how to mention a song title in an essay

How to Format Song Titles in Writing: Expert Advice

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Capitalizing the Title Case: The Basics of Formatting Song Titles

Italicizing or using quotation marks: determining the correct style, handling punctuation in song titles: a guide for writers, formatting song titles within sentences: maintaining consistency and clarity, special cases: remixes, covers, and featured artists in song titles, abbreviations and acronyms in song titles: to use or not to use, formatting song titles in different writing styles: mla, apa, and beyond, additional tips for perfectly formatting song titles in writing, frequently asked questions, future outlook.

One of the essential aspects of formatting song titles is capitalizing them in title case. This style not only enhances the overall appearance of the title but also follows conventional rules for capitalization in English language. Here are some key guidelines to keep in mind when formatting your song titles:

– Start with capitalizing the first and last words of the title. – Capitalize all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (e.g., “and” or “but”). – Articles (e.g., “a,” “an,” or “the”), coordinating conjunctions (e.g., “and,” “but,” or “or”), and prepositions (e.g., “in,” “on,” or “at”) should not be capitalized unless they are the first or last word of the title. – Indicate the title of a song by placing it in quotation marks, using the appropriate punctuation such as single quotes or double quotes.

To further illustrate these guidelines, let’s consider the title of an iconic song by The Beatles: “Hey Jude.” Following proper capitalization rules for title case, the correctly formatted version would be “Hey Jude.” Notice that both the first and last words are capitalized, while the article “a” is not capitalized. By adhering to these formatting basics, your song titles will appear polished and professional, adding to the overall aesthetic of your work.

When it comes to emphasizing words or phrases in your writing, it’s important to use the correct style to effectively convey your intended meaning. Two common options for highlighting text are italicizing and using quotation marks. While both can be used to add emphasis, each style has its own specific purpose.

Italicizing words or phrases is a great way to indicate emphasis in a subtle and visually appealing manner . Italicized text is often used for titles of books, movies, or TV shows, foreign words, scientific names, or to introduce a new term or concept. By slanting the text, you draw attention to specific words without interrupting the flow of your writing. For instance, in an academic paper about psychology, you might italicize the terms “cognitive dissonance” or “self-actualization” to make them stand out in the text.

On the other hand, quotation marks are commonly used to indicate direct quotes from a source or when referring to specific words or phrases. They can also be used to imply irony, sarcasm, or to denote an unusual meaning or definition for a word. For example, you might write, “The word ‘awesome’ has become so overused in today’s language that it has lost its true meaning.” By enclosing the word “awesome” in quotation marks, you convey a sense of skepticism or disbelief towards its contemporary usage. Remember that quotation marks should be used sparingly to avoid cluttering your writing or confusing your reader.

When it comes to song titles, punctuation can play a crucial role in conveying the intended message and style. Here are some tips to help you navigate the often-confusing world of punctuating song titles:

1. Apostrophes: If a word is contracted in the song title, such as “can’t” or “won’t,” use an apostrophe to indicate the omitted letters. For example, “Can’t Stop the Music” or “Won’t Back Down.”

2. Quotation Marks: Quotation marks are commonly used to enclose the title of a song within a larger work. For instance, in the song “Waterloo” by ABBA from the album “ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits,” both of these titles are enclosed in quotation marks.

3. Hyphens: Hyphens are useful when combining words in a song title. They can help clarify the meaning and prevent ambiguity. For instance, “Love-Struck” or “Dance-Off.”

4. Italicization: Consider using italics to showcase song titles when formatting a piece of written work. It not only helps differentiate the titles from the regular text but also adds a visual appeal. For example, “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “Hotel California.”

When incorporating song titles within sentences, it is essential to maintain consistency and clarity to ensure a seamless reading experience. By following a few simple formatting guidelines, you can effectively punctuate and emphasize song titles, allowing them to stand out from the surrounding text.

One common convention is to use quotation marks when referring to song titles within sentences. For example, if you are discussing a specific song in your writing, enclose the title within double quotation marks. This visually sets it apart from the rest of the sentence and makes it clear that you are referring to a song title. Alternatively, if you are mentioning a song without any specific reference, you can simply capitalize the title without using quotation marks. Consistency is key here; choose one format and stick to it throughout your writing to avoid confusion.

Remixes, Covers, and Featured Artists in Song Titles often add a touch of excitement and uniqueness to our favorite tunes. In the world of music, these special cases allow artists to collaborate, experiment, and bring a fresh perspective to well-loved melodies. Whether it’s a remixed version of a chart-topper, a cover that transforms a classic, or a featured artist lending their distinctive vocals to a track, these creative adaptations provide a delightful twist for our ears.

Remixes are a popular way to give a song a fresh new sound. With the help of electronic beats and additional production elements, remixes breathe life into existing melodies and offer listeners a chance to experience their favorite songs in a different light. They often feature extended dance breaks, altered vocal arrangements, or reimagined instrumentals, making them perfect for energizing parties or adding excitement to playlists. Some notable remixes have even gained more popularity than the original tracks themselves, igniting new trends and musical styles along the way. So next time you stumble upon a remix of your favorite song, don’t hesitate to hit play and let the infectious beats take you on a thrilling sonic journey.

Choosing the perfect title for a song is crucial, as it can catch the attention of listeners and convey the essence of the composition. One common dilemma that often arises during this creative process is whether to incorporate abbreviations or acronyms into the title. While these condensed forms can add a touch of intrigue and uniqueness, it’s essential to consider their potential impact on the overall message and understand their relevance to the theme or lyrics.

Using abbreviations and acronyms can be an effective way to create catchy and memorable song titles. They can inject a sense of modernity and excitement, instantly capturing the curiosity of an audience. Moreover, abbreviations and acronyms can help convey a specific meaning within a compact space, making the title clear while leaving enough room for interpretation. However, it is important to strike the right balance. Overuse or excessive reliance on abbreviations may confuse or alienate some listeners who may not be familiar with the referenced phrase.

In the vast and diverse world of writing styles, even the titles of songs are subjected to specific formatting rules. Whether you are a student, a researcher, or simply a lover of music, it is essential to know how to correctly format song titles in different writing styles such as MLA, APA, and beyond. Here, we will guide you through the key elements and nuances of each style, ensuring that your song titles are formatted with finesse.

In the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, song titles are italicized within the body of your work. When referencing songs in your bibliography or works cited page , you should follow this format:

– Last Name, First Name. “Song Title.” Album Title, Record Label, Year.

For example: – Jackson, Michael. “Thriller.” Thriller, Epic Records, 1982.

In the American Psychological Association (APA) style, song titles are not italicized but rather presented in sentence case. This means that only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. When including song titles in your references list, follow this format:

– Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial., & Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Song Title. Album Title. Record Label.

For example: – Jackson, M., & Landis, J. (1982). Thriller. Thriller. Epic Records.

Formatting song titles correctly is essential for creating professional and visually appealing written content. By following a few additional tips, you can ensure that your song titles stand out and grab the reader’s attention. Here are some creative suggestions to help you achieve the perfect formatting:

1. Capitalize the main words: When writing song titles, it is common to capitalize the principal words in the title. This includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. For instance, consider the song title “Dancing in the Moonlight.” By capitalizing the main words, the title appears more polished and visually appealing.

2. Use italics or quotation marks: To add emphasis and differentiate the song title from regular text, it is advisable to use italics or quotation marks. For example, “Hotel California” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” can be placed in italics or within quotation marks to make them stand out. This not only makes the title more noticeable but also aids in enhancing the readability of your content.

3. Exclude articles and prepositions: To maintain a clean and concise format for song titles, it is recommended to exclude articles (such as “the” or “a/an”) and prepositions (like “in” or “of”) unless they are the first word in the title. Doing so ensures that the focus remains on the essential elements of the song’s title, making it more visually appealing and reader-friendly.

4. Be consistent: Consistency is key when formatting song titles. Whether you choose to italicize, enclose in quotation marks, or simply capitalize the key words, be sure to apply the same formatting style consistently throughout your content. This helps maintain a professional and cohesive look, making your writing more polished and aesthetically pleasing.

Remember, properly formatting song titles not only enhances the visual appeal of your content but also demonstrates your attention to detail. By following these additional tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating perfectly formatted song titles that captivate your readers.

Q: Why is it important to format song titles correctly in writing? A: Properly formatting song titles is essential for displaying professionalism and avoiding confusion in any written piece. It helps readers identify specific songs and also respects the original artist’s work.

Q: How do I format a song title when it is the title of an article, essay, or book? A: When using a song title as the title of an article, essay, or book, it should be enclosed in quotation marks, just like any other shorter work. For example, “Imagine” would be appropriately formatted as the title of an essay discussing John Lennon’s iconic song.

Q: What if I want to refer to a song title within the text of my writing? A: If you are mentioning a song title within the text of your writing, it should also be enclosed in quotation marks. For instance, you could write, “The lyrics of “Bohemian Rhapsody” have captivated audiences for decades.”

Q: How should I format a song title in a formal research paper or academic writing? A: In formal research papers or academic writing, it is generally recommended to use italics instead of quotation marks around song titles. This convention enhances clarity and readability in scholarly work.

Q: Are there any exceptions to using italics or quotation marks? A: Yes, when referring to classical music compositions or opera titles, these should be written in italics, while individual movements or songs within them should be enclosed in quotation marks. For instance, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 would be italicized, but its third movement, “Menuetto,” would be placed in quotation marks.

Q: How should I format song titles on social media or informal platforms? A: When writing song titles on social media or any other informal platform, it is common to use quotation marks. Italicizing may not be possible in all digital spaces, so quotation marks serve as a suitable alternative and still convey the intended meaning.

Q: What if the song title includes punctuation or special characters? A: Punctuation and special characters within song titles should be retained as they appear in the original. This includes exclamation marks, question marks, commas, and even unconventional symbols as intended by the artist. Remember to always prioritize accuracy and maintain the integrity of the original title.

Q: Can I capitalize all words in a song title? A: In general, only capitalize significant words in song titles. Articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions should be lowercase, unless they are the first or last word of the title. However, it is always a good idea to follow established style guides or the specific preferences of the artist, if known.

Q: Is it acceptable to abbreviate a song title when writing it? A: Abbreviating a song title should generally be avoided, unless the artist or publishing company officially presents it that way. Stick to the original title as closely as possible to convey proper meaning and avoid ambiguity.

Q: What additional resources can I consult for proper formatting of song titles when writing? A: The Chicago Manual of Style, the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, and the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guide each provide comprehensive guidelines for formatting song titles. Leveraging these resources can ensure accuracy and consistency in your writing.

In conclusion, correctly formatting song titles is essential for clear and consistent writing. Follow these tips to ensure accuracy and professionalism in your work.

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How To Write A Song Title in an Essay: 7 Rules to Remember

• August 22, 2024
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Table of Contents Hide

The importance of proper song title formatting, 1. use quotation marks for song titles, 2. capitalize the major words in the song title, 3. italicize album titles but not song titles, 4. follow your in-house style, why adhering to a style guide matters, 5. avoid italics and underlining for song titles, 6. be consistent throughout your essay, 7. cite the song correctly in your references or works cited page, 1. mla format, 2. apa format, 3. chicago style, the importance of proper citation, additional tips for formatting song titles, common issues to avoid when formatting a song title, faqs on how to write a song title in an essay, we also recommend.

When writing about music in an essay, it’s essential to know how to properly format song titles. Whether you’re analyzing lyrics, discussing musical influences, or simply sharing your favorite tracks, accurate song title formatting is crucial for credibility and clarity.

In this article, we’ll explore how to write a song title in an essay, including key principles, citation styles, and best practices for presentation.

Proper song title formatting is vital for several reasons as it ensures clarity, and helps readers understand the difference between song titles, album titles, and artist names.

Also, it demonstrates credibility, showing that you’ve taken the time to understand the nuances of academic writing and respect the artist’s work. Finally, consistent formatting throughout the essay ensures a professional presentation.

How To Write A Song Title In An Essay

Here are guidelines on how to write a song title in an essay:

The use of quotation marks for song titles is a standard convention in writing. This practice not only highlights the title, distinguishing it from the rest of the text, but also indicates that the title is a smaller work within a larger context such as an album, a musical, or a film.

This is consistent across various style guides like MLA, APA, and Chicago, though some nuances depend on the guide.

Why Quotation Marks Matter

Quotation marks serve as a visual cue for readers, signaling that what follows is a specific title. This is particularly important in essays where clarity is paramount.

For example, without quotation marks, a sentence like “I love listening to Let It Be by The Beatles” could be confusing. Is “Let It Be” a song, an album, or perhaps a directive within the sentence? Quotation marks remove any ambiguity: “I love listening to ‘Let It Be’ by The Beatles.”

Example in Context

Consider an essay analyzing the evolution of rock music. When mentioning songs like “Hotel California” by the Eagles or “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, placing these titles in quotation marks instantly clarifies that these are specific songs referenced, rather than general terms or phrases.

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Capitalization in song titles follows the rules of the title case, which means capitalizing all major words. Major words include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and some conjunctions, while articles, short conjunctions, and prepositions are generally not capitalized unless they begin or end the title.

This rule is essential because improper capitalization can make a title look unprofessional and distract readers from your essay’s content.

Detailed Breakdown of Title Case

• Nouns: Always capitalize. Example: “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
• Pronouns: Always capitalize. Example: “All You Need Is Love.”
• Verbs: Always capitalize, even if they’re short. Example: “Let It Be.”
• Adjectives and Adverbs: Always capitalize. Example: “Sweet Child o’ Mine.”
• Conjunctions and Prepositions: Capitalize if they are four letters or more, or if they are the first or last word in the title. Example: “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.”

Example of Incorrect Capitalization

Incorrect: “Knocking on heaven’s door” Correct: “Knocking on Heaven’s Door”

Incorrect: “satisfaction” Correct: “Satisfaction”

Proper capitalization aligns with the formal conventions of writing and shows respect for the song title as a recognized work of art.

