6.3 Citing Sources

Learning Objectives

1. Understand what style is.
2. Know which academic disciplines you are more likely to use, American Psychological Association (APA) versus Modern Language Association (MLA) style.
3. Cite sources using the seventh edition of the American Psychological Association’s Style Manual.
4. Cite sources using the seventh edition of the Modern Language Association’s Style Manual.
5. Explain the steps for citing sources within a speech.
6. Differentiate between direct quotations and paraphrases of information within a speech.
7. Understand how to use sources ethically in a speech.
8. Explain how to avoid plagiarism.
9. Examine the ethical considerations of using AI tools for content generation, emphasizing the importance of transparency, proper attribution, and compliance with copyright laws.

Public speaking teachers will require you to turn in either a works cited list or a reference page with your speeches. In this section, we’re going to explore how to properly cite your sources for a Modern Language Association (MLA) list of works cited or an American Psychological Association (APA) reference list. We’re also going to discuss plagiarism and how to avoid it.

Why Citing Is Important

Citing is important because it enables readers to see where you found information referenced within a speech, article, or book. Furthermore, not citing information properly is considered plagiarism. To give credit to the sources we chose, we use standard citation styles. While there are numerous citation styles to choose from, the two most common style choices for public speaking are APA and MLA.

APA versus MLA Source Citations

Style refers to those components or features of a literary composition or oral presentation that have to do with the form of expression rather than the content expressed (e.g., language, punctuation, parenthetical citations, and endnotes). The APA and the MLA have created the two most commonly used style guides in academia today. Scholars in the various social science fields (e.g., psychology, human communication, business) are more likely to use APA style, and scholars in the various humanities fields (e.g., English, philosophy, rhetoric) are more likely to use MLA style.

APA Citations

The first common reference style is APA. As of July 2019, the American Psychological Association published the seventh edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological Association, 2019). The seventh edition provides considerable guidance on working with and citing Internet sources.

MLA Citations

The second common reference style is MLA. As of 2021, the Modern Language Association published the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Modern Language Association, 2021). The ninth edition provides considerable guidance for citing online sources.

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Public Speaking

A study by Lin and Clark (2021), students who had higher self-efficacy in understanding plagiarism were less likely to plagiarize. Be one of those students who understands your assignment and the rules against plagiarism.

Understand What Plagiarism Means in a Speech:

• Direct Quotations: Using someone else’s exact words without acknowledging them. Be careful to quote exact words.
• Paraphrasing: Restating someone else’s ideas in your own words without attributing the original source.
• Summarizing: Condensing a larger piece of work or ideas from a source without giving credit.
• Using someone else’s structure or outline: Even if you change the words, if you’re using a pre-existing organization without credit, it can be considered plagiarism.
• Presenting common knowledge as your original research: While some things are common knowledge (e.g., “the sky is blue”), specific facts, statistics, or unique insights from a particular study or source still need attribution.
• Self-plagiarism: Reusing your own previous work (from another class or assignment) without permission from both instructors. While less common in public speaking, it’s worth mentioning if students submit written components. (Council of Writing Program Administrators, 2003; Turabian, 2013)

Why Citing Matters (Beyond Avoiding Punishment):

• Ethical Responsibility: It’s about honesty and respecting intellectual property.
• Credibility: Citing sources makes you, the speaker, appear more knowledgeable, trustworthy, and well-researched. It adds weight to your arguments.
• Audience Trust: Your audience will appreciate knowing where your information comes from. It allows them to follow up on interesting points or verify facts.
• Academic Integrity: It’s a fundamental principle of academic work. (Santini, 2018)

How to Cite Sources Orally in Your Speech:

Unlike written papers with footnotes or bibliographies, oral citations need to be integrated smoothly into your delivery. The goal is to provide enough information for your audience to find the source if they wanted to, without bogging down your speech with excessive detail.

Important Information to Include (Who, What, Where, When):

• Who: The author/speaker/organization.
• What: The title of the book, article, website, or publication.
• Where: (Optional, but helpful) The specific location (e.g., “in a recent article in The New York Times“).
• When: (Optional, but helpful) The date of publication or when the information was stated.

