Research Librarian
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Citing Sources & Styles
Citation is an important element in research and creating new knowledge: crediting the scholarship and community ideas that you're building on, and creating a path for your readers to follow your process. The basic principle is to include all information necessary to track down a resource, but different citation styles format that in different ways:
• Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide online; also consult the print manual at REF Z253 .U69 2017 [humanities & some social sciences]
• MLA Style Quick Guide and MLA guidelines from the OWL at Purdue; also consult the print manual at REF LB2369 .G53 2016 [humanities]
• APA guidelines from the OWL at Purdue; also consult the print manual at REF BF76.7 .P83 2010 [social sciences]
• ACS Style Guide basics from UW-Madison [chemistry]
Citation management
There are several tools that can help you keep track of and organize your sources, and format notes and bibliographies in your papers. Zotero is the freely available tool we recommend, developed specifically for academic research, that helps you collect, manage, annotate, and cite your sources. It's available in all computer labs on campus, and you can download it on your own computer.
Film Citation examples
Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format is most commonly used for film and television studies research in humanities disciplines. Chicago and APA examples are also provided.
For citing other formats besides film and video, using other citation styles, and for general explanations of specific citation rules, visit the Citation Guide.
Modern Language Association (MLA) examples
1. Citing online video
Online video citations usually follow this format:
Author. "Title of Web Page." Title of the Site. Editor. Date and/or Version Number. Name of Sponsoring Source. Date of Access <URL>.
Example:
"Hellzapoppin’ Swing Dance Scene." Youtube.com. 6 July 2006. Online video clip. Robgoldy. Accessed on July 28, 2010.
2. Citing a film viewed on videotape or DVD
In-text citation: (Nolan, Dark Knight)
Film/video citations usually follow this format:
Title in italics. Dir. name. Perf. names. Distributor name, release year. Format consulted. Note: Listing the actors names isn’t essential but is recommended if their parts/performances have a bearing on your research.
Example:
The Dark Knight. Dir. Christopher Nolan. Perfs. Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Gary Oldman. Warner Home Video, 2008. DVD.
If the director is referred to directly in your paper, begin the cite with the director’s name. Example of a translated title:
Haneke, Michael, dir. The Piano Teacher [La Pianiste]. WEGA Filmproduktionsges. Distributed by Kino International Corporation, 2002.
When citing a DVD or VHS release of a film that had been released in an earlier year, also include the original release date:
Phantom Lady. Dir. Robert Siodmak. Perf. Franchot Tone. 1943. Universal Home Video, 1998.
Chicago examples
1. Citing online video
Provide the creator/author only if you are sure that person created the video. Do not list the person posting the video online as the creator/author. If you are unsure, treat the citation as having no author. Online video citations usually follow this format:
Last Name, First Name (or organization). “Video Title”. Filmed [Month Year]. YouTube video, Duration. Posted [Month Year]. Video URL.
Examples with a creator/author:
de Blasio, Bill. “Mayor de Blasio Delivers State of the City Address.” NYC Mayor’s Office. Streamed live on January 10, 2019. YouTube video, 1:22:40. http://youtu.be/aZZYlpfZ-iA.
Lyiscott, Jamila. “3 Ways to Speak English.” Filmed February 2014 in New York, NY. TED video, 4:29. http://www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english.
Amherst College. "Orientation 2019." YouTube video, 1:12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOCXGOwzkRY
Example without an author:
"The 'Madison' dance scene from Bande à part (France, 1964) dir. Jean-Luc Godard." YouTube video, 4:19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1q9G2YmVqI
2. Citing a film viewed on videotape or DVD
Note format:
7. Phantom Lady, DVD, directed by Robert Siodmak (1943; [Universal City, CA]: Universal Home Video, 1998.
Bibliography format:
Title. Format. Directed by. Date of original release; Location (city, state abbrev.) of distributor: Distributor, distribution date.
Example:
Phantom Lady. DVD. Directed by Robert Siodmak. 1943. [Universal City, CA]: Universal Home Video, 1998. (NOTE: brackets around the location of distributor indicate information that is known but not explicitly stated on DVD or container.)
When citing a single scene, put the name or scene number in quotes at the beginning of the citation. “I am Spartacus.” Spartacus. DVD. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. 1960. [Irvington, NY]: Criterion, [2001].
3. Citing an episode of a television show (accessed through streaming service)
Example:
Mayberry, Russ, dir. The Brady Bunch. Season 3, episode 10, “Her Sister’s Shadow.” Aired November 19, 1971, on ABC. https://www.hulu.com/the-brady-bunch.
American Psychological Association (APA) examples
1.
Citing television programs
Television show citations begin with the producer(s):
Elliott, C., Mirkin, D., & Resnick, A. (Producers). (1990). Get a Life [Television series]. New York: Twentieth Century Fox.
Individual episodes also contain the scriptwriter(s) and director. Include both the episode and series titles.
Example:
Elliott, C., Resnick, A. (Writers), & Mirkin, D. (Director). (1990). The Prettiest Week of My Life [Television series episode]. In Elliott, C., Mirkin, D., & Resnick, A. (Producers). (1990). Get a Life [Television series]. New York: Twentieth Century Fox.
Television broadcasts that are shown daily or weekly, such as news or current events, include the date of broadcast. Example:
Hewitt, D. (2009, September 20). 60 Minutes [Television broadcast]. New York: NBC.
2. Citing a film viewed on videotape or DVD
In text: (Gilliam, 1985)
Bibliographic reference format:
Director’s last name, first initial. (Director [and producer, if applicable]). (Year film was released). Title of film [Medium]. Country of origin: Studio.
Example:
Gilliam, T. (Director). (1985). Brazil [DVD]. [Irvington, NY]: Criterion.
Visit the Citation Guide for more information, or contact your subject librarian with questions about citation.
Tip: Learn to Use Zotero!
Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] is a free tool that collects, manages, and formats citations and bibliographies. You can attach PDFs, notes, and images to your references, arrange your sources into collections for different projects, and tag them for easy searching. Insert citations to Word or Google Docs as you write and create a formatted bibliography or works cited page with one click.
Sign up for a library workshop to get started, or make an appointment with a research librarian to get started. Questions? Ask at the reference desk!