how to cite for presentation

Subject Guide: Communication: Citing Sources Orally

• Background Information & Reference Books
• Developing a Research Question
• Defining Scholarly Sources
• Using OneSearch
• Research Strategies: How to "Speak" Database
• Communication Journals
• Finding Empirical Sources
• Finding Biographical Articles
• Finding Biographical Books
• Contemporary Issues
• Evaluating Sources
• Citing Sources Orally

What Are Oral Citations?

Oral citations : When you are delivering your speeches, you should plan on telling the audience the source(s) of your information while you are speaking. (from James Madison University Communication Center )

A good speech should be well-researched, and many times you will be using facts, statistics, quotes, or opinions from others throughout. If you do not cite your sources orally, this can be considered plagiarism and is unethical. This applies to direct quotations, paraphrasing, and summarizing. You must orally cite, even if you will be providing a bibliography,  works cited, or reference list to your instructor.  (adapted from Sante Fe College Oral Citation LibGuide )

Why Cite Your Sources During a Speech?

(adapted from College of Southern Nevada's Oral Citation LibGuide )

CREDIBILITY

An oral citation conveys the reliability, validity and currency of your information. Citing your sources orally lets your audience know that you have researched your topic.  The stronger your sources are, the stronger your credibility will be.

Bakersfield College’s Student Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as “ the act of using the ideas or work of another person or persons as if they were one's own, without giving credit to the source.” This policy, along with Bakersfield College’s Student Code of  Conduct, Code #15 , prohibit plagiarism.

Failure to provide an oral citation is considered a form of plagiarism, even if you cite your sources in a written outline, bibliography, works cited page or list of references.

When you are delivering a speech, you must provide an oral citation for any words, information or ideas that are not your own.  

When Do You Cite Sources in a Speech?

(adapted from Gateway Community and Technical College COM 181 LibGuide )

• Oral citations will always be in a narrative style; you mention citation details about the work as part of your presentation.
• Place the citation before the information to give weight and authority to what you're about to say.
• You must cite words or ideas that come from another person or you will be plagiarizing their work!
• When you are providing information that is not commonly known, such as statistics, expert opinions, or study results.
• Whenever you use a direct quotation. 
• If you are unsure if a citation is required, be safe and cite the source.

Citing Sources in a Speech Video

How Do You Cite Sources in a Speech?

The best practice is to provide a full oral citation that would include the author(s) (assuming that is available), the name of the publication, the specific publication date and year, and any other pertinent information.  How you cite your information should highlight the most important aspects of that citation (e.g., we may not know who “Dr. Smith” is, but if Dr. Smith is identified as a lead researcher of race relations at New York University, the citation will take on more credibility).    (adapted from Tips for Oral Citations from Eastern Illinois University )

(adapted from  Gateway Community and Technical College COM 181 LibGuide )

The first mention of a work should include all citation elements; subsequent mentions of that work only require the author as long as source attribution remains clear (i.e. you have not used a different source in intervening narrative).

What are the elements of an oral citation.

• If the source might not be recognized by your listeners, add a comment to help establish its credibility. 
• Include enough detail to help your listener locate the work later.
• Do give the full date in citations that refer to newspaper or magazine articles.
• Particularly important if there are statistics or data that change over time.
• Mention the publication year for books and journals.
• If there is there is no date, as with some websites, state the date that you accessed the material.
• Also indicate the Author's credentials (why they are an authority on the subject).
• If there are two authors, use both names in your citation.
• If there are more than two authors, name the first author and use "and associates" or "and colleagues".
• If the full title is long, use a shortened version that makes sense and still communicates enough information for your listener to locate the work.

How do I orally cite a quotation?

• You should make in clear that you are directly quoting another person rather than paraphrasing or summarizing their work. You can use a signal phrase like "... and I quote" or "As Jonas said..." to introduce the cited material.

Examples of Oral Citations in a Speech

(adapted from Tips for Oral Citations from Eastern Illinois University )

For a magazine article

“According to an article by Ben Elgin in the February 20th, 2006 issue of Business Week, we can expect Google and Yahoo’s supremacy as the search engine giants to be challenged by new U.S. startups.  Elgin reports that  …”

 “As reported in the February 20th, 2006 issue of Business Week, many new companies are getting into the search engine business. This article explains that …”

 “A February 20th, 2006 Business Week article reported that Google and Yahoo will face stiff competition in the search engine business …” 

For a newspaper article

“On February 22nd, 2006, USA Today reported that …”

 “An article about the effects of global warming appeared in the February 22nd edition of USA Today. Todd Smith’s report focused on the alarming rate of …”

“An article on global warming that appeared in the February 22nd issue of USA Today sounded the alarm …”

For a website 

“On January 12. 2019, I visited the “Earthquakes” page of www.ready.gov , the website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. businesses and citizens …”

“According to the Earthquakes page on U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website, …”

“Helpful information about business continuity planning can be found on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website, located at www.ready.gov …”

“On January 12, 2019, I consulted the website maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to learn more about what businesses should do to plan for an emergency.  In the section entitled ‘Plan to stay in business,’ several recommendations for maintaining continuity of business operations were offered.  These suggestions included …”

For a journal article

“A study published on December 12, 2004, in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology reported that incidents of workplace aggression have increased …”

“Research conducted by Dr. Bailey and Dr. Cross at Stanford University found that incidents of workplace aggression have increased over the past five years.  Their 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology in December of that year reported that …”

“According to a December, 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, …”

“A December 2004 study by Bailey and Cross in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, …”

“In a December, 2004 study published in Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Bailey and Cross reported that …”

“A December 2004 study by Stanford University researchers found that incidents of workplace aggression …”

