how to put references in apa format in powerpoint presentation

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APA 7th Edition Guide

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Citing Sources in PowerPoint Slides

• PowerPoint - In-text Citations
• PowerPoint - References List

Note:  APA does not have specific rules about the format of PowerPoint slides.  Rasmussen University does have recommended guidelines outlined below and in the attached PPT presentation.

PowerPoint slides  may   need citations, depending on what type of information is included on the slide.

If the text on a slide is a quote (someone else's words, verbatim) or someone else's ideas in the presenter's own words, then a citation is needed.

If the text placed on a slide is simply a word or phrase that represents a topic that the presenter will be discussing in greater detail, then a citation is not needed.

The table below includes two PowerPoint slides (left side). The column on the right tells whether or not the information would need to be cited and why.

Speaker Notes:  Some assignments require text in the Speaker Notes area of the PowerPoint slide. If information from a source is quoted, summarized, or paraphrased in that area, an in-text citation and reference will likely be required. Ask your instructor for clarification.

• Presentations & APA Citation Style at Rasmussen University Great resource to share with students if they are having struggles with APA in PPTs.

PowerPoint Slides - References

There are two ways to include the Reference list in your presentation:

• Coordinating reference lists are typically handed out during or after the presentation either in print if presenting in person, or electronically if presenting online. This is the preferred method of including a Reference list of the sources cited in your slide deck.
• Include a Reference list in the last slide of the presentation. This is an acceptable method if there are not many resources to include. Avoid adding so many resources to the list that the type is not legible to those attending the presentation

Creating the Reference List Slide

• If you use outside sources in your presentation (noted in your in-text citations), you must cite those sources on a References page/slide.
• Your Reference page can be created in NoodleTools, exported to Microsoft Word, and distributed or submitted with your slides to those who attend your presentation. Ask your instructor if they would like a Reference slide as the last slide of your presentation. Note that you may need more than one slide depending on how many references are needed.

See the slide deck below for more information.

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Formatting a Powerpoint Presentation in APA 7th Style

The apa 7th manual and the apa website do not provide any specific rules about using apa format or citation in powerpoint slides. , here are some recommended guidelines:, 1. always follow any specific instructions given by your instructor., 2. you will need in-text citations on a powerpoint slide where you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing someone else's ideas. , 3. you also will include a reference list as your powerpoint's last slide (or slides). , this youtube video from smart student shows you how to create apa7th in-text citations and a reference list: .

• Citing and Referencing in Powerpoint Presentations | APA 7th Edition This video will show you how to create APA 7th in-text citations and a Reference page for your PowerPoint presentation.
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• Last Updated: May 3, 2024 2:22 PM
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How do I use APA Style in PowerPoint?

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Answered By: Matt Stevons Last Updated: Oct 28, 2021     Views: 24871

While not extensively covered in the APA Style 7th Edition manual,  the APA website's page on citing PowerPoint slides  does briefly address applying APA Style to a PowerPoint you are making for an assignment.  In general, many rules and guidelines on the citation of sources or writing style can be adapted to make an effective presentation formatted in APA Style, at least as much as PowerPoint can allow given the differences between a slide presentation and an academic paper.  For example, a common element you may be asked to include is a References slide at the end of your presentation, similar to the References section of your academic papers. 

However, since APA Style wasn't developed for PowerPoint, Google Slides, or other slide presentation software, there may be some instances where there isn't a specific rule governing what you want to do.  About this point, APA advises that  "decisions about font size, amount of text on a slide, color scheme, use of animations, and so on are up to writers; these details are not specified as part of APA Style."  In general, if you are asked to apply APA Style to your PowerPoint presentation, if a rule can be reasonably adapted you should try to follow it, but there may be some situations where rules are not clear or be cumbersome to follow.  In these cases, it will be up to you to decide how best to proceed and we advise working with your instructor in these instances for their preferences on what to do.  

For an example of how to integrate APA Style 7th Edition rules into your PowerPoint presentation, including how to set up the title slide and a references list slide, see the video below from the PG Writing Center.  

Links & Files

• APA Style Website: PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References
• PG Writing Center: Formatting Graphics and Visuals (Tables and Figures) in APA 7th Edition

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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : Powerpoint Presentations

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Powerpoint presentations - what do i need to cite, powerpoint presentations - where do my citations go, other digital assignments - where do my citations go, quick rules for an apa reference list.

