MLA in-text citation for websites with no page numbers
How to cite a website with no page numbers in MLA
To create an mla citation website no page number format, include only the author's last name in parentheses. If the website does not list an author, use a shortened version of the article title in quotation marks. Because web pages are non-paginated, you omit the number entirely rather than using abbreviations like n.p.
MLA in-text citation structures
Citation format by source type
| Source Scenario | In-Text Citation Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Author known | (Author Last Name) | (Miller) |
| No author (use title) | ("Shortened Title") | ("Climate Change") |
| Corporate author | (Organization Name) | (World Health Organization) |
| Numbered paragraphs | (Author Last Name, par. X) | (Miller, par. 4) |
Rules for non-paginated sources
MLA 9th edition guidelines state that you should not provide a page number if the source does not have one.
- Do not use page numbers from printouts: If you print a website, the page numbers generated by your browser are not official and should not be used.
- Avoid manual counting: Unless the website explicitly labels sections (e.g., Section 1, Chapter 2, or Paragraph 15), do not count these elements yourself.
- Signal phrases: You can avoid parentheses altogether by mentioning the author or title directly in your sentence. For example: According to Miller, the data suggests a shift in consumer behavior.
Examples of website citations
**Author listed (No page number)**
- In-text: The study found that 60% of students prefer digital textbooks (Henderson).
- Works Cited: Henderson, Jane. "The Digital Shift." *Education Today*, 2023, www.edtoday.com/digital-shift.
**No author listed (No page number)**
- In-text: Global temperatures reached record highs in 2023 ("Yearly Climate Report").
- Works Cited: "Yearly Climate Report." *Environmental Science Online*, 14 Jan. 2024, www.eso.org/2023-report.Quick citation tip
If you use the author's name in a signal phrase to introduce a quote, and the website has no page numbers, you do not need any parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence.
Frequently asked questions
Only use paragraph numbers if they are explicitly numbered by the author on the website. If the site does not provide labels like par. or para., do not count them yourself; simply use the author's name or the title.
Use a shortened version of the page title in quotation marks. For example, an article titled "Trends in Modern Architecture" would be cited as ("Trends") in your in-text citation.
No, MLA style never includes the URL in the body of the essay. The URL belongs only on the Works Cited page at the end of your document.
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