“Bailey and Cross, experts in workplace aggression, authored a study that shows that incidents of aggression in the workplace are increasing.  Their December 2004 Journal of Applied Social Psychology article reports that …”

“In her 2005 book, Good Health at Any Age, Dr. Gabriella Campos describes how we can maintain our health through healthy eating.  She recommends …”

“Gabriella Campos, an expert in nutrition, describes what is needed to maintain a healthy diet in her 2005 book Good Health at Any Age.  She contends that …”

“In her recent book, Good Health at Any Age, Dr. Gabriella Campos recommends …”

“In Good Health at Any Age, Dr. Gabriella Campos, an expert in nutrition, offers suggestions for …”

For a television program

“On February 21, 2021, our local PBS station aired a program called “The Insurgency.”  In this program …”

“According to “The Insurgency,” a Frontline program aired by PBS on February 21st,2021 ….”

• “Frontline, a PBS program, focused on the Iraq War in the television program entitled “The Insurgency.”  This show aired on February 21, 2021, and focused on the problems confronting …”

For a YouTube video

“The Children and Young People’s Well-being Service, a branch of the UK National Health Service, uploaded Getting a Good Night’s Sleep–Top Tips for Teens to Youtube on January 7, 2021. In the video, they explain that caffeine is a stimulant and we will get better sleep if we avoid it for at least 6 hours before bedtime.”

“Nemours Foundation is non-profit organization established in 1936,dedicated to improving children’s health. In their How to help your teens get enough sleep video, uploaded to Youtube on July 6, 2022 they explain that teens’ body clocks change during puberty and teens naturally fall asleep later at night, which often leads to sleep depravation.”

For a personal interview

“On February 20th I conducted a personal interview with Dr. Desiree Ortez, a psychology professor here at Eastern, to learn more about student responses to peer pressure. Dr. Ortez told me that …”

“I conducted an interview with Dr. Desiree Ortez, a psychology professor at Eastern Illinois University, and learned that peer pressure is a big problem for university students.”

“In an interview, I conducted with Dr. Desiree Ortez, a psychology professor, I learned that …”

“I met with Dr. Desiree Ortez, a psychology professor here at Eastern, to learn more about …   She told me that peer pressure is a major factor contributing to academic failure in college.”

“In a telephone interview I conducted with Dr. Forest Wiley, a gerontology professor at University of Illinois, I learned that the elderly are likely to feel ...”

“I emailed Dr. Forest Wiley, a gerontology professor at the University of Illinois, to get additional information on his research on the aging’s use of the Internet.  He told me  …”

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APA Citation Style

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• In-Text Citations
• Instruction Videos

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Apa style part i: introduction & in-text citations.

APA Style Part II: Reference Citations

APA Style Part III: DOI vs URL vs Database Name

APA Style Part IV: Other Resources

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PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References

This page contains reference examples for PowerPoint slides or lecture notes, including the following:

• PowerPoint slides available online
• PowerPoint slides from a classroom website

Use these formats to cite information obtained directly from slides.

If the slides contain citations to information published elsewhere, and you want to cite that information as well, then it is best to find, read, and cite the original source yourself rather than citing the slides as a secondary source.

Writers creating PowerPoint presentations in APA Style should present information clearly and concisely. Many APA Style guidelines can be applied to presentations (e.g., the guidance for crediting sources, using bias-free language, and writing clearly and concisely).

However, decisions about font size, amount of text on a slide, color scheme, use of animations, and so on are up to writers; these details are not specified as part of APA Style.

1. PowerPoint slides available online

Jones, J. (2016, March 23). Guided reading: Making the most of it [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/hellojenjones/guided-reading-making-the-most-of-it

• Parenthetical citation : (Jones, 2016)
• Narrative citation : Jones (2016)
• When the slides are available online to anyone, provide the site name on which they are hosted in the source element of the reference, followed by the URL of the slides.

2. PowerPoint slides from a classroom website

Mack, R., & Spake, G. (2018). Citing open source images and formatting references for presentations [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@FNU. https://fnu.onelogin.com/login

• Parenthetical citation : (Mack & Spake, 2018)
• Narrative citation : Mack and Spake (2018)
• If the slides come from a classroom website, learning management system (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai), or company intranet and you are writing for an audience with access to that resource, provide the name of the site and its URL (use the login page URL for sites requiring login).
• If the audience for which are you writing does not have access to the slides, cite them as a personal communication .

PowerPoint slide references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.14 and the Concise Guide Section 10.12

APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Powerpoint Presentations

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Powerpoint presentations - what do i need to cite, powerpoint presentations - where do my citations go, other digital assignments - where do my citations go, quick rules for an apa reference list.

Your research paper ends with a list of all the sources cited in the text of the paper. Here are nine quick rules for this Reference list.

• Start a new page for your Reference list. Centre the title, References, at the top of the page.
• Double-space the list.
• Start the first line of each reference at the left margin; indent each subsequent line five spaces (a hanging indent).
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the reference. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first (and middle, if listed) initials followed by periods.
• Italicize the titles of these works: books, audiovisual material, internet documents and newspapers, and the title and volume number of journals and magazines.
• Do not italicize titles of most parts of works, such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document.
• In titles of non-periodicals (books, videotapes, websites, reports, poems, essays, chapters, etc), capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a title and subtitle, and all proper nouns (names of people, places, organizations, nationalities).
• If a web source (not from the library) is not a stable archived version, or you are unsure whether it is stable, include a statement of the accessed date before the link.

What am I legally required to cite in my digital assignment?