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While song titles are enclosed in quotation marks, album titles should be italicized. This distinction is important because it reflects the hierarchical relationship between individual songs and the larger work they belong to, such as an album. Italicizing album titles helps differentiate them from the titles of shorter works, such as songs or chapters of a book, which are enclosed in quotation marks.

The Role of Italics in Text

Italics in writing are used to emphasize titles of major works, foreign words, and sometimes to stress a particular word or phrase. When used for album titles, italics signal to the reader that the title is part of a larger collection of works, similar to how a book title might be italicized when discussing a particular chapter.

Examples of Album and Song Titles

• Song: “Like a Rolling Stone”
• Album: Highway 61 Revisited

When discussing Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” in your essay, it’s important to italicize Highway 61 Revisited to distinguish the song from the album.

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Exceptions to the Rule

In some informal writing or in certain digital formats where italics might not be available or easy to use, album titles might be placed in quotation marks or even bolded. However, in academic writing, the use of italics is the preferred and correct method.

Different style guides have different rules for formatting titles, including those of songs. The three most commonly used style guides in academic writing are the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago). Each has its specific guidelines, and it’s essential to follow the one that applies to your work.

In MLA style, song titles are placed in quotation marks, while album titles are italicized. MLA does not require specific formatting for the year of release within the text, though it might be included in the works cited page.

Example: “Yesterday” by The Beatles from the album Help!

APA style, often used in social sciences, also requires song titles to be in quotation marks. However, APA places more emphasis on the publication date, which might be included within the text or in the reference list.

Example: The Beatles’ song “Yesterday” (1965) from their album Help!

Chicago Style

Chicago style is similar to MLA in that it uses quotation marks for song titles and italics for album titles. However, Chicago allows for more flexibility in how you might cite songs, particularly in footnotes or endnotes.

Example: The Beatles’ “Yesterday,” from the album Help! , released in 1965.

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Adhering to a specific style guide ensures that your essay meets the standards expected by your institution or publisher. This consistency not only reflects well on your writing skills but also makes your work easier to read and understand.

One common mistake is the incorrect use of italics or underlining for song titles. While italics are reserved for larger works like albums, underlining was traditionally used in place of italics in typewritten or handwritten documents.

However, in modern writing, especially digital formats, underlining is often avoided because it can be mistaken for a hyperlink.

Why Underlining is Obsolete

Underlining is a carryover from the days of typewriters, where italics were not an option. With the advent of word processors and digital writing tools, italics became the standard for titles of major works.

Underlining is now mostly used in handwritten documents or when italics are unavailable. In digital formats, underlining is typically reserved for hyperlinks, and using it for song titles could confuse readers.

Examples to Avoid

Incorrect: I just listened to “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Correct: I just listened to “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.

Incorrect: “Purple Rain” by Prince is a classic. Correct: “Purple Rain” by Prince is a classic.

By avoiding italics and underlining for song titles, you ensure that your writing is both modern and clear.

Consistency is crucial in essay writing, particularly when it comes to formatting. Inconsistent use of quotation marks, italics, or capitalization can make your essay appear sloppy and can confuse readers.

Consistency extends beyond just song titles—it applies to all aspects of your writing, including citation formats, tense, and even font choices.

Why Consistency Matters

Consistency in formatting reflects your attention to detail and your understanding of writing conventions. It also enhances the readability of your essay, making it easier for readers to follow your argument without getting distracted by formatting discrepancies. In academic writing, inconsistency can lead to lower grades, as it may be seen as a lack of care or knowledge.

Practical Tips for Consistency

• Create a Checklist: Before you start writing, create a checklist of the formatting rules you need to follow. This might include using quotation marks for song titles, italicizing album titles, and capitalizing major words.
• Use Style Guide Tools: Many word processors have built-in tools to help you adhere to specific style guides. You can also use online tools or plugins that check your writing against MLA, APA, or Chicago style guidelines.
• Review and Edit: After writing your essay, take the time to review it carefully, checking for consistency in formatting. If possible, have someone else read your essay to catch any inconsistencies you might have missed.

Example of Consistent Formatting

Inconsistent: I enjoy “Hey Jude” by the Beatles, “Stairway To Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, and listening to Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. Consistent: I enjoy “Hey Jude” by the Beatles, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, and listening to The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd.

When referencing a song in an academic essay, it’s not enough to mention it in the text; you must also include a full citation in your references or works cited page.

The format of this citation will depend on the style guide you are following, but it typically includes the artist’s name, the song title, the album title, the record label, and the year of release.

Proper citation is not just a formality; it’s a critical aspect of academic integrity, ensuring that you give appropriate credit to the creators of the music you reference.

Detailed Citation Formats for Different Style Guides

In MLA format, the song is cited with the artist’s name first, followed by the song title in quotation marks, the album title in italics, the record label, and the year of release. If you accessed the song online, you might also need to include the medium (e.g., Spotify, YouTube) and the URL.

Lennon, John. “Imagine.” Imagine , Apple Records, 1971.

If you accessed it online:

Lennon, John. “Imagine.” Imagine , Apple Records, 1971. Spotify, [URL].

In APA format, the focus is on the year of publication, which comes right after the artist’s name. The song title is in italics (which differs from in-text citations where it is in quotation marks), followed by the medium (if applicable), and then the album title and label.

Lennon, J. (1971). Imagine . On Imagine [Album]. Apple Records.

If accessed online:

Lennon, J. (1971). Imagine . On Imagine [Album]. Apple Records. Spotify. [URL]

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Chicago style offers flexibility in citations. You might cite a song within the text, in footnotes, or in a bibliography, with slight variations depending on the approach.

Example (Bibliography):

Lennon, John. “Imagine.” On Imagine . Apple Records, 1971.

Example (Footnote):

John Lennon, “Imagine,” on Imagine , Apple Records, 1971.

• Credibility: Citing your sources correctly adds credibility to your essay. It shows that you have done your research and that your arguments are backed by reliable sources.
• Avoiding Plagiarism: Failing to cite sources properly can lead to plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense. Proper citation ensures that you give credit where it’s due.
• Supporting Your Argument: Citations provide evidence for your claims, making your argument more convincing.

In addition to the 7 rules, here are some extra tips to help you format song titles correctly:

• Use the same formatting for all song titles throughout the essay
• Be consistent in your use of quotation marks, italics, or title case
• Check your citation style guidelines for specific rules on formatting song titles
• Use a grammar and spell checker to ensure accuracy
• Read your essay aloud to catch any formatting errors

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One common mistake is using italics instead of quotation marks. While some styles prefer italics for song titles, others require quotation marks. Always check your citation style guidelines.

Another mistake is not providing additional information, such as the artist or band name. This can make it difficult for readers to identify the song and its creator.

No, song titles should not be italicized or underlined. They should be placed in quotation marks. Italics or underlining are generally used for longer works like albums, books, or movies.

When mentioning both the song title and the artist, place the song title in quotation marks, followed by the artist’s name. For example: “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran.

Song titles should be placed in quotation marks. For example, if you are referencing the song “Imagine” by John Lennon, you would write it as “Imagine.”

Yes, you should capitalize the major words in the song title, just like you would with the title of a book or movie. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are not capitalized unless they are the first word in the title.

How to write a song title in an essay is a crucial skill to learn, and by following these 7 rules, you’ll ensure accurate and consistent song title formatting in your essay. Remember to check your citation style guidelines, maintain consistency, and stay up-to-date with the latest guidelines.

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How to cite a single song or track reference

Concert season is in full swing, and music artists seem to be dropping a new single every week. If you want to write about the audial gems you listen to in your day-to-day, you have come to the right place.

It doesn’t matter if you are grooving to a jazz-inspired track on William Shatner’s latest album Bill or still trying to recover from the myriad of emotions evoked by the 27 tracks on Ye’s (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) Donda , APA Style can help you cite the melodic works you love in your paper or manuscript. In this post, you will learn how to cite a single song or track reference.

In general, each APA Style reference has an author element, date element, title element, and source element . For a song or track reference, the author of the work is usually the recording artist, which may be an individual or group. If a music artist prefers to use their first name and surname, then follow the APA guideline to invert the author’s name as “Surname, First Initial” in your reference (e.g., “Smith, S.” for singer and songwriter “Sam Smith”).

If the music artist chooses to go by only one name (e.g., “Beyoncé”), a group name (e.g., “Franz Ferdinand”), an inseparable multipart name (e.g., “Lady Gaga”), an initialism (e.g., “MNEK”), or some other name variation, write their name as shown on the work. If the work you are citing features another artist, place the featured artist’s name (again, formatted as “Surname, First Initial” or exactly as their name is spelled on the work) in parentheses after the main artist’s name, preceded by the word “featuring,” as shown in the BTS and Megan Thee Stallion reference example later in this post.

Therefore, in your song or track reference, write the name of the recording artist in the author element (if it’s a classical work, write the name of the composer), and place the date the work was published in parentheses in the date element. Include the title of the work in sentence case and standard nonitalic type, and describe the type of audio work in square brackets—for example, “[Song]”—in the title element of the reference.

After the title of the work, its bracketed description, and the ending period, write the word “On” in standard nonitalic type, followed by the title of the associated album in italic sentence case. In the source element of the reference, provide the name(s) of the artist’s music label(s), separating multiple music labels with semicolons—as shown in the following example.

Song with an associated album, with multiple music labels

Coldplay & BTS. (2021). My universe [Song]. On Music of the spheres . Parlophone; Atlantic.

• Parenthetical citation: (Coldplay & BTS, 2021)
• Narrative citation: Coldplay and BTS (2021)

If the song or track has no associated album, omit that part of the reference, as shown in the next example. If the song or track is a remix of the original version, place the word “Remix” in parentheses after the title but before the bracketed description—also shown in the next example.

Song without an associated album

BTS (featuring Megan Thee Stallion). (2021). Butter (Remix) [Song]. BigHit Music.

• Parenthetical citation: (BTS, 2021) 
• Narrative citation: BTS (2021)

What if you want to cite a song or track that has been rerecorded by another artist?

Because song references provide information about the recording artist, who is not always the same person or people who wrote the lyrics and/or the melody, you don’t need to research the history of a song in order to cite it; just cite the version you heard. Thus, there is no need to include the date the original work was published or the name of the original recording artist in your reference.

For example:

Song or track recorded by an artist other than the original artist

Smith, A. (2015). I put a spell on you [Song]. On Nina revisited: A tribute to Nina Simone. Legacy.

• Parenthetical citation: (Smith, 2015) 
• Narrative citation: Smith (2015)

One exception to this guideline is classical music, where the work’s original author is usually well-documented. For classical music, credit the original source by providing the year the work was originally published at the end of the reference in parentheses, preceded by the words “Original work published.” Both the original publication date and the date of the rerecorded work appear in the in-text citations, with the earlier year first, separated with a slash. These guidelines are shown in the following reference and in-text citations.

Classical song or track

Beethoven, L. van. (2012). Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major [Song recorded by Staatskapelle Dresden]. On Beethoven: Complete symphonies. Brilliant Classics. (Original work published 1804)

• Parenthetical citation: (Beethoven, 1804/2012)
• Narrative citation: Beethoven (1804/2012)

Include a URL in your reference if that location is the only means of retrieval of the song or track (e.g., for artists who provide music in only one location, such as SoundCloud or on their website).

More information on references for audio works can be found in Section 10.13 in the Publication Manual and Section 10.11 in the Concise Guide to APA Style .

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How to Quote a Song in a Paper (with Formatting & Examples)

Last Updated: April 29, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Marissa Levis and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Marissa Levis is an English Teacher in the Morris County Vocational School District. She previously worked as an English director at a tutoring center that caters to students in elementary and middle school. She is an expert in creating a curriculum that helps students advance their skills in secondary-level English, focusing on MLA formatting, reading comprehension, writing skills, editing and proofreading, literary analysis, standardized test preparation, and journalism topics. Marissa received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 321,808 times.

Depending on the type of paper you're writing, you may need to use a song as a reference – either a specific recording, or the composition of the song itself. The format of your citation will be somewhat different depending on whether you are using Modern Language Association (MLA) style, American Psychological Association (APA) style, or the format in the Chicago Manual of Style. You'll also need a brief, in-text citation to point the reader to the more complete citation at the end of your work. [1] X Research source

• The performer could be a single individual or a band. If you're using the name of a single person, use "last name, first name" format.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé.

• If there are multiple writers, list them all in the order they appear in the copyright information for the song. If the song has lyrics, there may be both a composer and a lyricist.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom."

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom." Lemonade , Parkwood Entertainment, 2016.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé and James Blake. "Freedom." Lemonade , Parkwood Entertainment, 2016. Online, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/, accessed January 9, 2017.

• Use the name you used in your full citation. Just use the first or primary name if there is more than one artist in the full citation. Include the title or a title phrase if you're citing more than one work by that artist.
• For example: (Knowles-Carter, "Freedom")

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J.
• If there are multiple writers and their roles are identified, you can put these in parentheses after their names. For example: Knowles-Carter, B. (Lyricist), & Blake, J. (Composer).

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016).

• You also may want to include the name of the performing artist if they are known by a stage name or are otherwise not immediately identifiable by their last name.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom [Recorded by Beyoncé].

• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom. On Lemonade [CD].

• Include state or country information if the city is not well-known. Otherwise, simply include the name of the city.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, B., & Blake, J. (2016). Freedom. On Lemonade [CD]. New York City: Parkwood Entertainment (2016).

• For example: (Knowles-Carter & Blake, 2016, track 10)

Using Chicago Style

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake.

• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom .
• If the performer of the song is someone different from the songwriters, include this information immediately after the title of the song or album by listing their first name and last name.
• If the performer is more important than the songwriter or composer, you may want to list their name first. Use your best judgment depending on the focus of your paper.

