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JOUR10 (Janes)

Cite Sources

First, citing your sources helps you avoid plagiarism. It also provides a roadmap for readers to see the sources your arguments are built upon. If you rely on good sources, these citations actually help build the strongest case for your ideas. In the scholarly tradition, citing your sources is a way of continuing a conversation with those who have published before you, agreeing, adding to, or disagreeing with others who have read and thought about your topic. 

While there are a few main citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Turabian), for this course you'll use the MLA style based on the 8th edition of the MLA style guide. 

Always verify with your instructor which citation style you are to follow.

avilan Library APA References list Handout.

Cite a Podcast from APA Style

Podcast References

This page contains reference examples for podcasts, including the following:

  1. Podcast
  2. Podcast episode

1. Podcast

Meraji, S. M., & Demby, G. (Hosts). (2016–present). Code switch [Audio podcast]. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch

Seales, A. (Host). (2018–present). Small doses with Amanda Seales [Audio podcast]. Starburns Audio.

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (Meraji & Demby, 2016–present; Seales, 2018–present)
  • Narrative citations: Meraji and Demby (2016–present) and Seales (2018–present)
  • List the host of the podcast as the author. Alternatively, provide the executive producers, if known. In either case, include their role in parentheses.
  • Provide the span of years during which the podcast aired in the date element of the reference.
    • For a podcast that is still on the air, provide the year the podcast started airing and use the word “present” in place of the second year, for example: (2020−present).
    • For a podcast that has ended and aired for multiple years, provide the start and end years, separated with an en dash, for example: (2017−2020).
    • For a podcast that started and ended airing in the same year, provide just that year, for example: (2019).
  • Specify the type of podcast in square brackets, for example: [Audio podcast], [Video podcast].
  • In general, end the reference with the URL. If the URL of the podcast is unknown (e.g., if accessed via an app, as with the Seales example), omit the URL from the reference.

2. Podcast episode

Hannah-Jones, N. (Host). (2019, September 13). How the bad blood started (No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In 1619. The New York Times. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-how-the-bad-blood-started/id1476928106?i=1000449718223

Webster, M., & Abumrad, J. (Hosts). (2020, September 11). Bringing gamma back, again [Audio podcast episode]. In Radiolab. WNYC Studios. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/bringing-gamma-back

 

  • Parenthetical citations: (Hannah-Jones, 2019; Webster & Abumrad, 2020)
  • Narrative citations: Hannah-Jones (2019) and Webster and Abumrad (2020)
  • List the host(s) of the podcast episode as the author. Alternatively, provide the executive producers, if known. In either case, include their role in parentheses.
  • Provide the specific date on which the podcast episode first aired.
  • Provide the episode number after the episode title in parentheses. If the podcast does not number episodes (as with the Webster & Abumrad example), omit the episode number from the reference. Do not italicize the episode title or the episode number.
  • Specify the type of podcast episode in square brackets, for example: [Audio podcast episode], [Video podcast episode].
  • Write the word “In” and then the title of the podcast in italics.
  • In general, end the reference with the URL of the episode. If the URL of the podcast episode is unknown (e.g., if accessed via an app), omit the URL from the reference.

Podcast references are covered in Section 10.13 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition

rr-icon-revised

This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition.

Date created: October 2020

Always give credit for any information, ideas, or actual wording you get from another source.

Do this by naming the author and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence in which you use the author’s idea. This is called in-text (or parenthetical) citation.

  • When citing a source in the body of your paper, include the author and page number at the end of the sentence in which you use that source.
  • The period that ends the sentence goes AFTER the parentheses.


The APA and MLA formats for in-text citation are NOT the same. See the individual style guides for examples.

Once you’ve gathered some resources and have scanned them to make sure they’ll be useful, you’re ready to start taking notes, usually by paraphrasing from the original source. Paraphrasing is stating someone else's idea in your own words.

Paraphrase: Use the RAP strategy.*

An easy way to remember how to paraphrase is to use the RAP strategy:

  • Read a paragraph
  • Ask yourself, "What were the main idea and details in this paragraph?"
  • Put the main idea and details into your own words and write it down.
    • This paragraph is about…
    • It tells me…

* From Schumaker, J. B., P.H. Denton, and D.D. Deshler. The Paraphrasing Strategy. Lawrence, KS: The University of Kansas, 1984.

Here’s how one might paraphrase the passage below about the decline of sea otters in Alaska:

Original Passage:

After World War II, whalers killed hundreds of thousands of large whales in the area, scientists say in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Then killer whales, with their biggest meal ticket all but gone, shifted their ravenous attentions down the marine mammal menu to harbor seals, fur seals, sea lions, and otters in turn, gobbling each species into near oblivion. (Hayden, Thomas. “Otters Under Attack.” U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 6, 2003, v.135, p58). 

Paraphrase

One reason the sea otter population is declining has to do with whales. When the whale population decreased because of over-hunting after World War II, killer whales began to look for other prey, including seals, sea lions, and sea otters. All these species suffered as a result.Notice that all the key information is included, but neither the style nor the language was copied.

 

Notice that all the key information is included, but neither the style nor the language was copied.