How Do I Cite A Speech In Mla

Citing a speech in MLA format is essential for academic integrity and giving credit to the speaker's ideas. Accurate citations allow your readers to locate the original source and verify the information presented. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to cite a speech using the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, covering various scenarios and offering practical examples.

Understanding MLA Citation Basics

Before diving into the specifics of citing speeches, let's review some fundamental principles of MLA citation. MLA style uses parenthetical citations within the text and a "Works Cited" page at the end of your document. Parenthetical citations usually include the author's last name and a page number, while the Works Cited entry provides full bibliographic information. When citing a speech, some elements will differ, as speeches do not typically have page numbers.

Core Elements of an MLA Citation

A typical MLA citation consists of the following elements:

• Author: The speaker of the speech.
• Title of Source: The title of the speech (if available).
• Title of Container: The venue or publication where the speech was delivered or published (e.g., conference name, website).
• Other Contributors: Any other relevant contributors, such as editors or translators.
• Version: The specific version or edition of the speech (if applicable).
• Number: Volume or issue number (if applicable).
• Publisher: The organization or entity that published the speech.
• Publication Date: The date the speech was delivered or published.
• Location: The specific location where the speech was delivered (e.g., city, university).

Citing a Live Speech

When citing a speech you attended in person, the format is slightly different from citing a published speech. Here's how to do it:

Works Cited Entry for a Live Speech

The basic format for a live speech in the Works Cited page is:

Speaker's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech (if available)." Name of Event or Conference, Day Month Year, Location.

Here's a breakdown:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name: Provide the speaker's full name, last name first.
• "Title of Speech (if available).": If the speech has a specific title, include it in quotation marks. If there's no title, provide a brief description of the speech without quotation marks.
• Name of Event or Conference:* *Italicize the name of the event or conference where the speech was given.
• Day Month Year: Provide the date the speech was delivered. Abbreviate months with more than four letters (e.g., Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.).
• Location: Include the city and, if relevant, the specific venue where the speech took place.

Example:

Smith, Jane. "The Future of Renewable Energy." Sustainable Energy Conference, 12 Oct. 2023, Chicago, IL.

In-Text Citation for a Live Speech

For in-text citations, use the speaker's last name. Since there are no page numbers, just include the name.

Example:

(Smith).

If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you don't need a parenthetical citation.

Example:

Jane Smith argued that the future of renewable energy is promising (Smith).

Citing a Speech from a Recording (e.g., YouTube, Podcast)

Speeches are often available as recordings on platforms like YouTube or podcasts. Here’s how to cite them:

Works Cited Entry for a Speech Recording

The format for citing a speech from a recording is:

Speaker's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech (if available)." Name of Website or Platform, Upload Date, URL.

Here's a breakdown:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name: Provide the speaker's full name, last name first.
• "Title of Speech (if available).": Include the title of the speech in quotation marks. If there's no specific title, provide a brief description.
• Name of Website or Platform:* *Italicize the name of the website or platform where the speech is hosted (e.g., YouTube, TED, NPR).
• Upload Date: Provide the date the speech was uploaded to the platform.
• URL: Include the full URL of the speech.

Example:

Johnson, Michelle. "The Importance of Education." YouTube, 15 July 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=1234567890.

In-Text Citation for a Speech Recording

Use the speaker's last name in the in-text citation.

Example:

(Johnson).

If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you don't need a parenthetical citation.

Example:

Michelle Johnson emphasized the importance of education (Johnson).

Citing a Speech from a Transcript

Sometimes, you might be working with a written transcript of a speech. Here’s how to cite it:

Works Cited Entry for a Speech Transcript

The format for citing a speech transcript is:

Speaker's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech (if available)." Name of Publication or Website, Date of Publication, URL (if applicable).

Here's a breakdown:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name: Provide the speaker's full name, last name first.
• "Title of Speech (if available).": Include the title of the speech in quotation marks. If there's no specific title, provide a brief description.
• Name of Publication or Website:* *Italicize the name of the publication or website where the transcript is published.
• Date of Publication: Provide the date the transcript was published.
• URL: Include the full URL of the transcript if it's available online.

Example:

Williams, David. "The Future of Artificial Intelligence." The New York Times, 20 Jan. 2023, www.nytimes.com/ai-speech.

In-Text Citation for a Speech Transcript

Use the speaker's last name in the in-text citation.

Example:

(Williams).

If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you don't need a parenthetical citation.

Example:

David Williams discussed the future of artificial intelligence (Williams).

Citing a Published Speech in a Book or Collection

If the speech is published in a book or collection, the citation format is slightly different:

Works Cited Entry for a Speech in a Book

The format for citing a speech published in a book is:

Speaker's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech (if available)." Title of Book, edited by Editor's Name, Publisher, Year, Page Numbers.

Here's a breakdown:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name: Provide the speaker's full name, last name first.
• "Title of Speech (if available).": Include the title of the speech in quotation marks.
• Title of Book:* *Italicize the title of the book in which the speech is published.
• edited by Editor's Name: Include the editor's name, preceded by "edited by."
• Publisher: Provide the name of the publisher.
• Year: Include the year the book was published.
• Page Numbers: Provide the page numbers where the speech appears in the book.

