how to quote from a movie in an essay mla

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Cite a Film or Documentary in MLA Referencing

• 3-minute read
• 4th December 2020

If you’re writing an essay, you may need to cite a film or documentary. But how does this work in MLA style ? In this post, we’ll show you how to format both in-text citations and the Works Cited list entry for a film.

How to Cite a Film in MLA Referencing

When citing a film or documentary as a whole in MLA style , simply cite its title. This can be either in the text or in parentheses. For instance:

Another crime film, Goodfellas , depicts the making of a mafia boss.

The film depicts the making of a mafia boss ( Goodfellas ).

However, if you’re focusing on a particular contributor to the film, such as the director or an actor, you should cite the surname of that contributor:

Scorsese’s direction is notably dynamic.

The film is directed with great dynamism (Scorsese).

In addition, if you are referring to a particular scene, you may want to include a time stamp with the timing or range of times for the scene cited:

The scene in this version of the film shows us the brutality of mafia life, but arguably risks glamorizing it ( Goodfellas 00:58:06-01:08:21).

Here, for instance, the time stamp shows us that the citation is for a scene that lasts from 58 minutes and 6 seconds to 1 hour, 8 minutes and 21 seconds into the film. The reader will then know exactly where to look for it.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Films in an MLA Works Cited List

The entry for a film in an MLA Works Cited list should include all the information required for readers to find the version cited. When citing the film as a whole, this will usually include the following core elements :

Title . Contribution by Main Contributor’s Name (usually the director or creator), other contributors (if relevant to your discussion), version (if more than one version is available), publisher, year.

You won’t always need to include all this information (e.g., if there is only one version of a film available, you can ignore the ‘version’ section), but make sure to include as much detail as needed to identify the exact source.

In practice, for instance, we could reference Goodfellas as follows:

Goodfellas. Directed by Martin Scorsese, performance by Paul Sorvino, Warner Bros., 1990.

If you have cited the name of a contributor – rather than the film title – in your essay, start the entry with the surname of that contributor:

Scorsese, Martin, director. Goodfellas . Performance by Paul Sorvino, Warner Bros., 1990.

This ensures that readers can match the citations to the full reference.

Expert MLA Proofreading

We hope this explains how to cite a film or documentary in MLA style! If you’d like an expert to make sure your MLA referencing is clear, consistent and error free, though, why not upload a document for proofreading today ?

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

5-minute read

Free Email Newsletter Template (2024)

Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...

6-minute read

How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal

If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

4-minute read

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

How to Cite a Movie in MLA Style

Movies are often used as sources in academic writing. This guide explains how to cite movies in MLA style. It will cover the essential elements of a movie citation, including director, title, studio, and release year. You’ll learn how to format both in-text citations and Works Cited entries.

Gathering Necessary Information

Key details needed for citing a movie.

When citing a movie in MLA style, you need several key pieces of information:

• Title of the movie
• Director’s name
• Names of key contributors (e.g., actors, producers, screenwriters)
• Production company
• Year of release
• Format (e.g., DVD, streaming service)

How to Find Accurate Information About the Movie

Accurate information can be found in various sources such as:

• End credits of the movie
• Official movie databases like IMDb
• Production company websites
• Streaming platforms

Ensure that you verify the details from reliable sources to maintain the integrity of your citation.

Formatting the In-Text Citation

In-text citation basics.

In-text citations briefly reference the movie within your text. They include the italicized movie title and, if needed, a timestamp. These citations link to the full entry in your Works Cited list.

Inception explores the concept of shared dreaming (Nolan 01:15:32).

How to Cite Movies with Multiple Directors or Producers

For movies with multiple directors or producers, list names in credits order. Use “and” between two names, commas for three or more.

(Ethan and Joel Coen 00:42:15)

Examples of In-Text Citations for Movies

Single Director: (Spielberg 00:45:00)

Multiple Directors: (Wachowski and Wachowski 01:10:23)

Without Time Stamp: ( The Matrix )

Creating the Works Cited Entry

Structure of a works cited entry for a movie.

A standard Works Cited entry for a movie in MLA style should follow this format:

Title of Movie. Directed by Director’s Name, performance by Lead Actor’s Name, Production Company, Release Year.

Formatting the Director’s Name and Movie Title

The movie title should be italicized, and the director’s name should follow the phrase “Directed by.”

Inception. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Warner Bros., 2010.

Including Other Contributors: Actors, Screenwriters, and More

If other key contributors played a significant role, include their names and roles.

The Dark Knight. Directed by Christopher Nolan, performances by Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, Warner Bros., 2008.

Special Cases in Movie Citations

Citing a movie from a streaming service.

When citing a movie from a streaming service, include the platform and URL.

Roma. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Netflix, 2018, www.netflix.com/rome.

How to Cite a Movie Clip or Scene

For a specific scene or clip, include a timestamp.

The Godfather. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Paramount Pictures, 1972. 01:20:00.

