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APA Quick Citation Guide 6th Edition

This guide contains examples of common citation formats in APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Motion Picture

Note: Citations with more than one line of text should have a hanging indent of 1/2 inch or 5 spaces.

Important Elements

  • Director/
  • Date of release
  • Title (in italics)
  • Country where motion picture was made
  • Studio

Motion Picture

Johnston, J. (Director). (2004). Hidalgo. [Motion Picture]. United States, Touchstone/Disney.

Online Video

Jhally, S. & Earp, J. (Producers). (2012).  Race, power, and American sports, featuring Dave Zirin, [Online video]. Retrieved November 27, 2013, from Media Education Foundation/Kanopy.

Television Program

Important Elements

  • Producer
  • Date of broadcast
  • Title of television episode
  • Title of series (in italics)
  • Location of network and network name

Television Program in a Series:

Buckner, N. & Whittlesey, R. (Writers, Producers & Directors). (2006). Dogs and more dogs. [Television series episode]. In P. Apsell (Senior Executive Producer), NOVA. Boston: WGBH.

Interviews

In APA style, interviews and other forms of unpublished personal communication, such as e-mail, letters, memos or class notes, are not included in the reference list. Cite interviews and personal communication in parentheses within the text of your paper:

Professor Smith contends that the use of educational technology in the classroom increases student engagement (J. Smith, personal communication, September 4, 2015).

Indirect Sources

If you refer to a source that is cited in another source, list only the source you consulted directly (the secondary source) in your reference list. Name the original source in the text of your paper, and cite the secondary source in parentheses: “Wallace argues that…. (as cited in Smith, 2009).” In this example, only the Smith source would be included in the reference list. Only include sources that you consulted directly in your reference list.

Whenever possible, try to find and consult the original source. If the Penn State University Libraries does not have the original source, we can try to get it for you through interlibrary loan.