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PAL Research Guide

Multimedia - elements of citation

Citation of multimedia content (such as musical recordings, lectures, videos, and the like) will vary depending on the source.

Usually, however, you'll need the following things:

1) The name of the composer, writer, performer, or person who created or compiled the content.

2) The title of the work or description of the content, (The title will be in italics or in quotation marks)

3) The name of the publisher or other entity responsible for making the content available

4) The date that the content was recorded or published

5) Information about the medium

6) For sources consulted online, a URL 

Recordings

Musical recordings can be listen in a separate, specialized bibliography called a discography. You would list items the same way you would in a typical bibliography.

  • If the composer or performer is more relevant than the composer or songwriter, either one may be listed first. In a note, the title may also be listed first but in a bibliography, the citation should start with the primary contributor. 
  • If no date can be found, use "n.d." instead of leaving it blank. 
  • A citation may begin with a title in a note 
  • In a bibliography entry, list by author, performer, or other primary contributor.

Streaming Audio

**For digital recordings other than compact discs, a streaming service or file format may be noted if relevant but is not required.**

Bibliography

Primary Contributor. Title of Album. Produced by First Last. Recording Date (If known). Name of Publisher(s). Date released or publication date. 

Eilish, Billie. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Produced by Finneas O'Connell. Darkroom/Interscope Records (us); Polydor Records (UK). Released March 29, 2019.  

Rihanna. Good Girl Gone Bad. Island Def Jam.  2007. MP3 Audio.  

Notes

1 "Song Title if relevant," OR Album Title by Primary Contributor, produced by First Last, Recording date (if known), Name of Publisher(s), Date released or publication date.

 1 "Bad Guy," by Billie Eillish, produced by Finneas O'Connell, Darkroom/Interscope Records, Released on March 29, 2019.

2 “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z, MP3 audio, track 1 on Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad, Island Def Jam, 2007.

LP or CD Audio

Bibliography

Primary Contributor. Title of Album. Produced by First Last. Recording Date (if known). Name of Publisher(s) LP or disc acquisition number, Date released or publication date, format.

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Don Giovanni. Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Sir Colin Davis. With Ingvar Wixell, Luigi Roni, Martina Arroyo, et al. Recorded May 1973. Philips 422 541-2, 1991, 3 compact discs. 

Notes

1 "Song Title if relevant," OR Album Title by Primary Contributor, produced by First Last, recording date (if known), Name of Publisher(s) LP or disc acquisition number, Date released or publication date, format.

1 Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, dir. by Sir Colin Davis with Ingvar Wixell, Luigi Roni, Martina Arroyo, et al., Recorded May 1973, Philips 422 541-2, 1991, 3 compact discs.

  • Video and film are cited according tot eh nature of the material (television show, movie, etc.)
  • Any facts relevant to identifying the item should be included. 
  • Indexed scenes are treated as chapters and cited by title or numbers. 

Streaming

Bibliography

Primary Contributor Last first, Title of video, track or episode number, "Name," contributed by First Last. other contributed by First Last, featuring First Last, First Last, etc. Year recorded at Place or streaming site/Publishing entity. Year released (if applicable). URL. 

Massenet, Jules, Cendrillon, Conducted by Bertrand de Billy. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Performed on April 28, 2018 at the Metropolitan Opera. https://ondemand.metopera.org/performance/detail/85f42795-b032-5cf7-9bcc-bd1180fe538b. 

Notes

1 Larger Work, "episode or track,"  Other contributors, performed on Mon. XX, XXXX, at Place or Streaming Platform, URL.

1 Cendrillon, track 10, "Act I: Ah Qu mes surs sont heureuses!" Conducted by Bertrand de Billy, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, featuring Joyce DiDonato, performed on April 28, 2018 at the Metropolitan Opera, https://ondemand.metopera.org/performance/detail/85f42795-b032-5cf7-9bcc-bd1180fe538b. 

DVD/Blue Ray

Bibliography

Primary Contributor Last, First. Title. Air or Performance Date. Publisher, Year released. Format, Minutes long (if known). 

Minnelli, Vincente. Meet Me In St. Louis. 1944. Warner Bros. Entertainment, 2004. DVD, 113 min. 

Notes

"Scene or Chapter," Title, Primary Contributor First Last, other contributors (Date; Publisher Infor, Release date), format, minutes long (if known.) 

OR 

Title, track or chapter number, "Scene or chapter," Primary Contributor First Last, other contributors (Date; Publisher Infor, Release date), format, minutes long (if known.) 

"The Trolley Song," Chapter 15, Meet Me in St. Louis, Vincente Minnelli, featuring Judy Garland (1944; Warner Bros. Entertainment, 2004), DVD, 113 min.

Meet Me In St. Louis, Chapter 15, "The Trolley Song," Vincente Minnelli, featuring Judy Garland (1944; Warner Bros. Entertainment, 2004), DVD, 113 min.

It is generally sufficient to mention details in the text or in the notes rather in the bibliography. 

For example:

In the opening performance of Suffs at the The Music Box, on April 18, 2024, there was...

Or in a Note

1 Title, Contributors for music, direction, etc with First Last, Place, City, Date.

1 Suffs, music, lyrics, and book by Shaina Taub, dir. Leigh Silberman, chor. Mayte Natalio, The Music Box, New York, NY, April 18, 2022.