You can make the title part of your sentence too. For example: “In the article ‘How to Style a Coffee Table,’ the author argues that minimalism is overrated.” That’s a narrative citation, and it flows beautifully. No parentheses needed, and no author required.
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This is especially useful for web sources, where authors are often ghosts. Websites like BuzzFeed, WikiHow, or even some government pages rarely list a byline. But your citation game doesn’t have to break a sweat.
When You Have No Author and No Date
This happens more often than you’d like. If your source lacks both a named author and a publication date, you still use the title. For the date, simply write “n.d.” (short for “no date”) in the parenthetical citation or in your sentence. Example: “(“Urban Gardening,” n.d.).”
It’s a tiny hack that saves you from staring at a blank screen. And hey, if the source feels too sketchy—like a random Tumblr post from 2010—consider whether it’s worth citing at all. Quality over convenience, always.