Your research paper ends with a list of all the sources cited in the text of the paper. Here are nine quick rules for this Reference list.

• Start a new page for your Reference list. Centre the title, References, at the top of the page.
• Double-space the list.
• Start the first line of each reference at the left margin; indent each subsequent line five spaces (a hanging indent).
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the reference. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first (and middle, if listed) initials followed by periods.
• Italicize the titles of these works: books, audiovisual material, internet documents and newspapers, and the title and volume number of journals and magazines.
• Do not italicize titles of most parts of works, such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document.
• In titles of non-periodicals (books, videotapes, websites, reports, poems, essays, chapters, etc), capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a title and subtitle, and all proper nouns (names of people, places, organizations, nationalities).
• If a web source (not from the library) is not a stable archived version, or you are unsure whether it is stable, include a statement of the accessed date before the link.

What am I legally required to cite in my digital assignment?

According to the Copyright Act, you must cite the sources (images, videos, books, websites, etc.) that you used in your digital assignment ( 29.21(1)(b) ). You must cite the source (where you got the information from) and the creator of the content (if available). You must also make sure that any copyrighted materials you used in your assignment meet the conditions set out in section  29.21  of the Copyright Act. For a list of conditions and more information, please visit:  http://studentcopyright.wordpress.com/mashups/

What citation style do I use for the sources in my digital assignment?

There is no one required citation style, so please defer to your instructor's directions and citation style preference.

List your sources in a slide at the end of the Powerpoint presentation, with footnotes throughout your presentation as applicable.

You could also provide a print copy of the sources you used to those attending your presentation.

Seneca Libraries has the following recommendations for how to organize your list of sources for digital assignments. Please check with your instructor first:

Videos you create: 

List your sources in a credits screen at the end of the video.

Websites you create:

• For images, include a citation under each image using this format “From: XXXX” and then make the image a link back to the original image ( example  - picture of little girl). Or list the citation at the bottom of the web page.
• For quotes or material from other sources, include an in-text citation that links back to the original material ( example  – second paragraph).

Images you create: 

If possible list your sources at the bottom or side of the image ( example ). Otherwise, include a list of citations alongside the image wherever it’s uploaded (e.g. Flickr, Blackboard).

**Please note that the above are recommendations only and your instructor may have a preference and directions for how and where you list your sources for your assignment.**

If you don't receive specific instructions from your instructor, try to include your citations in a way that doesn't impact the design of your digital assignment.

For more information please contact Seneca Libraries copyright team at  [email protected]

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APA for PowerPoint Presentations

Using powerpoint for beginners.

The APA manual does not have a section on how to format a PowerPoint presentation, but y ou can follow APA style guidelines within your PowerPoint . For example:

• Include the same information on your title slide that you would have on a title page. 
• Include in-text citations for any quote, paraphrase, image, graph, table, data, audio or video file that you use within your presentation. Please note that photographs are considered figures in APA style. 
• The last slide will be your References List. 
• “No citation, permission, or copyright attribution is necessary for clip art from programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020, p. 346).
• Do not reproduce images without permission from the creator or owner of the image. See section 12.15 of the APA manual for more information about this.

Resource: Goodwin University Library. 2019. How to format a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style. Goodwin University.   https://goodwin.libguides.com/apastyle   

• Citing Business Sources in APA Style Brock University's guide to citing business information sources according the the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. Includes citing sources in presentations
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APA and Presentations

APA has a lot of rules for formatting and citing papers. They don't really have rules for when you are creating a presentation or infographic. What we recommend is a blending of the rules APA has set out for papers and best practices for creating presentations and infographics.

In other words, you are going to bend the rules of APA to what looks best in your presentation. For example, the initial slide of your PowerPoint should contain the same information as your title page. The formatting will probably be different as 10-12 point font (as required by papers) is probably too small to be easily read during a presentation. You also probably don't want full paragraphs on your slides. People end up reading the slide, rather than listening to you, and it is visually unappealing.

You still need to cite ! Yes, that includes images. Unless they are stock or clip art images from within the program you are using, you will need an in-text citation and corresponding reference. Visit the other sections of this guide for examples on how to cite.

If your instructor has provided any guidelines, follow them.

This video provides a great example on how to create a PowerPoint incorporating APA guidelines. A few things to clarify:

• Use an in-text citation with figures and images. A corresponding reference should be on your References slide.
• Do not lump in-text citations together, each line that has a quote or paraphrase needs an in-text citation.

• Research Template This is a Powerpoint template created for use in the Research Exhibition
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Slide Shows

There are no official instructions for formatting a PowerPoint presentation or slideshow in the APA style. However, most colleges/universities, professionals, and educators follow the general guidelines for formatting their slideshows in the APA style:

• Include an in-text citation for every slide in which you paraphrase, quote, or summarize information from one of your sources: (Author, year). Place this citation in the bottom right corner of your slides.
• Include a references slide(s) at the end using the same format as an APA-formatted references page.

See the examples below.  Use the arrows to move through the slides.

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Reference format for PowerPoint slides available online

• AUT Library recommends adding the paper code and title to the reference

PowerPoint slides online

Powerpoint slides come from a learning management system (e.g. canvas).

• If your audience are able to access to the resource, provide the name of the site and its URL
• If the slides are not available to be accessed by your reader, you may treat them as personal communication cited in text. Reference entry is not needed. See the personal communications page
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How to format a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style:

The APA manual does not have a section on how to format a PowerPoint presentation, but y ou can follow APA style guidelines within your PowerPoint . For example:

• Include the same information on your title slide that you would have on a title page. 
• Include in-text citations for any quote, paraphrase, image, graph, table, data, audio or video file that you use within your presentation. Please note that photographs are considered figures in APA style. See section 7.30 of the APA manual for more information about this.
• The last slide will be your References List. 
• “No citation, permission, or copyright attribution is necessary for clip art from programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020, p. 346).
• Do not reproduce images without permission from the creator or owner of the image. See section 12.15 of the APA manual for more information about this.

How to cite PowerPoint slides in your References List

You will use the following format to cite PowerPoint slides:

Author, A. A. (year).  Title of presentation  [PowerPoint slides]. Website Name. https://xxxxx

Please note that “if the slides come from a classroom website, learning management system [e.g., Blackboard], or company intranet and you are writing for an audience with access to that resource, provide the name of the site and its URL (use the login page URL for sites requiring login)” (APA, 2020, p. 347). Don't forget to indent the second and subsequent lines.

Goodwin University. (n.d.).  Social media and marketing communications: Written/Oral project outline . [PowerPoint slides]. Blackboard. https://goodwin.blackboard.com

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How to Cite PowerPoint Presentations in APA Style

Table of Contents

PowerPoint presentations have become another source of information for various occasions, from student projects and slideshows to online courses. So, the question of the proper citation of PowerPoint presentations arises. At some point, you will need a hint on how to cite someone else’s presentation in your research paper or in your own slides. There are APA style guidelines that come in handy for such cases. 

What is APA style?

How to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style your readers can access

How to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style your readers can’t access

How to format a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style

How to cite pictures in PowerPoint

Tips for using APA Style citations in PowerPoint

What Is APA Style?

APA Style is a set of rules for academic writing and publishing scientific papers at the highest level of clarity and accessibility. Whereas Chicago style is mainly used for studies on business, history, and the fine arts, and MLS style is common for the humanities, journal articles on education, psychology, and sciences must adhere to APA style.

If you’re wondering how to format your APA PowerPoint citation, it may seem a little bit tricky. Based on the latest, 7th edition of the APA manual and samples, we derived a ‘formula’ to show you to how to cite a presentation properly.

Depending on whether the presentation to be cited is in the public domain or is not available for readers to access, the format of PowerPoint citation will be a little different. Also, you may need to do the opposite – namely, to cite elements on your PPT slides, like direct quotations, images, or tables – in APA format. Read this article to learn how to do both of these things correctly.

How to Cite PowerPoint Slides Your Readers Can Access

Published PowerPoint presentations are typically available on the net. When citing such presentations, be sure to include the term “PowerPoint slides” in brackets, and then embed a URL address that leads directly to the original source. Since a PowerPoint presentation is a standalone piece of content that is not archived, you need to include “Retrieved from” before the URL.

Author + date + title of the presentation + [PowerPoint slides] + “Retrieved from” + URL 

Jones, A. B. (2014). How to include APA citations in a PowerPoint presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://jones.uvm.edu/ppt/40hrenv/index.html.

Citing a conference presentation in APA Style 

If the presentation you need to APA cite was delivered in a certain event and place, like a professional conference or a seminar, you need to mention this in the citation as well. 

