How To Cite A Speech In Text

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to cite a speech in your text, covering different citation styles and providing practical examples.

Introduction

Citing sources is a fundamental aspect of academic integrity and scholarly writing. It gives credit to the original authors of ideas, arguments, and information that you incorporate into your work. When using material from a speech, it's essential to cite it accurately to avoid plagiarism and to provide your readers with the necessary information to locate the original source. This article provides a detailed guide on how to cite a speech in your text using different citation styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard.

Why Is It Important to Cite a Speech?

Citing a speech is important for several reasons:

• Giving Credit: It acknowledges the speaker's intellectual property and gives them due credit for their ideas.
• Avoiding Plagiarism: Proper citation helps you avoid plagiarism by clearly distinguishing your own ideas from those of the speaker.
• Enhancing Credibility: Citing your sources strengthens your arguments by showing that they are based on reliable information.
• Providing Context: Citations allow your readers to locate the original source and understand the context of the speech.
• Supporting Research: By citing speeches, you contribute to the body of academic knowledge and help other researchers build upon your work.

Overview of Citation Styles

Different academic disciplines often adhere to specific citation styles. The most common citation styles include:

• MLA (Modern Language Association): Commonly used in humanities disciplines, such as literature and languages.
• APA (American Psychological Association): Typically used in social sciences, such as psychology, education, and business.
• Chicago/Turabian: Used in a wide range of disciplines, including history, literature, and the arts. The Chicago Manual of Style offers two systems: notes and bibliography and author-date.
• Harvard: Used in various disciplines, particularly in the UK and Australia.

The following sections provide detailed guidelines on how to cite a speech in each of these styles.

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style

In MLA style, the format for citing a speech depends on whether you are citing a published version of the speech or an unpublished one.

Citing a Published Speech

If the speech has been published in a book, journal, or website, cite it as you would any other source in that format. Include the following information:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name.
• "Title of Speech."
• Title of Publication, edited by Editor's Name, Publisher, Year, Page Number(s).

Example:

Obama, Barack. "A More Perfect Union." Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, Times Books, 2004, pp. 283-305.

In-Text Citation:

When citing the speech in your text, use the speaker's last name and the page number (if available).

(Obama 290)

Citing an Unpublished Speech

If the speech is unpublished (e.g., a live presentation, a recording not available in a formal publication), include the following information:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Name.
• "Title of Speech" (if any).
• Type of Presentation (e.g., speech, lecture, address).
• Organization or Venue.
• Date.
• City.

Example:

Smith, Jane. "The Future of Education." Keynote speech, National Education Conference, 15 May 2023, Chicago.

In-Text Citation:

Since there are no page numbers for an unpublished speech, use the speaker's last name in the in-text citation. If you mention the speaker's name in your sentence, you don't need to include it in the citation.

Smith argued that technology will play a crucial role in the future of education (Smith).

Or:

As Jane Smith argued, technology will play a crucial role in the future of education.

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

In APA style, the format for citing a speech also depends on whether the speech is published or unpublished.

Citing a Published Speech

If the speech has been published, cite it as you would any other published work. Include the following elements:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Initial.
• (Year).
• Title of speech.
• Title of Publication.
• Page Range (if applicable).
• Retrieved from URL (if online).

Example:

Obama, B. (2004). A more perfect union. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. 283-305.

In-Text Citation:

Use the speaker's last name and the year of publication in the in-text citation.

(Obama, 2004)

Citing an Unpublished Speech

For unpublished speeches, provide as much information as possible to help your readers locate the source. Include the following:

• Speaker's Last Name, First Initial.
• (Year, Month Day).
• Title of speech.
• [Type of presentation].
• Conference Name, Location.

Example:

Smith, J. (2023, May 15). The future of education. [Keynote speech]. National Education Conference, Chicago.

In-Text Citation:

Use the speaker's last name and the year of the speech in the in-text citation.

(Smith, 2023)

If you are quoting directly from the speech, you can include additional information, such as the specific part of the speech.

(Smith, 2023, introduction)

Chicago/Turabian Style

The Chicago Manual of Style offers two citation systems: notes and bibliography and author-date. The following guidelines cover both systems.

Notes and Bibliography

In this system, you include full citation information in footnotes or endnotes and a shorter version in the bibliography.

Footnote/Endnote (Published Speech):

• First Name Last Name, "Title of Speech," Title of Publication, edited by Editor's Name (Publisher, Year), Page Number(s).

Example:

Barack Obama, "A More Perfect Union," Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance (Times Books, 2004), 290.

Bibliography Entry (Published Speech):

• Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech." Title of Publication, edited by Editor's Name. Publisher, Year.

Example:

Obama, Barack. "A More Perfect Union." Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Times Books, 2004.

