What date should I use for when I accessed a website?
I need to put a website in my reference list and the referencing guide says I need to put the date when I accessed it at the end, but I can't remember when I first went on the page.
Answer
In reference list entries for websites or other online resource, the "Accessed: [date]" in brackets at the end is when you last checked the internet resource.
The reason you are asked to include the accessed date is to show whoever reads your assignment that the information at the link was available at a certain point in time. It is definitely not a way that tutors will be checking to make sure you didn't do your essay at the last minute!
Links on the Internet can break, and sometimes documents or websites are moved. When you are using online information, you should ideally double-check all of the links in your reference list before you hand in your assignment to make sure they all work. You can then update the accessed dates to the date you did this.
