• Part 1 symbol pink circle
    getting started
  • Part 2 symbol blue triangle
    fundamentals
  • Part 3 symbol green square
    content
  • Part 4 symbol purple triangle
    delivery
  • Part 5 symbol three blue circles
    engaging your audience
  • Part 6 symbol orange asterisk
    speaking to inform
  • Part 7 symbol pink diamond
    speaking to persuade
  • Part 8 symbol green star
    speaking occasions

Citing Your Sources

All the supporting material used in a presentation should be documented and cited to enhance your credibility as a speaker. Citation, also known as documentation, is the practice of referring to the source of your supporting material in a presentation. In most college settings, you are required to cite your sources both during your presentation and in a written reference page.

If you cannot—or do not—cite your sources, you could fall into the trap of plagiarizing your source material unintentionally. The key to AVOIDING PLAGIARISM Part 1 symbol pink circle (49–50) is to identify the sources of your information in your presentation. If they’re not your original ideas or images or most of the words are not yours, you must tell your audience who and where they came from.

CITE YOUR SOURCES WHILE SPEAKING

During a presentation, you should acknowledge the sources of supporting material out loud. Your oral citation should include enough information to allow an interested listener to find the original sources. As you prepare an oral citation, consider the following questions:

  • Who is being quoted or paraphrased? Are they well known, or do you need to introduce them?
  • What are their credentials? What degree, title, group membership, or accomplishments will communicate their experience and expertise?
  • From what publication or source is the information taken? Will your audience recognize it?
  • What date was the information generated, published, or last updated? Will this enhance the credibility of the source?

You may not need to list the credentials of a well-known person or organization, but the date the statement was made or published may be important. Generally, it’s a good idea to provide the name of the person or organization, say a word or two about their credentials, and mention the source of the information. For example, “In an article posted on their website in June of 2023, the nonpartisan fact tank Pew Research Center analyzed how #BlackLivesMatter became a model of protest using social media.”

CITE YOUR SOURCES IN WRITING

Always be prepared to provide a written list of the references you used to prepare your presentation—just as you would for a written report. In most speaking situations apart from the classroom, you will not be required to provide such a list. Even in those cases, keep a list of your references for your own use. If nothing else, it will remind you of which sources you used in the event that you are challenged about information or asked to repeat or to update your presentation.

Documentation follows one of several accepted formats, such as Modern Language Association (MLA) style, American Psychological Association (APA) style, or Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). The documentation sections in their manuals provide models of how to format references, endnotes, and footnotes. If your instructor requires a written list of your references, make sure to ask which documentation format you should use.

If for your speaking situation it would be helpful to provide your audience with a complete bibliography of your supporting material, at the end of the presentation you could display a QR code on a slide or prepare a HANDOUT Part 4 symbol purple triangle (268–69) to provide the complete reference list.

Glossary

citation
The practice of citing the sources of your SUPPORTING MATERIAL in a presentation.
documentation
The practice of citing the sources of your SUPPORTING MATERIAL in a presentation.
oral citation
A form of DOCUMENTATION where you state the source of your SUPPORTING MATERIAL aloud during your presentation.