• If you can't find the recording number on the physical copy of the recording itself, look on www.discogs.com. Make sure you have the listing for the same recording as the one you're referencing.
• For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom . On Lemonade . Parkwood Entertainment, 88985336822, 2016. [11] X Research source

• For example: For example: Knowles-Carter, Beyoncé, and James Blake. Freedom . On Lemonade . Parkwood Entertainment, 88985336822, 2016, CD.

• For example: (Knowles-Carter 2016).
• To provide a pinpoint citation to a specific song, include the track number. For example: (Knowles-Carter 2016, track 10).

Community Q&A

• If you're using Chicago style, list audio recordings separately in a discography that is separate from your main bibliography. [14] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• When you access music online, you may have difficulty finding the information you need for your citation. Try looking up the song on a website such as www.discogs.com, which will have publication information. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about citations, check out our in-depth interview with Marissa Levis .

• ↑ http://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• ↑ https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/12/how-to-cite-recorded-music-in-apa-style.html
• ↑ http://www.ubishops.ca/wp-content/uploads/APAguide6thofficial.pdf
• ↑ http://libguides.depauw.edu/c.php?g=73436&p=472435
• ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Beyoncé-Lemonade/release/8486714
• ↑ http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/turabian_citationguide.html
• ↑ http://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/chicago-turabian/how-to-cite-a-musical-recording-chicago-turabian/

About This Article

To cite a song using APA, start by putting the last name of the songwriter or composer, followed by their initials. Then, add the copyright year in parenthesis, and the title of the song. Next, start a new sentence with the word “on,” followed by the italicized name of the album and the medium you heard it on. End the citation with the location, the name of the recording company, and the recording year. For more information on citing songs, including in-text citations for MLA and Chicago style, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Cite a Song or Album in MLA Referencing

• 3-minute read
• 7th April 2021

If you write about music in your work, you might have to cite a recording. But how do you cite a song or album in MLA referencing ? This post will explain the basics.

To cite a song or album in MLA referencing , simply give the artist’s last name or the band’s name in brackets in the relevant part of the text:

Her latest album has a strong environmental theme (Sturgeon).

“Wildlife in America” (Shearwater) comments on US culture.

And to cite a specific part of a song, you can add a timestamp :

The middle eight in “Air and Light” (Sturgeon 2:14–2:29) is truly haunting.

In the above citation, for example, we are citing a section that runs from 2 minutes 14 seconds to 2 minutes 29 seconds into the song.

Musical Recordings in an MLA Works Cited List

All references contain certain core elements in MLA style. And for a musical recording, each entry should include some or all of the following:

• Artist or band name – For individual artists, give their surname first, followed by their first name (e.g., Young, Neil). For artists who don’t follow this naming convention (e.g., U2 or Lady Gaga), just use the full name they are known by.
• Song title – If you are citing a specific song, give the title in quotation marks.
• Album title – Give the name of the album you are citing (or that the song you are citing comes from) in italics.
• Version – If relevant, include information on the version of the song next (e.g., if there are different versions of a song on different albums).
• Publication details – The name of the publisher (i.e., the record label that released the album or song) and the year the recording was released.
• URL – If you accessed the recording online, include the URL. For songs accessed via a streaming platform, give the platform name in italics.
• Format – If it is relevant to your work, you can optionally add the format of the recording at the end of your reference (e.g., CD, vinyl, MP3).

You won’t always need all of this! For many references, the artist’s name, song and/or album title, the publisher, and the year of publication will be enough. But whatever you cite, make sure to include enough information in the Works Cited list to guide readers to the exact version of the recording you have used.

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Example References

Below, you can see example references for an album, a song on an album, an album accessed via a streaming platform, and a single song accessed online:

Talk Talk. The Colour of Spring , EMI, 1986.

Song on an Album

Shearwater. “Animals in America.” Jet Plane and Oxbow , Subpop, 2016.

Album on a Streaming Service

Sturgeon, Jenny. The Living Mountain , Hudson Records, 2020. Spotify , https://open.spotify.com/album/7Kt6kaJ8dGIo6cngVA7dcB

Single Song Online

Benin City. “Freaking You Out.” Bandcamp , https://benincity.bandcamp.com/track/freaking-you-out

Make sure to add a hanging indent for each line after the first in all references.

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How do I cite a song?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

How you cite a song depends on how you accessed it. If you listened to the song on physical media like a vinyl album or CD, follow the MLA format template . List the performer or band as the author and then the title of the song. List the name of the album as the title of the container and then provide the publication details for the album. In the optional-element slot at the end of the entry, indicate the format:

Snail Mail. “Thinning.” Habit , Sister Polygon Records, 2016. Vinyl EP.

If you listened to the song through a music streaming service, provide the name of the platform as the title of the container, the publisher of the site (if any), and the URL:

Snail Mail. “Thinning.” Bandcamp , snailmailbaltimore.bandcamp.com.

To learn how to document a song that you downloaded from an app like iTunes , see this post .

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Song in APA

How to Cite a Song in APA

Understanding how to cite songs in APA is crucial for projects that study pop culture, sociology, and a variety of other topics. This guide will show you how to cite songs following the guidelines for APA 7th edition.

Guide Overview

Citing a song, citing an album, citing a classical music album, citing an album that has been reissued or re-recorded.

• In-text citations

Reference list entry structure:

Songwriter last name, F. M. (Copyright year). Song title [Recorded by F.M. Last (performer’s name/musical group)]. On Album title [Medium of recording]. Record label name.

Note:  If the songwriter and performer are the same person , leave out the bracketed data [Recorded by _______] following the song title.

Turner, A. (2013). Do I wanna know? [Recorded by Arctic Monkeys]. On AM [Album]. Domino Records.

In-text citation structure & example:

(Songwriter last name, Year)

(Turner, 2013)

Citing a song retrieved online

Songwriter last name, F. M. (Copyright year). Song title [Recorded by F.M. Last (performer’s name/musical group)] [Lyrics]. Retrieved from URL

Reference list entry example:

Simon, P. (1972). Me and Julio down by the schoolyard [Lyrics]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/JVdlpZ4M-Hw

Recording Artist or Group. (Date). Album title in sentence case [Album]. Record label name.

Reference list entry examples:

Abdul, P. (1992). Forever your girl [Album]. Virgin Records US.

King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard. (2019). Infest the rat’s nest  [Album]. ATO Records.

(Recording artist last name, Year)

(Abdul, 1992)

(King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, 2019)

For a classical music album, write the name of the composer as the author and the individuals/group who recorded the album in square brackets after the album title. At the end of the reference, include the original date of publication.

Composer last name, F. M. (Date). Album title in sentence case.  [Album recorded by group/last name, F. M.]. Recording label. (Original work published date)

Hopkins, A. (2011). And the waltz goes on. [Album recorded by A. Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra]. Decca. (Original work published 1725)

For albums that have been rerecorded or reissued, include the original publication, write a slash, then include the date of the version you are using.

(Composer last name, Year)

(Hopkins, 1725/2011)

Include the original date of publication in paratheses after the recording label.

Recording Artist or Group. (Date). Album title in sentence case.  [Album recorded by group/last name, F. M.]. Recording label. (Original work published date)

The Rolling Stones. (2015). Sticky fingers [Album]. UMe. (Originally published 1971)

(The Rolling Stones, 1971/2015)

APA Formatting Guide

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To cite a song or music video in APA style, you need to have basic information including the name of the composer, title of the song or music, company name, and publication date. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of a song or music video, along with examples, are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

In parenthetical citations, use the composer’s surname and the publication year.

Composer’s Surname (Publication Year)

Beyoncé (2013)

Parenthetical

(Composer’s Surname, Publication Year)

(Beyoncé, 2013)

Reference list entry template and example:

Songwriter F.M. (Copyright year). Song title [Recorded by F.M. Last (performer’s name/musical group)]. On Album title [Medium of recording]. City, State of label: Record label name.

Beyoncé. (2013). Ring off. On Beyoncé: Platinum Edition [MP3 file]. Los Angeles, CA: Parkwood; Columbia.

To cite lyrics in APA format, you need to have basic information including the name of the composer, title of the song, company name, date, and URL. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of lyrics, along with examples, are given below:

(Composer’s Surname, Publication Year, timestamp)

(Beyoncé, 2019, 02:36)

Beyoncé. (2019). Don’t jealous me. On Beyoncé: Platinum Edition [MP3 file]. Los Angeles, CA: Parkwood; Columbia.

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How to Cite a Song in APA Style

Songs are significant sources in various academic disciplines, including music, cultural studies, and social sciences. Citing songs in APA style requires specific elements: songwriter’s name, song title, album name, record label, and release year. These details apply to both in-text citations and reference list entries.

Elements of a Song Citation

When citing a song in APA style, the song title should be in sentence case and italicized. For example:

“ Shape of you. “

Artist/Band

The artist or band should be credited by listing their last name followed by their initials. For instance,

“Sheeran, E.” ensures proper acknowledgment of the creator.

Year of Release

Including the year of release is essential for precision. This helps distinguish between different versions or recordings of the same song. For example,

“ Shape of you ” by Sheeran, E. (2017).

Album Title

If the song is part of an album, the album title should be italicized and placed after the song title. For example:

Sheeran, E. (2017) . Shape of you . On Divide .

Citing a Song from a Physical Album

Structure of the Citation

For a song from a physical album, the basic structure is: Artist, A. A. (Year). Title of song. On Title of album [Medium of recording]. Label.

Example of a Song Citation from a CD or Vinyl

An example would be:

Bowie, D. (1971). Life on Mars? On Hunky Dory [Vinyl]. RCA Records.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Common mistakes include wrong song title and album formatting, missing the recording medium, and not listing the correct release year. Paying attention to details is crucial.

Citing a Song from a Streaming Service

Differences between physical and digital citations.

Citing songs from streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music involves a slightly different approach. The key difference is the inclusion of the URL.

How to Cite from Spotify, Apple Music, and Others

For digital citations, the structure is: Artist, A. A. (Year). Title of song. On Title of album. Retrieved from URL. For example:

Grande, A. (2019). Thank U, Next. On Thank U, Next. Retrieved from https://www.spotify.com.

Streaming Service Citation Example

An example citation would be:

Swift, T. (2020). Cardigan. On Folklore. Retrieved from https://www.spotify.com.

Incorporating In-Text Citations for Songs

How to reference a song within your text.

In-text citations for songs follow the author-date format. For example,

(Sheeran, 2017) or if quoting directly, (Sheeran, 2017, track 3).

Examples of In-Text Citations

For a direct quote:

“In ‘Shape of You,’ Sheeran (2017) sings, ‘I’m in love with the shape of you’.” For a general reference: (Sheeran, 2017).

Ensuring Consistency in Your Paper

Consistency is key to maintaining the credibility of your paper. Ensure that all song titles, artist names, and dates are correctly cited and match the reference list.

Handling Special Cases

Live performances.

Citing live performances involves noting the date and venue of the performance. For example:

Bowie, D. (1973, July 3). Live performance at Hammersmith Odeon, London.

Cover Songs

For cover songs, cite both the original artist and the cover artist. For example:

Hendrix, J. (1968). All Along the Watchtower [Originally written by Bob Dylan]. On Electric Ladyland.

Songs with Multiple Artists

For songs with multiple artists, list all contributors. For example:

Harris, C., & Swift, T. (2015). This Is What You Came For. On This Is What You Came For.

Q1: How do I format the title of a song in APA Style?

To format the title of a song in APA Style, you should use sentence case and italicize the title. For example, “Shape of you.”

Q2: What is the difference between citing a song from a physical album and a streaming service?

When citing a song from a physical album, you need to include the medium of recording (e.g., CD, vinyl). For streaming services, you include the URL where the song can be found. For example, for a CD:

Bowie, D. (1971). Life on Mars? On Hunky Dory [Vinyl]. RCA Records For streaming: Swift, T. (2020). Cardigan. On Folklore. Retrieved from https://www.spotify.com.

Q3: How do I cite a live performance in APA Style?

To cite a live performance, include the artist’s name, the date of the performance, and the venue. For example: Bowie, D. (1973, July 3). Live performance at Hammersmith Odeon, London.

Q4: Can I use online tools to help with APA music citations?

Yes, you can use WriterBuddy (https://writerbuddy.ai/) to help with APA music citations. These tools provide templates and automated citation generation to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Final Tips for Perfect APA Citations

Accurate citation of songs in APA format is essential for academic credibility. The process involves including songwriter information, song title, album details, and publication information. Following these guidelines helps properly attribute musical works and provides readers with necessary information to locate the original source.

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All you need to know about citations

How to cite a song in MLA

Here are two forms to cite a song depending on where you accessed it. The first one is for songs on CDs, vinyls, cassettes, etc. Variant B is for songs available on streaming platforms or online.

• Google Docs

To cite a song in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements:

• Artist(s) name: Give the name of the artist, or band name in full.
• Title of the song: Titles are italicized when independent. If part of a larger source add quotation marks and do not italize.
• Name of the album: Container titles are italicized and followed by a comma.
• Publisher: If the name of an academic press contains the words University and Press, use UP e.g. Oxford UP instead of Oxford University Press. If the word "University" doesn't appear, spell out the Press e.g. MIT Press.
• year of release: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
• Song format: Describe the song format, e.g: CD, Vinyl, etc.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a song in MLA style 9th edition:

Artist(s) name . " Title of the song ." Name of the album , Publisher , year of release . Song format .

Song accessed online:

• Music platform: Give the title of the music platform, e.g. Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.
• Publisher: Give the name of the publishing company if available
• Year of release: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
• URL: Copy URL in full from your browser, include http:// or https:// and do not list URLs created by shortening services.

Artist(s) name . " Title of the song ." Music platform , Publisher , Year of release , URL .

Take a look at our works cited examples that demonstrate the MLA style guidelines in action:

A song by a band retrieved from a CD

Florence + the Machine . " Hunger ." High as Hope , Virgin EMI , 2018 . CD .

A song by a band retrieved from a streaming platform

Beyoncé . " Pretty Hurts ." Beyoncé , Parkwood Entertainment , 2013 , https://www.beyonce.com/album/beyonce/?media_view=songs .

MLA in-text citation of a song

Audio-visual material uses the specific time of the audio/video for in-text citations.

(Last name time) or (Short form of title time) .

The chorus of the song shows characteristic tunes of indie music (Florence 00:01:43-00:2:20) .

This citation style guide is based on the MLA Handbook (9 th edition).

More useful guides

• How do I cite a song?
• MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources
• Citation Help for MLA, 8th Edition: Music Albums & Songs

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Proper Formatting of Song Titles in Written Documents

Learn when to use italics and quotation marks to write clearly

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What to Know

• Refer to the style guide specified by your employer, client, or teacher.
• In the absence of a style guide, the general rule is to use quotation marks for song titles and italicize CD or album titles.
• Don't use underlining in place of italics unless you are using a typewriter or writing titles by hand.

This article explains the proper formatting of song titles in written documents and includes examples.

How to Format Song Titles in Written Documents

For matters of style when punctuating and formatting titles of any kind, turn first to the style guide prescribed by your employer, client, or teacher. In the absence of a style guide, use the following guidelines:

• Put quotation marks around song titles : For best appearance in professionally typeset material, use proper typographical quote marks and apostrophes ( curly quotes ).
• Set CD/album titles in italics : In typeset material, watch out for fake italics . That's not a grammar rule but it is a good design and printing rule.
• Do not use underlining (in place of italics) unless you're using a typewriter or writing titles by hand.

In desktop publishing and word processing software, create character styles to quickly format song titles and other types of titles used throughout a document.

Example References to Song Titles and Albums

Here are two examples of text that includes song titles and album titles:

• Trace Adkins' first #1 single “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” is from his 1997 CD  Dreamin’ Out Loud . 
• The title cut from Toby Keith’s How Do You Like Me Now? was the most-played country song of 2000. Other favorites from the same album include “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like That” and “Country Comes to Town.”

When the song/album is the same : In the second example, although “ How Do You Like Me Now? ” is the song title, it is also the album title and in that context is treated as the album title, using italics. It would be just as correct to write: My favorite song on the How Do You Like Me Now? album is “How Do You Like Me Now?”

Punctuation in titles : When a song title ends in a question mark, exclamation point, or other punctuation, that punctuation goes inside the quotation marks because it's part of the song title. The beginning portion of the Adkins song title in parentheses is contained in the quotation marks the same as the other part of the song title.

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Generate accurate MLA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• MLA titles: Formatting and capitalization rules

MLA Titles | How to Format & Capitalize Source Titles

Published on April 2, 2019 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on March 5, 2024.

In MLA style , source titles appear either in italics or in quotation marks:

• Italicize the title of a self-contained whole (e.g. a book, film, journal, or website).
• Use  quotation marks around the title if it is part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter of a book, an article in a journal, or a page on a website).

All major words in a title are capitalized . The same format is used in the Works Cited list and in the text itself.

When you use the Scribbr MLA Citation Generator , the correct formatting and capitalization are automatically applied to titles.

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Table of contents

Capitalization in mla titles, punctuation in mla titles, titles within titles, exceptions to mla title formatting, sources with no title, abbreviating titles, titles in foreign languages, frequently asked questions about mla titles.

In all titles and subtitles, capitalize the first and last words, as well as any other principal words.

What to capitalize

What not to capitalize

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Use the same punctuation as appears in the source title. However, if there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space, even if different (or no) punctuation is used in the source.

Example of a work with a subtitle

The exception is when the title ends in a question mark, exclamation point or dash, in which case you keep the original punctuation:

Sometimes a title contains another title—for example, the title of an article about a novel might contain that novel’s title.

For titles within titles, in general, maintain the same formatting as you would if the title stood on its own.

Titles and names that fall into the following categories are not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks:

• Scripture (e.g. the Bible, the Koran, the Gospel)
• Laws, acts and related documents (e.g. the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution , the Paris Agreement)
• Musical compositions identified by form, number and key (e.g. Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5 in C minor, op. 67)
• Conferences, seminars, workshops and courses (e.g. MLA Annual Convention)

Sections of a work

Words that indicate a particular section of a work are not italicized or placed within quotation marks. They are also not capitalized when mentioned in the text.

Examples of such sections include:

• introduction
• list of works cited
• bibliography

Introductions, prefaces, forewords and afterwords

Descriptive terms such as “introduction”, “preface”, “foreword” and “afterword” are capitalized if mentioned in an MLA in-text citation or in the Works Cited list, but not when mentioned in the text itself.

Example of descriptive term capitalization

In-text citation: (Brontë, Preface )

In text: In her preface to the work, added in a later edition, Brontë debates the morality of creating characters such as those featured in Wuthering Heights .

If there is a unique title for the introduction, preface, foreword or afterword, include that title in quotation marks instead of the generic section name when referencing the source in the Works Cited list or an in-text citation.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

For sources with no title, a brief description of the source acts as the title.

Example of a source reference with no title

Follow these rules for capitalization:

• Capitalize the first word
• Capitalize proper nouns
• Ignore other MLA rules for capitalization

There are some exceptions to this general format: descriptions including titles of other works, such as comments on articles or reviews of movies; untitled short messages, like tweets; email messages; and untitled poems.

Exceptions to general format for sources with no title

If you need to mention the name of a work in the text itself, state the full title, but omit the subtitle.

If you need to refer to the work multiple times, you may shorten the title to something familiar or obvious to the reader. For example, Huckleberry Finn for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . If in doubt, prefer the noun phrase.

If the standalone abbreviation may not be clear, you can introduce it in parentheses, following the standard guidelines for abbreviations. For example, The Merchant of Venice ( MV ) . For Shakespeare and the Bible , there are well-established abbreviations you can use.

When you abbreviate a title, make sure you keep the formatting consistent. Even if the abbreviation consists only of letters, as in the MV example, it must be italicized or placed within quotation marks in the same way as it would be when written in full.

Abbreviating very long titles in the Works Cited list

Titles should normally be given in full in the Works Cited list, but if any of your sources has a particularly long title (often the case with older works), you can use an ellipsis to shorten it here. This is only necessary with extremely long titles such as the example below.

In the Works Cited list, if you are listing a work with a title in a language other than English, you can add the translated title in square brackets.

Example of a reference with a translated title

If you are using the foreign-language title in the text itself, you can also include the translation in parenthesis. For example, O Alquimista ( The Alchemist ) .

You don’t need to include a translation in your reference list or in the text if you expect your readers to be familiar with the original language. For example, you wouldn’t translate the title of a  French novel you were writing about in the context of a French degree.

Non-Latin script languages

For works in a language that does not use the Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, or Russian, be consistent with how you mention the source titles and also quotations from within them.

For example, if you choose to write a Russian title in the Cyrillic form, do that throughout the document. If you choose to use the Romanized form, stick with that. Do not alternate between the two.

Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.

This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .

In MLA style , book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:

The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.

The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.

When a book’s chapters are written by different authors, you should cite the specific chapter you are referring to.

When all the chapters are written by the same author (or group of authors), you should usually cite the entire book, but some styles include exceptions to this.

• In APA Style , single-author books should always be cited as a whole, even if you only quote or paraphrase from one chapter.
• In MLA Style , if a single-author book is a collection of stand-alone works (e.g. short stories ), you should cite the individual work.
• In Chicago Style , you may choose to cite a single chapter of a single-author book if you feel it is more appropriate than citing the whole book.

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.

This quick guide to MLA style  explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

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• Academic essay overview
• The writing process
• Structuring academic essays
• Types of academic essays
• Academic writing overview
• Sentence structure
• Academic writing process
• Improving your academic writing
• Titles and headings
• APA style overview
• APA citation & referencing
• APA structure & sections
• Citation & referencing
• Structure and sections
• APA examples overview
• Commonly used citations
• Other examples
• British English vs. American English
• Chicago style overview
• Chicago citation & referencing
• Chicago structure & sections
• Chicago style examples
• Citing sources overview
• Citation format
• Citation examples
• College essay overview
• Application
• How to write a college essay
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• Commonly confused words
• Definitions
• Dissertation overview
• Dissertation structure & sections
• Dissertation writing process
• Graduate school overview
• Application & admission
• Study abroad
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• Harvard referencing overview
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• Grammatical rules & structures
• Parts of speech
• Punctuation
• Methodology overview
• Analyzing data
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• Observations
• Inductive vs. Deductive
• Qualitative vs. Quantitative
• Types of validity
• Types of reliability
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• Theories & Concepts
• Types of research studies
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• MLA style overview
• MLA examples
• MLA citation & referencing
• MLA structure & sections
• Plagiarism overview
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• Hypothesis testing assumptions
• Types of ANOVAs
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• Statistical data
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How To Cite A Song In MLA – Format & Examples

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Whenever you try to explore ways of how to cite a song in MLA , depending on the medium you listened to, there are many ways and solid approaches. In an MLA song citation you generally must include the artist (or group) as the composer, the song title, the site’s name, and the URL where the song can be located. There are various types of citing a song in MLA. This article provides a thorough guide for how to cite a song in MLA.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 MLA Song Citation – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: MLA song citation
• 3 How to cite a song in MLA – Physical formats
• 4 How to cite a song in MLA – Quoting lyrics
• 5 How to Cite a Song in MLA – Optional Information

MLA Song Citation – In a Nutshell

• Depending on the medium you listened to, there are many ways to cite music in MLA.
• Physical song formats are cited according to specific guidelines in MLA.
• This article delves into quoting lyrics in MLA
• There is optional information that can be included when citing a song in MLA

Definition: MLA song citation

Just as you might examine a poem for a literary paper or quote a painting for an art history paper, you might find yourself using a song as a source if you’re taking music theory classes, and eventually find out how to cite a song in MLA. For all MLA citations, the “medium” of publication must be mentioned . Although there are numerous additional options, print and the web are the two most popular. For placement, see the full list of MLA song citation examples.

Sheeran, Ed. “Don’t.” X, deluxe ed., Asylum Records, 2014, track 4. Spotify , play.spotify.com/track/34gCuhDGsG4bRPIf9bb02f?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open.

How to cite a song in MLA – Physical formats

MLA song citation includes information about the album (or single, EP, etc.) the song is on, such as the title, distributor, year, and, optionally, the format (such as “CD”), when citing a song you downloaded in a tangible format (such as a CD or vinyl). Songs that you downloaded and listened to using a media player are also compatible with this format (e.g., iTunes).

Format of how to cite a song in MLA:

How to cite a song in MLA – Quoting lyrics

Using song lyrics that are structured like poetry: Four or more lines quoted at once should be formatted as a block quote . Separate lines with a slash.

Quoting lyrics in the text:

In the chorus, Bush sings, “if I only could / I’d make a deal with God / And I’d get him to swap our places” (0:51–59).

How to cite a song in MLA while quoting lyrics from a transcript:

If you’re quoting these lyrics from a transcript that was provided with the music (for example, in the YouTube description or the CD’s companion booklet), you should note this at the conclusion of the Works Cited item.

Quoting lyrics from a transcript:

Bush, Kate. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).” Hounds of Love. EMI, 1985. Transcript of lyrics.

How to Cite a Song in MLA – Optional Information

The MLA citation format is flexible; certain information in a song citation is not required but may be provided if it is pertinent. Suppose your conversation, for instance, concentrates on the work of a particular musician. In that case, you can list that person as the author instead of the main artist and include a brief description of their contribution. Still, the contributor slot should include the name of the lead artist.

Whenever you try to learn how to cite a song in MLA, it may be essential to cite the composer rather than the performer in the author’s position, particularly with classical music. After the title, you can list the specific performer(s) and/or conductor. If the specific performance is unimportant, you can completely ignore this detail.

Whom do I cite as the author of a song in MLA Style?

The primary artist or group that released the music is typically cited as the author of a song in MLA format.

Do I need to give details about the album in an MLA song citation?

List the website as a container and include a URL if you listened to the song on a streaming service. The album information in this situation is optional; you may include it if it is pertinent to your topic or if it will make it easier for the reader to find the song.

How to cite a song in MLA with no author or page numbers in MLA?

If a source doesn’t have an author, begin the MLA Works Cited item with the source title. You can use an alternate locator (such as a chapter number or timestamp for a video or audio source) to locate the pertinent portion in your in-text reference if a source doesn’t include page numbers. Cite the author’s name if there are no numbered divisions in the source (or the title).

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How To Write A Song Title In An Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide

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When you're tackling the challenge of writing an academic essay, knowing how to correctly format song titles can make your paper stand out. It's not just about following guidelines; it's about respecting the artistry behind the music while enhancing the credibility of your work. Whether you’re analyzing a classic hit or citing a modern track, getting the details right matters.

Imagine you’re weaving lyrics into your argument or discussing the impact of a particular tune. Properly formatted song titles ensure that readers recognize references and appreciate their significance within your analysis. Let’s dive into how you can master this subtle but essential aspect of academic writing, setting up your essay for success with precision and style.

Understanding the Basics of Song Titles in Essays

When writing academic essays, recognizing how to format song titles correctly is crucial. This knowledge ensures that your document adheres to standard academic protocols and enhances readability.

Why Proper Formatting Matters

Proper formatting of song titles in essays demonstrates attention to detail and respect for copyright laws. In academia, precision in citing sources reflects on your credibility as a writer and the integrity of your work. Correctly formatted references help prevent plagiarism by clearly distinguishing between original thoughts and borrowed creativity. This practice not only upholds legal standards but also maintains the aesthetic appeal of your essay, ensuring a professional presentation that engages readers effectively.