Madison, J. (2016, April 11-14). Introduction to APA Citations [PowerPoint presentation]. 2nd Annual National Conference for Researchers, New York, NY, United States. Retrieved from http://researcherguide.com/archives 

If you want to refer to a specific slide in the body text of your paper, include the slide number in your in-text citation.

Format: (Author’s surname, year, slide 4)

Example: (Madison, 2016, slide 6)

How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation Your Readers Can’t Access

If the presentation you wish to APA cite is not published anywhere and the reader won’t be able to access it (e.g., you viewed it at a meeting), you can still give it recognition. In this case, you need to cite it as personal communication. APA style doesn’t index personal communications in the reference lists, but it is necessary to include them as in-text citations. See how you can cite a meeting in your PowerPoint presentation below.

Example: In his speech, Madison stated that employee retention increased by 5% (personal communication, May 26, 2019).

Citing a lecture in APA format

If you wonder how to cite a lecture, you can do it nearly the same way. You will need to mention the lecturer, the date when the lecture was hold and frame it as personal communication as well. 

Example: (A. Collins, personal communication, October 28, 2021)

How to Format a PowerPoint Slideshow in APA Citation Style

If you present on a serious level and need to establish the credibility of the data you put into slides, it’s important to treat your PowerPoint presentation as a research paper in the first place. In this regard, educators and editors strongly recommend applying APA guidelines to the structure of PowerPoint presentations.

Thus, a PowerPoint presentation needs to meet certain criteria. It should include:

Title slide

• Thorough APA citations
• The References slide
• Fully cited slides for tables with figures and statistical data

Make your title slide similar to the title page of an APA research paper. Your first PowerPoint slide should include the same information as the cover sheet of an APA research paper. Include the title of the presentation, your name, organization, and an author’s note describing the purpose of the presentation.

[Source: http://libraryguides.bennett.edu/home/library-tutorials/apa-style-presentations]

Reference slide

A reference slide is the last slide of your presentation in which you cite the sources you used. It’s a list of every APA citation that appears elsewhere in the presentation.

Although it’s the final slide of your presentation, it is easier to compile it in advance. Do the following:

• Name the slide “Reference List” or “References.”
• List the references alphabetically by author (if there is no author, simply write the title). 
• Do not double space or indent your reference slide to save space.

For detailed guidance, check out examples in the APA Style handout that was carefully prepared by Idaho State University or the official APA Publication Manual 7th Edition available on the website of the American Psychological Association .

In-text citations for the body slides

Including citations in the main content of your PowerPoint presentation is necessary to avoid plagiarism. Universities, for example, insist that any academic PowerPoint presentation has appropriate citations for any outside sources. Those sources include:

• Any direct quotation
• Any paraphrase
• Tables and data
• Video and audio files

APA citations in the body refer only to the author (or an item in quotations without an author) followed by a comma, the date of publication, and a page number, if applicable. These will be used throughout the presentation. When needed, hyperlink all your citations as well as images (not clip art) to their sources. Remember to attribute all quotes and paraphrases to their sources.

How to Cite Pictures in PowerPoint 

When it comes to citation, any kind of image, such as photographs, illustrations, or a vendor’s clip art and stock art are commonly referred to as figures. Citing figures is worthy of special mention. This is the table that encompasses all three ‘levels’ of how you can cite a picture in APA format: reference list entry, in-text citation, and copyright attribution. 

When citing visuals in PowerPoint, you need to enumerate and annotate any figure. It’s easy to start by placing an image on the slide and adding a text box below it. Then, write a figure number, add a description/note for the figure, and a parenthetical citation from your reference slide. 

Example: 

Figure 3. Pedestrians walking by street graffiti of the word “Love.” Adapted from “Pedestrian Street Art Protest” by J. Actrinson, 2013, ArtsPhotosArchive. Retrieved from http://www.artsphotoarchive.com/pedestrian-art-protest. Copyright 2020 by Actrinson Photos.

Tips for Using APA Style Citations in PowerPoint slides

1. integrate your tables, but include full attributions.

In APA citation, tables are any kinds of visual representation of data like graphs, charts, pie charts, etc. Tables can be incorporated as slides throughout the presentation, rather than grouped at the end. You need to include a complete citation of a table’s source on individual table slides. This is in addition to listing the source on your reference slide.