Example:

Roosevelt, Franklin D. "The Only Thing We Have to Fear." American Speeches: Political Oratory from Lincoln to Clinton, edited by Ted Widmer, Library of America, 2006, pp. 120-125.

In-Text Citation for a Speech in a Book

Use the speaker's last name and the page number(s) where the quote or information appears.

Example:

(Roosevelt 122).

If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you only need to include the page number in the parenthetical citation.

Example:

Roosevelt famously stated that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (122).

Citing a Speech from a Database

Speeches can sometimes be found in academic databases like JSTOR or ProQuest. Here’s how to cite them:

Works Cited Entry for a Speech from a Database

The format for citing a speech from a database is:

Speaker's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech (if available)." Title of Journal or Collection, Volume, Issue, Date of Publication, Page Numbers. Name of Database, DOI or URL.

Here's a breakdown:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name: Provide the speaker's full name, last name first.
• "Title of Speech (if available).": Include the title of the speech in quotation marks.
• Title of Journal or Collection:* *Italicize the title of the journal or collection where the speech is published.
• Volume, Issue: Include the volume and issue number if applicable.
• Date of Publication: Provide the date the speech was published.
• Page Numbers: Provide the page numbers where the speech appears.
• Name of Database:* *Italicize the name of the database (e.g., JSTOR, ProQuest).
• DOI or URL: Include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available. If not, provide the URL.

Example:

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." American Rhetoric, vol. 2, no. 1, 1963, pp. 1-5. JSTOR, doi.org/10.1234/jstor.1234567890.

In-Text Citation for a Speech from a Database

Use the speaker's last name and the page number(s) in the in-text citation.

Example:

(King 3).

If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you only need to include the page number in the parenthetical citation.

Example:

King's "I Have a Dream" speech remains one of the most iconic speeches in history (3).

General Guidelines and Tips

• Be Consistent: Maintain a consistent citation style throughout your paper.
• Accuracy: Double-check all information for accuracy.
• Missing Information: If some information is missing (e.g., date, publisher), use the abbreviation "n.d." for "no date" or "n.p." for "no publisher."
• Multiple Speakers: If the speech has multiple speakers, list them in the order they appear in the source.
• Clarity: Ensure your citations are clear and easy to understand.

Examples of Works Cited Entries for Different Scenarios

Here are some additional examples to illustrate different scenarios:

Example 1: Live Speech with No Title

Doe, John. Speech on Climate Change. Environmental Summit, 5 May 2023, London, UK.

Example 2: Speech on a Podcast

Smith, Alice. "The Future of Work." The Innovation Podcast, 22 June 2022, www.innovationpodcast.com/episodes/future-of-work.

Example 3: Speech Transcript from a Website

Brown, Emily. "The Importance of Mental Health." Mental Health Today, 10 Sept. 2023, www.mentalhealthtoday.com/brown-speech.

Example 4: Speech in a Collection of Essays

Lee, Susan. "The Power of Education." Essays on Education, edited by James White, Academic Press, 2021, pp. 75-85.

Example 5: Speech from an Online Archive

Lincoln, Abraham. "The Gettysburg Address." The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, 19 Nov. 1863, www.loc.gov/resource/ Lincoln papers.

FAQ on Citing Speeches in MLA

Q: How do I cite a speech if the speaker is an organization rather than an individual?

A: Use the organization's name as the author in the citation.

Example:

World Health Organization. "Address on Global Health Crisis." WHO Official Website, 15 Mar. 2023, www.who.int/speeches/global-health.

Q: What if the speech doesn't have a title?

A: Provide a brief description of the speech in place of the title, without using quotation marks.

Example:

Johnson, Robert. Speech on Economic Policy. National Economics Conference, 20 July 2023, Washington, D.C.

Q: How do I cite a speech if I only have an audio recording and no transcript?

A: Cite the audio recording as you would a podcast episode, including the platform where you accessed it.

Example:

Williams, Maria. "The Art of Storytelling." Storytelling Podcast, 5 Aug. 2022, www.storytellingpodcast.com/episodes/art-of-storytelling.

Q: Can I use footnotes or endnotes instead of parenthetical citations?

A: MLA primarily uses parenthetical citations. Footnotes or endnotes are generally used for supplementary information or explanations rather than for source citations.

Q: How do I handle a situation where the speaker's name is not explicitly stated?

A: If the speaker is not named, try to identify the speaker through context or research. If the speaker remains unknown, use "Anonymous" as the author.

Example:

Anonymous. "Speech on Social Justice." Social Justice Forum, 1 May 2023, New York, NY.

Q: What if the date of the speech is unknown?

A: Use "n.d." (no date) in place of the date.

Example:

Davis, Sarah. "The Future of Technology." Tech Innovation Conference, n.d., San Francisco, CA.

Conclusion

Properly citing speeches in MLA format is crucial for academic honesty and providing readers with the means to verify your sources. Whether you're citing a live speech, a recording, a transcript, or a published speech, following the guidelines outlined in this article will ensure your citations are accurate and complete. Remember to be consistent in your citation style and double-check all information for accuracy. By mastering the art of citing speeches, you demonstrate your commitment to academic integrity and enhance the credibility of your work.