve Maugeri, Florida Python Challenge Continues Goal to Stabilize Everglades Ecosystem, CBS
News, https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/now-in-its-11th-year-florida-python-challenge-
continues-goal-to-stabilize-everglades-ecosystem/ (Aug. 16, 2024, 6:25 PM).
► Nonnative Species in the Everglades, Florida Python Challenge, https://flpythonchallenge.org/
everglades/nonnative-species-in-the-everglades/ (last visited Aug. 16, 2024).
For further examples and instructions on how to cite internet sources, see Bluebook Rule 18.