2. Check with samples of formatting

It’s a good idea to look for samples and illustrations of how to format citations in each case. For example, the Thomas F. Holgate Library at Bennett College, Greensboro, NC has posted an excellent slide presentation, APA Style PowerPoint Presentations . Also, you can visit Purdue University’s incomparable Online Writing Lab which has a complete reference list guide for electronic sources (web publications).

3. Follow the guidelines of your institution 

Some APA formatting advice can be ambiguous. So, if you’re submitting to a conference, make a safe choice and comply with the guidelines that your institution or an event committee might suggest following. Even if there is a variance between APA style and this suggested formatting style, it’s better to prepare your presentation according to the requirements of that particular event. 

Frequently Asked Questions about APA Style Citation

While preparing the Reference list for your presentation or putting in-text citations on PowerPoint slides, you may have questions about adding specific information. Here are a couple of such tricky questions and answers to them. Feel free to jump to the question that interests you most. 

How do I cite a source with no author in APA Style?

If you don’t know the name of the author, you may use the first words of your source’s title and include the year of publication. If it’s a book, magazine, or report, italicize it. And if it’s an article, use question marks.

 (Power of eLearning, 2020)(“eLearning Insights for 2022,” 2021)

In the Reference list, format such citations according to the common formula, only dropping the author portion at the beginning. If you want to cite a website article without an author in the Reference list, use the article’s title as well, and add the name of the website and its URL.

What is eLearning? (2019, July 28). iSpring Solutions. /elearning

How do I cite a source with no page numbers in APA Style?

As you need to guide your viewers/learners to the source of your data, if that source doesn’t have pages, you still can position the needed piece of data precisely. Insert a paragraph’s title or number, or a section’s name in the citation to locate the quoted passage.

(2021 Training Industry Report, Training Delivery section) 

How do I cite an online lecture in APA ? 

Since online lectures can be in various forms and formats, e.g., video recordings or lecture notes, you need to specify their format in the citation. This can be done by including [file format] in the formula:

Author surname, initial of first name. (Year). Title of lecture : Subtitle if applicable [file format]. Retrieved from URL. 

Example:  

Oakley, B. (2015). Learning to Unlearn . Retrieved from   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd2dtkMINIw. 

How do I cite a professor’s PowerPoint presentation in APA style?

Just as with any other PowerPoint presentation that your readers/viewers access online, you can follow this formula:

Author Surname, initial of first name (year, month date). presentation title [PowerPoint slides]. the document’s location

Collins, A. (2016, March 23). Making the most of online education [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare: https://www.slideshare.net/collinsadrianne/making-the-most-of-online-education

If the presentation you need to cite is placed on an intranet portal, an LMS, or some other source or platform with limited access, you still can credit the author. Just use the log-in page URL to enable viewers who can access the platform to find the source you’re citing.

Example: Keller, G., & Spake, R. (2018). Urbanization and its effect on society [PowerPoint slides]. Moodle@FNU. https://fnu.onelogin.com/login.

In case you’re wondering how to cite a training program in APA style, you can do this in exactly the same way. 

As PowerPoint presentations have become one of the major sources of information and means of knowledge delivery, they need to be treated seriously and formatted according to certain standards. In this article, we covered the main ways to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style in your papers, or align your presentation with APA Style guidelines. If you need to enhance your presentation further and transform it into an effective online course, get this free trial of iSpring Suite !

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How to Use APA Style In a PowerPoint Presentation

How to Cite a PowerPoint in Apa

If you’re a student or academic writer, citations are an important part of academic writing. APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is commonly used in the social sciences and is one of the most widely used citation styles. However, when it comes to citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, it can be a bit confusing for some. In this article, we’ll explore how to cite a PowerPoint in APA style, and the importance of accurate citations.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Basics of APA Citation Style

Before diving into the specifics of citing PowerPoint presentations, it’s important to understand the basics of APA citation style. APA citation style follows a set of rules and guidelines that dictate how sources should be cited in academic writing. In this style, citations give credit to the source of information. The citations in APA style contain the author’s name, date of publication, title of the source, and publication information. In-text citations also include page numbers for direct quotes.

One important aspect of APA citation style is the use of a reference list at the end of the document. This list includes all sources cited in the text and provides readers with the necessary information to locate the sources themselves. The reference list is organized alphabetically by the author’s last name and includes the full citation information for each source.

