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English 101 (College Writing) Research Guide: Citing Sources

Citing & Evaluating Resources

CCC Documents

External links

Need help citing sources?  Librarians are citation specialists.

Call the Reference Desk at 410-386-8340 or email  ref_desk@carrollcc.edu

If you do not give proper credit to the sources of the ideas and quotations of others in your work, you are plagiarizing the information.

It generates a Word document including all of the punctuation and formatting after the user enters the parts of the citation into a work form.

How do I cite...

Facebook post

  • Basic format (Because Facebook posts can be edited, it is a good idea to add an access date):
    • Last name, First Name or Account Name. Description of post. Facebook, Day Month Year of post, Time of post, URL. Accessed Day Month Year post was viewed.
  • Example:
    • Carroll Community College. Photo of student studying. Facebook, 27 Feb. 2022, 10:00 AM, facebook.com/carrollccedu/photos/a.10150177657020401/10165954095915401/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2022.

Instagram post

  • Basic format:
    • Last name, First name [@username]. Description of image. Instagram, Day Month Year of post, Time of post, URL.
  • Example:
    • National Geographic [@natgeo]. Photo of a panda cub on a scale in China. Instagram, 6 Mar. 2022, 11:15 PM, instagram.com/p/CayZ8ZOtSnk/.

Tweet (Twitter)

  • Basic format:
    • Last name, First name if available [@handle]. "The entire tweet word-for-word, up to 20 words." Twitter, Day Month Year of Tweet, Time of Tweet, URL.
  • Example:
    • Encyclopaedia Britannica [@Britannica]. "Nelson Mandela, who fought for racial equality and became South Africa's 1st black president, was born #OTD in 1918..." Twitter, 18 Jul. 2017, twitter.com/Britannica/status/887382776747630594.

TikTok

  • Basic format:
    • Last name, First name [@username]. "Full text of caption including hashtags." TikTok, year posted, URL.
  • Example:
    • Penguin, Oscar [@libechillbro]. "Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week! #rootbeerfloats #NLW." TikTok, 2021, tiktok.com/x2sKUu.

YouTube or Vimeo video

  • Basic format:
    • Last name, First name of video creator, or Username of creator. "Title of Video." Title of Website, uploaded by Username, Day Month Year of post, URL of video.
  • Example:
    • Sethi, Ramit. "How to Write a Winning Resume, with Ramit Sethi." YouTube, uploaded by I Will Teach You to Be Rich, 23 June 2015, youtube.com/watch?v=_0fjkKCsM1w.

How do I cite...

Movie

  • Basic format:
    • Title of Movie. Contributor(s). Publisher/Production Company, Year of release.
  • Film viewed through an app (TV/phone/mobile)
    • Zombieland. Columbia / Sony Pictures, 2009. Amazon Prime Video app.
  • Film viewed on physical media (DVD/Blu-Ray)
    • Kubo and the Two Strings. Directed by Travis Knight, Universal / Focus, 2016. Blu-Ray.

TV series

  • Citing an entire TV series
    • Game of Thrones. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, HBO Entertainment, 2011-2019.

TV episode

  • TV Episode viewed as a Television Broadcast
    • "The Ricks Must Be Crazy." Rick and Morty, created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, season 2, episode 6, Greenportal / Cartoon Network, 19 July 2021.

Video game

  • Tip: Include the version of the game and the platform on which it's played
    • Pac-Man. Windows PC version, Namco Networks, 2009.
    • Fortnite. Battle Royale Mode, PS4 Pro, 2017.

Music album

  • Album accessed through Spotify (or other music streaming app)
    • Beyoncé. Lemonade. Parkwood Entertainment, 2016. Spotify, open.spotify.com/album/7dK54iZuOxXFarGhXwEXfF.

Song

  • Single track from a recording (CD, Vinyl, App, etc.)
    • AC/DC. "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution." Recorded 25 July 1980. Back in Black, Columbia, 2003. CD.
  • Lyrics website
    • Parton, Dolly. "Coat of Many Colors." 1969. Genius, genius.com/Dolly-parton-coat-of-many-colors-lyrics.

Podcast

  • Episode of a podcast (include publisher or podcast network if applicable):
    • Koenig, Sarah, host. "The Alibi." Serial, season 1, episode 1, WBEZ, 3 Oct. 2014, serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi.