For references in running text to uniform resource locaters (URLs) such as websites and online resources, follow the conventions outlined in the Chicago Manual (8.186). Use of shortened versions of URLs (Rochester.edu, for example) is acceptable when the text is clear that a website is being referred to. For sites that include “www” in their addresses, it’s unnecessary to include the initial “http://” as an indicator of an online address. If a site does not include “www” in its address, it’s often advisable to include “http://” to make the URL clear.
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