It’s also important to note that APA citation style is frequently used in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and education. However, it may also be used in other fields, depending on the preferences of the instructor or publisher. Familiarizing yourself with the basics of APA citation style can help ensure that your academic writing is clear, accurate, and properly cited.

Why Accurate Citations are Important in Academic Writing

Accurate citations are an integral part of academic writing. Citing sources accurately gives credit to the original author and helps distinguish your thoughts from those of others. Accurate citations also demonstrate the depth and breadth of your research and show your readers where you found your information. It’s important for all writers to follow citation guidelines to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

Moreover, accurate citations help readers to locate the sources you have used in your research. This is particularly important in academic writing, where readers may want to verify your findings or explore the topic further. By providing accurate citations, you enable your readers to access the same sources you have used, which can enhance the credibility of your work.

Additionally, accurate citations can also help you to avoid legal issues related to copyright infringement. By citing sources properly, you acknowledge the ownership of the original author and avoid any legal consequences that may arise from using someone else’s work without permission. Therefore, it is crucial to take the time to learn the citation guidelines and apply them correctly in your academic writing.

What is a PowerPoint and How to Cite It in APA Style?

A PowerPoint presentation is a computer-based slide show that typically includes text, images, and multimedia elements. When citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, it’s important to cite it both in-text and on the references page. The citation should contain the author’s name (or the name of the presenter), the date of the presentation, the title of the presentation, the format (PowerPoint), and if accessed online, the URL or database name and date of access.

PowerPoint presentations are commonly used in academic and professional settings to convey information in a visually appealing way. They can be used to present research findings, teach a lesson, or pitch a business idea. However, it’s important to remember that PowerPoint presentations should be used as a supplement to a verbal presentation, rather than a replacement for it.

When creating a PowerPoint presentation, it’s important to keep in mind the audience and purpose of the presentation. The slides should be clear, concise, and visually appealing, with a focus on key points and takeaways. It’s also important to practice the presentation beforehand to ensure a smooth delivery and to be prepared for any questions or feedback from the audience.

Step-by-Step Guide for Citing a PowerPoint Presentation in APA Style

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style:

• Start with the author’s last name (or the name of the presenter) and first initials. If there are multiple authors or presenters, include their names in parentheses.
• Follow the author’s name with the date the PowerPoint was created or presented in parentheses.
• Include the title of the presentation in italics followed by the format in square brackets (e.g., [PowerPoint slides]).
• If the presentation was accessed online, include the URL or database name and the date of access.

It is important to note that when citing a PowerPoint presentation, you should also include the name of the event or conference where it was presented, as well as the location of the event. This information should be included in parentheses after the title of the presentation.

Additionally, if the PowerPoint presentation includes any images, charts, or graphs that were created by someone other than the author or presenter, you should include a separate citation for each of these sources. This can be done by including the name of the creator, the date of creation, and the title or description of the image in parentheses below the image.

Different Types of PowerPoint Presentations and Their Citation Styles

When citing a PowerPoint presentation, the citation style varies based on its source. Here are some examples:

• PowerPoint presentation from a class or lecture: use the presenter’s name as the author and cite it as an unpublished presentation.
• PowerPoint presentation from a conference or meeting: use the presenter’s name as the author and cite it as a conference presentation.
• PowerPoint presentation from a website or database: use the name of the organization or website as the author and cite it as an online presentation.

It is important to note that when citing a PowerPoint presentation, you should also include the date it was presented or accessed, as well as the title of the presentation. This information helps readers locate the presentation and verify the accuracy of the citation.

In addition, when creating a PowerPoint presentation, it is important to use proper citation practices for any images, graphs, or data used in the presentation. This includes citing the source of the information and obtaining permission to use copyrighted material, if necessary.

How to Cite a PowerPoint with Multiple Authors in APA Style

When citing a PowerPoint presentation with multiple authors, include all of their names in parentheses. For example: (Author 1, Author 2, & Author 3, Year).

It is important to note that if the PowerPoint presentation was retrieved from an online source, the URL of the presentation should be included in the citation. Additionally, if the presentation includes specific slides that were referenced in your work, it is recommended to include the slide number in the citation as well.

When citing a PowerPoint presentation, it is also important to follow the general APA guidelines for citing electronic sources. This includes providing the author’s name, the date of publication, the title of the presentation, and the name of the website or database where the presentation was retrieved from. It is also important to include the date that the presentation was accessed, as electronic sources can be updated or removed over time.

Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism When Citing PowerPoint Presentations

When citing a PowerPoint presentation, it’s important to avoid plagiarism by correctly quoting or paraphrasing the ideas in the presentation. Here are some tips:

• Take careful notes on the main points of the presentation and be sure to properly attribute all quotes and paraphrasing.
• Don’t quote or paraphrase too extensively, and make sure to use your own words and analysis to make the presentation’s points relevant to your own research.
• Be sure to properly credit the presentation within the text with in-text citations and on the References page.

Another important tip is to ensure that you are citing the correct author or presenter of the PowerPoint presentation. If the presentation was created by a group or organization, make sure to credit them as the author rather than an individual presenter.

It’s also important to consider the format of the PowerPoint presentation when citing it. If the presentation includes images or graphs, make sure to properly attribute them as well. You may need to include captions or labels to indicate the source of the visual aids.

Examples of APA Citations for PowerPoint Presentations

Here are some examples of citations for PowerPoint presentations in APA style:

• Berg, A. (2019). The Power of PowerPoint [PowerPoint slides]. Unpublished presentation.
• Jackson, R. & Ryan, K. (2018). Engaging Audiences Through PowerPoint [PowerPoint slides]. Conference presentation, American Marketing Association annual meeting.
• Smith, J. (2017). New Technology for Modern Business [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://www.example.com/powerpoint/newtechnology/

It is important to note that when citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, you should include the author’s name, the year of the presentation, the title of the presentation in brackets, and the type of presentation (e.g. PowerPoint slides, conference presentation, etc.). If the presentation is unpublished, you should indicate that in the citation.

Additionally, if you are citing a PowerPoint presentation that you accessed online, you should include the URL or DOI where the presentation can be found. This will allow readers to easily access the presentation if they are interested in learning more about the topic.

How to Format APA Citations for PowerPoints on the Reference Page

When citing a PowerPoint presentation on the References page, format the citation in the following manner:

• Author’s Last Name, Author’s First Initial. (Year). Title of Presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from URL or Name of Database.

It is important to note that if the PowerPoint presentation was part of a larger work, such as a conference proceeding or book, you should include the title of the larger work in italics, followed by “pp.” and the page numbers where the PowerPoint presentation can be found.

Additionally, if the PowerPoint presentation includes images or other multimedia elements that were not created by the author, you should include a separate citation for each of these elements, following the same format as for the PowerPoint presentation itself.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Citing PowerPoints in APA Style

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when citing PowerPoints in APA style:

• Forgetting to include the format (PowerPoint slides) in the citation.
• Not properly attributing ideas or quotes from the presentation in your work.
• Leaving out important citation elements like the date of access for online presentations.

Now that you understand how to properly cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, be sure to follow these guidelines in your writing. Accurate citations are an essential component of academic writing and help you maintain the highest level of academic integrity.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources / How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA, MLA or Chicago

How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA, MLA or Chicago

Let’s be honest: Sometimes the best information for a paper comes straight from a professor’s PowerPoint presentation. But did you know that source needs to be cited?

Whether you’re making use of your instructor’s lecture materials or pulling information from a Powerpoint found online, you need to make sure to cite your sources if you use information from it in a project or paper.

Here’s a run -t hrough of everything this page includes:  

• Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in MLA format
• Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA format
• Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in Chicago Style

By now, you’re probably familiar with how to cite websites, books or journal articles, but not as knowledgeable about how to cite a Powerpoint presentation. In actuality, citing PowerPoint presentations aren’t all that different from citing written materials, so don’t let yourself be phased! It’s not too hard and compiling an MLA works cited or APA reference page doesn’t take too long—each one should take just a few minutes to create.

To help you with the process, we’ve put together a handy guide demonstrating how to cite a PowerPoint presentation in three commonly used citation styles: MLA, APA and Chicago.

Let’s start by looking for basic information you’ll need for the citation.

Information you may need to cite a PowerPoint Presentation:

• Author or authors of the presentation
• Presentation title
• Date of publication/presentation
• Place of publication/where the presentation was given
• URL (if used to locate the presentation)

Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in MLA format:

MLA format citation structure:

Author Last Name, First Name. Presentation Title. Month Year, URL. PowerPoint Presentation.

Example citation :

Park, Lisa. Effective Working Teams . Jan. 2011, https://www.company.meetings/teams. PowerPoint Presentation.

