It's a common enough scenario, isn't it? You're deep into your research, piecing together a compelling argument, and then you hit a snag: an article you absolutely need to reference, but it's missing that crucial piece of information – the author's name. This can feel like a bit of a puzzle, especially when you're trying to adhere to specific citation styles like MLA.
So, what do you do when you encounter an article that seems to have no author? Don't panic! MLA has a clear way to handle this, and it's really about shifting your focus to what is available.
The Core Principle: What's Available?
When you're citing anything in MLA, the goal is to give your reader enough information to find the source themselves. Normally, the author's last name is the first thing you'd use in your in-text citation and your Works Cited entry. But if that's not there, MLA says to move to the next most important piece of information: the title of the article itself.
Crafting Your In-Text Citation
Think of your in-text citation as a brief pointer. Usually, it's (Author Last Name Page #). When there's no author, you simply replace the author's name with the title of the article, or a shortened version of it, followed by the page number. The key here is to make it recognizable but not overly long. For instance, if your article is titled “The Impact of Renewable Energy on Global Markets,” you might use (“Impact of Renewable Energy” 45) in your text.
Building Your Works Cited Entry
This is where the real adjustment happens. The standard MLA template for an article looks something like this:
Author Surname, First Name. “Title of the Article: Subtitle.” Expanded Journal Title, vol. #, issue #, Publication Year, pp. #–#.
When the author is missing, you simply omit that first part. The entry then begins with the title of the article, enclosed in quotation marks and following title case rules (capitalize the first word, last word, and all principal words). So, our example article would start like this:
“The Impact of Renewable Energy on Global Markets.” Journal of Sustainable Economics, vol. 15, no. 2, 2023, pp. 45–62.
Everything else – the journal title, volume, issue, publication year, and page range – remains the same, as these are crucial for locating the source. If there's a DOI or URL, you'd still include that at the end, just as you would with an authored article.
Why This Works
It might seem straightforward, but there's a good reason for this approach. The title of the article often encapsulates its main subject, making it a strong identifier when an author isn't present. It allows your reader to scan your Works Cited list and quickly identify the source you're referring to, even without the traditional authorial anchor. It’s all about ensuring clarity and traceability in your academic work, making sure your research is both credible and accessible to anyone who wants to follow your trail of thought.
