How to Cite a Podcast in MLA 9 With Examples and Illustrations

A podcast is a recorded audio file that presents critical information. Basically, students and researchers can use such a source as evidence for claims and arguments when they need some sort of support. Although this source is different from standard academic documents, such as journal articles and books, students and researchers must know how to cite a podcast in MLA 9 accordingly whenever they use it as a source in their work. In this case, citations should capture names of contributors, the title of a podcast’s episode, the title of a podcast, season and episode numbers (if applicable), the publisher, the date of publication, the URL, and the date when students or researchers access this file.

General Guidelines for Citing a Podcast in MLA 9

When writing academic texts, such as research essays, theses, and dissertations, students use different platforms to source evidence for their claims and arguments. For example, standard academic practices involve searching evidence from scholarly sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, books, and official government and institutional reports. However, since the advent of the Internet, audio and video files have become significant sources of critical information. In particular, podcasts have become common with students and researchers who write papers in MLA 9. By definition, a podcast is a recorded audio file distributed via online platforms that share information asynchronously. Moreover, the major difference between this source of information and written texts, such as journal articles, is that information is readily available directly from a source. In other words, podcasts are usually recordings of distinguished individuals in specific fields, meaning that whatever they say is not diluted through analysis and interpretation.

Citing Elements of a Podcast in MLA 9

Like journal articles, books, and reports, podcasts provide essential information that students and researchers can use to strengthen their work. In this case, scholars need to learn how to cite a podcast in MLA 9. Hence, the basic features of a podcast citation in MLA 9 include:

• Names of contributors or organizations (narrators or hosts) that are responsible for posting a podcast on the Internet.
• Title of a podcast’s episode in quotation marks.
• Title of a podcast.
• Season and episode numbers.
• Publisher of a podcast.
• The date when a podcast is posted on the Internet.
• The URL link.
• Access date.

Citation Scheme for a Podcast in MLA 9

When it comes to citing a podcast in MLA 9, writers need to understand that this source can be attributed to an individual or company. Basically, a person whose voice is captured in a podcast is a narrator, while an author of a posted file is a host. Typically, students use surnames of narrators and hosts for in-text citations or the company’s name that posts this podcast on the Internet if authors are not available.

Scheme for a podcast Works Cited citation is:

• Last name, First name of a person who posted a podcast on the Internet, or the name of a company, narrators or hosts. “Title of the Podcast Episode.” Title of the Podcast, season number, episode number, Publisher, the date when it is posted, the URL. The access date.

Format of a podcast in-text citation is:

• (Last names of narrators or hosts or organization hh:mm:ss-hh:mm:ss)

Note: “hh:mm:ss” means time intervals from beginning to the end of a talk.

Structure of a podcast footnote citation is:

¹Listen to a podcast by surnames of narrators or hosts from hh:mm:ss to hh:mm:ss.

Example of Citing a Podcast in MLA 9

• Poor, Nigel and Earlonne Woods, narrators. “Bittersweet.” Ear Hustle, season 3, episode 26, Radiotopia, 12 December 2018, www.earhustlesq.com/episodes/2018/12/12/bittersweet. Accessed 27 August 2020.

In-text citation sample is:

• (Nigel and Woods 07:22-07:38).

Footnote citation sample is:

¹Listen to a podcast by Nigel and Woods from 07:22 to 07:38.

An illustration of citing elements for a mentioned podcast is:

Note: A publisher of this podcast is Radiotopia.

Summing Up

Podcasts are essential sources of information for writers of academic texts. Although these sources differ from standard documents, such as journal articles and books, they provide essential evidence to back up writer’s claims and arguments. Hence, students need to consider tips when citing a podcast in MLA 9:

• check out names of narrators or hosts/organizations that share a podcast on the Internet;
• find the title of the podcast’s episode and the title of the whole podcast – the first element must be in quotation marks, while the second item must be italicized;
• include season or episode numbers;
• cover a publisher – typically, it is the website name or organization where a podcast is posted;
• define the date when a podcast is posted on the website;
• provide the URL link;
• end with the date of access.