Song Titles vs Other Titles

Song titles are treated differently from other types of titles like books or articles primarily due to their short-form nature and distinct composition rules. While book titles are italicized, song titles require quotation marks around them. This distinction helps clarify what type of media is being discussed — for instance, an album (italicized) versus a track from it (quoted). Additionally, understanding this difference aids in preventing confusion when both types of works appear in a single essay, thereby facilitating clearer communication about various artistic pieces within your analysis.

Preparing to Write Your Essay

Before you begin writing your essay, it's essential to ensure that all preparations are in place to incorporate song titles effectively.

Research and Select Songs

Start by identifying the songs that most closely align with your essay topic. Consider factors like genre, artist relevance, lyrical content, and how well the song supports or enhances the points you wish to make. Utilize respected music databases such as AllMusic or Discogs for accurate information about the songs. Make notes on why each selected song is pertinent to your essay’s argument or theme.

Gather Necessary Materials and Sources

Compile a list of all materials you will need for referencing the song titles correctly in your essay. This includes access to official lyrics, copyright details from sites like ASCAP or BMI, and academic papers or music journals if applicable for scholarly insight. Ensure you have reliable internet access or library resources to verify these details accurately before including them in your essay. Keep track of all source URLs or physical document locations for easy citation later.

How to Format a Song Title in an Essay

Proper formatting of song titles in essays underscores your attention to detail and adherence to academic standards. The following guidelines will help ensure that your essay meets the required formatting norms.

Using Quotation Marks

Place song titles within quotation marks when referencing them in your essay. This format distinguishes song titles from other types of works like albums or books, which typically use italics or underlining. For example, if referring to the song "Imagine" by John Lennon, you write: In his song "Imagine," John Lennon proposes an idealistic world.

Capitalization Rules

Capitalize the first letter of each major word in a song title , excluding short prepositions, articles, and conjunctions unless they start the title. For instance, Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" should be formatted with both 'Blank' and 'Space' capitalized because they are major words that contribute significantly to understanding the title’s meaning.

Italics and Their Appropriate Uses

In her album

By adhering to these rules, you maintain clarity and professional presentation in your academic writing concerning music references.

Common Style Guidelines

To ensure your essay meets academic standards, adhere to established style guidelines when citing song titles. These styles vary slightly, so choose the one most appropriate for your course or field of study.

In APA format, enclose song titles in double quotation marks . Do not italicize or underline them. Capitalize the first word of the title and any significant words thereafter (excluding articles, prepositions, and conjunctions unless they start the title). For example:

• "Shake It Off"
• "Born to Run"

Include specific details such as the performer's name followed by a period, and then list the year of release in parentheses before closing with a period. If you reference a particular performance or version, specify this information immediately following the title.

MLA format also requires double quotation marks around song titles . Follow similar capitalization rules as APA style: capitalize the first letter of each major word in the title while leaving lower case for minor words unless they are at the beginning or end of the title.

For instance:

• "Hotel California"
• "Stairway to Heaven"

The songwriter's name comes first in an MLA citation. Place a comma after this followed by "Song Title," another comma after that before ending with more detailed publication information.

Chicago Style

Chicago Manual of Style suggests using italics only for larger works like albums or movies; thus place song titles within double quotation marks. Capitalization rules mirror those used in both APA and MLA formats where major words are capitalized.

Examples include:

• "All Along The Watchtower"
• "Comfortably Numb"

Start with either the singer’s name or composer if different from other contributors listed afterward separated by commas in a footnote or bibliography entry. Cite specific page numbers if applicable to direct readers accurately within larger sources.

By mastering these formatting nuances across different citation styles, you enhance both clarity and credibility in your writing about music topics.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When writing song titles in essays, you might encounter certain formatting challenges. This section helps you address common issues effectively.

Incorrect Formatting of Song Titles

Encountering incorrect formatting of song titles can detract from the professionalism of your academic essay. Ensure that song titles are always enclosed in quotation marks and not italicized—this is a standard rule across APA, MLA, and Chicago styles unless specified otherwise by your guideline. For example, correctly formatted: "Yesterday" by The Beatles; incorrectly formatted: Yesterday by The Beatles.

If you mistakenly use italics or improper capitalization (such as capitalizing all letters), review style-specific guidelines:

• APA and MLA : Only major words in the title should be capitalized.
• Chicago : Capitalization involves first and last words being capitalized along with all major words in between.

Revising your document to correct these errors enhances readability and maintains the required academic standards.

Citing Live Performances vs Recorded Tracks

Differentiating between live performances and recorded tracks in citations is crucial for accuracy in your essays. Cite live performances by including the date and location of the performance along with the artist's name. For recorded tracks, focus on providing detailed information about the album release or recording details if available.

• Live Performance: "Bohemian Rhapsody" performed by Queen at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, London, July 13, 1985.
• Recorded Track: "Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen, A Night at the Opera , 1975.

By specifying these details clearly, readers can understand precisely which rendition or version of the song you are referencing.

Tips for Writing an Effective Essay

In crafting an effective essay, emphasizing precision in formatting and smooth integration of song titles is paramount. Focus on maintaining consistency and fluously incorporating these elements to enhance readability and scholarly respect.

Maintaining Consistency

Maintain a consistent style throughout your essay to ensure clarity and professionalism. If you choose a specific citation style like APA, MLA, or Chicago, apply it uniformly across all song titles and other citations:

• Use Uniform Formatting: Always format song titles the same way throughout your essay. For instance, if you start using double quotation marks for song titles in MLA format, continue this practice consistently.
• Follow Style Guide Rules: Refer back to the chosen style guide frequently during the writing process to check that your formatting aligns with its rules. This approach prevents inconsistencies which could detract from your credibility as a writer.
• Regularly Check for Updates: Citation styles can update their guidelines; regularly check for any changes during the writing process that might affect how you cite songs or other materials.

Incorporating Song Titles Smoothly into Text

To integrate song titles effectively within your essay's text:

• Contextual Placement: Introduce song titles naturally within the context of your argument or narrative flow. Avoid abrupt insertions that may disrupt reader engagement.
• Proper Punctuation Usage: Adhere strictly to punctuation norms associated with the citation style you are using. For example, ensure proper use of quotation marks around song titles in MLA format.
• Highlight Relevance: Make clear why a particular song title is relevant in your discussion. Connect it directly to your analysis or point being discussed; this clarifies its inclusion and strengthens your argument.

By applying these tips meticulously, you elevate not only the technical accuracy but also the persuasive power of your academic essays.

Writing Song Titles in Essays with ChatGPT

Help me format song titles in my academic essay according to [specify style guide, e.g., APA, MLA, or Chicago]. I need to know how to correctly place quotation marks, capitalize the titles, and differentiate between live performances and recorded tracks. Provide examples based on the following songs: [list specific songs]. Additionally, guide me on how to smoothly integrate these song titles into my text.

Using this prompt, ChatGPT will provide clear guidelines and examples tailored to your specific style guide, ensuring that your essay maintains precision and professionalism in citing song titles.

Mastering the art of formatting song titles in your essays not only enhances readability but also ensures that you respect intellectual property rights. By adhering to style-specific guidelines whether it's APA MLA or Chicago you safeguard the credibility of your academic work. Remember always to use quotation marks for song titles capitalize correctly and differentiate between live performances and recorded tracks. With these skills firmly in place you'll find that integrating song titles into your essays becomes a seamless task bolstered by clarity and precision. Keep refining these practices as they are fundamental elements that contribute significantly to the strength and integrity of your scholarly writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should song titles be formatted in academic essays.

Song titles should be placed in quotation marks with the first letter of each major word capitalized. This applies to most formatting styles including APA, MLA, and Chicago.

What is the difference between formatting song titles and other types of titles?

Unlike book or album titles which are usually italicized, song titles require quotation marks. This distinction helps clarify that a smaller component of a larger work is being referenced.

Are there specific style guidelines for different formatting styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago?

Yes, each style has its own set of rules:

• APA : Enclose song titles in quotation marks.
• MLA : Use quotation marks; capitalize each significant word.
• Chicago : Song titles should be in quotation marks with all principal words capitalized.

How do you handle citing live performances versus recorded tracks?

For live performances, specify the venue and date before the song title. For recorded tracks, include standard details such as artist name and album title followed by the track number if applicable.

What common issues arise when formatting song titles?

Common issues include using incorrect punctuation like italics instead of quotation mark,s or improper capitalization of minor words within the title. Consistent adherence to chosen style guidelines can prevent these errors.

Why is it important to correctly format song titles in academic essays?

Correctly formatting song titles enhances credibility and shows respect for copyright materials while ensuring clarity and precision in scholarly writing.

Can incorrect formatting affect the credibility of an academic essay?

Yes, improper formatting can distract readers and lead to questions about accuracy and attention to detail, potentially undermining the writer's arguments and overall credibility.

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Implementing Differentiated Instruction: Everything You Need to Know

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Music enthusiasts are often confused about how to format song titles properly in written documents such as essays, research papers, and articles. While some people might think that formatting song titles is not essential, it is a crucial element in writing that can change the meaning or context of a song. The following guidelines will help you correctly format song titles in written documents.

1. Capitalization:

The first letter of every word in a song title should be capitalized, except for articles, conjunctions, and prepositions that are shorter than four letters.

Example: “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses.

2. Italicize:

Song titles should be italicized when they appear in a written document, such as when they appear in a sentence or a paragraph. The only exception to this rule is when the document is handwritten.

Example: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen is one of the most popular rock songs of all time.

3. Quotation Marks:

When a song title is part of a larger work, such as an album, an opera, or musical theater, use quotation marks to distinguish the song title from the rest of the work. Example: “Don’t Stop Believin'” is a song from the album, “Escape” by Journey.

4. Punctuation:

When referencing a song title, place a comma before and after the title.

Example: The song, “Time After Time,” was a hit for Cyndi Lauper.

5. Acronyms:

If the title of the song consists of an acronym, all letters must be capitalized, and the acronym should also be placed in quotation marks.

Example: “YMCA” by the Village People.

In conclusion, proper formatting of song titles in written documents is crucial in expressing the correct information to the reader. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in misinterpretation of song titles and changing the context of the song. By following these simple guidelines, music lovers, students, and authors can confidently format song titles in written documents.

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How to Cite Songs in MLA Style: A Complete Citation Guide

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Are you writing an essay and want to cite a song but are unsure how to do it properly? This article will show you how to cite a song in MLA style so that your article will have an appropriate format. Whether you wish to list some track, mention its composer or performer, or if you are quoting lyrics in your essay, we want you to know the correct way to do it. This article will demonstrate how to do it with helpful examples.  Dealing with lengthy research? Don’t have time for in-depth topic exploration? Delegate all the job to top-rated experts! Buy research paper online at StudyCrumb and leave all worries behind.

MLA Song Citation

There are times when you wish to use MLA citation for a song in your essay or article. You want to do this because quoting some melody or lyrics adds quality to what you are writing abou. Still,  it is important to cite people's work properly to avoid unwanted plagiarism. Remember to check plagiarism upon paper completion for outstanding results. The way you use MLA citation for some track will vary based on how you accessed the song. The basic MLA song citation format for a source retrieved from a streaming service is:

• performer's last name, performer's first name
• title of song (using quotation marks)
• website or database name( in italics)

When listing its URL, omit http:// and https:// information. If your source has a brand name with an article, you should also skip it. For example, you will go for "Rolling Stones" not "The Rolling Stones." So here is a general structure for your better understanding of how it looks:

Here’s how the above example would be cited:

However, there may be some additional information that you should include, e.g., an album. Let's learn how to format such citation below. You even can cite TED talks in your work. Just follow how to cite a TED talk MLA  guide. You will find it and many other useful blogs in our database.

How to Cite a Song From an Album in MLA

Are you citing something from an album in MLA style ? In this case, you would use some basic format above without its URL information. This will work when you are referring to some particular piece from a vinyl album.  When citing an MLA song from an album you should include some general information  such as: artist’s name, song title (using quotation marks), album title (in italics), record label, publication year. If some information about an album is unavailable, such as the record label or album name, it is acceptable not to list it. Here is a general format that applies if you want to cite a song from an album in MLA.

This is how it would be cited.

MLA in-Text Citation of a Song

When integrating in text citation mla song in your article, you would list the last name of the performer in parenthesis. If necessary, provide timestamps for lyrics you are quoting with its performer's name. In a general format It will look like this.

Here is how the above example would be cited:

Proper MLA Citation for a Song on a CD

How to cite a song from a CD in MLA style? When referencing some track from a CD, you should use a similar format as you would for any reference from an online source. Include such information as author's last name, first name, song title (using quotation marks), album name (in italics), distributor, publication year, and CD. Check a general format of citing songs of physical format here.

Here is also an example of how it will look like.

In-Text Citation for a Song From a CD in MLA

Are you citing some song in-text? When referencing some melody or lyrics from any CD, you would use the same format as you would from a vinyl album, only in the works cited section, use letters “CD” in the reference. MLA in-text citation for song should include the last name of a performer in parenthesis. Also, add timestamps of where these quoted lyrics appear. In the Works Cited section, integrate such information: performer last name, first name. Then, mention track name (using quotation marks), CD album title (in italics), publisher, publication year, CD. Check a general format of citing songs from a CD in MLA for in-text citation.

Check out our example of in-text citation:

How to Cite Song Lyrics MLA

There may be occasions when you want to know how to cite song lyrics in MLA in your article. When citing lyrics, you would put quotation marks on each side of the quoted lyrics. If necessary, use timestamps (see above) to indicate where these lyrics are within the track. It is also important to use a poetic format if you are quoting more than a few words or one line. When quoting multiple lines, use a forward slash to indicate breaks in those lyrics. Here is how it looks:

Here is an example of the above formula of how to cite song lyrics in MLA.

But do not use this guide for an interview citation. It is another source and should be cited another way. Find and read a special blog about  MLA in text citation interview .

