How to Cite the WHO (APA, MLA & Chicago Guide)
To cite a World Health Organization (WHO) source, first confirm who created it, what kind of source it is, and which date the source gives. Then follow the required style: APA 7, MLA 9, or Chicago 18. Match your in-text citation, note, or footnote to a full reference, and never guess missing details.
You may start with a WHO webpage open beside your paper and still feel unsure: Is WHO the author? Is the date the page was published or last updated? Should the website name appear twice? Once you identify the source type and follow one style’s rules, those questions become easier to answer.
When I help students review citations, I often find that the main problem is not punctuation. It is a missing or misread source detail. Use the steps below to record the right information before you format the citation.
WHO Source Types and Citation-Style Overview
A WHO source may be a webpage, report, journal article, dataset, or another kind of work. The source type affects its citation format. Before writing an entry, confirm the responsible author, exact title, date, publication details, DOI if present, and URL.
First, check the source itself. A webpage hosted on the WHO website is not automatically authored by WHO. Look for a byline, named department, or other statement of responsibility. If WHO is responsible for the content, use World Health Organization as the group author. Do not infer authorship just from the web address.
Next, record the date shown on the page or publication. A “last updated” date may not be the original publication date. Keep the date label in mind, and do not replace a known publication date with the date you accessed the page.
| Source type | Details to record | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Author, page title, publication or update date, URL | Whether WHO is the author and what the date describes |
| Report | Author, report title, publication date, publisher, DOI or URL | Whether WHO is both author and publisher |
| Journal article | Article authors, article title, journal, volume, issue, pages, DOI | Whether WHO is an author, publisher, or both |
| Dataset or other work | Named creator, title, date, format or version, DOI or URL | Whether the source gives a version or release date |
For a DOI-identified work, include the DOI in the form required by your style. A DOI is a persistent identifier for a work; it is not the same as a general webpage URL. If a source has no date, do not make one up. Each style handles missing dates differently.
APA, MLA, and Chicago Citation Requirements
APA 7, MLA 9, and Chicago 18 use different systems for source details and in-text credit. Confirm your instructor’s required style and edition first. For Chicago, also confirm whether to use Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date; the two systems are not interchangeable.
APA 7: WHO webpages and reports
APA 7 uses a group author when an organization is responsible for a work. For a WHO webpage, the basic pattern is:
World Health Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. URL
Use the date shown on the page. APA uses sentence case for the title, and the title of a standalone webpage is italicized. When the group author and website name are the same, APA omits the website name. For a WHO report, use the report title in italics and include the publisher only if it is different from the author.
In-text, cite the organization and year: (World Health Organization, Year). If you use a direct quotation, add a page number when the source has one. If it does not, use another locator when available, such as a paragraph number or section heading. Do not invent a page number for a webpage.
If the page has no date, APA uses n.d. in place of the year. For content designed to change over time, include a retrieval date when APA’s rules call for one. Do not add a retrieval date simply because you viewed the page today.
MLA 9: WHO webpages and reports
MLA builds a Works Cited entry from the source’s core elements, such as author, title, container, publisher, date, and location. For a webpage, a general pattern is:
World Health Organization. “Title of Page.” World Health Organization, Day Month Year, URL.
The webpage title goes in quotation marks; the website title is italicized. Do not repeat a publisher when it is the same as the website name. Keep the elements that apply to your source, and do not fill gaps with guessed information.
For an in-text citation, use the author name that matches the Works Cited entry: (World Health Organization). If you introduce a shortened name such as “WHO” in the paper, make sure readers can clearly connect it to the Works Cited author. MLA may allow a shortened organization name when it is clear and consistent. For a direct quotation, add a page or other available locator; do not create one if the source has none.
Chicago 18: choose one of two systems
Chicago has two systems. Notes and Bibliography uses footnotes or endnotes and usually a bibliography. Author-Date uses parenthetical citations and a reference list. Check which system your instructor requires before you format the source.
For an online WHO page in Notes and Bibliography, a first note generally includes the organization, page title, date, and URL. A bibliography entry lists the same core details in a different order. For example, these are patterns, not citations to a real page:
Note: 1. World Health Organization, “Title of Page,” Month Day, Year, URL.
Bibliography: World Health Organization. “Title of Page.” Month Day, Year. URL.
In Author-Date, the in-text citation uses the author and year, such as (World Health Organization Year). The reference entry starts with the organization and year, followed by the page title and online details. Follow Chicago’s formatting for the assigned edition, including punctuation and date placement.
If a page has no publication or revision date, do not supply one. Chicago may call for an access date when no date is available. Include the access date as directed by the chosen system and edition.
