So, you've watched a documentary that really made you think, and now you need to cite it for your paper. It can feel a bit like navigating a maze, can't it? But honestly, it's not as daunting as it might seem. Think of it like telling a friend about a great film you saw – you'd mention the key details so they know exactly which one you're talking about.
When you're working with MLA (Modern Language Association) style, the goal is always clarity and consistency. For documentaries, the approach is pretty straightforward, especially if you're citing the film as a whole. The reference material I've been looking at highlights that citing a documentary often follows a similar pattern to citing other creative works, like films or even books, depending on the specific elements you're referencing.
Let's break down the full citation for your Works Cited page. You'll want to start with the director(s) as the 'creator.' If you know their names, you'll list them as Last Name, First Name. Then comes the title of the documentary, italicized. After that, you'll include the production company or distributor, followed by the year it was released. If you watched it online, you'll also want to include the website name and the URL, along with the date you accessed it.
So, a typical structure might look something like this:
Director's Last Name, First Name, director. Title of Documentary. Production Company, Year of Release. Website Name, URL. Accessed Day Mo. Year.
For example, if you were citing a hypothetical documentary called "The Art of Storytelling" directed by Jane Doe and produced by Insight Films in 2022, and you watched it on a platform like Kanopy, it might appear as:
Doe, Jane, director. The Art of Storytelling. Insight Films, 2022. Kanopy, www.kanopy.com/watch/12345. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.
Now, for those in-text citations – the little references you put right after you mention something from the documentary in your paper – MLA keeps it simple. You'll typically use the director's last name in parentheses. So, if you're discussing a point made in the film, you might write something like: "The film explores the impact of narrative on human connection (Doe)."
Alternatively, you can weave the director's name into your sentence, which often makes the writing flow more naturally. For instance: "As director Jane Doe explains, the power of a good story is undeniable (Doe)." If you're quoting directly, you might include the page number if the documentary has one (though this is less common for films than for books), or sometimes the timestamp if that's relevant and your instructor allows it. But usually, just the director's last name is sufficient for the parenthetical citation.
It's always a good idea to check with your instructor or the specific guidelines for your assignment, as sometimes there can be slight variations or specific requirements. But generally, focusing on the director, the title, the production details, and where you found it will get you on the right track for citing your documentaries in MLA style. It’s all about giving credit where credit is due and helping your reader find the source you used.