Core Elements for MLA Song Citation

As we can see, all references in MLA style we have mentioned above contain their core elements that should be included in almost every citation. Here are essential pieces of information that are likely to be incorporated into your quotation:

• Artist or band name
• Title of a song
• Title of an album
• Album’s version
• Track number
• Publication details (name of the publisher of record label, year this record was released)
• Website or database where you got this record
• Format (e.g., CD, MP3 , vinyl.)

Final Thoughts on Citing a Song in MLA

We have looked at MLA style on how to cite a song. Referencing some track is similar to the citation format of citing an article in a periodical. Remember to include the general information such as: performer's last name, first name, a period, title in quotations, an album title italicized, publisher, and year. If you are quoting from an online source, include URL at the end of the reference. If you are quoting from any CD, put the letters “CD” at the end. If you are quoting lyrics from any record, CD, or online source, use a timestamp. When quoting lyrics, put quotation marks. Also, use the poetic style for multiple line lyric quotations.

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How to Cite a Song in MLA Style: FAQ

1. are song titles italicized in mla.

No. When MLA citing a song, titles are listed with quotation marks. Songs that you reference need to be accompanied by the source where they can be found. It is an album title that is listed in italics.

2. How to cite a song in MLA with a different writer and performer?

If you cite a song in MLA, the performer is listed as an author in most cases. If you are referencing songs from some streaming service, the performer or group is listed as an author as if you are citing some written source.

3. How do you in-text cite an audio clip in MLA?

When you cite an audio clip in MLA within your text, the performer's last name and timestamp are placed within your text in parenthesis. At the end of your article, proper MLA citation should be made of the song's origin.

4. How do you reference a concert in MLA?

When citing a live concert using MLA style, you would list the name of the performer, name of the concert (or concert tour), full date of this concert, concert venue, and city and state (and perhaps country) where this concert was performed.

Emma Flores knows all about formatting standards. She shares with StudyCrumb readers tips on creating academic papers that will meet high-quality standards.

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Do You Use Quotation Marks or Italics for Song and Album Titles?

by Liz Bureman | 40 comments

Are you making any playlists for the new year? I love music, and when I write about a song or album, I know when to use quotation marks and when to use italics. Do you? Are song titles italicized? Let's discuss. 

I love music. I've been teaching myself to play guitar, and I can stumble my way through four or five songs without wanting to poke holes in my eardrums, but my main appreciation for music is when other people play it. I'm an avid Spotify user, and I take a lot of pride in my ability to make kickass playlists. One of my girlfriends has even given me the green light to create her hypothetical wedding reception playlist.

Not everyone writes out the titles of their favorite songs or music albums regularly, so it's no surprise I sometimes hear people ask, “Are song titles italicized?”

The answer is no.

Here's how it works:

Song Titles in Quotation Marks

Song titles are always surrounded by quotation marks, like *NSYNC's “Bye Bye Bye,” or “A Whole New World” from Disney's Aladdin .

Anytime you write out the title of a song, you'll put that song title in quotation marks according to standard grammar rules. Think of a song as a shorter work like a short story. Short story titles are always in quotation marks. 

Album Titles in Italics

Musical album titles, on the other hand, are always italicized. For example, while I will openly admit to loving Journey's power ballad song “Faithfully,” I think pretty much every song on their Greatest Hits album should be sung at karaoke nights across the country.

When you write out an album title, you'll put it in italics.

It may help to remember that the music album is a longer work, like a novel. Titles of books are also written in italics in most major style guides. 

Are Song Titles Italicized in Classical Music?

Classical music isn't typically arranged into an album, per se, but the general rule still applies. The shorter songs and movements would be in quotation marks. If it is a full length longer composition, like a full sonata, concerto, or opera then use italics for titles indicating the full work.

For example: The aria “Der Hölle Rache” is probably the most famous piece in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute . 

Other Italics Questions

Of course, lots more media have titles than just songs and albums. There are books , short stories, podcasts, TV shows, episodes . . . the list goes on and on. Want more italics advice? Check out our ultimate title-writing guide for answers to all your italics conundrums.

Do you have any tricks for remembering when to use quotes and when to use italics? Tell us in the comments .

Imagine your favorite musical artist or group is discussing the set list for an upcoming show that has the potential to go viral. What will they play to appeal to fans, old and new?

Take fifteen minutes and write about the hypothetical conversation the ladies of the group had in determining the songs they would play for the show. Post your conversation in the Pro Practice Workshop , and leave notes for other writers brave enough to publish as well. Not a part of a writing community yet? Join us !

Liz Bureman

Liz Bureman has a more-than-healthy interest in proper grammatical structure, accurate spelling, and the underappreciated semicolon. When she's not diagramming sentences and reading blogs about how terribly written the Twilight series is, she edits for the Write Practice, causes trouble in Denver, and plays guitar very slowly and poorly. You can follow her on Twitter (@epbure), where she tweets more about music of the mid-90s than writing.

40 Comments

It was blowing up a storm when we started to practice, but that don’t stop Effie.  He thinks you gotta play no matter what.  If the tornado sirens go off down in town and one of our old ladies calls to tell us so, he’ll say, “Ya’ll can go get in your fraidey holes if you want to.  Me, I’m playing my fiddle.”

Well, you can’t go to the storm cellar with your tail between your legs, so we stay, me and Vander and Larry, even though Larry, who plays the washtub, lost his house in the tornado of ’96 and he shakes when the sky rumbles.  And then Effie’ll start in on some song like “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder,” just to put his spin on how things might turn out if a twister does find us.

So we’re playing, me on the bass, and we’re looking out the window, where you can see the sky turning the color of a two-day bruise, and Larry’s sweating and Vander’s got his eyes shut like he does when he plays mandolin, and Effie, truth be told, is a flat-out bully.  So he’s getting the show list together and acting like everything’s business as usual.

“I think we should start with “Sitting On The Front Porch,” he says.  Crowd pleaser, every time.  And then, “Baby’s Little Shoes.” And then “Walking With Clementine” for the old folks.  We’ll finish with “God Bless the U.S.A,” since the veteran’s home is bringing a bus.

Lightning is hitting closer, the sky like the Fourth of July.  Larry’s done sat down, turned all pale as fresh milk.  Larry’s a big man.  He can’t button his overalls up all the way on the side, so when he doubles over and then falls out of the fold-up chair, none of us knows what to do.

“I ain’t doing mouth-to-mouth,” Effie says, while the rest of us are trying to right him. 

Larry comes to soon enough, just as the hail starts.

“My new truck,” he says, and shakes his head. You know when people say you’re green at the gills? Well, Larry is.

All our trucks are parked outside, and all of ‘em are getting blasted.  I see my old Dodge, the one I’ve had since May left me, the hail, big as cotton bols hitting it, and it makes me sick.

And then I remember Effie’s truck.  His is in the carport.  Well, sure it is, I think.

Vander, who preaches every other Sunday over in the Cavanaugh bottoms, says, “Shit fire,” and hits the wall.  We are in the town hall of Rudy, a little Craftsman house donated by Mayor Giles Walker’s family when he passed, and the photos of the veterans shake when he does it.

The rain flashes down.  Pounding everything, soaking through my back windshield that was shattered by the hail.

“Mercy sakes,” is all I can say.

Larry stands up, grabbing my arm to do it.  He’s about as wide as he is tall, and he’s near about pulls me down.

“I’m off like a prom dress,” he says, “so don’t try to stop me.”  And then he turns to Effie.

“You’re about as helpful as a boar with teats,” he says, you know that? You act like you’re the bread and butter of The Frog Bayou Boys.”  He points to me.  “But Columbus here, he might not play as good as you like, but he’s the one got the news folks out here to do that story calling us the best band in the River Valley.  And he books every show, and when you get drunk, let’s just be honest here, when you get drunk, you can’t play worth shit.”

Effie came after Larry.  Effie’s a little action figure of a man, but he fights mean, and it took Vander and me to stop him.

We were holding Effie by his scrawny arms, and he was kicking, his cowboy boots flying off the wood floor, so that we were mostly holding him up.

“You are a liar and a snake,” Larry Brammel.  “A liar and a snake.  You’re going to go straight to hell with gasoline drawers on, and when you do, I’ll play my fiddle on your grave.”

Vander stepped in.  “Ya’ll cut it out.  Nobody’s dying,” he said.  “Effie,” he said, and pointed, “you and Larry need to quit showing your butts. That show on Saturday pays $100, plus they feed us.  We ain’t had a show like that since we played that Red, White and Bluegrass gig for the rich ladies who wanted to dress up in thousand dollar boots and wear tight jeans and drink beer in front of their husbands.”

And then Vander bowed up, like I never seen him do before.  “And Effie, we ain’t playing “Walking With Clementine.” The old folks can do without it for one dang night.  I wrote my own song and I want to sing it.  It’s called “She Broke My Heart And Stole My Wallet.” That’ll get ‘em going,” Vander said. 

I’d known Vander thirty-two years, and that was the first I’d heard of his songwriting.  His new girlfriend, the one who brought over the Mexican casserole when Vander’s wife died, was likely the inspiration for this new tune.

Word was, she was over in Branson now, hooked up with a cowboy singer who wore a Bolo tie and colored his hair.

Effie face was red.  He looked hotter than blue blazes, like he might catch fire at any minute.  And then he backed down, his shoulders falling.  He looked at all of us, me and Larry and Vander, and then he said, “Fine, that’s fine with me.  I been carrying you ya-hoos for way too long.”

Larry cuffed him on the arm, and then they shook hands, and the rain fell, and the thunder roared, but nobody moved for a minute. 

Effie had a bottle in his fiddle case, and he went to get it.  “Ain’t nobody driving till the rain stops,” he said.  “And that includes you, Larry.”

And then we sat down, and passed the bottle until Vander started singing.  “I loved a girl from Minnesota.  Loved her with a passion true.  And then stole my dad burn wallet, took it out and followed you.  You must be a handsome cowboy.  You must look like Johnny Cash.  But when I find my little Cindy, I will tell her that she’s trash.”

We were laughing then.  And Effie brought out his fiddle, and I picked up my bass, and Vander his mandolin.  Larry drug out the washtub, and we got back at it, the Frog Bayou Boys, just as good as new.

Wow, Marla, if you’re not from those parts then you’ve got one wild imagination, girl! Well done, and then some. The phrasing, the way you used the anarchic terminology, and even the names were spot on, perfect. Beautiful!

 Thank you, Yvette.  I can’t take credit.  I live with these people and these voices.  It’s like music to me.  We get teased A LOT but I wouldn’t trade the dialect or the cadence for anything. 

I love this!!!  The gig, the music, the attitudes.  And the dialogue is genuine county-folk!  Good work, Marla!

You’re so nice.  I love the music we have in the South, the twangy, ball-your-eyes-out stuff that connects us all and makes us feel less alone.  And I know men like these, I’ve heard them play, so writing this was easy.

Great writing Marla. I agree with the others you really have that dialect (which I’m also familiar with) down pat.  

Thank you, Mariaanne. Where are you from?

I live in Lynchburg Va now but was originally from Norfolk.  The accent you are writing sounds like an Appalachian accent to me. Where are you from?

Mariaanne, I live in Lynchburg, too! We have two crit groups here and would love for you to join us. Email me at charmainetdavis at yahoo dot com.

Charmaine – I can’t believe it.  Will you please email me?  [email protected].  I’d love to join you.  When and where do you meet?  

I had a playlist for my wedding that included  “One Day My Prince Will Come” and “If You Wish Upon a Star.”  Since I’m still single, it’s “The Impossible Dream.”

It depends if you’re writing for American or British publications. In the US, song titles are always “Jumping Jack Flash” but in the UK they’re often ‘Midnight Rambler’. It’s caused me no end of headaches writing for both.

They punctuate dialogue differently in the UK too don’t they?  I think the way they do it makes more sense actually but I don’t like to think about it too much or I get confused. I imagine it’s hard to write both ways.  

Agreed. The UK punctuates more logically. I had points knocked off of college papers for employing that punctuation, & tried to defend it with no success. Ha! Punctuation Wars – my kind of rebellion!

I’m in the US. In high school, I got marked off for spelling aluminum as “aluminium.” The teacher actually asked if I was British.

Ten years later, I’d still argue I was technically correct.

sorry so long to reply. Yet, after recent happenings, I can only hope that we can just get back to debating language. God Bless us All. Thanks for replying Eric Foster!!

Does also apply to other works that have a part/whole relationship? I’m thinking specifically of “short stories” and The Collection They Come in or “poems” and Chap Books.

I can’t make any italics work in this application, so I’ll indicate italics with [i] at the beginning and at the end of each title I intend to be italicized.

My practice:

The state-of-the-art bus pitched only slightly with the dips and rolls of Interstate 35 — not like those death-traps they used to ride in the ’40s and ’50s — on the way up to Fort Worth and Billy Bob’s.  He walked down the aisle toward his stateroom with the practiced sea-legs of an old salt, noticing that his harp-player, Mickey, had gone to sleep and was droolin’ in his lap. 

“HEY MICK YOUR FLY’S OPEN!”  he barked in that sargeant’s voice he could assume on a moment’s notice.  Mickey jumped awake and then amiably shot him the bird.  He laughed in his baritone voice and walked on into his quarters. 

Billy Bob’s.  Let’s see — that crowd likes the ’70s stuff off the concept albums, sprinkled ’round the edges with the early Nashville songs.  Let’s do, let’s do — he got his legal pad and licked the point of his stubby pencil — Let’s do “Bloody Mary Mornin'” and “Walkin'” from [i]Phases and Stages[i].  Follow that with “Hello Walls” from [i]And then I Wrote[i].  He sat before the big window and watched the country roll by, remembering.  Remembering. 

The world was a different place when I got started.  I’m an extrememly lucky man, he thought.  All the close shaves — I could easily have gone the way of Hank.  All  the little one-horse planes I’ve flown in, I also could have had the same end as Jim Reeves, or Patsy, God love ‘er. 

