For most of the content writers who are new to writing for websites, there are some times that they need to cite an author in their content.
Citing websites can be a tricky task since there is no author listed. However, it is still significant to give credit where it is needed, even if you don’t know who wrote the website. In this article, we will discuss how to cite a website with no author in-text.
At first, we are going to know a bit about “in-text” citing, and then we look at the ways you can cite an author in your website content.
Let’s start with the topic.
What is an In-Text Citation?
If you cite a person or a source in your writing, it is called an “In-text” citation. Mostly, it is done by using parentheses and writing the author’s last name and the source publication date after the sentence or the section that you are referencing. Look at the example below for a better understanding.
For instance, if you were to write a sentence about the internet evaluation, you could cite the following source:
(Gibson, 1984)
This would show the readers that you (the writer) got the information about the evaluation of the internet from a source written by Gibson in 1984.
Now that you know what is in-text citation is, let’s continue with our main topic:
To In-Text Cite a Website with No Author
If you cannot find the source, including the author, of the text you are referring to in an article, you can still in-text cite. How?
You can use the Title of the website instead of the missing author’s name. let’s make it clearer by an example
Consider that you are about to write a sentence about the advantages of using social media; in this case, you can use the example below:
(“Social Media: The Benefits vs. Drawbacks,” 2020)
This is the way you can indicate that the information about using social media advantages is from a website with the Title: “ Social Media: The Benefits vs. Drawbacks” that was published in 2020.
So, a general rule and the basic formula is:
When a text has no identified author, cite in the text the Title of the article. Make sure that you are using double quotation marks, followed by the year in which the article has been published.
The formula is: “Headline” + The Year
Now the question is this: is it true for all the writing styles?
How To Text Cite a Website with No Author in Different Writing Styles?
As you know, there are many writing styles with different rules. So, are there different formulas for in-text citing a website with no author? In the following part, we will get our answer.
1. How to cite a website in APA style with no author?
To refer to a web page, you have to know 3 important elements:
· The Title of the web page appears at the top of the website.
· The publication date can be the last updated date. If you can’t find any date, you can write “n.d.” (no date) instead.
· And finally, the URL of the website you’re referencing.
Now you can use the method below and reference to the source:
The formula is the Title of the website. (Publication date). Website URL
For example: 23 Flowering Cactus Plants. (July 4th, 2023). https://horticulture.co.uk/flowering-cacti/
When you cite the website in your paper, use the Title of the website and the publication date. For example, if you were writing about the flowering cactus plants, you can write:
Cacti are, of course, associated with spines and thorns, but many varieties produce pretty and vibrant flowers that can really steal the show. (23 Flowering Cactus Plants, 2023)
2. How to cite a web page with no author in MLA style?
Here’s the format for citing a web page in MLA style if you have no access to the author:
“Title of Web Page.” Title of Website. Publisher, Publication Date. Web. Date Accessed.
The example is:
“23 Flowering Cactus Plants.” https://horticulture.co.uk/flowering-cacti/ July 4th, 2023.
3. How to cite a website in Chicago style with no author?
In this style, you have to use the website’s Title in place of the author’s name:
“Title of Website.” Website Name. Date Accessed. URL.
For instance: “23 Flowering Cactus Plants.” Horticulture Magazine. July 4th, 2023. https://horticulture.co.uk/flowering-cacti/
These are the latest formulas that you can use for in-text reference on a website with no author. I hope this comprehensive article was useful for you.
Read More: Chicago Manual of Style in Text Citation
In conclusion
If you want to cite a website and you don’t know the author’s name, there is a general method to write your reference. You can use it in most of the articles that you are going to publish on a web page.
But for different writing styles, there is a slightly different, which we tried to cover in this section. Do you have problems while in text citing a website with no author? Please ask us anything you want in the comments below.
