Cite

How to cite HealthArchive.ca

Pragmatic citation guidance for archived snapshots and compare views.

Suggested citation

Copy and adapt the citation below to your preferred style.

Open snapshot
HealthArchive.ca Project. “Adobe AudienceManager” (snapshot from 2025-04-18T23:32:41.313Z). Archived copy of Health Canada web page (https://canada.demdex.net/dest5.html?d_nsid=0). Accessed 2026-01-31. Available from: https://www.healtharchive.ca/snapshot/196987.

Important note

These citations refer to archived content — not current guidance or medical advice.

For up-to-date recommendations, always consult the official source website.

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Download citation handout (Markdown) or use your browser’s print dialog to save as PDF.

1) Cite a snapshot

Recommended format

HealthArchive.ca Project. “<Page title>” (snapshot from <capture date/time>). Archived copy of <source organization> web page (<original URL>). Accessed <access date>. Available from: <HealthArchive snapshot URL>.

Example

HealthArchive.ca Project. “COVID-19 epidemiology update: Canada” (snapshot from 2025-02-15 00:00 UTC). Archived copy of Public Health Agency of Canada web page (https://www.canada.ca/...). Accessed 2025-12-03. Available from: https://www.healtharchive.ca/snapshot/12345.
  • Use the exact snapshot URL you visited.
  • Use the capture timestamp shown on the snapshot page (UTC).
  • Always cite the original URL as well.

2) Cite a compare view

Compare views highlight descriptive text differences between two archived captures of the same page.

HealthArchive.ca Project. “Comparison of archived captures” (from snapshot <ID A> to snapshot <ID B>). Archived copies of <source organization> web page (<original URL>). Accessed <access date>. Available from: https://www.healtharchive.ca/compare?from=<ID A>&to=<ID B>.
  • Compare output is descriptive only and does not interpret meaning.
  • Record both snapshot IDs and the capture timestamps shown on the compare page.
  • Live compare views (/compare-live) are not archival records; cite the snapshot instead.

Where to find the citation fields

On /snapshot/<id> you can find the page title, capture date/time (UTC), source organization, original URL, and the snapshot URL.

On /compare?from=<id>&to=<id> you can find both snapshot IDs, both capture timestamps (UTC), the original URL, and a descriptive change summary.

/compare-live pages perform a live fetch on each request; they do not replace a snapshot citation.

Want help finding an example? Start from the archive explorer and open any snapshot.