How to in text cite a website without an author

The exact formatting of website citations for websites without an author depends on which citation style you are using, but the general rules are the same. For example, it is usually preferable to list the title of the webpage article first if no author is available.

Here is how to cite a webpage without an author in three of the most popular citation styles: APA 7, MLA 9, and Chicago (17th ed.).

APA 7

Reference Entry Template:

Title of webpage/article. (Year, Month Date of publication). In Website Name. URL

Reference Entry Example:

Giant panda. (2022, June 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda

When there isn’t a known author, use the source’s title in the in-text citation. For titles usually italicized in the reference entry (books, films, etc.), italicize the title in the in-text citation. For titles that aren’t italicized (magazine articles, reference book entries, etc.), enclose the title in double quotation marks.

Parenthetical Citation:

(“Title,” Year) or (Title, Year)

(“Giant Panda,” 2022)

Narrative Citation:

“Title” (Year) or (Title, Year)

“Giant Panda” (2022)

MLA 9

Works Cited Entry Template:

“Title of the Webpage/Entry.” Title of the Website, Name of the publisher (if different from the website name), Date of publication, URL.

Example:

“Taiwan Cool to China Panda-plomacy.” CNN.com, 6 Jan. 2006, http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/06/china.taiwan.ap/index.html

When there isn’t a known author, use the source’s title in the in-text citation. For titles usually italicized in the reference entry (books, films, etc.), italicize the title in the in-text citation. For titles that aren’t italicized (magazine articles, reference book entries, etc.), enclose the title in double quotation marks.

Citation in Prose:

“Title” (page number)

“Taiwan Cool to China Panda-plomacy” says Taiwan may not accept the gift of two pandas (1).

Parenthetical Citation:

(“Title” Page #) or (Title Page #)

Taiwan may not accept the gift of two pandas (“Tawain Cool to China Panda-plomacy 1).

Chicago (17th ed., note-bibliography style)

Note Template:

1. “Article Title,” Website Title, Month Day, Year, URL.

Note Example:

1. “Taiwan Cool to China Panda-plomacy.” CNN.com, January 6, 2006, http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/06/china.taiwan.ap/index.html.

Bibliography Template:

“Article Title.” Website Title. Month Day, Year. URL.

Bibliography Example:

“Taiwan Cool to China Panda-plomacy.” CNN.com. January 6, 2006. http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/06/china.taiwan.ap/index.html.

For more citation help, visit the EasyBib Writing Center!

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

How do I cite a website with no author, date, or title in MLA format?

To cite a website with no author, date, or title in MLA format, it is important that you know the name of the website and URL. As the publication date is not available, it is important to add the accessed date after the URL in the works cited list entry. The templates and examples for an in-text citation and works cited list entry for a webpage with no author, date, or title are provided below:

Below are formulas and examples for how to cite a web page in MLA formatting, APA style, and Harvard referencing, which are some of the most popular styles on Cite This For Me. (The Harvard example in this article adheres to the rules in Harvard – Cite Them Right style specifically). The examples for “many authors” assume that there are six or more authors listed in the source.

How to cite a web page in MLA style with no author

Formula:

“Title of the Article or Individual Page.” Title of the website, Name of the publisher, Date of publication, URL.

Example:

“Facts About Giant Pandas.” Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institute, 2004, www.nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giantpandas/pandafacts.

How to cite a web page in MLA style with many authors

Formula:

First Author Last Name, First Name, et al. “Title of the Article or Individual Page.” Title of the website, Name of the publisher, Date of publication, URL.

Example:

Smith, Martha, et al. “The Early Works of Emily Dickinson.” Dickinson Electronic Archives, University of Maryland, 1994, www.emilydickinson.org/index.html.

How to cite a web page in APA style with no author

Formula:

Title of web page. (Year, Month Date of publication). Retrieved from URL

Example:

India: Country specific information. (2013, October 3). Retrieved from http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1139.html

How to cite a web page in APA style with many authors

Formula:

Author 1 Last Name, First Middle Initial, Author 2 Last Name, First Middle Initial, Author 3 Last Name, First Middle Initial, Author 4 Last Name, First Middle Initial, Author 5 Last Name, First Middle Initial, Author 6 Last Name, First Middle Initial . . . Final Author Last Name, First Middle Initial. (Year, Month Date of publication). Retrieved from URL.

Example:

Satalkar, B., Choi, M.J., Angeli, L.L., Harland, A.A., Stamos, J.A., Thomas, S.T., . . . Rubin, J.H. (2010, July 15). Water aerobics. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com

How do you in text cite without an author MLA?

What do you put in text citations with no author?