Gotta do “Crazy” tonight in honor of Patsy.  That’s another’un offa [i]And Then I Wrote[i].  Sold that’un for fifty dollars when my kids needed shoes, and I’d do it again too. 

He picked up the old spanish guitar with the hole in it where his right hand had worn through the wood over the decades, and began to strum it.  Key of E.  Began to sing just a little bit, soft and low:  “In___ the twighlight glow I see__ her . . .”  And then stopped.  All those years.  All those songs.  All those changes.  Phases and stages.

Yes, I’m lucky, it’s still hard to believe just how lucky.

Gotta find a spot for “Blue Eyes” tonight too.  [i]Red-Headed Stranger[i].  

Sometimes, he realized, I look in the mirror and that’s who I see.

Wow!  I love this.  The part about the hole in the guitar is gold.  And I love your main character.  I’d go hear him, in a heartbeat. 

Thank you all for your kind comments.   The piece is about Willie Nelson, I just didn’t name him.  All of the album and song titles are real, as is the hole in his guitar;  just look closely the next time you see him playing on tv and you’ll see it.  I had a lot of fun writing this!

I’ve always been amused by Willie’s “holy” guitar. He’s such a kook.

I forgot DISQUS doesn’t allow italics. Sorry about that John. Way to make it work 🙂

That was really well done John.  It’s kind of sad to hear him thinking about old times but he seems to be a pretty happy guy overall.  I like the hole in the guitar too as well as the guy drooling in his sleep.  Gross but probably about right.  

Good article. Quick and to the point. Thanks!

Not kickass playlists if they have Journey in them lol…

It will really depend on how are you going to use those kind of quotations in your writing but I what I have observed, this kind of thing was being used by most writing especially if when they emphasized a title on their writing.

I was going to ask about the title of a composition and the movements but after reading the program magazine I realized that italics are used for both.

I think I have been doing that correctly. I was worried.

Her hand twisted the edge of her shirt as the smell of sawdust filled the air. The crowd’s noises dimmed, her heart beat louder in her ears and her palms dampened as she climbed the stage stairs. Though she had practiced long hours she was nervous anticipating singing “China Girl” from John Cougar Mellancamp’s, (italics American Fool italics), album.

You should try djing. It’s easy if you can already make a good playlist. If you’re already a good selector, all you have to do is pre-cue the next song in your headphones then drop it on the 1. Really easy stuff. You can buy the app, djay, for ios devices and log in with your spotify account for access to your playlists and stuff. We need more female djs.

My first concert experience was of one that I would not easily forget, it was Summer Jam hosted by Hot 97. The concert had a majority of middle class rappers playing their hot singles. I came there for a select few: 50 Cent, Fabolous and Young Thug. The other performing artists were mainly for the female demographic, like Fetty Wap and Ty Dolla $ign. What I really enjoyed about this concert is they did not only play songs from this current generation, they reached out to other generations as well. The biggest example of this is seeing 50 Cent preform. He played hits from his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ album all the way up to his recent The Kanan Mixtape. I was going ballistic when I heard him preform a new track “I’m the Man” and decided to take us back to 2003 with “In da Club” immediately after. The artists I came for did not disappoint.

And if you are writing dialogue, I do not recall seeing two double quotation marks at end of dialogue. Maybe I am wrong. For instance, “Baby, you know I love Ted’s “Stranglehold,”” he fired back. I have seen a single followed by a double quotation at end of dialogue after the comma or period. So maybe that’s why the King’s English prefers single over double?

This saved my essay. Thanks Liz!

Dear Liz, I was looking for some advice about quote/italics for song/movie/book titles and got totally side-tracked by your Journey reference. When I rule the world, I promise you will get your wish. Journey will be piped directly into people’s heads so they can all become happier and more well rounded. Tee Hee. Keep up the good work. 😉

The Excavators play Brady Wilkenson’s 8th Birthday Bash!

This past Saturday afternoon was Brady Wilkensen’s birthday party, and he could think of no better live entertainment than his father’s heavy metal band, The Excavators. When Brady suggested the idea, his dad felt honored, albeit unsure whether the mothers of his son’s 8-year-old classmates and friends would appreciate the lyrical content of his band’s hits, especially “Rotting Flesh” and “Glory Hole” off their latest album (i) In it for the Lingue Hall. (i)

Instead of becoming the third grade parents’ worst nightmare, Mr. Wilkensen figured he’d tone things down quite a bit to become more palatable to the kids and their discerning parents. He got the members of the Excavators together, sure, but instead of “Rock My Grave,” the afternoon’s selections included “Punk Rock Teacher” and “All My Friends Headbang” off their pseudo EP (i) Songs for the Peanut Gallery (i).

The party was to be held at Bringadown Hall, in a posh country club in the suburb where Brady and his family resided. Mr. Wilkenson figured that his band had better revamp their look for this gig as well. Instead of their usual studs and leather, the Excavators came to the party dressed in red t-shirts, jeans, and letter jackets that evoked high school in the ’70s.

The band decided to even craft some improv tunes on the subject of the party’s goings-on and present them to Brady and his guests at the end of the show. “Pizza on my Face, What a Disgrace!” did so well among Brady’s friends that the Excavators decided to include it on their upcoming album, (i) Smells like Burnt Crust (i).

Rather than the utter disgust that would have been sure to follow had the band performed its signature material, (i) Songs for the Peanut Gallery (i) was lauded by parents and children alike as a “too-cool-for-school crowd pleaser.”

Brady bragged from that day forward that he had the coolest dad in town, and his 8th birthday party became the epitome of birthday bash success in the eyes of the entirety of Willten Elementary School’s student body, whether they’d attended the party or heard about it from a friend-of-a-friend’s brother.

“Whew,” Mr. Wilkenson said to his wife when the party was over, “that was a good call!”

Thanks Liz, good info!

Here’s my sentence in question: “They just ran out the back door singing it to the tune of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’.” It is dialog, and according to what I’m reading, I should use double quotes around the song and at the end of the sentence. Correct?

thanks for the help!

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Quoting a song in an essay title

I want to use a song lyric as a portion of my title for an essay. Obviously, I have to cite that those words are not my own, but how would I go about doing that? Do I use parenthetical documentation in my title (I am using MLA format) or do I just make a mention of it somehow on my Works Cited page?

I would just put it in your works cited page. If the lyric is popular enough ("Hit me, baby, one more time", for example), your reader will probably know where the lyric is from without even having to read the back of your essay. Otherwise, a simple mention will cover you from any angry Oasis lawyers :)

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• August 13, 2024
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• How to Write Song Titles in Essays: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Quote a Song Title

Quoting a song title can be more tricky than it seems at first glance. Several nuances can confuse inexperienced students, and slight differences exist between leading academic formats. Writing song titles in essays aren’t complex math or advanced physics, so we will cover the subject entirely in our short guide. However, you risk making severe mistakes without a proper and complete understanding of the topic. 

The Golden Rule of Quoting Song Titles 

There is an ultimate golden rule for citing song titles. The story's moral is that quotations should always be around the title of a musical composition . This concludes our brief discussion on correctly referencing musical compositions in academic papers.  

Example: “Blank Space” is Taylor Swift’s song released in 2014. 

The example above demonstrates the properly formatted song title according to all popular academic formats. However, there is more! If you need to address an album, the common practice is to use italics. But what do you do if the song and album have identical names? Well, in that case, you should use italics when addressing the album and quotation marks when addressing the song. 

Example: “Blank Space” is Taylor Swift’s song released in her album 1984 . 

General Guidelines for Quoting Song Titles

Titles of songs should generally adhere to the following standards of format:

🗯️ The names of songs should be surrounded by quotation marks: Typographically, proper use of apostrophes (curly quotes) and quotation marks can elevate the appearance of your professionally typeset text.

🎵 Put every album and CD title in italics: It is common for most academic formats to use italics when addressing the album name. 

❗ Do not use underlining: For some reason, underlining some titles is a common mistake among college students, but no academic format recommends doing that. 

How do I title a song in an essay?

You should put the song title in quotation marks to cite it properly while writing your college paper. If you want to address the album's name, you should use italics. 

Are song titles italicized in MLA?

No, they are not. The common practice in MLA is to put song titles in quotation marks and italicize only names of albums. 

Is a song title in quotes?

Yes, it is recommended to put the song title in quotes by all popular academic formats. We suggest consulting with your advisor if you are unsure about your academic format. 

How to write song titles in APA?

Regarding grammar and style, songs' titles should be written in quotation marks in APA, whereas album titles should be italicized. This style requirement is shared by APA, MLA, and other popular academic formats. 

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MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind , Geffen, 1991.

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Broadcast TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files . Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

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At the Jerusalem synagogue where Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in life, grief and anger reign after his death

JERUSALEM — Three hundred and thirty-two days after Hersh Goldberg-Polin danced in the courtyard next to his Jerusalem synagogue on the holiday of Simchat Torah, more than a thousand people gathered there in grief and prayer to mourn his murder by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

During the Sunday night vigil, the courtyard railings were lined with oversized yellow ribbons to symbolize advocacy for the hostages, Hapoel Jerusalem soccer flags — the 23-year-old’s favorite team — and posters that read, “We love you, stay strong, survive,” a mantra coined by his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin.

Just hours earlier, one of the posters had been hanging over the balcony of the home of Shira Ben-Sasson, a leader of Hakhel, the Goldberg-Polins’ egalitarian congregation in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem.

“We were sure we would take it down when he came home,” Ben-Sasson said.

The community wanted to unite while respecting the Goldberg-Polins’ desire for privacy, she said, prompting them to organize the prayer gathering.

“But it’s like a Band-Aid or giving first aid, it’s what you do in an emergency. I don’t know how we go on after this,” she said.

A covered courtyard at the Hakhel congregation was filled with mourners the day after Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose family are prominent members, was found to have been killed in Gaza. Hundreds of other people crowded outside the gates, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

She added that the community, which has a large contingent of English-speaking immigrants, was not prepared for the High Holidays, which begin in about a month. She said, “Seeing his empty seat is hard.”

For Ben-Sasson, who wore a T-shirt bearing the Talmudic dictum “There is no greater mitzvah than the redeeming of captives,” the tragedy is especially painful because, she said, it could have been avoided with a ceasefire agreement that freed hostages.

“Hersh was alive 48 hours ago. We think a deal could have saved him. There is no military solution to this,” she said.

That feeling of bereavement, often mixed with betrayal, pervaded gatherings across Israel on Sunday, as the country struggled with the news that six hostages who may have been freed in an agreement were now dead as negotiations continue to stall. Speakers at protests in Tel Aviv blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself apologized for not getting the hostages out alive but blamed Hamas for obstructing a deal. The country’s labor union, the Histadrut, has called a national strike on Monday to demand a deal.

A rare early September rain lashed parts of Israel on Sunday, leading to a widespread interpretation: God, too, was weeping.

Some at the Jerusalem gathering, including the relative of another former hostage, said Netanyahu had chosen defeating Hamas over freeing the captives.

Josef Avi Yair Engel’s grandson Ofir was released from Hamas captivity in November. He paid tribute to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered in captivity, in Jerusalem, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Josef Avi Yair Engel, whose grandson Ofir, 18, was released from Hamas captivity in November during that month’s ceasefire deal, expressed shock over Hersh’s murder but said he was not surprised, given the wartime policies of Netanyahu’s government.

“We knew months ago this was going to happen. Bibi’s formula, to dismantle Hamas and return the hostages, wasn’t logical. It’s an either/or situation,” Engel said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “He’s tearing the country apart. I’m afraid that in the coming months there won’t be a state at all.”

Engel said he felt a close bond with Hersh’s father Jon Polin, not only because of their joint activism in the hostage families’ tent outside the Prime Minister’s Residence, but also because of their shared identity as Jerusalemites.

“There aren’t many of us in the hostage circle,” he said. “We’re like family.”

Sarah Mann, who did not know the family personally, said the weekend’s tragedy reminded her of Oct. 7.

“This day has sparks of the seventh, which created numbness and an inability to talk. Just complete shock,” she said.

Mourners left notes at a gathering at Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family synagogue in Jerusalem. Many of the messages used the Hebrew word for “sorry.” (Deborah Danan)

Part of the reason for that, Mann said, was Rachel, who she described as a “force of faith.” Goldberg-Polin’s mother emerged as the most prominent advocate for the hostages globally and became a symbol in her own right as she crisscrossed the world calling for her son’s freedom.

“Millions of people around the world held onto her. Once that was cut, people’s ability to hold onto faith was knocked out today. But even though this has shattered us, we need to keep holding onto God,” Mann said.

For Susi Döring Preston, the day called to mind was not Oct. 7 but Yom Kippur, and its communal solemnity.

She said she usually steers clear of similar war-related events because they are too overwhelming for her.

“Before I avoided stuff like this because I guess I still had hope. But now is the time to just give in to needing to be around people because you can’t hold your own self up any more,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “You need to feel the humanity and hang onto that.”

Like so many others, Döring Preston paid tribute to the Goldberg-Polins’ tireless activism. “They needed everyone else’s strength but we drew so much strength from them and their efforts, “she said. “You felt it could change the outcome. But war is more evil than good. I think that’s the crushing thing. You can do everything right, but the outcome is still devastating.”

Guy Gordon, with his daughter Maya, added a broken heart to the piece of tape he has worn daily to mark the number of days since the hostage crisis began, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Guy Gordon, a member of Hakhel who moved to Israel from Dublin, Ireland, in the mid-1990s, said the efforts towards ensuring Hersh’s safe return have been an anchor for the community during the war. The community knew him as the family described him in its announcement of his funeral on Tuesday, as “a child of light, love and peace” who enjoyed exploring the world and coming home to his family, including his parents and younger sisters, Leebie and Orly.

“It gave us something to hope for, and pray for and to demonstrate for,” he said. “We had no choice but to be unreasonably optimistic. Tragically it transpired that he survived until the very end.”

