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ENGL 3 (Wasche): Cite Sources

A handy guide to library resources for Wasche's English 3 class.

Using citations

Writing a research paper requires that you:

  • use outside resources for information
  • let readers know where that information came from
  • make it easy for readers to find the information themselves

That's what citations are for.  Unless you are stating your own ideas or common knowledge (such as that the Earth revolves around the sun), you will have to cite the source where the idea comes from.

Citing the sources you use in your paper:

  • gives credit to the author of the original source
  • avoids plagiarism
  • allows your readers to identify the source for further study
  • shows that your position is well-researched

Your instructor has asked you to use MLA style, and you will find a complete guide to MLA here:

To learn all about using citations in your work, check out our Citations: Start to Finish guide.

Citing audio-visual materials in MLA

On your Works Cited page, list all your sources alphabetically by author name, according to the pattern shown here.  A song or TV episode is in quotation marks, while the album title or TV show name is italicized.  Use a hanging indent!

A song or music album:

Rae Morris. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014.

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind, Geffen, 1991.

A music video:

If possible, find your music video at the band's YouTube channel, website, or whatever official outlet is available.  If not, take what you can get, but be sure to look up accurate information about the date and publisher; you might have to look elsewhere to find that.

Beyoncé. "Spirit." The Lion King: The Gift, Walt Disney Pictures, 2019.  YouTube, https://youtu.be    /civgUOommC8?si=gNpxi7D0nDl6cugl

A TV or radio show:

Much depends on the source of the show: was it recorded or broadcast?  If the show is on DVD, give the title of the DVD so that readers can find it.  If the show is on Netflix or another streaming service, show that.  If the show was broadcast on a particular date and that's the relevant information, include the date.  If you wish to reference a particular episode, include the season and episode number.

  • DVD:

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season, written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

  • Broadcast:

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files. Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

  • Streaming:

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

A film:

List films by title, and then give the director's name.  If you wish to emphasize certain performances, include those names as well.

Speed Racer. Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, Warner Brothers, 2008.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.  Directed by George Lucas, performances by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

A speech, lecture, or conference talk:

Give the speaker's name and the event.  Describe what the speech was: a lecture, a keynote address, a workshop, etc.

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

A podcast:

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Getting Citations from Library Databases

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person's words or ideas as if they are your own. This includes:

  • taking someone else's paper and turning it in as your own
  • copying sentences word-for-word from a source
  • quoting someone's words without quotations
  • paraphrasing someone's idea without giving credit
  • using a substantial amount of information from someone else that makes up a majority of your paper even though you have given credit to the original source

Plagiarism is an academic offense and can have severe consequences. At Butte College, the consequences of plagiarism can range from failing a course to long-term suspension from the College.

While some students plagiarize deliberately, many students commit plagiarism unintentionally. It is important to be aware of different forms of plagiarism; make sure you use information ethically and cite the sources correctly to avoid problems. 

While AI bots can give you ideas to work with, you cannot use an AI app to write your paper for you.  And be careful when using an AI app; it's not always an accurate source of information and may make up citations.

CIte in MLA

Use the links below to find out how to format your MLA style paper, in-text citations, and works cited list.

Citation Generators

The citation generator links below can help you format your citations using forms and prompts. Just choose your style and type of source.

Need More Help?

Get your paper and citations checked at the Center for Academic Success (CAS).