Quick comparison of the three styles
| Style | In-text credit | Full source list | WHO as author and publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Author and year | References | Omit the publisher when it is the same as the author |
| MLA 9 | Author, with a locator if available | Works Cited | Do not repeat a publisher that is the same as the website name |
| Chicago 18, Notes and Bibliography | Footnote or endnote | Bibliography | Format the note and bibliography entry under Chicago rules |
| Chicago 18, Author-Date | Author and year | Reference list | Format the parenthetical citation and reference under Chicago rules |
Citation Accuracy, Source Evaluation, and Common Errors
Accurate citations let readers find the source you used. The most common problems are assigning WHO authorship without checking, confusing a page’s update date with its publication date, and mixing rules from different styles. Verify each detail on the source and check that your in-text credit matches its full entry.
A practical citation workflow
- Identify the work. Decide whether you are citing a webpage, report, journal article, or another source type.
- Check responsibility. Confirm whether WHO is the author, a publisher, a website host, or a named organization among several contributors.
- Copy the title and date. Preserve the exact title and record whether the source labels its date as published, revised, or updated.
- Record identifiers. Save the direct URL and any DOI. Do not replace a DOI with a general search-results link.
- Apply one style. Use the required manual and edition. For Chicago, select the assigned system.
- Cross-check the final draft. Make sure every quotation and paraphrase has the required credit and every citation points to a full entry.
A short check can prevent a misleading reference. If a WHO page credits another author or organization, cite the responsible author as the style requires; do not assign WHO authorship merely because the page appears on a WHO site.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating an update date as the original date: Report the date the source actually identifies. Do not rename it.
- Adding details that are not shown: Never invent an author, date, page number, report number, or DOI.
- Repeating the publisher unnecessarily: APA omits a publisher that is the same as the group author; MLA omits a publisher that duplicates the website name.
- Mixing citation styles: Do not pair an APA reference entry with an MLA in-text citation or a Chicago note.
- Citing only the homepage: Link to the specific page, report, or article you used.
- Forgetting the matching entry: Each in-text citation, note, or footnote should connect to the full source information required by the chosen style.
Using WHO Evidence in Academic Research and Professional Writing
A citation identifies the source behind a claim; it does not by itself show that the claim is relevant or current. Check the WHO source’s date, title, and scope, then make sure your wording accurately reflects what it says. Cite the specific page or publication that supports your statement.
Consider a student using a WHO webpage for a claim and a separate WHO report for supporting data. These are two different works, even if the same organization created both. The student should record each title and date separately, cite each where it is used, and list both in the required source list.
For a quotation, reproduce the wording accurately and provide a locator when the source and style allow one. For a paraphrase, use your own wording while citing the source. A citation is still needed for a paraphrased idea; changing a few words does not make the source unnecessary.
Before submitting, compare your paper with the WHO source. Confirm that the author, title, and date in your citation refer to the exact item you read. Then check the assigned manual or your instructor’s guidance for any details that depend on source type or edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
These quick answers cover common questions about citing WHO webpages and publications. Use them as a final check, not as a replacement for your assigned style manual. When a source has unusual authorship, missing dates, or several formats, follow the rules for that source type and confirm any instructor-specific requirements.
Do I cite the World Health Organization as the author?
Use WHO as the group author when it is responsible for the content. Check the page or publication for a byline or other credit; hosting alone does not prove authorship.
Should I write “WHO” or “World Health Organization” in the citation?
Use the full organization name in the source entry. In-text wording depends on the style; use a shortened form only when readers can clearly identify it.
How do I cite a WHO webpage in APA 7?
Use the group author, the date shown on the page, the italicized page title, and the URL. Omit the website name when it is the same as the author.
How do I cite a WHO webpage in MLA 9?
Use the author, the page title in quotation marks, the italicized website title, applicable date, and URL. Do not repeat a publisher that duplicates the website name.
What if a WHO webpage has no date?
Do not guess. APA uses “n.d.”; MLA and Chicago handle missing dates under their own rules. An access date may be useful or required, depending on the style and source.
Do I need an access date?
Not always. Use one when the style calls for it, especially for an undated or changeable page. A known publication date should not be replaced by your access date.
Do I include WHO as both author and publisher?
In APA, omit the publisher when it is the same as the author. MLA also avoids repeating a publisher that is the same as the website name. Follow Chicago’s specific entry format.
What is the difference between Chicago’s two systems?
Notes and Bibliography uses footnotes or endnotes and usually a bibliography. Author-Date uses parenthetical author-year citations and a reference list. Use the system your instructor assigns.
Should I cite a WHO report differently from a webpage?
Yes. A report is a standalone work and may have a report title, publisher, edition, or DOI. Record the details shown on the report and use the format for that source type.
How do I cite a direct quote from a WHO webpage?
Include the citation required by your style and add a locator if one is available. Do not invent page or paragraph numbers; use a heading or other permitted locator when appropriate.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Alan Westbrook. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