Gordon, like many others in the crowd, wore a piece of duct tape marked with the number of days since Oct. 7 — a gesture initiated by Goldberg-Polin’s mother. Unlike on previous days, though, his tape also featured a broken red heart beside the number.

Nadia Levene, a family friend, also reflected on the improbability of Hersh’s survival.

“He did exactly what his parents begged him to do. He was strong. He did survive. And look what happened,” Levene said.

She hailed Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s “unwavering strength and belief in God,” adding, “There were times I lost faith. I suppose I was angry with God. But she just kept inspiring us all to pray, pray, pray.”

Leah Silver of Jerusalem examined stickers showing Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s mantra for her son Hersh, who was murdered in captivity in Gaza, at a gathering after Hersh’s death, Sept. 1, 2024. (Deborah Danan)

Jerusalem resident Leah Silver rejected politicizing the hostages’ deaths.

“Everything turns political so quickly. I came here because I felt that before all the protests, we need to just mourn for a moment and to pray. And show respect for each other,” she said. “We’ve become confused about who the enemy is. It’s very sad.”

But not everyone at the gathering joined in to sing Israel’s national anthem at the closing of the prayer gathering.

“I’m sorry, I can’t sing ‘Hatikvah,'” Reza Green, a Baka resident who did not know the Goldberg-Polins personally, said. “I’m too angry. We shouldn’t be here.”

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Engagement rings can be traced back as far as Ancient Rome - but the modern diamond only came into fashion in the late 1930s. 

Now, almost a hundred years on, we are asking - are they still relevant, and how much would you spend on one?

Tell us your stories - do you even have one?

Fill out the comment box above, or you can also  send us a message on WhatsApp .

As Asda fights an equal pay claim from some staff (see 13.01 post), it has announced the launch of a new workplace savings account.

The benefit is exclusively for its 150,000 staff and the company has partnered with Wagestream to offer a 4.7% interest rate. 

Colleagues will be able to save in two ways - by either setting a fixed amount to be taken out of their regular pay packet and deposited straight into their savings account or by "rounding up", which will see their shift payments rounded to the nearest whole pound and the difference deposited into their accounts automatically.

There is a monthly limit of £1,000 and a total limit of £85,000.

What do the experts say?

We asked Savings Champion if the benefit was as good as it sounds, and co-founder Anna Bowes told us...

"On the face of it, this is a great initiative and the fact that the funds can be taken on payday will probably encourage more staff to take part. I always recommend that when savers open a regular savings account, they set up a direct debit to take the deposit on or just after payday, so that it makes it feel like an essential bill – but one that they will benefit from in the future."

She said the rate on offer (4.7%) is pretty decent, but those looking to save less than £1,000 may find better rates elsewhere.

"For example, the Principality Building Society is paying 8% AER on deposits of up to £200 a month, although this account has a term of six months only, so would require more intervention and admin, as you'd need to find a new home for the cash on maturity and start another savings account, which may put some people off!

"Anyone who already has or wants to open a current account with First Direct or the Co-op could earn 7% AER on maximum monthly deposits of £300 or £250 respectively. However, on a deposit of £300 a month, that is a difference of just £45.50 in gross annual interest – so not an enormous loss, especially if the Asda initiative actually encourages more people to save!"

Anna said Asda employees might wish to seek more details of how their money is protected before signing up. 

The Body Shop has been rescued from administration in a deal that could save more than a thousand jobs.

The beauty retailer has been acquired by a consortium led by the British cosmetics tycoon Mike Jatania.

It is currently understood there are no immediate plans to shut any of the 113 remaining UK stores.

In a statement, Aurea said the acquisition was its largest transaction to date and it would "steer the Body Shop's revival and reclaim its global leadership in the ethical beauty sector it pioneered".

The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Dame Anita Roddick. Trading out of a small shop in Brighton, it made its name selling cruelty-free fairtrade products.

But it fell into administration in early February after previous forecasts for how much funding it would need to keep going proved too low. In the weeks that followed, administrators said hundreds of jobs would be lost and dozens of shops closed.

Ministers are not looking to soften the blow for 10 million pensioners who will no longer receive winter fuel payments, the prime minister's spokesman has said.

Ahead of a vote on Tuesday on the controversial decision to  limit winter fuel payments  to those on pension credit, the government is remaining steadfast despite growing opposition from Labour MPs, unions and charities.

Up until now, all pensioners received the payment to help with higher energy bills over the winter.

Following a cabinet meeting on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman was asked if ministers discussed softening the impact for pensioners no longer eligible.

"Not at all," he said.

Read the full story from our politics team here ...

By Tomos Evans , Wales reporter

The average driver could save £50 per year on their car insurance premium if the 20mph speed limit were to be rolled out across the whole of the UK.

Insurance company esure says it would "proactively reduce policy prices" for its customers within three months of identifying a new 20mph zone.

Earlier this year, the company said it had seen a 20% reduction in car accident claims in Wales.

20mph became the default limit in Wales's built-up areas in September last year but was met with significant opposition.

A record-breaking petition on the Senedd's website calling for the policy to be scrapped was signed by more than 500,000 people.

The Welsh government has since updated its guidance for councils to exempt certain roads from the reduced speed limit, in an effort to get "the right speed on the right road".

In May, it was announced the speed limit on almost 4,000 of Glasgow's streets would be reduced to 20mph.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has said traffic speeds in England are "entirely up for local areas to decide".

Many parts of England have already changed the default speed limit on their roads.

Primark is losing more money to shoplifters than it spends on rates, its chief executive has said.

The company's billionaire boss, George Weston, said shoplifting had become "socially acceptable... with thieves facing no consequences".

Primark pays around £70m a year in business rates for its UK shops, but Mr Weston says the price of losses from theft now eclipses this.

Business rates are a tax on the occupation of a non-domestic property but have been criticised for allowing online retailers to have an advantage over their bricks-and-mortar counterparts.

He welcomed the home secretary's plans to scrap the £200 rule - which allows thieves to be charged with a summary-only offence if they steal goods worth less than £199.

A summary-only offence is less severe and is tried in a magistrates' court, with the court only able to impose a maximum jail term of up to six months (however, the offence is more likely to result in a community order, according to sentencing guidelines).

Primark has already reported that gloomy summer weather knocked sales by 3.1% - but it has also driven higher sales of autumn fashions, including the company's new collection with singer Rita Ora. 

It remains unclear what Labour's first budget next month will mean for pensions - with Chancellor Rachel Reeves refusing to rule out additional taxation.

The lack of detail has created speculation - and so experts at investment bank Saxo have provided us with quick answers to the top 10 most googled questions about pensions...

1. How will I find a lost pension?

If you're looking for a workplace pension, you can contact previous employers and get the information directly from them or many companies offer this service and track them down on your behalf. 

The government offers the Pension Tracing Service which, by using your employer's name or your information, can provide you with the details of their workplace pension provider. 

2. How much is the state pension?

The current full rate of the UK state pension is £221.20 per week, but this is dependent on how much National Insurance you've paid while working. 

To qualify, you'll need to have paid national insurance for 10 full years. 

If you're married and both of you have built up 35 qualifying years, this amount doubles to £442.40 a week, or £23,004 a year. 

3. When do pensions go up?

The state pension is increased on the first Monday on or after 6 April in line with whatever is highest out of inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%. In April 2024, the annual rise increased by more than 8.5%.

4. How much pension will I receive?

This depends on two main factors  - your NI contributions to make sure you receive the full state pension and whether you have a private pension (but there are more factors to consider as well). 

This private pension could be a Self-Invested Personal Pension that you've managed, or a workplace pension you and your employer have paid into while working. 

Other factors to consider are sector specific pension schemes (teachers' pension, NHS workers, military), how you draw down your pension and the tax implication, and your age. 

5.  Are pensions subject to inheritance tax?

Usually pensions are exempt from inheritance tax as most schemes are written as trusts, therefore they are valued separately from one's estate and not included in probate calculations - but there are exceptions: 

• Continuing guarantee payments may be subject to IHT;
• If a lump sum is paid from a value protected pension, the net of tax amount may be included in the estate; 
• If the pension owner died after reaching 75, income tax may be payable.

6. Are pensions tax-free?

It depends on the amount you are withdrawing from your pension, as income from pensions is taxed like any other kind of income. You have a personal allowance (£12,570 for the 2024-25 tax year) which is tax-free. 

You then pay 20% tax on income between £12,571 to £50,270 and 40% for any more.

7.  How much money can you have in the bank on pension credit?

There is no upper limit on how much money you can have in the bank to receive pension credit, but if you have more than £10,000 in savings and investments, the amount you receive may be reduced.

8. How do I consolidate a pension? 

Pension consolidation means combining all (or some) of your pensions into one pot. 

If you have several employers over time you are likely going to have workplace pensions in different places. There are advantages and disadvantages to both so it is best to seek advice before combining your pension.

9. How much pension pot do I need for £2,000 per month?

Using a pension calculator, the minimum amount required would be £272,000 for a £24,000 annual drawdown.

However, this doesn't include a lump sum and other factors that will be personal for you. Speak to a professional to receive tailored advice for you. 

10. Will Labour tax pensions?

Pensions are already subject to tax. Regardless of how you withdraw your pension, 25% of your total pension pot will be tax-free and you'll pay tax on the rest as if it were income. 

Asda workers will stage demonstrations outside the start of an equal pay claim that will assess whether shop floor workers should be paid the same as warehouse staff.

The case (which is expected to last for up to three months) centres on the fact the predominately female retail workforce at the supermarket giant is paid up to £3.74 per hour less than the predominately male warehouse workforce.

Claimants in the case argue both jobs are of equal value to the company.

It is just the latest stage in a 12-year battle over equal pay by Asda retail workers - and if successful, the bill could run into billions of pounds.

Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said: "Asda workers are making history. The result of this hearing will call time on the retailers undervaluing their predominantly women shop floor workers.  

"The entire retail sector has been built on the structural undervaluing of women's work - but GMB members are changing this."

It comes as the Employment Tribunal ruled in favour of Next workers in a similar case involving a dispute centred on different rates of pay between job roles. 

An Asda spokesperson said: "We fully respect the right of current and former colleagues to bring this case; however, we strongly reject any claim that Asda's pay rates are influenced by gender. 

"There are numerous different jobs within retail and within warehouses. We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are two different industry sectors that have their own distinct skill sets and pay structures."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

German supermarket giant Aldi has repeated its commitment today to opening more stores as it reported record UK sales (this comes despite a falling market share). Pre-tax profits reached £536.7m for the 12 months to December - up from £152.6m a year earlier.

The oil price is just above a more than two-and-a-half-year low at $71.84 (£54.89). It dropped sharply on Friday afternoon amid news of a slowing US economy and weak Chinese demand.

The pound slipped below $1.31 for the first time in nearly a week. This is still high, but anyone who was on holiday in the US last week would have got more bang for their buck. Sterling is doing relatively well against the euro with £1 buying €1.1839.

Following the worst week of 2024, UK stocks have rebounded. The FTSE 100 index of the most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange rose 0.7% while the FTSE 250 was up 0.34%.

By Megan Harwood-Baynes, cost of living specialist

A £200 flight to the Caribbean sounds almost too good to be true, but for seasoned flight finder Katy Maclure, moments like this are just another (really great) day at the office.

Katy has worked for Jack's Flight Club for almost three years and spends her day researching cheap flights and finding deals - and she's given Sky News some of her best tips.

JFC was started in 2016 by Jack Sheldon. Jack had worked for a large data company but had a knack for finding budget airfares and, after spending time doing this for his friends and family, he decided to turn it into a business - first starting as a newsletter and then a website and company that employs a dozen people.

Katy was one of those. She began as a flight finder and now edits The Detour, the company's weekly travel inspiration.

She says one of the best ways to find a steal is to look at places you might never have thought to go.

"I knew I wanted to go to the Caribbean, and I knew it was expensive - then I saw these cheap flights to Martinique from Paris.

"And Paris is easy to get to, you can just jump on an EasyJet flight or take a train."

So, for just over £200, a train (and the cost of their Airbnb), she and a friend spent two weeks in the overseas French region situated in the eastern Caribbean Sea.

The trick, she says, is going off the beaten track. Last year, she spent £175 on a return trip to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

"It's like the Scottish Highlands, but more extreme," she says.

"We stayed in a yurt and it was absolutely phenomenal. It would be amazing for nature lovers - we did a trek into the mountains.

"And it wasn't just nomadic and wild, when we got to Bishkek, it was so modern."

JFC operates a two-tier system for members - you can sign up for free and, each week, a roundup of deals will land in your inbox. If you sign up for their paid tier (which costs around £48 a year) you'll get those emails more frequently.

What's the deal with error fares?

They're the golden goose of airfares, and they are quite literally what they say on the tin - someone made a mistake when putting the price into the system.

Among some great error fares found by JFC was a return flight from Manchester to New York City in the low £200s, and a return to Tanzania from the UK for just £280. That deal was so good that eight of the JFC team booked a trip.

When this happens, the JFC team scramble to get them into subscribers' inboxes as fast as possible, because they can be withdrawn at any time.

Airlines don't have to honour an error fare (they can just refund you), so Katy says it's worth waiting a few weeks before booking any accommodation, just in case - and the rules are slightly different for online travel agencies.

"We've heard many stories of online travelling agencies calling up afterwards or emailing after saying 'oh, sorry, that fare's no longer available, please provide your card details and we'll charge you X amount more'.

"So just be aware that you don't have to pay, that you're not obliged to pay, that you can back out if they try and charge you more."

Katy's top tips for discount travel

1. If you have a specific date and destination in mind, set up alerts on Google flights - you will then get an email when the price changes;

2. Have an idea in mind of what you are willing to pay. If you want a direct flight, it will cost more - as will baggage, so research what these will cost ahead of time to know if you are getting a good deal;

3. Be flexible. If you can't be flexible about the dates, be flexible about the destination. 

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