Q. How do I cite and reference an archived web page?

A cached web page is a historical version of a web page that is unique to a specific date. For example, this Alberta government web page is different in 2024 than it was in 2017. 

To cite the older version of a web page like this, you may be able to use a website such as Cached View, Archived Web, or the Internet Archive to find a working URL that anyone can use to access the historical web page you are citing and referencing. Using this link, the reference entry for the historical web page will follow a similar format as a reference entry for the current version of the same page, with the only changes coming at the end of the reference to reflect that you are no longer accessing the older version of the web page from the original website. For example, a reference entry to this page from Alberta Education will follow this format:

Alberta Education. (n.d.). Alberta schools and authorities. https://education.alberta.ca/alberta-education/school-authority-index/everyone/alberta-schools/

However, a reference entry to an earlier version of the same page will also include the name of the website on which it is archived (e.g., Archived Web), as you'll link to this website (instead of the Alberta Education web page in the reference above): 

Alberta Education. (n.d.). Alberta schools and authorities. Archived Web. http://web.archive.org/web/20171107002524/https://education.alberta.ca/alberta-education/school-authority-index/everyone/alberta-schools/

Of course, you may only cite a resource in this way as long as the link you provide also works for your reader (see American Psychological Association, n.d., "Web page on a website" section) for more information. Once you have confirmed that the link works, following the basic principles of reference list entries in APA Style, you may then use the link to the cached version along with the web page author, publication date (if available), and title to complete the reference entry. 

For related information, see also the examples at How To Cite a Cached Website in APA Style (from  Archived Web) and How Do I Reference a Web Page in APA Style?

Reference

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Reference examples. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples