MLA Citations: Cite Other Sources

Core Elements

Film and TV

Music

Images

Lectures and Correspondence

Content on Blackboard

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Regardless or publication format, pay attention to your source's core elements and use the MLA Practice Template to help cite your source.

Author: For personal interviews, start your entry with the name of the interviewee. If you’re focusing on a director, performer, or editor’s individual contribution to a film or television show, begin your entry with the person’s name followed by his or her role.

• Anderson, Wes, director.
• Ackles, Jensen, performer.

Title of Source: Put episode titles in quotation marks. Italicize the titles of films, plays, and television shows. For an e-mail, use the e-mail’s subject for the title of the source. For sources without a title, include a description (Ex. Interview).

• “The Marine Biologist.”
• Children of Men.
• Concert.
• “Re: Campus Life.”

Title of Container: A television series would be considered the container for an episode from the show. Container titles are typically italicized.

• Seinfeld,
• Game of Thrones,

Other Contributors: For interviews, include the interviewer’s name in this field (Ex. by Mo Rocca). For films, television shows, or performances, include the contributor’s role and name (directed by, created by, written by, performances by, etc.). For e-mails, identify the recipient in this field (Ex. Received by).

• directed by Guillermo del Toro,
• performance by Cate Blanchett,
• Received by David R. Jones,

Version: If you stream a television show or film from an app, identify the app in this field. When citing a video game, identify the version/platform.

• HBOGo app,
• Nintendo Switch,

Number: For television shows, include the season number and episode number for this element.

• season 3, episode 9,

Publisher: For films and television shows, identify the production company as the publisher. For public performances, identify the theatre group.

• Miramax,
• CATCO,

Location: Identify the physical location of concerts, performances, and works of art viewed in person. For DVD sets, identify the disc number.

• Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH.
• Ohio Theatre, Columbus, OH.
• disc 2.

Author. Title of source. Title of container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. Title of 2nd container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location. Optional elements.