According to the Copyright Act, you must cite the sources (images, videos, books, websites, etc.) that you used in your digital assignment ( 29.21(1)(b) ). You must cite the source (where you got the information from) and the creator of the content (if available). You must also make sure that any copyrighted materials you used in your assignment meet the conditions set out in section  29.21  of the Copyright Act. For a list of conditions and more information, please visit:  http://studentcopyright.wordpress.com/mashups/

What citation style do I use for the sources in my digital assignment?

There is no one required citation style, so please defer to your instructor's directions and citation style preference.

List your sources in a slide at the end of the Powerpoint presentation, with footnotes throughout your presentation as applicable.

You could also provide a print copy of the sources you used to those attending your presentation.

Seneca Libraries has the following recommendations for how to organize your list of sources for digital assignments. Please check with your instructor first:

Videos you create: 

List your sources in a credits screen at the end of the video.

Websites you create:

• For images, include a citation under each image using this format “From: XXXX” and then make the image a link back to the original image ( example  - picture of little girl). Or list the citation at the bottom of the web page.
• For quotes or material from other sources, include an in-text citation that links back to the original material ( example  – second paragraph).

Images you create: 

If possible list your sources at the bottom or side of the image ( example ). Otherwise, include a list of citations alongside the image wherever it’s uploaded (e.g. Flickr, Blackboard).

**Please note that the above are recommendations only and your instructor may have a preference and directions for how and where you list your sources for your assignment.**

If you don't receive specific instructions from your instructor, try to include your citations in a way that doesn't impact the design of your digital assignment.

For more information please contact Seneca Libraries copyright team at  [email protected]

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In-Text Citation or Reference List?

Handouts distributed in class and presentation slides such as PowerPoint should be cited both in-text and on the Reference list.

Your own notes from lectures are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the Reference list.

Presentation Slides from a Website

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Title of presentation  [Lecture notes, PowerPoint Slides, etc.]. Publisher. URL

Kunka, J. L. (n.d.). Conquering the comma [PowerPoint presentation]. Purdue Online Writing Lab. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/index.html#presentations

Presentation Slides from WebCampus (Canvas)

Instructor, I. I. (Year Presentation Was Created).  Title of presentation  [PowerPoint presentation]. WebCampus. URL

Graham, J. (2013).  Introduction: Jean Watson  [PowerPoint presentation]. WebCampus. https://unr.instructure.com/login/canvas

Note : The first letter of the word Watson is capitalized as it is part of a person's name.

Class Handouts from WebCampus (Canvas)

Instructor, I. I. (Year Handout Was Created if known).  Title of handout  [Class handout]. WebCampus. URL

Magowan , A. (2013).  Career resources at the library   [Class handout]. WebCampus. https://unr.instructure.com/login/canvas

Class Handout in Print

Instructor, I. I. (Year Handout Was Created if known).  Title of handout  [Class handout]. University Name, Course code.

Wood, D. (2013).  Laboratory safety overview  [Class handout]. University of Nevada, Reno,  BIO173.

Class Lectures (Notes from)

Note : Your own notes from a lecture are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the Reference list. Put the citation right after a quote or paraphrased content from the class lecture.

(I. I. Instructor who gave lecture, personal communication, Month Day, Year lecture took place)

"Infections are often contracted while patients are recovering in the hospital" (J. D. Black, personal communication, May 30, 2012).

• << Previous: Personal Communications
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• Research Guides

Citing Business Sources in APA Style

7. citing sources in presentations.

• 1. About this guide
• 2. Citing references in-text
• 3. Citing sources in your reference list
• 4. Reference List Examples: Brock Library Business Databases
• 5. Reference List Examples: Statistical Sources
• 6. Reference List Examples: Audiovisual Sources

7.3: Using Reference Lists in Presentations

7.4: apa style powerpoint help.

• The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Style) was designed to assist writers in preparing research papers (such as journal articles) and therefore does not actually contain any guidelines on preparing powerpoint presentations according to APA Style.
• Typically, if you are required to create a presentation according to APA Style, you should clarify with your professor if he/she actually just expects you to put your in-text citations and references in APA Style.

7.1: In-text citations in Presentations

• You can cite references within the text of your presentation slide using the same APA format for in-text citations (Author, Date) as in a written essay.
• Remember to cite sources for direct quotations, paraphrased materials, and sources of facts (such as market share data in the example slide).
• Your Reference List must include the sources cited on your presentation slides.

7.2: Using Images on Slides

If you use images, such as photographs or clipart, on your slides, you should also credit the source of the image. Do not reproduce images without permission. There are sources for clipart and images that are "public use" according to Creative Commons licensing such as:

• Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/
• Google Advanced Image Search allows you so filter results by usage rights (e.g., free to use or share):  https://www.google.com/advanced_image_search
• ClipSafari:  https://www.clipsafari.com
• Openclipart.org:  https://openclipart.org/
• Noun Project:  https://thenounproject.com   (free membership, must give credit to creator of icon following a specific format)

Photographs are treated as figures in APA Style. Therefore, the citation for the source of the image is included as a footnote in the figure caption underneath the photograph which includes the figure number and a description. The source of the image obtained is attributed using the following model:

Figure 1. Blah blah blah. From Title of Image , by Author, Year. Retrieved from URL.

Figure 1. Photograph of a sculpture in Cupertino, California. From Infinite Loop II by Kurafire (2007, January 3).  Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurafire/343629962/.

Another option for citing image sources is to create a separate slide titled "Photo credits" or "Image Sources". For more assistance on the various ways to cite images in presentations (but not necessarily in APA format), see:

• Image Citation Guide (UBC Copyright Office)
• How to credit photos (Photoshare.org). Provides examples of various ways to credit image sources in Powerpoint, on webpages, and in print materials.
• How to cite clip art or stock image references (APA Style website) Consult the APA Style site for the latest guidance on how to cite images according to the 7th edition.

Option 1: Create a References handout (recommended)

Option 2: Create a References slide (if you only have a few items in your list)

• use a large enough font (e.g., 24 points)
• limit to 12 lines of text on each slide

• Power up your PowerPoint (gradPSYCH at APA.org) Seven research-backed tips for effective presentations. Includes links to digital extras: "the worst PowerPoint presentation ever made" and "Comedian Don McMillan's PowerPoint pet peeves".
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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Lecture in APA

How to Cite a Lecture in APA

Lecture and PowerPoint presentations are often great sources of information for specific papers. This guide will show you how to cite lectures and PowerPoint presentation slides following APA 7th edition guidelines. The type of lecture (e.g., classroom, conference, etc.) and format of the information (saw lecture, accessed slides, etc.) will determine what citation format you use.

Guide overview

Citing a conference presentation

Citing a classroom presentation/lecture slides.

• Citing a classroom presentation/lecture you watched
• Citing a recorded presentation (video)

Troubleshooting

Presenter #1 Last name, F. M., & Presenter #2 Last Name, F. M. (Year, Month Day of conference). Name of presentation [Presentation format]. Name of Conference, Location. URL

Jacobson, T.E., & Mackey, T. (2013, April 10-13). What’s in the name?: Information literacy, metaliteracy, or transliteracy [Panel session]. Association of College & Research Libraries, Indianapolis, IN, United States. https://www.slideshare.net/tmackey/acrl-2013

In-text citation structure & example:

(Lecture Last Name, Year)

(Jacobson & Mackey, 2013)

If you are citing a classroom presentation file you’ve viewed or accessed, use the following structure.

Lecturer Last name, F. M. (Year, month date). Title of lecture [Description of file type]. Department name, university name. URL

Prosser, M. (2021, October 18). Introduction to rhetorical forms [PowerPoint slides]. English and Modern Languages Department, California Polytechnic State University. https://https://english.calpoly.edu/

(Lecturer Last Name, Year)

(Prosser, 2021)

Citing a presentation/lecture you have watched

If you are citing information you learned through a presentation/lecture you attended, FIRST see if you can find the documented source (e.g., book, article, etc.) the presenter got the information from. If the information is original and the presentation was the primary source, treat the information as personal communication.  This means you ONLY need to cite it in an in-text citation and no reference list entry is needed.

In-text citation structure & examples:

(Presenter First Initial., Last Name, personal communication, Month Day, Year of presentation)

(L. Koerte, personal communication, March 17, 2021)

L. Koerte (personal communication, March 17, 2021)

Citing a recorded presentation/lecture (video)

Cite the recording as you would cite a regular video. The person or channel who uploaded/published the video is credited as the “author” even if they did not conduct the presentation/lecture.

Uploader Last name, F. M. (Year, month date). Title of video [Video]. Website Name. URL

Stanford. (2002, January 13). Einstein’s general theory of relativity | Lecture 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbmf0bB38h0

(Uploader Last Name, Year)

(Stanford, 2002)

Solution #1: Citing a presentation that comes from a classroom’s website or learning management system (LMS)

If the slides you are citing come from a classroom website or learning management system (LMS) like Canvas or Blackboard, and you are writing for an audience that has access to the site, then provide the name of the site and the URL for the login page.

Reference page structure:

Last name, F. M. (Date). Presentation title in sentence case [PowerPoint slides]. LMS name@University name acronym. Link to login page

Reference page example:

Vincent, P. (2020).  Recognizing rhetorical devices in visual rhetoric  [PowerPoint slides]. Blackboard@ULV. https://idp.quicklaunchsso.com/laverne

In-text citation structure: 

Narrative citation: Last Name (Year)

Parenthetical citation: (Last Name, Year)

In-text citation examples:

Narrative citation: Vincent (2020)

Parenthetical citation: (Vincent, 2020)

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

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APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

• Basics of APA Formatting
• In Text Quick View
• Block Quotes
• Books & eBooks
• Thesis/Dissertation
• Audiovisual
• Conference Presentations

Standard Format

Formatting rules, various examples.

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• Reference Page

Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

• Date should match the date(s) of the full conference
• Conference Proceedings published in journal or book should follow the same format for a journal or edited book chapter

See Ch. 10 pp. 313-352 of APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules

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• Last Updated: Aug 8, 2024 10:42 AM
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How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation

Last Updated: January 16, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 67,876 times.

PowerPoint presentations often convey a lot of information in a brief format that's easy to understand. For this reason, they also make excellent sources for a research paper — especially if you're writing on a complex, cutting-edge topic. But how should you cite your source? The elements included in your citation are generally the same as those you would use for any other lecture or presentation. Your specific format will vary, though, depending on whether you're using the Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), or Chicago citation style.

• Example: Kalyanaraman, Ananth.

• Example: Kalyanaraman, Ananth. "CPT S 317: Automata and Formal Languages."

• Example: Kalyanaraman, Ananth. "CPT S 317: Automata and Formal Languages." 2017. School of EECS, Washington State University, Pullman.

• Example: Kalyanaraman, Ananth. "CPT S 317: Automata and Formal Languages." 2017. School of EECS, Washington State University, Pullman. Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

• Example: Kalyanaraman, Ananth. "CPT S 317: Automata and Formal Languages." 2017. School of EECS, Washington State University, Pullman. Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. eecs.wsu.edu/~ananth/CptS317/Lectures/Course.pdf.

