Which part of the complete citation in the references page should be italicized?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: Which part of the complete citation in the references page should be italicized?
Option 1: 'The link the source was retrieved from' — The retrieval URL is typically presented in plain text (not italicized) or in a hyperlink format depending on the citation style or publication format. It is not normally italicized, so this choice is generally incorrect.
Option 2: 'The name of the article' — Article titles are usually placed in quotation marks or in title case without italics, depending on the style, but they are not the element that is italicized when giving a complete citation. Therefore this option is not correct.
Option 3: 'The author’s name' — Author names are presented in normal font or in inverted order, but never italicized as a stand-alone element in standard citation formats. This makes this option false.
Option 4: 'The name of the website/organization' — In many citation formats (e.g., APA, MLA), the container or source under which the article or page resides (the website or organization) is treated as a larger work and is set in italics. This indicates the site or organization name is the part that should be italicized in the complete citation, distinguishing it from the article title and the URL.
Additional notes to consider: Different citation styles emphasize slightly different placements, but the common thread is that the larger container (the website or organization) is highlighted with italics to show it as the source container. The retrieval date or URL typically remains in regular font or is presented as plain text, depending on style guidelines. Keeping this distinction clear helps readers locate the source efficiently.
In summary, among the options, the element traditionally formatted in italics in the complete citation is the name of the website or organization, since it functions as the container title for the referenced content.

Which part of the complete citation in the references page should be italicized?

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