What if the source is an organization? Like the CDC or the American Psychological Association? Treat the organization as the author. Only if it’s truly anonymous – like a bunch of nameless web writers – do you skip to the title. If it’s a government report, the group is your author. Exceptions are annoying, I know. Blame the chaos of the internet.
And for the love of all that is holy, double-check if there’s really no author. Sometimes writers hide in tiny print at the bottom of the page. Or they use a pseudonym. Don’t be lazy – look. I once spent an hour hunting for an author only to find it in the page’s HTML code. Was it worth it? Debatable. But my Works Cited page was smugly perfect.
Finally, remember: MLA is a guide, not a prison. If you’re totally stuck, Google it. Or ask a librarian. They love this stuff. They live for this stuff. I swear they have a secret handshake that involves knowing how to cite a tweet with no author.
So there you go. You’ve got this. No author? No sweat. Just use the title, keep it consistent, and alphabetize like a boss. Your paper will be done before your coffee gets cold. And if it doesn’t? Blame the cat. That always works for me.
