How to Cite a Movie APA Style in Text
Citing a movie in APA style in text can be a bit tricky, especially if you’re not familiar with the formatting rules. However, with a little guidance, you’ll be able to correctly cite a movie in APA style in no time. In this article, we’ll go over the steps to cite a movie in text using APA style, ensuring that your citation is both accurate and professional.
First, it’s important to understand that APA style requires you to include the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses directly following the quote or reference to the movie. For example:
As depicted in “The Godfather” (1972), the Mafia family is portrayed as a powerful and influential organization.
In this example, “The Godfather” is the title of the movie, and “1972” is the year of its release. The author’s name is not included in the in-text citation because it is not necessary when citing a movie in APA style.
When citing a movie in text, it’s important to note that the title of the movie should be italicized. Additionally, the title should be followed by the year of release in parentheses. If you’re citing a specific scene or quote from the movie, you should include the scene number or time stamp after the parentheses. For example:
In the climactic scene of “Gone with the Wind” (1939), Scarlett O’Hara declares, “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again” (1:24:00).
In this example, “Gone with the Wind” is the title of the movie, “1939” is the year of its release, and “1:24:00” is the time stamp of the scene being referenced.
When citing a movie that has been adapted from a book, you should include the author’s name, the year of publication, and the title of the movie in parentheses. For example:
In the film adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), the character of Atticus Finch is portrayed as a moral compass for the town of Maycomb.
In this example, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the title of the book, “1962” is the year of the film’s release, and “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the title of the movie.
Remember, when citing a movie in APA style, it’s important to follow the formatting rules precisely. This will ensure that your citation is both accurate and professional. By including the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the title of the movie in parentheses, you’ll be able to correctly cite a movie in APA style in text.