Footnote/Endnote (Unpublished Speech):

• First Name Last Name, "Title of Speech," Type of Presentation, Organization or Venue, Date, City.

Example:

Jane Smith, "The Future of Education," Keynote speech, National Education Conference, May 15, 2023, Chicago.

Bibliography Entry (Unpublished Speech):

There is typically no bibliography entry for unpublished speeches in the notes and bibliography system, but you can include it if it is important to your research.

• Last Name, First Name. "Title of Speech." Type of Presentation, Organization or Venue, Date, City.

Example:

Smith, Jane. "The Future of Education." Keynote speech, National Education Conference, May 15, 2023, Chicago.

Author-Date

In this system, you include a brief parenthetical citation in the text and a full citation in the reference list.

Reference List Entry (Published Speech):

• Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Speech." Title of Publication, edited by Editor's Name, Page Number(s). Publisher.

Example:

Obama, Barack. 2004. "A More Perfect Union." Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, 283-305. Times Books.

In-Text Citation:

(Obama 2004, 290)

Reference List Entry (Unpublished Speech):

• Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Speech." Type of Presentation, Organization or Venue, Date, City.

Example:

Smith, Jane. 2023. "The Future of Education." Keynote speech, National Education Conference, May 15, Chicago.

In-Text Citation:

(Smith 2023)

Harvard Style

Harvard style is an author-date system, similar to APA and Chicago's author-date system.

Citing a Published Speech

• Speaker's Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year). "Title of Speech." In Title of Publication, edited by Editor's Name, Page Number(s). Publisher.

Example:

Obama, B. (2004). "A More Perfect Union." In Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, pp. 283-305. Times Books.

In-Text Citation:

(Obama, 2004, p. 290)

Citing an Unpublished Speech

• Speaker's Last Name, First Initial(s). (Year). "Title of Speech." Type of Presentation, Organization or Venue, Date, City.

Example:

Smith, J. (2023). "The Future of Education." Keynote speech, National Education Conference, 15 May, Chicago.

In-Text Citation:

(Smith, 2023)

Tips for Citing Speeches

• Be Consistent: Choose a citation style and stick to it throughout your work.
• Provide Complete Information: Include as much information as possible to help your readers locate the source.
• Check for Updates: Citation styles can change, so always refer to the latest edition of the style manual.
• Use Citation Management Tools: Consider using citation management tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote to help you organize and format your citations.
• Proofread Carefully: Ensure that your citations are accurate and error-free.

Common Scenarios and Examples

To further illustrate how to cite speeches, here are some common scenarios with examples:

Scenario 1: Citing a Famous Speech from a Book

You are writing a paper on political rhetoric and want to cite Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, which is published in a collection of his writings.

MLA:

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by James M. Washington, HarperOne, 1986, pp. 217-220.

In-Text Citation:

(King 218)

APA:

King, M. L., Jr. (1986). I have a dream. In A testament of hope: The essential writings and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. (pp. 217-220). HarperOne.

In-Text Citation:

(King, 1986)

Scenario 2: Citing a Keynote Speech from a Conference

You are writing a report on educational technology and want to cite a keynote speech you attended at a conference.

MLA:

Johnson, Emily. "Transforming Education with AI." Keynote speech, International EdTech Conference, 10 June 2024, New York.

In-Text Citation:

(Johnson)

APA:

Johnson, E. (2024, June 10). Transforming education with AI. [Keynote speech]. International EdTech Conference, New York.

In-Text Citation:

(Johnson, 2024)

Scenario 3: Citing a Speech Available Online

You are writing an essay on environmental policy and want to cite a speech given by a prominent environmental activist that is available on a website.

MLA:

Thunberg, Greta. "Our House Is on Fire." TED, www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_our_house_is_on_fire. Accessed 15 July 2024.

In-Text Citation:

(Thunberg)

APA:

Thunberg, G. (2019, February). Our house is on fire [Video]. TED. www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_our_house_is_on_fire

In-Text Citation:

(Thunberg, 2019)

Ethical Considerations

When citing speeches, it is important to consider ethical issues such as:

• Accuracy: Ensure that you accurately represent the speaker's words and ideas.
• Context: Provide sufficient context to help your readers understand the meaning of the speech.
• Attribution: Give proper credit to the speaker and avoid misrepresenting their work as your own.
• Fair Use: Be aware of copyright laws and fair use guidelines, especially when quoting extensively from a speech.

Conclusion

Citing a speech correctly is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and providing your readers with the information they need to understand and evaluate your sources. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can accurately cite speeches in your work using MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard styles. Always remember to be consistent, provide complete information, and adhere to ethical standards when citing sources.

How do you ensure accuracy when citing speeches, especially when dealing with unpublished materials? What strategies do you find most effective for managing citations in your research process?