How to Cite an Editorial With No Author

Editors of a magazine, newspaper or other periodical write editorials. While the editorial usually has a single author, the periodical often publishes it as anonymous. This helps give the impression that the viewpoint is that of the periodical, not just one employee. Both the Modern Language Association style, shortened to MLA, and the American Psychological Association format, known as APA, have rules on citing editorials with unknown authors.

Step 1

Include the first couple words of the title for an in-text citation in APA and MLA format. These two citation styles use parenthetical in-text citations. Add the publication date for APA citations and which page numbers you are referencing for MLA.

For example: (Growing Up, 45-48) or (How To Make, 2008).

Step 2

Cite anonymous editorials in APA style with the title of the editorial first and then the date. You must also include the name of the periodical in italics and the page numbers referenced. While you only need the year of publication for an in-text citation, you need to include the day and month for the bibliography citation with editorials.

For example: Growing up with siblings. (1998, July 23). The Los Angeles Times, pp. 2B, 6B.

Step 3

Cite editorials in MLA format as title, the periodical’s title in italics, the publication date, page numbers and the medium in which the editorial was published. Cite editorials in MLA like other periodical articles for less confusion. You also need to note that it is an editorial.

For example: “How to Make Waffles.” Editorial. The Seattle Times. 8 Feb. 1997: C12. Print.

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