Cite a Timeline

Here's how to cite a timeline you found on Preceden, using this Roman Empire timeline as the example. In every style below, replace 4 May 2017 with the date you viewed the timeline.

MLA

“Roman Empire Timeline.” Preceden Timeline Maker, www.preceden.com/timeline/roman-empire. Accessed 4 May 2017.

That follows the MLA format for citing a web page.

APA

Roman Empire timeline. (n.d.). Preceden Timeline Maker. Retrieved May 4, 2017, from https://www.preceden.com/timeline/roman-empire

Chicago

“Roman Empire Timeline.” Preceden Timeline Maker. Accessed May 4, 2017. https://www.preceden.com/timeline/roman-empire.

Who counts as the author

All three examples open with the title because no individual is named as the author.

Most timelines on Preceden were made by a member and published anonymously, so there is no name to put in front of the title.

The Roman Empire example is the other case: it is one of our own history timelines, which we generate ourselves. If your style guide asks for an organization in the author position, Preceden is the name to put there. You can tell one of ours by the Source section at the bottom of the page, which says the timeline was generated with the help of AI.

Why there is no publication date

Timelines do not display when they were created, so a citation carries no publication date. APA marks the gap with n.d., and each style falls back on the date you read the page.

If you need to reach the person who made the timeline rather than cite it, see Contact the Creator of a Timeline.