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When a source has no known author, an MLA 9 citation starts with the title instead. The works-cited entry begins with the title of the source, and the in-text citation uses a shortened version of that same title, plus a page number if the source has one. The one rule that ties the two together: the words in parentheses must match the first words of the entry, so a reader can find it.
The format: how a no-author entry is built
Leave the author slot empty and begin with the title. MLA’s own guidance on in-text citations says a citation begins with whatever comes first in the works-cited entry, and for a work with no author that is the title. What follows the title depends on the kind of source. The patterns below follow Purdue OWL (web pages), Montana State University Billings (newspaper articles and books) and Utica University (books):
- Web page: page title in quotation marks, then the website name in italics, then the remaining details (date, address).
- Newspaper or periodical article: article title in quotation marks, then the publication in italics, then the date and page.
- Book: title in italics, then the edition if there is one, the publisher and the year.
Purdue OWL says to put the title of a short work (such as an article) in quotation marks and to italicise a longer work such as a book, play or TV show. Purdue OWL says to alphabetise works with no known author in the works-cited list by title. Montana State University Billings advises using “Anonymous” in the author position only if the item is signed that way.
For the full container logic that applies once the title is in place, see our guides to MLA works-cited format, the MLA citation for a web site and the MLA citation for a book.
Examples
These three sources are invented for illustration; the names, publishers and addresses do not refer to real works.
Web page with no author (example)
Works cited:
“Seasonal Pruning Basics.” Example Garden Society, 14 Mar. 2026, www.example.org/pruning-basics.
Newspaper article with no author (example)
Works cited:
“Council Votes on Harbour Plan.” The Example Courier, 9 May 2025, A4.
Book with no author (example)
Works cited:
Imaginary Rivers: A Field Guide. 2nd ed., Placeholder Press, 2019.
In-text citation version
Take the first word or phrase of the title, keep the same formatting it has in the works-cited entry, and add the page number when the source has one. For the three examples above:
- Web page, no page numbers: (“Seasonal Pruning”)
- Newspaper article: (“Council Votes” A4)
- Book: (Imaginary Rivers 20)
Purdue OWL advises shortening a long title to a noun phrase without articles, or, if that is not possible, cutting it after the first clause, phrase or punctuation mark. An ellipsis is not used when you shorten a title in an in-text citation; the MLA Style Center points to section 6.10 of the MLA Handbook (9th edition) for shortening titles.
The same logic works in running prose: name the title in your sentence (“According to Imaginary Rivers …”) and put only the page number in parentheses. Our guide on quoting and citing sources correctly covers where citations sit relative to quotations.
Common errors
- Mismatched formatting. If the title is in quotation marks in the works-cited entry, it is in quotation marks in the parenthetical citation; if it is italicised there, it is italicised in the text.
- A shortened title that does not match the entry. The parenthetical title must be the start of the works-cited entry, the first thing at the left margin.
- Writing “Anonymous” by habit. It is correct only when the work is signed as being by Anonymous.
- Using an ellipsis in the shortened title. The MLA Style Center says an ellipsis is not used in an in-text citation.
- Filing the entry under the wrong letter. A no-author entry is alphabetised by its title, alongside the entries that have authors.
Checking a manuscript or thesis
In a long document, no-author sources are where in-text and works-cited versions drift apart as titles get edited. Before submission, search the text for each shortened title in parentheses and confirm that it points to exactly one entry that begins with those words, with the same quotation-mark or italic treatment. If two sources share a first word, lengthen both shortened titles until they differ. For more than one author instead of none, see how to MLA cite multiple authors.
Style-guide edition
This page follows the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), the current edition as of October 2026. The in-text rules were checked on the MLA Style Center (style.mla.org) on 29 October 2026, and the entry patterns against the university guides listed below on the same date.
FAQ
How do I cite a source in MLA with no author?
Begin the works-cited entry with the title of the source and cite a shortened form of that title, with the page number if there is one, in the text. Do not write “Anonymous” unless the work is signed that way.
What goes in the parentheses when there is no author?
A shortened title, formatted as in the works-cited entry (quotation marks for a short work, italics for a longer one), plus a page number when the source has one.
How short can the shortened title be?
Short enough to be brief but long enough to identify the entry. Montana State University Billings says long titles can be shortened to their first word or phrase, and Purdue OWL suggests a noun phrase without articles; it has to match the beginning of the entry.
Where does a no-author source go in the works-cited list?
In alphabetical order by its title, mixed in with the entries that have authors.
Does “mla citation no author” work for a web page too?
Yes. Start with the page title in quotation marks, then the website name in italics, and use the page title (shortened) in the text. See the web site citation guide for the rest of the entry.
Sources
- MLA Style Center, “In-text citations: an overview,” https://style.mla.org/in-text-citations-overview/ (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
- Purdue OWL, “MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics,” https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
- Purdue OWL, “MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format,” https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
- Purdue OWL, “MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources,” https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
- Montana State University Billings, “No Author/Date/Etc.,” MLA Citation Style 9th Edition, https://libguides.msubillings.edu/mla9/missinginfo (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
- Utica University, “No Author,” MLA 9 Citation Guide, https://utica.libguides.com/c.php?g=1191844&p=8718103 (checked 29 Oct. 2026).
