When citing an article without an author, how should it be handled correctly?

When citing an article without an identifiable individual author, the article's title typically serves as the in-text citation element and the entry point in the reference list. This is a feasible and standard approach mandated by major academic style guides to ensure proper attribution and avoid misrepresentation of authorship. Essential principles dictate adherence to a specific citation style manual (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). A core condition is the full bibliographic information, including the article title, publication year, source name (journal/book title), publisher (if relevant), and DOI or URL, must be included in the reference list entry. This practice applies to works legitimately lacking an author, such as unsigned editorials, reports published directly by organizations, or encyclopaedia entries. Crucially, one must not default to listing "Anonymous" unless explicitly stated by the source and avoid creating assumptions about authorship solely for citation convenience. To implement this, in-text citations use a shortened form of the article title in quotation marks (for MLA) or in italics (for APA) along with the year, e.g., ("Climate Report," 2023) or (*Global Trends*, 2023). The reference list entry begins with the article title. The primary application lies in accurately referencing organizational publications and unsigned materials within scholarly writing. Correctly handling such citations maintains academic integrity by properly sourcing information, ensures clarity for readers finding the original work, and prevents potential issues like citation errors or plagiarism accusations, thereby upholding research credibility.