• For example, you might write: One of the objectives of the course is to introduce automata theory and the theory of computation (Kalyanaraman slide 3).

• The basic format for a personal communication in-text citation is as follows: (A. Lastname, personal communication, Month day, year).

• Example: Braun, M.

• Example: Braun, M. (2020).

• Example: Braun, M. (2020). Diseases of the nervous system [PowerPoint slides].

• Example: Braun, M. (2020). Diseases of the nervous system [PowerPoint slides]. http://medsci.indiana.edu/c602web/602/c602web/opt/braun/Diseases_NervousSystem.pdf

• For example, you might write: A subdural hemorrhage is a rotational injury that causes slow bleeding (Braun, 2020).
• If you use the presenter's name in the text of your paper, add a parenthetical immediately after the name with the year for the presentation. For example, you might write: Braun (2020) differentiates between different types of brain hemorrhages, which require different treatment.
• If you quote directly from the presentation, add the slide number after the year. For example, you might write: According to Braun (2020, slide 3), the "accumulation of junk" in the central nervous system can lead to problems.

• Example: Damodaran, Aswath.

• Example: Damodaran, Aswath. "Intrinsic Valuation."

• Example: Damodaran, Aswath. "Intrinsic Valuation." PowerPoint presentation, Equity Instruments, NYU Stern School of Business, New York, NY, January 2020.

• Example: Damodaran, Aswath. "Intrinsic Valuation." PowerPoint presentation, Equity Instruments, NYU Stern School of Business, New York, NY, January 2020. http://people.stern.nyu.edu/adamodar/pdfiles/eqnotes/valpacket1spr20.pdf.

• Example: Aswath Damodaran, "Intrinsic Valuation," (PowerPoint presentation, Equity Instruments, NYU Stern School of Business, New York, NY, January 2020), http://people.stern.nyu.edu/adamodar/pdfiles/eqnotes/valpacket1spr20.pdf.
• After the first footnote, use a shortened format for subsequent footnotes with the last name of the presenter and the title of the presentation. For example:

Community Q&A

• If the slides come from a classroom website, company intranet, or learning management system (such as Canvas or Blackboard), use the URL only if you're writing for an audience that would have access to that system. [18] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• This article covers how to cite a PowerPoint presentation using the MLA 8th edition (2016), the APA 7th edition (2019), and the Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition (2017). Consult your instructor or editor to make sure you're using the right edition for your citations. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://style.mla.org/citing_slides/
• ↑ https://research.moreheadstate.edu/c.php?g=610039&p=4234940
• ↑ https://libguides.capilanou.ca/mla/classnotes
• ↑ https://writeanswers.royalroads.ca/faq/199089
• ↑ https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/APA/lecture
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/powerpoint-references
• ↑ https://libguides.up.edu/chicago/other#s-lg-box-wrapper-28673142
• ↑ https://library.ulethbridge.ca/chicagostyle/other/lecture
• ↑ https://libguides.up.edu/chicago/other

About This Article

To cite a PowerPoint presentation in MLA, use footnotes or endnotes to cite your sources. Then in the footnote, list the author’s last name followed by a comma then their first name. Then write the title of the lecture in quotes followed by the venue, the city it was held in, and the abbreviated date you accessed the work. You should put a period after each item. For instance, you might write, “Smith, John. ‘Sensitivity and Social Media.’ Today's Social Networks. Thomson Auditorium. Hamilton. Jan. 23, 2016. Keynote address.” To learn how to cite PowerPoint presentations in APA style, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Cite Sources | Citation Generator & Quick Guide

Citing your sources is essential in  academic writing . Whenever you quote or paraphrase a source (such as a book, article, or webpage), you have to include a  citation crediting the original author.

Failing to properly cite your sources counts as plagiarism , since you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

The most commonly used citation styles are APA and MLA. The free Scribbr Citation Generator is the quickest way to cite sources in these styles. Simply enter the URL, DOI, or title, and we’ll generate an accurate, correctly formatted citation.

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Table of contents

When do you need to cite sources, which citation style should you use, in-text citations, reference lists and bibliographies.

Scribbr Citation Generator

Other useful citation tools

Citation examples and full guides, frequently asked questions about citing sources.

Citations are required in all types of academic texts. They are needed for several reasons:

• To avoid plagiarism by indicating when you’re taking information from another source
• To give proper credit to the author of that source
• To allow the reader to consult your sources for themselves

A citation is needed whenever you integrate a source into your writing. This usually means quoting or paraphrasing:

• To quote a source , copy a short piece of text word for word and put it inside quotation marks .
• To paraphrase a source , put the text into your own words. It’s important that the paraphrase is not too close to the original wording. You can use the paraphrasing tool if you don’t want to do this manually.

Citations are needed whether you quote or paraphrase, and whatever type of source you use. As well as citing scholarly sources like books and journal articles, don’t forget to include citations for any other sources you use for ideas, examples, or evidence. That includes websites, YouTube videos , and lectures .

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Usually, your institution (or the journal you’re submitting to) will require you to follow a specific citation style, so check your guidelines or ask your instructor.

In some cases, you may have to choose a citation style for yourself. Make sure to pick one style and use it consistently:

• APA Style is widely used in the social sciences and beyond.
• MLA style is common in the humanities.
• Chicago notes and bibliography , common in the humanities
• Chicago author-date , used in the (social) sciences
• There are many other citation styles for different disciplines.

If in doubt, check with your instructor or read other papers from your field of study to see what style they follow.

In most styles, your citations consist of:

• Brief in-text citations at the relevant points in the text
• A reference list or bibliography containing full information on all the sources you’ve cited

In-text citations most commonly take the form of parenthetical citations featuring the last name of the source’s author and its year of publication (aka author-date citations).

An alternative to this type of in-text citation is the system used in numerical citation styles , where a number is inserted into the text, corresponding to an entry in a numbered reference list.

There are also note citation styles , where you place your citations in either footnotes or endnotes . Since they’re not embedded in the text itself, these citations can provide more detail and sometimes aren’t accompanied by a full reference list or bibliography.

A reference list (aka “Bibliography” or “Works Cited,” depending on the style) is where you provide full information on each of the sources you’ve cited in the text. It appears at the end of your paper, usually with a hanging indent applied to each entry.

The information included in reference entries is broadly similar, whatever citation style you’re using. For each source, you’ll typically include the:

• Author name
• Publication date
• Container (e.g., the book an essay was published in, the journal an article appeared in)
• Location (e.g., a URL or DOI , or sometimes a physical location)

The exact information included varies depending on the source type and the citation style. The order in which the information appears, and how you format it (e.g., capitalization, use of italics) also varies.

Most commonly, the entries in your reference list are alphabetized by author name. This allows the reader to easily find the relevant entry based on the author name in your in-text citation.

In numerical citation styles, the entries in your reference list are numbered, usually based on the order in which you cite them. The reader finds the right entry based on the number that appears in the text.

Because each style has many small differences regarding things like italicization, capitalization , and punctuation , it can be difficult to get every detail right. Using a citation generator can save you a lot of time and effort.

Scribbr offers citation generators for both APA and MLA style. Both are quick, easy to use, and 100% free, with no ads and no registration required.

Just input a URL or DOI or add the source details manually, and the generator will automatically produce an in-text citation and reference entry in the correct format. You can save your reference list as you go and download it when you’re done, and even add annotations for an annotated bibliography .

Once you’ve prepared your citations, you might still be unsure if they’re correct and if you’ve used them appropriately in your text. This is where Scribbr’s other citation tools and services may come in handy:

Plagiarism Checker

Citation Checker

Citation Editing

Plagiarism means passing off someone else’s words or ideas as your own. It’s a serious offense in academia. Universities use plagiarism checking software to scan your paper and identify any similarities to other texts.

When you’re dealing with a lot of sources, it’s easy to make mistakes that could constitute accidental plagiarism. For example, you might forget to add a citation after a quote, or paraphrase a source in a way that’s too close to the original text.

Using a plagiarism checker yourself before you submit your work can help you spot these mistakes before they get you in trouble. Based on the results, you can add any missing citations and rephrase your text where necessary.

Try out the Scribbr Plagiarism Checker for free, or check out our detailed comparison of the best plagiarism checkers available online.

Scribbr Plagiarism Checker

Scribbr’s Citation Checker is a unique AI-powered tool that automatically detects stylistic errors and inconsistencies in your in-text citations. It also suggests a correction for every mistake.

Currently available for APA Style, this is the fastest and easiest way to make sure you’ve formatted your citations correctly. You can try out the tool for free below.

If you need extra help with your reference list, we also offer a more in-depth Citation Editing Service.

Our experts cross-check your in-text citations and reference entries, make sure you’ve included the correct information for each source, and improve the formatting of your reference page.

If you want to handle your citations yourself, Scribbr’s free Knowledge Base provides clear, accurate guidance on every aspect of citation. You can see citation examples for a variety of common source types below:

And you can check out our comprehensive guides to the most popular citation styles:

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (Latin for “and others”) is used to shorten citations of sources with multiple authors.

“Et al.” is used in APA in-text citations of sources with 3+ authors, e.g. (Smith et al., 2019). It is not used in APA reference entries .

Use “et al.” for 3+ authors in MLA in-text citations and Works Cited entries.

Use “et al.” for 4+ authors in a Chicago in-text citation , and for 10+ authors in a Chicago bibliography entry.

The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

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PowerPoint Citation Made Easy: APA and MLA Formats Explained

Updated 30 Aug 2024

How to cite a Powerpoint in APA

Citing a PowerPoint in APA format can seem challenging, especially if it's your first time referencing slides or a presentation you've attended. This guide will walk you through the basic APA citation rules, offering templates and examples to make the process easier. Many presentations found on platforms like Prezi or PowerPoint often include primary sources, making them valuable additions to your paper.

To cite a PowerPoint in APA 7th edition, include the following details:

• Author’s Last Name and Initials
• Date of Publication (in parentheses)
• Title of the Presentation (in italics)
• Description of the Slides
• URL (if available online)

Let’s begin by exploring the general APA PowerPoint citation template and the specific rules for citing presentations.

APA Powerpoint Template

Author, A. B. (Year of publication).  Title of presentation  [PowerPoint slides]. Publisher. URL

APA Example

Miles, R.I. (2016).  The importance of trance music for motivation: An overview of technical characteristics  [PowerPoint slides]. Prezi@RSU. https://www.url.edu/ca

(Miles, 2016, slide 4)

Citing a PowerPoint Your Readers Can Access

The best scenario is using a PowerPoint presentation your readers can access. So the page will require log in to one of the university's LMS systems. In this case you should include the main URL where a person can log in instead of using the actual URL for the presentation.

When dealing with password-protected platforms or sites containing the PowerPoint file you wish to cite, the rules are:

APA Citation Template

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year, Month Date).  Title in italics  [PowerPoint slides]. Course, University's Name. URL

Works Cited Page Citation

Gibbons, B (2022, September 17).  Introduction to Marine Pollution  [PowerPoint slides]. Faculty of Marine Biology, University of Miami. https://welcome.miami.edu/

In-text Citation

(Gibbons, 2022, slide 7)

If you have the luck to use the PowerPoint APA citation slides available for public access (Prezi or Slideshare) use the website name instead of the university and the course/department.

