The APA citing format is a determined set of guidelines for scientific publications, aimed at providing potential readers with as much valuable information as possible, in the clearest manner. In accordance to your needs, a PowerPoint presentation could be cited on different documents using the typical APA style, or the classic format for APA citing could be used within the text of the PowerPoint itself.
Regardless of your goal, here is a detailed guide explaining how you can cite PowerPoint presentations in the classic APA style:
Table of Contents
Citing PowerPoints in different documents
When you wish to cite a PowerPoint slideshow, it’s advised to adhere to the standard APA format, as listed below. In case the PowerPoint in question is readily accessible on the internet, it’s also recommended to insert the link leading to the PowerPoint presentation into the citation itself.
- The standard format for an APA citation:
Author, A. A. (year of publication). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from URL or DOI
Writing citations in the text
If you want to mention some data that was taken from the PowerPoint presentation within the text of your document, then note the exact slide in question:
- Example of a direct quote: (Jones, 2020, slide 5)
- Example of a paraphrase: (Jones, 2020)
Incorporating APA citations into a PowerPoint
In case you are making an educational or scientific PowerPoint presentation which you would like to treat as any other scientific article or paper, standard APA formatting and guidelines should apply here as well.
When citing outside sources in your presentation using standard APA guidelines, the PowerPoint is supposed to include the following:
- A clear title of the slide
- A text body with detailed citations in the APA style
- An integrated page dedicated to references
Making the References slide
As the final page of your PowerPoint presentation, the References slide should consist of a detailed list of every APA citation that has appeared throughout the PowerPoint. Here are some additional tips for the References page:
- The page must be titled “References” or “Reference List”.
- All the references should be listed alphabetically, according to the author’s initials or last name. In case there is no credited author, the main title of the presentation source should be integrated within the list of authors.
Writing citations in the text
As mentioned before, any APA citations within the body of the presentation should also be cited according to the standard (Author, Date, Slide Page) format, for example: (Jones, 2020, slide 5).
When applicable, it would be recommended to hyperlink the citations to their original sources.
Whether it’s a scientific paper or an educational PowerPoint presentation, providing valuable source information through citations in the APA format is an incredibly important aspect, which always follows the same rules, regardless of the medium.
