We’ve all been there: you find a killer article on a website, but the byline is blank. It’s like meeting someone at a party who forgot their nametag. You can’t just ignore them, but you also can’t say, “Hey, no-name, great point.”
In MLA, you treat the title as the boss. If no author is listed, the first element in your citation is the title of the work. It’s like calling someone “Tall Guy in the Blue Shirt” until you learn their real name.
For in-text citations, you do the same thing. Instead of (Smith 45), you write (“Global Warming” 45). The title goes in quotation marks if it’s an article, or italicized if it’s a book or website.
The “Website Whoops” Scenario
Imagine you’re citing a government website about tax forms. No author is listed because the government doesn’t sign its homework. Your Works Cited entry starts with the title of the page: “How to File Your 1040.”
Then, you add the website name, the publisher (if different), and the date. It’s like describing a movie to a friend: “You know, the one where the guy from the thing—just look it up.” Only here, you’re giving precise directions.
For in-text, you just write (“How to File” 12). If there are no page numbers, just use the title alone. It’s short, it’s sweet, and it keeps your professor from crying.
PPT - WRA 150: Evolution of American thought PowerPoint Presentation
