Citing sources is a must in academic writing, but what do you do when a source has no author in APA style? For students and researchers, APA’s rules for these citations can feel like a maze, often leading to mistakes that hurt a paper’s credibility. How can you cite a no-author source correctly? This guide breaks it down with practical steps and examples. Plus, I’ll show how WPS Office’s free tools make APA citations a breeze, helping you write with confidence.
Part 1: Understanding APA and In-text Citations
What is APA Style?
American Psychological Association style, or simply APA style, is used mostly in academic writing in psychology, education, and social sciences. It provides a consistent mechanism for crediting other sources and formatting your paper. They include short citations within the text that point toward an end reference list and are imperative in an essay, research paper, or report to credit other works to avoid plagiarism. An example of an APA-style citation is: (Smith, 2025, p. 20).
What Are In-text Citations?
With a few exceptions, an APA in-text citation will typically include the last name of the author, the year of publication, and if it is a direct quote, a page number. When no author is available, another identifier is used. I will get to that in Part 2. These citations are enclosed in parentheses and can appear mid-sentence or at the end of the sentence, such as: "Exercise boosts mood" (Jones, 2023, p. 15). Anytime you quote, paraphrase, or summarize somebody else’s work, you have to give in-text citations, which is the essence of the APA rules. The 7th edition of the APA, which is the current edition, also outlines specifics for unusual instances, such as sources with no authors.
Examples:
Standard: (Taylor, 2025, p. 10)
Paraphrase: (Brown, 2023)
Multiple authors: (Lee et al., 2024, p. 30)
When I started using APA for my psychology papers, in-text citations seemed straightforward until I hit sources without authors. Figuring out how to handle those took some trial and error, but mastering the rules made my papers look sharp and professional.
Part 2: How to Do an In-Text Citation Without an Author in APA Style
When a source has no author, APA 7th edition in-text citation usage involves the title or a shortened version thereof, paired with the year of publication. If there is no year given, "n.d." (meaning no date) is used. Page number or other locator information is added to the citation for direct quotations, if available. Below, I share a quick tutorial for citing no-author sources, showing three examples for different situations, satisfying the reader's requirement for explicit directions.
Step-by-Step Tutorial: In-Text Citation Without an Author in APA
Step 1: Locate the Source Title: Find the full title of the source, such as a book, article, or Web site, to be used as the "author."
Step 2: Shorten Long Titles: If the title is longer than a few words, use its first few words in Title Case. Put short article or Web site titles in quotation marks; italicize longer book or report titles.
Step 3: Look for the Year of Publication: Record the year if any is provided. If not, use the abbreviation "n.d." for no date.
Step 4: Locate Page or Other Identifiers for Quotes: For quotations, locate the page, paragraph number, or another locator (e.g., section name).
Step 5: Write the Citation: Give the shortened title in quotation marks and year in parentheses, e.g., ("Short Title," 2025). For quotations, include the locator, e.g., ("Short Title," 2025, p. 8). Where the title appears in the sentence, the year goes in parentheses, e.g., Short Title (2025) suggests...
Examples of In-Text Citations Without an Author
Example 1: Citing a Webpage with No Author
For a webpage titled “Benefits of Meditation Practices,” published in 2024, with no author:
In-Text Citation: (“Benefits of Meditation,” 2024)
Quote Example: “Meditation reduces anxiety” (“Benefits of Meditation,” 2024, para. 3).
Citing a meditation webpage for a health paper was tricky without an author. Using the title in quotes felt strange at first, but it made my APA citations clear and kept my paper professional.
Example 2: Citing a News Article with No Author or Date
For a news article titled “2025 Tech Trends Forecast” with no author or date:
In-Text Citation: (“2025 Tech Trends,” n.d.)
Quote Example: “AI will dominate innovation” (“2025 Tech Trends,” n.d., para. 5).
I used a no-author, no-date article for a technology report and found “n.d.” confusing initially. APA’s title-based rule sorted it out, and my citations flowed smoothly in the final version.
Example 3: Citing a Report with No Author
For a report titled “Climate Action Strategies,” published in 2023, with no author:
In-Text Citation: (Climate Action Strategies, 2023)
Quote Example: “Solar energy is key” (Climate Action Strategies, 2023, p. 22).
Citing a report for an environmental policy paper without an author was tough. Italicizing the title and adding page numbers nailed the APA format, though I had to dig through the report to find the right page.
Part 3: The Best Helper for APA Citations: WPS Office
WPS Office is a free, AI-powered office suite that makes APA in-text citations, including those without authors, quick and accurate. Its Writer tool offers citation tools, APA templates, and AI editing, ideal for students and researchers. Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, its 200MB lightweight design and free access outshine pricier options like Microsoft Word. Here’s how to create no-author in-text citations in APA style with WPS Office, plus my personal take from using it.
How to Do an In-Text Citation Without an Author in APA Style on WPS Office
Step 1: Open WPS Writer: Download WPS Office from wps.com and launch Writer. Start a new document or open your paper.
Step 2: Go to Citation Tools: Click “References,” select “Cite,” and choose “APA” style.
Step 3: Enter Source Details: Input the source’s title, year (or “n.d.”), and details like page or paragraph numbers. Leave the author field blank, and WPS AI will use the title as the identifier.
Step 4: Insert the Citation: Click “Insert” to add the citation, e.g., (“Short Title,” 2025), and update the reference list automatically.
Step 5: Proofread with AI: Use WPS AI’s proofreading to check citation formatting and APA compliance, catching errors in titles or locators.
Example Citation in WPS Office:
For a webpage “Healthy Eating Guide” with no author, published in 2024:
In WPS: Enter the title “Healthy Eating Guide,” year “2024,” and paragraph “4” for a quote.
Output: (“Healthy Eating Guide,” 2024, para. 4).
Citing a no-author webpage for a nutrition paper with WPS Office was so easy. The AI filled in the title, and the citation tool formatted it perfectly in APA. I checked the paragraph number myself, but WPS saved me tons of time compared to doing it by hand.
FAQs
What am I supposed to do when I come across a citation with no author and no date?
Use the title in place of the author and “n.d.” for no date, e.g., (“Short Title,” n.d.). For quotes, add a locator like a paragraph number, e.g., (“Short Title,” n.d., para. 3).
Can WPS Office format APA citations for sources with no author automatically?
Yes, WPS Office’s Writer tool auto-formats no-author APA citations, using the title and “n.d.” if needed, with WPS AI ensuring accuracy.
Do I always need to include a locator for no-author citations in APA?
Only for direct quotes; use a page number, paragraph number, or other locator, e.g., (“Short Title,” 2025, para. 2). Paraphrases don’t need locators.
How do I handle long titles in no-author APA in-text citations?
Shorten long titles to the first few words in title case, using quotes for articles/webpages or italics for books/reports, e.g., (“Global Health Report,” 2023).
Summary
This guide explains how to create APA in-text citations for sources with no author, covering APA basics, a step-by-step tutorial, and examples for webpages, articles, and reports. WPS Office is the best tool for APA citations, offering free, AI-powered features in an easy-to-use suite. Its citation tools, templates, and proofreading ensure accurate, professional citations, making it perfect for students and researchers crafting polished academic papers.
