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MLA Style

Your guide to citations and works cited in MLA Style, 9th Edition

Film

When citing a film, begin the Works Cited entry with the film title, followed by the director's name in the place of other contributors. Performer names may be included if relevant to your discussion of the source.

Works Cited

Title of Film in Italics. Directed by Director's name, Production company or distributor, Year of release. 

The Big Short. Directed by Adam McKay, Paramount Pictures, 2015.

In-text Citation

(Title of Film).

(The Big Short).

Online Video from a Website (YouTube, Vimeo)

If the author of the content is different from the uploader, begin the entry with the author name, and include the poster's username in the place of other contributors.

If the author of the content is the same person that posted it, begin the Works Cited entry with the title of the video and include the username in the place of other contributors.

The in-text citation should match the first element of the Works Cited (either the creator’s name, or a short version of the title). 

Works Cited

Creator's Surname, Given Name. "Title of Video." Title of Website, uploaded by Username, Day Month Year, URL.

1. Newsom, Joanna. “’Sapokanikan’ (Official Video).” YouTube, uploaded by Drag City, 10 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc.

2. “Prevent Plagiarism in 5 Steps.” YouTube, uploaded by Chegg, 15 Nov. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lxBP1LtFDY.

In-text Citation

(Creator's Surname). or ("Title of Video Abbreviated").

1. (Newsom).
2. ("Prevent Plagiarism").

Online Video from a Library Database

When you cite a video from a database, you should supply the original publication details for the work because the work is only housed, not republished, in the database.

Works Cited

Title of video. Directed by Director's Name, Publisher or Production Company, Date. Name of Database, URL.

Tall Buildings. Directed by Ben Anthony, TVF International, 1998. Alexander Street, video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/tall-buildings.

 In-text Citation

(Title of Video Abbreviated).

(Tall Buildings).

Podcast Episode

To cite a podcast episode accessed online, list the host/narrator (provide a label identifying their role) of the episode as the author, followed by the episode title, podcast name, the season and episode numbers if available, the publisher, the date, and the URL.

If you accessed the podcast on an app like iTunes or Spotify, list the app as the version and include whatever information you have access to.

Works Cited

1.“Episode Title.” Podcast Name, hosted by Host's name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

2. “Episode Title.” Podcast Name, hosted by Host's name, Publisher, Day Month Year. App Name app.

1. “The Lady Vanishes.” Revisionist History, hosted by Malcolm Gladwell, Pushkin, 16 June 2016, revisionisthistory.com/seasons?selected=season-1.

2.  “Hacked, Again.” The Daily, hosted by Michael Barbaro, The New York Times, 16 Dec. 2020. iTunes app.

In-text Citation

("Title").

("The Lady Vanishes").
("Hacked, Again").

Single Song or Track

How you cite a song depends on how you accessed it.

If you listened to the song on physical media like a vinyl album or CD, list the performer or band as the author and then the title of the song. List the name of the album as the title of the container and then provide the publication details for the album. Optional at the end of the entry for the format:

If you listened to the song through a music streaming service, provide the name of the platform as the title of the container and the URL:

Works Cited

1. Performer Surname, Given Name. “Song Title.” Album Name, Distributor, Year. Format.

2. Performer Surname, Given Name. “Song Title.” Distributor, Uploaded date.. Name of app app.

1. Odetta. "Sail Away, Ladies." One Grain of Sand, Vanguard Recording Society, 1963. Vinyl.

2. Odetta. "Sail Away, Ladies." Vanguard Records, 1 Jan. 2006. Spotify app.

In-text Citation

(Performer Surname).

(Odetta).

Open License Statement

MLA Style by Centennial College Libraries is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license unless otherwise stated.

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