Research Guides: Film Studies: Citation Management and Styles

Why Cite

When writing a research paper you will use a wide variety of resources. You are required to cite your sources for two main reasons:

To give credit to the creator of the original idea. By citing you will avoid any charges of plagiarism.
To enable readers of your paper to be able to find the resources you have used and consult them to read further on the topic.

For more information, check Why We Cite and How to Avoid Plagiarism.

Why We Cite

Information has Value!

Watch one of these create videos why we cite from the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University

Why We Cite

From The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Citation: A (very) Brief Introduction

From North Carolina State University

Image of Video for Why we Cite - click on image

Here's a break down of why we cite?

To attribute words and ideas to their original source – simply giving credit where credit is due.
To provide your readers with a kind of “map”of what you have been reading – to help your readers understand what has influenced your thinking.
To add weight and credibility to your paper –to demonstrate that you are engaged in the relevant research material
To provide an easy way for your readers to get access to the source material.
To situate yourself in an academic community with shared conventions.
To avoid plagiarism.

APA Style

*All links and sources reflect APA 7th edition (2019) unless noted.

Style and Formatting Help

APA Style from Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) *Updated for APA 7th edition (2019)

APA FAQ *Updated for APA 7th edition (2019)

Quick Help

APA Style Guide (Official Copy)

The Library has multiple copies of the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition). It is available at the following locations:

Reserve (2nd floor Check-out desk). One copy is available to be checked out for 2 hours.
5th floor. One copy is available for regular loan period.

The call number is: BF76.7 .P82 2020

MLA Style

MLA Style is commonly used in the arts, literature and the humanities.

Style and Formatting Help

MLA Formatting and Style Guide from Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Official MLA Style Guide

MLA Handbook

MLA Plus (online version of 9th ed. of the MLA Handbook)

MLA Plus (Films and Videos Section)

MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

Films or Movies

How to Cite Films and Videos

When preparing a presentation or a research paper, it is important to document sources used in producing it, including videos.

MLA style
(used in the humanities)

Director, dir. Title of film/video. Year of release. Distributor. Format.
Lee, Spike, dir. Do The Right Thing. 1989. Universal City Studios. DVD.

Chicago style
(used in the humanities)

Director. Title of film/video. Format. Year of release. Distributor.
Lee, Spike. Do The Right Thing. DVD. 1989. Universal City Studios.

APA style
(used in psychology, education, engineering, business, and social sciences)

Director, D. (Director). (Year of release). Title of film/video [Motion picture]. Distributor.
Lee, S. (Director). (1989). Do The Right Thing [Motion picture]. Universal City Studios.

These examples are for a DVD. For an online video, use the same guidelines as for Web content.

Citation Managers

What's the best citation management software for me?

So how do you pick the best citation management software for you? There are many factors to consider. For example, if you are an undergraduate student, you might be looking for the fastest and easiest option—something with a short learning curve, which lets you grab citations and produce bibliographies in a snap. Oh, and let's not forget: it needs to be free or cheap.

If you're a graduate student or a faculty member, you might have different considerations: the software needs to work well with the databases you use frequently, it must be able to organize and filter a large number of citations, and it should be able to produce a bibliography in the primary style used in your discipline. If you're working on a research team, you'll also want to make sure the software allows you to collaborate with your colleagues smoothly.

U of T has created this guide comparison chart below to help you examine the different features available and figure out the best option for you. We've adapted it slightly to reflect TMU's resources.