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Buena Vista University

APA Citations (7th ed.)

This guide will help you learn how to properly format and cite your research in APA style.

Audio Media

Describe the audio work in square brackets--for example, "[Audio podcast episode]," "[Song]," and so forth in the title element of the reference.

In the source element, provide the name of the label for music albums or singles; or the name of the streaming site that hosts an audio podcast, radio interview, or speech recording.

If you want to reproduce an audio work rather than just cite it, you may need to seek permission from the copyright owner.

Audiovisual Template - Standalone

Audiovisual Template - Part of a Greater Whole

Music Album

  • For a recording of a classical work, provide the composer as the author, and note (in square brackets) following the title the individual or group who recorded the version you used. Provide the publication date for the version you used, and then provide the year of the original composition in parentheses at the end of the reference.
  • For all other recordings, provide the name of the recording artist or group as the author.
  • It is not usually necessary to specify how you listed to an album. However, the format or other descriptive information may be included--in square brackets, following the word "Album" and a semicolon--when you need to specify the version you used.
  • Include a URL in the reference if that location is the only means of retrieval.

Bach, J. S. (2010). The Brandenburg concertos: Concertos BWV 1043 & 1060 [Album recorded by Academy of St Martin in the Fields]. Decca. (Original work published 1721)

John, E. (2014). Goodbye Yellow Brick Road [Album]. Mercury. (Original work published 1973)

Swift, T. (2017). Reputation [Album]. Big Machine Records.


Parenthetical citations: (Bach, 1721/2010; John, 1973/2014; Swift, 2017)

Narrative citations: Back (1721/2010), John (1973/2014), and Swift (2017)

Single Song or Track

  • If the song has no associated album (as in the Childish Gambino example), omit that part of the reference.
  • Include a URL in the reference if that location is the only means of retrieval.

Beyoncé. (2022). Break my soul [Song]. On Renaissance. Columbia Records Group.

Brahms, J. (2012). Alto rhapsody, Op. 53 [Song recorded by A. S. Van Otter & Arnold Schoenberg Choir]. On Brahms: Symphony no. 3 / Tragic overture / Alto rhapsody, Op. 53. Polygram Records. (Original work published 1869)

Childish Gambino. (2018). This is America [Song]. mcDJ; RCA.

Rihanna. (2016). Desperado [Song]. On Anti. Roc Nation.


Parenthetical citations: (Beyoncé, 2022; Brahms, 1869/2012; Childish Gambino, 2018; Rihanna, 2016)

Narrative citations: Beyoncé (2022), Brahms (1869/2012), Childish Gambino (2018), and Rihanna (2016)

Podcast

  • List the host of the podcast as the author. Alternatively, provide the executive producers, if known. In either case, include their role in parentheses.
  • Specify the type of podcast (audio or video) in square brackets.
  • If the URL of the podcast is unknown (e.g., if accessed via an app), omit the URL.

Bateman, J., Hayes, S., & Arnett, W. (Hosts). (2020-present). Smartless [Audio podcast]. Smartless, LLC. https://www.smartless.com/


Parenthetical citation: (Bateman et al.,  2020-present)

Narrative citation: Bateman et al. (2020-present)

Podcast Episode

  • List the host of the podcast as the author and include their role in parentheses.
  • Provide the episode number after the title in parentheses. If the podcast does not number episodes, omit the number from the reference.
  • Specify the type of podcast (audio or video) in square brackets.
  • If the URL of the podcast is unknown (e.g., if accessed via an app), omit the URL.

Glass, I. (Host). (2011, August 12). Amusement park (No. 433) [Audio podcast episode]. In This American life. WBEZ Chicago. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/443/amusement-park

Lupkin, S., Rubin, C., Ramirez, R., & Hanson, B. (2023, July 26). Why babies babble, and what it can teach adults about language [Audio podcast episode]. In Short wave. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/25/1189989603/bilingual-kids-speech-development


Parenthetical citation: (Glass, 2011; Lupkin et al., 2023)

Narrative citation: Glass (2011) and Lupkin et al. (2023)

Radio Interview Recording in a Digital Archive

  • For interviews that are housed in digital or physical archives (whether in audio or audiovisual form), credit the interviewee as the author.
  • For more on interviews, see p. 259 of the manual.

Allen, W. (1965, June 1). Woody Allen discusses his work as a comedic writer and performer [Interview]. Studs Terkel Radio Archive; The Chicago History Museum. https://studsterkel.wfmt.com/programs/woody-allen-discusses-his-work-comedic-writer-and-performer

Moore, S. (1976, September). Interview with Stuart Moore, filmmaker [Interview]. American Archive of Public Broadcasting; University of Maryland, College Park. https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_500-k35m903461


Parenthetical citations: (Allen, 1965; Moore, 1976)

Narrative citations: Allen (1965) and Moore (1976)

Speech Audio Recording

King, M. L., Jr. (1963, August 28). I have a dream [Speech audio recording]. American Rhetoric. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm


Parenthetical citation: (King, 1963)

Narrative citation: King (1963)