UE: MUS 110 OL: Spirituals to Rock 'n Roll Online Classes: APA/MLA Citations

APA Guide 

Use this guide created by Saint Leo University Library to learn more about how to format your paper and citations using APA format. The guide includes sample papers, helpful video tutorials, and more. 

MLA Guide

Use this guide created by Saint Leo University Library to learn more about how to format your paper and citations using MLA format. The guide includes sample papers, helpful video tutorials, and more.

Don't forget to contact your class librarian if you need support. 

MLA

How to cite an image:

Artist's name. Title of Image. Date the image was created. Website Title, URL 

Anderson, Rich. Flamenco Guitar Player. 2009. Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flamenco_guitar_player.jpg

In-text citation (Anderson)

How to cite a song:

Recording artist name or group name. "Song Title." Album Title, Publisher, Date. 

Online Album​

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

In-text citation (Beyoncé) 

CD/Record/Tape​

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

In-text citation (Nirvana)

How to cite Spotify song:

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

In text citation (Morris)

How to cite YouTube:

Brassee, Kaleb. "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord." YouTube, uploaded by Kaleb Brassee, https://youtu.be/vXXKnLehEu8?si=0dGJxCgPW_1xZE6K

In-text citation (Brassee)

Usually page numbers are required for all in-text citations in MLA format. In place of a page number you could put the minute and second of the song or video that you are referencing, such as 1:25, which means one minute and 25 seconds into the song. Ask your professor if they want you to use this method.

APA

How to cite an image:

Artist, A. (Year of release). Title of artwork [medium]. Name of museum, City, State, Country. URL of museum

Ighalo, E. (2024). To my parents [Painting]. Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, United States. https://chrysler.org/exhibition/hampton-roads-student-gallery/

In-text citation (Ighalo, 2024)

When citing a song:

In general, each APA Style reference has an author element, date element, title element, and source element. For a song or track reference, the author of the work is usually the recording artist, which may be an individual or group. If a music artist prefers to use their first name and surname, then follow the APA guideline to invert the author’s name as “Surname, First Initial” in your reference (e.g., “Smith, S.” for singer and songwriter “Sam Smith”).

If the music artist chooses to go by only one name (e.g., “Beyoncé”), a group name (e.g., “Franz Ferdinand”), an inseparable multipart name (e.g., “Lady Gaga”), an initialism (e.g., “MNEK”), or some other name variation, write their name as shown on the work.

Example

Dacus, L. (2018). Night shift [Song]. On Historian [Album]. Matador Records.

In-text citation (Dacus, 2018).

How to cite Spotify song:

Dacus, L. (2018). Night shift [Song]. On Historian [Album]. Matador Records. Spotify. URL

In-text citation (Dacus, 2018).

How to cite YouTube:

Brassee, K. (2014, April 14). Blessed be the name of the Lord. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/vXXKnLehEu8?si=XO1aAX0cn5gXLio7

In text citation (Brassee, 2014). 

Page numbers are required for direct quotes from a source. In place of a page number for audio-visual sources you may put minute and second of the song or video, such as 1:25 which means one minute and 25 seconds into the song. 

SAMPLE In-Text citation (for your paper or online discussions)

Tine Turner was an icon and renowned singer in the 1960s and beyond.  She was sexy, and vibrant, with a memorable voice. She won several awards in her musical career, most notably for her 1985 hit "What's Love Got to do with it?" (Grimes, 2023).

References

Grimes, M. 24 May, 2023. Tina Turner, magnetic singer is dead at 83. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/arts/music/tina-turner-dead.html.