Citing Foreign Language Films

Include the original title and an English translation if necessary.

Amélie [Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain]. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, UGC-Fox Distribution, 2001.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Incorrectly Formatting Titles

Ensure movie titles are italicized and properly capitalized.

Incorrect: The godfather

Correct: The Godfather

Omitting Necessary Information

Do not omit key details like director’s name or production company.

Misplacing Punctuation and Italics

Punctuation should follow MLA rules, and italics should be used for movie titles.

Using Citation Tools and Software

Use WriterBuddy for precise citations. It offers features like MLA Movie Citation and can streamline the citation process.

What key details are needed for citing a movie in MLA style?

You need the movie title, director’s name, key contributors, production company, year of release, and format.

How do I cite a movie with multiple directors in MLA style?

List the directors’ names in the order they appear in the credits, connected by “and” or separated by commas if more than two.

How should I cite a movie from a streaming service in MLA style?

Include the movie title, director, streaming platform, release year, and the URL of the streaming service.

What are common mistakes to avoid when citing movies in MLA style?

Common mistakes include incorrectly formatting titles, omitting key details, and misplacing punctuation and italics.

Citing movies in MLA style requires attention to detail. Include the director, title, studio, and release year. Format in-text citations with the movie title in italics. Create a full entry on your Works Cited page. Double-check your citations against the latest MLA guidelines. With the help of Writerbuddy, you’ll cite movies accurately in your academic work.

Stop Stressing, Start Writing

Join over 540,000+ happy users writing smarter with WriterBuddy. Try WriterBuddy for Free!

Advanced AI writing tool trained to write better content faster.

• Writing Tools
• Sentence Rewriter Tool
• Instagram Caption Generator
• LinkedIn Headline Generator
• Acronym Generator
• Title Generator
• Slogan Generator
• Brand Style Guide
• Affiliate Program
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• Essay Writer
• AI Content Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Character Counter
• Word Counter

Copyright © 2024 WriterBuddy. All rights reserved.

• Bibliography Answers

How to cite a movie in APA, MLA, or Harvard style

It’s not often that you need to cite a movie, but it’s actually straightforward to do so. Our guide below details how to cite a movie in APA, MLA, or Harvard format.

 How to cite a movie automatically

If you want to skip the tedium of writing a movie citation out by hand then we’ve made a citation generator to do it for you. Simply select Film/Movie from the More dropdown below, complete the form, and we’ll put everything in the right order.

 How to cite a movie manually

To cite a movie yourself just follow the instructions below. For the 3 most popular styles–APA, MLA 8, and Harvard–this is as follows:

 In APA style

You need to locate these details for the movie: director, movie title (duh!), release date, distributor, distributor location, and medium (or format) .

• The director can usually be found in the credits for the movie, or on the IMDb or Wikipedia page for the movie.
• The movie title should be pretty straightforward – it’s the name of the movie you’re citing.
• The release date is the date that the movie was first released or published. This can also be found on the IMdb or Wikipedia page.
• The distributor is the company that handled publishing of the movie. For example, the movie Avengers 2: Age of Ultron was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
• The distributor location is the city or state that the distributor is located in. You can find this by looking up the distributor on Wikipedia.
• The medium is the format that you watched the movie in. This could be something like DVD, internet stream, or cinema.

Then use this template, replacing the colored placeholders with the information you found on the page:

Author last name , Author first name initial . ( release date year , release date month and day ). Page title [ medium ]. Distributor location : Distributor .

The final formatted citation should look like this:

Whedon, J. (2015). Avengers 2: Age of Ultron [DVD]. California: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

 In MLA 8 style

You need to locate these details for the movie: director, movie title, release date, and distributor .

Then use this template:

Director last name , Director first name . Movie title . Distributor , Year published .

Whedon, Joss. Avengers 2: Age of Ultron . Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2015.

 In Harvard style

Harvard format is very similar to APA. First, locate these details for the movie: director, movie title, release date, distributor, distributor location, and medium (or format) .

Author last name , Author first name initial . ( release date year ) Movie title . Distributor location : Distributor .

Whedon, J. (2015) Avengers 2: Age of Ultron . California: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

MLA Citation Style, 9th Edition

• MLA Style, 9th Edition
• In-text citations
• Books - Multiple Authors
• Books - with editors, translators, etc.
• Book - Essay, Short Story, Poem, etc
• Books - later editions
• Articles - Multiple Authors
• Articles - from scholarly journals
• Articles - from newspapers
• Articles - from magazines
• YouTube Video
• Television Shows
• Images from the Web
• Works Cited: Websites
• Works Cited: Social Media / Informal Communication
• Works Cited: Conference Proceeding/Paper
• Don't See an Example for Your Source?!
• Report an Error / Question

Films (Movies & Documentaries) - General Guidelines

Citing films will not always be uniform, depending on your focus.

For example, a film you discuss generally will be cited like so (Netflix example):

You may also list actors and actresses, if relevant:

To emphasize a specific performer or director, you will place them as the author:

Film from a Streaming Service

Film from a DVD

• << Previous: Podcasts
• Next: Images from the Web >>
• Last Updated: Mar 12, 2024 12:00 PM
• URL: https://libguides.uwf.edu/mla9

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing
• MLA Style Manual

How to Cite a Movie Using MLA Style

Last Updated: February 17, 2020

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been viewed 391,831 times.

You might need to use Modern Language Association (MLA) style guidelines if you're writing a paper for your middle, high school, or college-level class. You may also be a graduate student or researcher who uses MLA citations all the time! If you're writing a paper about movies, or you want to include a movie in a research paper on some other topic, you'll need to cite it properly. Making a correctly formatted Works Cited and adding in-text citations to your essays shows your audience that you're not plagiarizing.

Citation Templates

Making the Works Cited

• For now, your citation should just look like: “ Notting Hill .”
• If the title is a translation, include the original title in brackets. For example, “ The Chorus [Les Choristes] .”

• Your citation should now look something like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell.”

• These citations look like this: “Michell, Roger, dir. Notting Hill .”

• The citation should now look like: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe.”
• If your paper is about a particular actor, you can begin the citation with their name. This formatting looks like this: “Roberts, Julia, perf. Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell.”

• Almost there! Your citation should now look something like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe. Universal Pictures, 1999.”

• If you watched the film online, you can skip to step 8.
• For VHS, type out “videocassette” in your citation. It'll look like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe. Universal Pictures, 1999. Videocassette.”
• If you watched the movie at the theater, you can just type out “Film” for a complete citation! It'll look like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe. Universal Pictures, 1999. Film.”

• If you watched Notting Hill on Blu-Ray, for example, your citation will look like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe. 1999. Universal Pictures, 2013. Blu-Ray.”

• This citation will look something like this: “ Notting Hill . Dir. Roger Michell. Perf. Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Richard McCabe. Universal Pictures, 1999. Netflix . Web. 18 July 2017.”

• Your Works Cited should be on a separate page at the end of the paper, and it should be titled Works Cited. You don't need to put quotation marks around the words Works Cited, or italicize them.
• Make the whole document double-spaced, but don't add extra spaces between citations.

Doing In Text Citations

• For example, “ Notting Hill is a perfect illustration of a typical late 1990s rom-com ( Notting Hill ).”

• “Michell went for a personal touch in his directing for this film (Michell, Notting Hill ).”

• So, for example, “Roberts's classic wide smile made appearances throughout the movie (Roberts, Notting Hill ).”

• Add the timestamp like this: “Roberts lays her heart out on the floor in front of Grant at the end of the film (Roberts, Notting Hill , 02:01:33-02:03:10).”

Expert Q&A

• MLA citation requirements for movies and television are a little more flexible than those for other sources, which is why you're allowed to sometimes start with director or performers' names. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.american.edu/library/documents/upload/Film-Video-Citation-Guide.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/
• ↑ http://libguides.bates.edu/mla

About This Article

Citing a movie using Modern Language Association style is relatively simple once you know how. If you’re discussing the movie in general, write the title in italics and parenthesis at the end of the sentence when you mention it. If you’re discussing a director or actor in the movie, include their surname in the parenthesis before the title. If you’re referencing a specific shot, you should also include a timestamp at the end. In your works cited section, start with the title in italics, then write “Dir.” followed by the director’s full name. Then, include any relevant actors by writing “perf.” followed by their names. After that, write the movie’s distributor, like Universal Pictures, and the release date. Finally, write the format you watched the movie in, like VHS, DVD, or Netflix. If you saw it in the cinema, write “film” instead. For more tips from our Educational co-author, including how to organize your works cited list, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

May 3, 2019

Did this article help you?

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

• Buy Custom Assignment
• Custom College Papers
• Buy Dissertation
• Buy Research Papers
• Buy Custom Term Papers
• Cheap Custom Term Papers
• Custom Courseworks
• Custom Thesis Papers
• Custom Expository Essays
• Custom Plagiarism Check
• Cheap Custom Essay
• Custom Argumentative Essays
• Custom Case Study
• Custom Annotated Bibliography
• Custom Book Report
• How It Works
• Writing Guides
• +1 (888) 398 0091
• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Research Topics
• Writing Tips

How to Cite a Movie in an Essay: MLA, APA, Harvard, Chicago

November 16, 2023

It is crucial to cite a movie in an essay to give credit to the original creators and sources of information. Just like any other form of media, movies are considered intellectual property, and their use in academic writing requires proper acknowledgment. Citing a movie not only demonstrates academic integrity but also allows readers to access the referenced material for further research. Additionally, citing movies helps to avoid plagiarism and provides a solid foundation for the arguments and claims presented in the essay. By acknowledging the source, it shows that the writer has conducted thorough research and is presenting information from reliable sources. Citing movies also adds credibility and allows readers to verify the information presented. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the correct methods of citing movies to enhance the overall quality and academic value of the essay.

MLA format for citing a movie in an essay

In MLA format, citing a movie in an essay follows a specific set of guidelines. Here’s how to do it:

• Title of the Movie: Start the citation with the title of the movie, in italics or underlined.
• Director’s Name: Include the full name of the director, followed by a comma.
• Performers’ Names: If relevant, you can include the names of performers in the movie, preceded by the abbreviation “perf.” and followed by a comma.
• Distributor: Add the name of the movie’s distributor, followed by a comma.
• Release Year: Include the release year of the movie, followed by a period.

Example citation in MLA format:

Title of the Movie. Directed by Director’s Name, performances by Performers’ Names, Distributor, Release Year.

For instance:

“The Shawshank Redemption.” Directed by Frank Darabont, performances by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, Warner Bros., 1994.

It is important to note that if you are referring to the movie within the body of your essay, you should include the title of the movie in italics or underlined, and the in-text citation should be placed in parentheses after the movie title with just the last name of the director and the page number, if applicable, like this: (Darabont 46). Remember to also include a corresponding entry in your bibliography or works cited page at the end of your essay.

By following these guidelines, you can accurately and properly cite a movie in your essay using MLA format.

APA format for citing a movie

In APA format, citing a movie in an essay involves a specific format that ensures clarity and consistency. Here’s how to cite a movie in APA style:

• Producer(s) and Director(s): Start with the last name and initials of the producer(s) and director(s), separated by a comma and an ampersand (&).
• Year of Release: Include the year in parentheses immediately following the names of the director(s) and producer(s).
• Title of the Movie: Capitalize the first letter of each significant word in the title, as well as any subtitles. Italicize the title.
• Country of Origin: Provide the country where the movie was produced.
• Production Company: Include the name of the production company that released the movie.

Example citation in APA format:

Director Last Name, Initial(s) (Director), & Producer Last Name, Initial(s). (Year). Title of the Movie [Motion picture]. Country of Origin: Production Company.

Darabont, F. (Director), & Niki, M. (Producer). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros.

Remember to include an in-text citation after mentioning the movie title within the body of your essay. This entails placing the last name of the director and the year of release in parentheses, like this: (Darabont, 1994). In the reference list or bibliography at the end of your essay, ensure you provide a full citation for the movie.

By following these guidelines, you can accurately and properly cite a movie in your essay using APA format.

How to Reference a Movie in Harvard Style

In Harvard referencing style, citing a movie in an essay follows a specific format to ensure consistency and proper attribution. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cite a movie using Harvard style:

• Director(s) and Producer(s): Start with the last name(s) and initials of the director(s) and producer(s), separated by a comma.
• Year of Release: Include the year of release in parentheses immediately after the names.
• [Motion picture]: Include this phrase in square brackets.

Example citation in Harvard format:

Director Last Name, Initial(s), & Producer Last Name, Initial(s). (Year of Release). Title of the Movie [Motion picture]. Country of Origin: Production Company.

Darabont, F., & Niki, M. (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros.

When citing a movie within your essay, include the director’s last name and the year of release in parentheses, like this: (Darabont, 1994). Additionally, make sure to list the full citation in your reference list or bibliography at the end of your essay.

By following these guidelines, you can accurately cite a movie in your essay using Harvard format. Don’t forget to consult the official Harvard referencing style guide for any additional specific requirements.

How to Cite a Movie in Chicago/Turabian Format

In Chicago/Turabian format, citing a movie in an essay requires adherence to specific guidelines to ensure accurate referencing. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cite a movie using Chicago/Turabian style:

• Director(s) and Producer(s): Start with the director(s)’s full name, followed by a “dir.” For the producer(s), use “prod.” Include their names in the order they appear in the movie’s credits.
• Title of the Movie: Capitalize the first letter of each significant word in the title, as well as any subtitles. Italicize the title or use quotation marks, depending on the format used in the original source.
• Directed by, Produced by, or Director(s) and Producer(s): Indicate the directors and producers’ roles using appropriate abbreviations.

Example citation in Chicago/Turabian format:

Director(s) Last Name, First Name(s), dir. Producer(s) Last Name, First Name(s), prod. Year of Release. Title of the Movie. Directed by, Produced by, or Director(s) and Producer(s). Country of Origin: Production Company.

For example:

Darabont, Frank, dir. Niki, Mark, prod. 1994. The Shawshank Redemption. Directed by Frank Darabont, Produced by Mark Niki. United States: Warner Bros.

When citing the movie within your essay, include the director’s(s)’s last name and the year of release in parentheses, like this: (Darabont 1994). Additionally, make sure to list the full citation in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your essay.

By following these guidelines, you can accurately cite a movie in your essay using Chicago/Turabian format. However, it’s important to consult the official Chicago/Turabian style guide for any additional specific requirements.

Using in-text citations for movie references

When citing a movie in an essay, it is crucial to use in-text citations to provide proper attribution and support your statements or arguments. Here’s how to incorporate in-text citations for movie references in your essay:

• Direct Quotes: When directly quoting a line or dialogue from a movie, enclose the quote in quotation marks and include the last name of the director and the year of release in parentheses. For example: “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse” (Coppola, 1972).
• Paraphrasing: If you’re paraphrasing a scene or summarizing the movie, mention the director’s last name and the year of release in parentheses at the end of the sentence. For example: The gripping prison escape in “The Shawshank Redemption” (Darabont, 1994) captivated audiences worldwide.
• Referring to a Movie: If you’re referring to a specific movie without including a direct quote or paraphrase, mention the movie’s title in italics and the director’s last name and the year of release in parentheses. For example: The visual effects in “Inception” (Nolan, 2010) were groundbreaking.

Remember to keep your in-text citations concise and clear, providing enough information for readers to locate the full citation in your reference list. Properly citing a movie within your essay not only acknowledges the original source but also adds credibility to your work.

Creating a Reference List for Movies in the Bibliography

When citing a movie in an essay, it is essential to include a comprehensive reference list or bibliography to provide complete details for your sources. Here’s a guide on how to create a reference list for movies in the bibliography using the appropriate format:

• Start the reference list on a new page titled “References” or “Bibliography.”
• Arrange the entries in alphabetical order based on the last name of the movie’s director.
• Include the following information for each movie entry:
• Director(s) and Producer(s): Start with the last name(s) and initial(s) of the director(s) and producer(s). Use a comma to separate multiple directors or producers. End with a period.
• Year of Release: Enclose the year of release in parentheses. End with a period.
• Title of the Movie: Capitalize the first letter of each significant word in the title and any subtitles. Italicize the title.
• Format: Specify the format of the movie, such as “Motion picture” or “Film.”
• Country of Origin: Mention the country where the movie was produced. End with a colon.
• Production Company: Include the name of the production company that released the movie. End with a period.

Example reference list entry for a movie:

Darabont, F. & Niki, M. (1994). The Shawshank Redemption. [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros.

Ensure that each entry is formatted consistently throughout the bibliography. If there are multiple movies by the same director, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest release.

By following these guidelines, you can create an accurate and well-organized reference list for movies in the bibliography section of your essay. Remember to consult the appropriate style guide for any specific requirements or variations.

Sociology Research Topics Ideas

Importance of Computer in Nursing Practice Essay

History Research Paper Topics For Students

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related emails.

Latest Articles

Debating in class or composing a persuasive paper is a fruitful intellectual practice. Doing so, participants and writers are expected...

Most students wonder whether it is possible to cite an article in an essay. The answer is “Yes”! Why not...

Let us explain what is what and how it can be used. An anthology is a published collection of poems...

I want to feel as happy, as your customers do, so I'd better order now

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

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.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

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

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

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"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 TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

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

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

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

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“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.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

How to In-Text Cite Movies in MLA Format

Students studying film and other subjects within the humanities and liberal arts often use Modern Language Association, or MLA, style to cite their sources. MLA style uses parenthetical citations within the text to direct readers to entries in the Works Cited page. Parenthetical citations usually include the author and page number, but for some types of sources, such as films, the parenthetical citation lists the first item in the Works Cited citation.

Works Cited Entries

According to the seventh edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, the beginning of your Works Cited entry for a film or movie depends on what is relevant to your analysis. If your paper is about a movie in general, for example, begin the entry with the title of the movie. If your paper discusses the director, begin with the director's name, followed by the abbreviation "dir." If your paper focuses on an actor or actress, begin with her name and the abbreviation "perf."

In-Text Citations

To cite a movie within the text of your paper, put the first item of the Works Cited entry in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Your parenthetical citation may list the title, the director or a performer. However, if you already named the title, director or performer in the text, you don't need a parenthetical citation -- the reader can locate the corresponding Works Cited entry from the sentence. For example, if you write, "Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, eats a pastry standing outside Tiffany & Co.," you don't need to cite Hepburn in a parenthetical citation.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .

• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition; Modern Language Association
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

Rebekah Richards is a professional writer with work published in the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "Brandeis University Law Journal" and online at tolerance.org. She graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University with bachelor's degrees in creative writing, English/American literature and international studies. Richards earned a master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University.

• Essay Check
• Chicago Style
• APA Citation Examples
• MLA Citation Examples
• Chicago Style Citation Examples
• Writing Tips
• Plagiarism Guide
• Grammar Rules
• Student Life
• Create Account

MLA Film Citation

- powered by chegg, create citations for free.

Website Book Journal Movie

←Back to MLA Citation Examples

How to cite a film in a bibliography using MLA

The most basic MLA entry for a film citation consists of the movie title, director, production company, and release date. You may also choose to include other contributors, such as the writer(s), performer(s), and producer(s) if they are relevant to your assignment’s discussion. You may also include the film’s original release date if you’re citing a new release or special edition.

Film Title . Directed by First Name Last Name, Production Company, Release Date.

BibMe: The Movie . Directed by John Smith, Columbia Pictures, 2009.

Foreign Language Film with Translated Title:

Begin the film citation entry with the film’s title in italics, followed by a period. If the film is dubbed in English, begin by including the English title, followed by the translated title in square brackets.

BibMe: The Movie [BibMe: La Película ]. Directed by John Smith, Columbia Pictures, 2009.

Cite the director’s name after the movie title by writing “Directed by” with the director’s first and last name in normal order.

Film with Other Contributors:

If relevant, you may also choose to include the names of other key contributors in the author element, including writer(s), performer(s), and/or producer(s). Group different types of personnel together and separate each personnel group by a period. Write these personnel names in normal order – do not reverse the first and last names. Write these additional contributions according to the role of the person or group. For instance, “produced by,” “screenplay by,” or “performance by.” If you can’t describe the role using a phrase with “by,” include the role using a noun or noun phrase. Use commas to separate the name of the person (in normal order) from their role (Larry David, general editor).

BibMe: The Movie . Directed by John Smith, performances by Mike Jones and Jim Jones. Columbia Pictures, 2009.

If you would like to emphasize the contributions of a specific person because you focus on their role or contribution, include their role and name with contributors, not with authors. If you include the author, in the case of film, the director and their name, you style the entry as shown above. However, if you omit the director role and name, you start the film citation as above with the film title, followed by a period, and instead of a director, include the role and name of another contributor. For example, “Performances by Sharon Stone and Meryl Streep. List the film’s distribution company, followed by a comma, the year released, and a period.

BibMe: The Movie . Performances by Sharon Stone and Meryl Streep, Columbia Pictures, 2009.

Film with Alternate Original Release Date:

If the film’s original year of release differs from the year of release for the copy of the film you viewed, include the original year of release after film title, and place the year of release for the copy of the film you viewed after the film’s distribution company at the end of the entry. Usually, when citing a film with an original release date and a new release date, there has been a special update. You may also include details in the version element, such as “Director’s cut” or “Digitally enhanced edition.” Include those details after the original release date.

BibMe: The Movie . 2007. Director’s cut, Columbia, 2009.

Film Viewed on an App or Website:

If you viewed the film on an app or a website, include specific location details if it will help readers locate the specific copy you viewed. Capitalize and italicize the app or site name.

BibMe: The Slide Program . Columbia Pictures, 2009. Netflix app.

BibMe: The Slide Program . Columbia Pictures, 2009. Netflix , www.netflix.com.

If you viewed the film in person in a theater, cite the film without any additional format or location details.

Film Viewed on Physical Media:

If you viewed the film on physical media, such as a DVD, follow the release date with a comma and a disc number, followed by a period. End the entry with “DVD.”

BibMe: The Movie . 2007. Director’s cut, Columbia, 2009, disc 1. DVD.

If there is no disc number, simply include “DVD.”

BibMe: The Movie . 2007. Director’s cut, Columbia, 2009. DVD.

←Back to MLA Citation Guide

“You can’t edit a blank page” — Nora Roberts

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Working with sources
• How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on April 15, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on May 31, 2023.

Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a source, you must ensure:

• The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote
• The original author is correctly cited
• The text is identical to the original

The exact format of a quote depends on its length and on which citation style you are using. Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism which is easy to detect with a good plagiarism checker .

Table of contents

How to cite a quote in apa, mla and chicago, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about quoting sources.

Every time you quote, you must cite the source correctly . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style you’re using. Three of the most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA , you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas . If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation , you name the author in your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the quotation marks .

• Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510) .
• Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p. 510) .

Complete guide to APA

Citing a quote in mla style.

An MLA in-text citation includes only the author’s last name and a page number. As in APA, it can be parenthetical or narrative, and a period (or other punctuation mark) appears after the citation.

• Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin 510) .
• Darwin explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (510) .

Complete guide to MLA

Citing a quote in chicago style.

Chicago style uses Chicago footnotes to cite sources. A note, indicated by a superscript number placed directly after the quote, specifies the author, title, and page number—or sometimes fuller information .

Unlike with parenthetical citations, in this style, the period or other punctuation mark should appear within the quotation marks, followed by the footnote number.

Complete guide to Chicago style

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

Make sure you integrate quotes properly into your text by introducing them in your own words, showing the reader why you’re including the quote and providing any context necessary to understand it.  Don’t  present quotations as stand-alone sentences.

There are three main strategies you can use to introduce quotes in a grammatically correct way:

• Add an introductory sentence
• Use an introductory signal phrase
• Integrate the quote into your own sentence

The following examples use APA Style citations, but these strategies can be used in all styles.

Introductory sentence

Introduce the quote with a full sentence ending in a colon . Don’t use a colon if the text before the quote isn’t a full sentence.

If you name the author in your sentence, you may use present-tense verbs , such as “states,” “argues,” “explains,” “writes,” or “reports,” to describe the content of the quote.

• In Denmark, a recent poll shows that: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• In Denmark, a recent poll shows that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• Levring (2018) reports that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Introductory signal phrase

You can also use a signal phrase that mentions the author or source, but doesn’t form a full sentence. In this case, you follow the phrase with a comma instead of a colon.

• According to a recent poll, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• As Levring (2018) explains, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Integrated into your own sentence

To quote a phrase that doesn’t form a full sentence, you can also integrate it as part of your sentence, without any extra punctuation .

• A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
• Levring (2018) reports that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (p. 3).

When you quote text that itself contains another quote, this is called a nested quotation or a quote within a quote. It may occur, for example, when quoting dialogue from a novel.

To distinguish this quote from the surrounding quote, you enclose it in single (instead of double) quotation marks (even if this involves changing the punctuation from the original text). Make sure to close both sets of quotation marks at the appropriate moments.

Note that if you only quote the nested quotation itself, and not the surrounding text, you can just use double quotation marks.

• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “ “ Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, ” he told me, “ just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” ” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1).
• Carraway begins by quoting his father’s invocation to “remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1).

Note:  When the quoted text in the source comes from another source, it’s best to just find that original source in order to quote it directly. If you can’t find the original source, you can instead cite it indirectly .

Often, incorporating a quote smoothly into your text requires you to make some changes to the original text. It’s fine to do this, as long as you clearly mark the changes you’ve made to the quote.

Shortening a quote

If some parts of a passage are redundant or irrelevant, you can shorten the quote by removing words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis (…). Put a space before and after the ellipsis.

Be careful that removing the words doesn’t change the meaning. The ellipsis indicates that some text has been removed, but the shortened quote should still accurately represent the author’s point.

Altering a quote

You can add or replace words in a quote when necessary. This might be because the original text doesn’t fit grammatically with your sentence (e.g., it’s in a different verb tense), or because extra information is needed to clarify the quote’s meaning.

Use brackets to distinguish words that you have added from words that were present in the original text.

The Latin term “ sic ” is used to indicate a (factual or grammatical) mistake in a quotation. It shows the reader that the mistake is from the quoted material, not a typo of your own.

In some cases, it can be useful to italicize part of a quotation to add emphasis, showing the reader that this is the key part to pay attention to. Use the phrase “emphasis added” to show that the italics were not part of the original text.

You usually don’t need to use brackets to indicate minor changes to punctuation or capitalization made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

If you quote more than a few lines from a source, you must format it as a block quote . Instead of using quotation marks, you set the quote on a new line and indent it so that it forms a separate block of text.

Block quotes are cited just like regular quotes, except that if the quote ends with a period, the citation appears after the period.

To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then on for a mile or more. (16)

Avoid relying too heavily on quotes in academic writing . To integrate a source , it’s often best to paraphrase , which means putting the passage in your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quoting is more appropriate.

When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in literary analysis ), it’s necessary to quote so that the reader can see the exact passage you are referring to.

When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible.

But if a passage does a great job at expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase without changing the meaning or losing the weakening the idea’s impact, it’s worth quoting directly.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

In academic writing , there are three main situations where quoting is the best choice:

• To analyze the author’s language (e.g., in a literary analysis essay )
• To give evidence from primary sources
• To accurately present a precise definition or argument

Don’t overuse quotes; your own voice should be dominant. If you just want to provide information from a source, it’s usually better to paraphrase or summarize .

Every time you quote a source , you must include a correctly formatted in-text citation . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style .

For example, a direct quote in APA is cited like this: “This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

Every in-text citation should also correspond to a full reference at the end of your paper.

A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks , you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words.

The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:

• APA block quotes are 40 words or longer.
• MLA block quotes are more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry.
• Chicago block quotes are longer than 100 words.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

• APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
• MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative , you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative , you may need to quote from the data you collected .

As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & Caulfield, J. (2023, May 31). How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago. Scribbr. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-quote/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to block quote | length, format and examples, how to paraphrase | step-by-step guide & examples, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

• Citation Generator
• Style Guides
• Chicago/Turabian Format

MLA In Text Citation for a Film Example

Use this MLA 8 in-text citation for a film example to help you write your school paper. MLA format is a flexible editorial style designed for formatting research papers in the humanities. While creating your works cited page, remember that each in-text citation must have a corresponding source entry.

Example In-Text Film Citation in MLA Style

While writing your in-text citations , duplicate the first element of your works cited entry and place it in parentheses. For example, if the title of the film is your first element, use that as your in-text citation. If you’ve used the director as the first element, that’s what you use for your in-text citation. If you’re writing a paper about an actor, then the actor’s name is your first element and your in-text citation.

In-Text Citation Format

(Last Name Director)

(Title of Movie)

(Last Name Actor)

(Back to the Future)

Understanding In-Text Citations

An in-text citation, also called a  parenthetical citation , is a way to steer your reader to the full research source. Place your in-text citation where you’ve included either a direct quote or paraphrased ideas from another person.

Incorporating MLA In-Text Citation in Your Paper

Make your MLA format paper easier to read by adding source information into your sentence as much as possible. If you’ve integrated into your sentence, make sure there is a works cited entry to match with it.

Sentence in research paper:

“There’s only one man that can help me!” Marty McFly declares in the movie  Back to the Future.

Example with in-text citation added:

“There’s only one man that can help me!” Marty McFly declares in the movie  Back to the Future (Fox) . 

Why Use MLA Style?

Generally, your teacher tells you which editorial style to follow while writing your school paper. MLA style is popular in middle and high school classes. Your college English instructors may require it as well. Learning MLA style helps you throughout all your classes. Once you get the hang of it, it’ll make writing your MLA school papers a breeze.

• Match each in-text citation with a works cited source entry.
• Arrange your MLA works cited page in alphabetical order.
• Avoid plagiarism by including all sources you used in your research.

MLA Format and Citations

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 1.9 / 5. Vote count: 75

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

How to Put MLA Works Cited in Alphabetical Order

Mla 7th edition vs mla 8th edition, how to cite a powerpoint presentation in mla, how to cite shakespeare in mla works cited.

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Cite a Movie Quote

At first sight, it seems easy to write a movie essay, where you can place movie quotes. Other than the simplicity of converting your topic into a description of film ideas, it can be complicated for students when it comes to the process of quoting a movie.

Photo from Depositphotos

When you want to find out the secret of proper citation style, which cheap essay writing services use, we propose you to learn the citation rules that match with different formatting styles. This article brings knowledge on how to quote a film in such popular formats as MLA and APA.

How to Cite a Quote From a Movie MLA Format

The Modern Language Association (MLA) has its own standard rules for formatting quotes from films. When you want to make your argument stronger, you can use a film quote by paraphrasing or using a direct quotation.

When you place a citation in the references list with MLA formatting, use this template:

Name of the Film. Directed by Name of Director, Performances by Name of Main Actors, Name of film studio, year of film.

If you need to include a direct quote from a film, you can use this example:

“Every time I see you, you’re buying a chicken” (9½ Weeks ).

Sometimes, students need to know not just how to quote a film, but a television show, a movie on DVD, and a YouTube video as well.

How to form a citation from a television show:

“Name of Episode.” Name of TV Series , written by First name Last name, directed by First name Last name, Name of the film studio, year of release.

How to include a citation from the film on DVD:

Surname, Name (Director). Name of the Film [Name of the Genre]. Country: Name of the film studio, original release year. DVD.

How to place a citation from a YouTube video and similar online platforms:

Name of the creator. (Date video was released). “Name of the Video.” Name of Platform , Uploaded by Uploader, date of publication, URL link of the video.

How to Quote a Movie in APA Format

American Psychological Association (APA) citation style for movie quotes represents basic formatting requirements for books, documents, articles, and other forms.

For the 7th edition of the APA style guide, referencing a film is simpler than ever. APA recommends omitting the parenthetical citations if possible in most instances, but the director(s) and date are necessary to place in the citation if they cannot be fit into the sentence. Here is an example:

Tom Hanks’s character, Forrest Gump, said, “My Mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on” (Zemekis, 1994).

When you cite the movie for the first time in the body of the text, don’t forget to include all last names of the directors (if there are multiple), and the year of release. For this example, we will list the producers instead of director:

“Mama always said, dying was a part of life” (Finerman, Starkey, & Tisch, 1994).

The following citations include only the last name of the first credited author and the “et al.” abbreviation for subsequent citations of the movie if it has multiple directors:

“I never thanked you for saving my life” (Finerman, et al., 1994).

When the author of the essay wants to direct the reader to a specific part of the movie, they can add a time-stamp:

“Run, Forrest! Run!” (Zemekis, 1994; 1:52:41).

To include a source for your citation in the references, please, follow this guide:

Last name, First in abbreviation. (Director). (Release year). Title of motion picture [film]. Name of distributor or format of the movie [DVD]. Country of origin: the name of the film studio.

Now you know a couple of basic rules on how to quote a movie or video and insert citations in your papers properly, or ask an expert who helps you to satisfy your “ write my essay for me cheap ” request . These citations allow your readers to find out more about their favorite movies and look behind the scenes in the world of cinema.

Help with Formatting from Professional Writers

If you are looking for a reliable team of writers who will do their best to let you buy essay cheap , reach out to our service! We will gladly provide you with qualified assistance in any area for affordable rates.

~ out of 10 - average quality score

~ writers active