In-text citation structure:

(Last Name)

Example in-text citation:

Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA format:  

APA reference structure:

Author or Presenter Last Name, Middle Initial. First Initial. (Date of publication). Title of presentation [PowerPoint presentation]. Conference Name, Location. URL

Example reference:

Park, L. (2011, March 24-28). Effective working teams [PowerPoint presentation]. Regional Dairy Workers National Conference, New York, NY, United States. https://www.company.meetings/teams

Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in Chicago Style:

Chicago citation structure:

Author Last Name, First Name. “Presentation Title.” Lecture, Location of Lecture, Month Day, Year.

Example citation:

Park, Lisa. “Effective Working Teams.” Lecture, The Plaza Hotel, New York, NY, January 11, 2011.

Troubleshooting

Solution #1: how to cite a powerpoint that has multiple authors..

For a presentation with multiple authors, list the authors alphabetically by last name for the full reference citation. The citation will list each author by Last Name, First Initial.

If the PowerPoint has just two authors, separate them with a comma and an ampersand (&). If the PowerPoint has more than two authors, list the authors separated by commas.

Reference examples:

Felner, D., & Nguy, A. (2021 April 10-12). The history of Claymation [Slideshow]. Animation Now, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Felner, D., Nguy, A., Becham, G. (2021 April 10-12). The history of Claymation [Slideshow]. Animation Now, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

For an in-text citation for two authors, give both surnames separated by an ampersand (&) followed by a comma and the year of publication or presentation.

For an in-text citation for three or more authors, list the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” followed by a comma and the year of publication or presentation.

In-text citation examples:

(Felner & Nguy, 2021)

(Felner et al., 2021)

For a PowerPoint with two presenters or authors, include both names in the full works-cited citation. The names need to be written as follows: First presenter’s Last Name, First Name, and then the second presenter’s First Name and Last Name.

For an in-text citation, simply list the surnames of both presenters.

In-text citation example:

(Nguy and Felner)

Work-cited entry example:

Nguy, Anna and Dominic Felner. The History of Claymation. Apr. 2021. PowerPoint Presentation.

For a PowerPoint with three or more presenters, only list one presenter’s name followed by a comma and “et al.”

For an in-text citation for three or more authors or presenters , list the surname given in the full works-cited citation followed by “et al.”

(Nguy et al.)

Nguy, Anna et al. The History of Claymation. Apr. 2021. PowerPoint Presentation.

Solution #2 How to cite a slideshow that wasn’t made with PowerPoint

If making a full works-cited citation for a slideshow that was made with another program other than PowerPoint, include the medium in brackets instead of PowerPoint.

If the presentation is not in PowerPoint, and you can’t determine what software was used, include the word “slideshow” in brackets in place of PowerPoint.

Nguy, A. (2021 April 10-12). The history of Claymation [Prezi presentation]. Animation Now, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Nguy, A. (2021 April 10-12). The history of Claymation [Slideshow]. Animation Now, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

The in-text citation will be formatted like any other APA in-text citation (author last name, year).

(Nguy, 2021)

At the end of your full works-cited citation, include the program the slideshow was made with, formatted as:  ______ Presentation.

If you are uncertain of the program used, end your citation with “slideshow” followed by a period. Nguy, Anna. The history of Claymation. Apr. 2021. Prezi Presentation. Nguy, Anna. The history of Claymation . Apr. 2021. Slideshow.

The in-text citation will be formatted like any other MLA in-text citation (author last name).

Hello all paper writers! Take a moment to try our spell checker , or refresh your knowledge on English basics with our EasyBib grammar guides ! Discover a determiner definition , learn what is an adverb , review an interjection list , and more.   

Updated April 26, 2021.

Citation Guides

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• Citation Examples
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Page Numbers
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide
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• Works Cited
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• View MLA Guide

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To cite PowerPoint presentation slides, include the author name, year/date of presentation, the title, the source description, the website and/or university name, and the URL where the source can be found.

If the PowerPoint presentation is not accessible to the reader, cite the slides as personal communication.

If you want to cite a PowerPoint in MLA or APA style, you need to have basic information including the name of the author(s), title of the presentation, date and place of publication, and URL. For in-text citations, you need to include only the author name(s) in MLA style and author name(s) and year in APA style.  

APA in-text citations

(Author Surname, publication year)

(Dhanalakshmi, 2004)

MLA in-text citations

(Author Surname)

(Dhanalakshmi)

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