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year, Month Date).  Title in italics  [PowerPoint slides]. Website Name. URL.

Meril, M. (2013, August 26).  Childhood Autism: Definition and Analysis.  [PowerPoint Slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/merilmanuel/autism-ppt-25586447

(Meril, 2013)

Note: when you have to use other types of slides or lecture notes, it's sufficient to replace the [PowerPoint slides] container with something like [Google Slides] or any other relevant description.

Training program PowerPoint citation

When you wish to add a quotation for a training program presented as a PowerPoint ppt, citing a PowerPoint APA style must be done this way:

APA Template

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year) Title in italics [PowerPoint slides]. Name of the training program. URL (if available).

Horncastle, M. (2021). Boy Scouts Seattle Troop volunteer training program and anti-bullying initiatives. [PowerPoint slides] BSA Seattle Troop Training Program. http//www.bsa.org/url

(Horncastle, 2021, slide 19)

Of course, if your PowerPoint presentation is made available at Slideshare or Prezi website and relates to the training sessions, follow this citation example:

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year). Title of presentation in italics [PowerPoint slides]. Slideshare. URL

Green, J. (2015). Scoutmaster Position-Specific Training [PowerPoint slides]. Slideshare. https://www.slideshare.net/clevernickname/scoutmaster-specificmbu2015

(Green, 2015, slide 5)

Lecture PowerPoint citation

Citing a lecture in APA 7th edition is also easy as you follow the template and examples of in-text citation PowerPoint APA and the one for the References page.

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year). Title in italics [PowerPoint slides]. Slideshare. URL

Works Cited Page

Agarwal, N. (2011).  Domestic Violence and Abuse Patterns  [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/neha0827/domestic-violence-9607941

(Agarwal, 2011, slide 5)

Alternatively, it’s possible to use a slightly different citation pattern if you are dealing with a specific lecture program or a classroom lecture you have attended during your college or university studies. Here is an alternative way how to cite a PowerPoint in APA for this scenario:

Richards, N. (2022) Structure of transwave synthesis and frequency modulation methods [PowerPoint slides]. Oxford Education.

For your APA in-text citation:

(Richards, 2022, slide 7)

If the talk is about a classroom lecture, follow this example:

Jackson, T. (2009). The challenges of technology for children with learning challenges [PowerPoint slides]. Arizona State University. Classroom lecture.

For your  APA in-text citation:

(Jackson, 2009, slide 34)

Conference PowerPoint citation

As practice shows, many students cite PowerPoint presentations taken from conferences. There are two approaches to how to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA, depending on the situation. See the examples below:

Last Name, Initial(s). (Year). Title in italics [PowerPoint slides]. Conference, Location. Slideshare. URL

Skomra, A. (2015).  Leadership Conference: Call to Community: Slimming Youth to Strengthen Lives.  [PowerPoint slides]. Roberts Wesleyan College Conference, Rochester, New York. Slideshare. https://www.slideshare.net/AlexanderGSkomra/leadership-conference-submission-47076287

(Skomra, 2015, slide 2)

Some other examples for this case would be as follows:

Salisbury, A. (2023).  AI Intelligence and Dangers of shifting teacher's roles  [PowerPoint slides]. Canada Education's Board of Trustees, Alberta 2023.

 In-text

(Salisbury, 2023, slide 63)

Citing a PowerPoint Your Readers Can't Access

If you need to cite a PowerPoint presentation that your readers can't access, you should treat it as personal communication. For example, if the presentation is only accessible through your university's website, standard citation rules apply since your professor can access it. However, when submitting to an academic journal, use the personal communication format, as others won’t have access to the presentation. Remember, personal communications are cited only in-text and do not appear in the References list.

Example: In a class lecture, Andersen stated that most students face emotional isolation during virtual studies (personal communication, September 13, 2022).

Citing Information Quoted in a PowerPoint

If a PowerPoint presentation includes a quote or statistical data you wish to use, it’s best to find the original source. APA 7th edition advises against double citing and encourages referencing firsthand data. Many presentations provide relevant references, or you can contact the author or your school's library for the original sources. If you're unsure how to format these citations, you might want to find a service to do my homework and ensure your references are correctly formatted.

How to сite a PowerPoint presentation in MLA format

When citing a PowerPoint presentation in MLA format, the citation method depends on the type of presentation and how you accessed it. If the slides are available online, the citation should follow a website format. Include the author’s name, the title of the presentation in quotation marks, the name of the website in italics, the publication date, and the URL. For in-text citations, specify the slide number to guide your audience to the exact reference.

Citing a PowerPoint presentation viewed in person 

When citing a PowerPoint presentation you viewed in person, the approach differs since you cannot provide an online link. You should include the course name, the date the presentation or lecture was given, the location, and the presentation’s title. Additionally, labeling it as a "PowerPoint presentation" is recommended for clarity. This format ensures that your audience understands the context and source of the material.

MLA Format PowerPoint Citation Template

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Presentation Title." Course Name, Day Month Year, Name, City. PowerPoint presentation.

Stipe, Michael. "Living as a rock star in Athens, Georgia." Musicology Studies, 19 Jun. 2011, Berlin Institute of Music and Arts, Berlin. PowerPoint presentation.

In-text citation

(Stipe, slide 14)

Lecture PowerPoint citation MLA style

When citing a PowerPoint presentation provided by your professor during class, the citation format is slightly different. Begin with your professor's last name, followed by their first name, then include the title of the lecture, the course name, the date of the lecture, the location, and label it as "Lecture." This format ensures that the citation is clear and provides all necessary details for your readers to understand the context of the presentation.

Instructor's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Lecture." Title of Course, Date of lecture, Location. Lecture.

MLA Works Cited Page

Holmes, Nicholas. "Dealing With Workplace Bullying: Why Females Do Not Report The Harassment?" Social Sciences 201, 17 February 2022, Arizona State University. Lecture.

How to cite a non-lecture PowerPoint presentation?

If the PowerPoint presentation you need to cite is not a lecture, the citation should include the instructor's name, the presentation title, the course name, the date the presentation occurred, the location or venue, and a label specifying the presentation type. This format ensures that your citation accurately reflects the context of the presentation and provides all necessary information for proper referencing.

Instructor's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Your PowerPoint Presentation." Title of Course, Date of PowerPoint presentation, Location of presentation, or venue's name. Type of PowerPoint presentation.

Fox, Megan. "The Passion and the Beauty in Hollywood." Fashion Studies 34. 17 April 2020. New York Arts Institute. Prezi PowerPoint presentation.

Citing content reproduced in a PowerPoint

When citing content such as an image or a quote reproduced in a PowerPoint presentation, it's best to cite the original source of the material. If the original source isn't accessible, consider contacting the lecturer for more information. Alternatively, treat the content as a "source within a source." Begin with the citation for the original source, followed by the details of the presentation, and mention the slide where the quoted content appears. Here's an example of how to format this type of citation.

MLA Format Template

Author's Last Name, First Name. Artwork Title. Presentation Name, taught by Presenter's First Name Last Name, Day Month Year, University's Name, City. Slide number.

Knight, Gabriel. Voodoo's Dark Heritage. 1994. Introduction to New Orleans Black History, taught by Andrew Johnson, 29 Apr. 2022, Cape Town U, Cape Town, RSA. Slide 11.

(Knight,  slide 11)

Creating an MLA Works Cited PowerPoint Slide

When using a PowerPoint presentation for serious research that includes external quotes and information, an MLA Works Cited page is essential. This page functions much like it would in a traditional paper, listing only the sources directly referenced in your presentation, as a complete bibliography is unnecessary. Citing within PowerPoint slides follows the same MLA guidelines as other mediums. Depending on the source type—whether books, interviews, or websites—follow the relevant MLA rules to ensure accurate citations. Utilizing professional services can help ensure both correct citations and visually appealing slides.

Works Cited

El Alaoui Ismaili, Zakaria, et al. “A Comparison of Frequency Synthesizers up to 25 GHz for 130 Nm CMOS Implementation.” 2019 17th IEEE International New Circuits and Systems Conference (NEWCAS) , 2019, https://doi.org/10.1109/newcas44328.2019.8961242.

Manassewitsch, Vadim. Frequency Synthesizers: Theory and Design . Wiley, 2005.

Solida, Scot. “The 10 Greatest Synthesizers of All Time.” MusicRadar , MusicRadar, 24 May 2022, https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-10-greatest-synthesizers-of-all-time-the-machines-that-changed-music.

APA vs. MLA: How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation

When citing a PowerPoint presentation, the approach differs between APA and MLA styles. Here’s a comparison of the two:

1. Author's Name:

• APA: The author’s last name is followed by their initials. Example: Smith, J. A.
• MLA: The author’s full name is used, with the first name followed by the last name. Example: John A. Smith.

2. Date Format:

• APA: The date is presented in the format of Year, Month Day. Example: (2022, April 5).
• MLA: The date is written as Day Month Year. Example: 5 April 2022.

3. Title of the Presentation:

• APA: The title is italicized, and only the first word of the title and subtitle is capitalized. Example: Exploring Modern Art .
• MLA: The title is placed in quotation marks, with each major word capitalized. Example: “Exploring Modern Art.”

4. Presentation Type:

• APA: The presentation type is specified in square brackets after the title. Example: Exploring Modern Art [PowerPoint slides].
• MLA: The presentation type is included in the citation but not in brackets. Example: “Exploring Modern Art.” PowerPoint presentation.
• Smith, J. A. (2022, April 5). Exploring Modern Art [PowerPoint slides]. University of Arts. https://www.slideshare.net/url
• Smith, John A. “Exploring Modern Art.” PowerPoint presentation, University of Arts, 5 April 2022, https://www.slideshare.net/url

Understanding these differences ensures that your citations are accurate and align with the required style guidelines.

How do you cite the professor's PowerPoint in APA?

Start with the author, publication, year, presentation title, [PowerPoint slides] part, publisher, and URL (if available). The complete citation example for a professor called Collin Black would look this way:

Black, C. (2021). English Literature of the Medieval period . [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. http://www.slideshare.net/url.

How do I cite a source with no page numbers in APA style?

Do your best to indicate the location of the quoted part in your in-text citation in APA. Determining how to cite PowerPoint slides APA style, you may use the section's subheadings, paragraph, section number, or anything to specify the location.

(King, 2022, Linking section, para. 4). 

Do PowerPoint presentations need in-text citations in APA?

Yes, in-text citations are always necessary to keep your paper original and avoid plagiarism!

How do you cite a PowerPoint slide in APA 7th edition with no author?

You should use the organization's name instead or the presentation's title in a shortened form. If nothing can be determined, use the word "Title" instead of the author and then provide the rest of the information as required by the citation type.

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Written by Elizabeth Miller

Seasoned academic writer, nurturing students' writing skills. Expert in citation and plagiarism. Contributing to EduBirdie since 2019. Aspiring author and dedicated volunteer. You will never have to worry about plagiarism as I write essays 100% from scratch. Vast experience in English, History, Ethics, and more.

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