Examples of Oral Citations:

For a Direct Quote: “As John Smith, in his book The Art of Public Speaking, states, ‘Effective communication is key.'”

Slight variation: “To quote the renowned expert, Dr. Emily White, from her research presented at the 2023 Communication Conference, ‘The impact of nonverbal cues cannot be overstated.'”

For Paraphrased Information/Ideas: “According to a study published last year by the Pew Research Center, young adults are increasingly relying on social media for news.”

Slight variation: “Dr. Robert Jones, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, argues in his article ‘The Power of Persuasion’ that understanding your audience is paramount.”

From a Website: “On the National Institutes of Health website, I found information suggesting that…”

Slight variation: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website reports that…”

From a News Article/Magazine: “In a recent article from Time magazine, dated May 25th, 2024, it was reported that…”

From an Interview: “During my interview last week with local business owner Sarah Chen, she shared that…” (Ingram, M. B., & Bradford, K. E., 2025)

Vary Your Citation Phrases:

Avoid sounding repetitive. Mix up your phrasing:

“According to…”

“As [Author’s Name] noted in their book…”

“In an article titled [Article Title], published in [Publication]…”

“The website for [Organization] states that…”

“A study conducted by [Researcher/Institution] found that…”

“This idea is supported by research from…”

“As reported by…” (Pearson, W.S. 2021)

Tips for Integrating Citations Smoothly:

When presenting, seamlessly integrate citations by starting with a brief lead-in phrase before delivering the information. Keep citations concise, focusing on the essential “who” and “what” to avoid interrupting your flow. Practice is key to making these verbal citations sound natural rather than an afterthought. Additionally, if using visual aids like PowerPoint or Google Slides, include brief citations (author/source) at the bottom of relevant slides, and provide a comprehensive “Works Cited” or “Bibliography” slide at the end of your presentation. (Knight, & Ingersoll, 1996)

Strategies to Use to Avoid Accidental Plagiarism:

Strong Research Habits:

When conducting research, meticulous notetaking is crucial for academic integrity and ease of citation. As you gather information, immediately record comprehensive source details—including author, title, publication, date, and specific location information like page numbers or URLs—for every piece of data. Equally important is to clearly distinguish your original thoughts and analyses from the information you’ve drawn from your sources. You can achieve this effectively by employing various methods such as using different colored pens, incorporating distinct symbols, or explicitly labeling sections of your notes to delineate between your insights and borrowed content. This practice not only streamlines the citation process but also strengthens your critical engagement with the material. (Coberly-Holt and Keech, 2021)

Paraphrasing Effectively:

To effectively paraphrase, you should first thoroughly read and understand the original material. Once you’ve grasped the core concepts, put the source away—close the book or minimize the screen—to prevent unintentional direct copying. Then, articulate the information in your own words, as if you were explaining it clearly to someone else who needs to understand the concept. After writing your paraphrase, carefully compare it to the original source; if you find too many identical words or phrases, revise your version to ensure genuine originality. Crucially, always remember that even a perfectly rephrased passage still requires proper attribution to its original source. (Bhagat and Hovy, 2013)

Consequences of Plagiarism:

Plagiarism in universities carries severe and multifaceted consequences that undermine academic integrity and a student’s future. Academically, students caught plagiarizing can face penalties ranging from a failing grade on the assignment or the entire course to suspension or even expulsion from the institution. This not only derails their immediate academic progress but can also result in a permanent mark on their academic record, making it difficult to transfer to other universities or pursue higher education. Beyond institutional sanctions, plagiarism erodes the fundamental trust between students and faculty, hindering genuine learning and the opportunity to receive constructive feedback. In extreme cases, particularly involving published works or research, plagiarism can lead to legal repercussions, including copyright infringement lawsuits and financial penalties. Ultimately, engaging in plagiarism can irrevocably damage a student’s reputation and integrity, impacting future academic pursuits, career opportunities, and professional credibility long after their university years. (Tatum, 2022)

The Power of Personal Integration

Think of it this way: the research provides bricks and mortar, but it’s your argument, your interpretation, and your analysis that transform those materials into a compelling structure. Your audience can find information anywhere; what they come to you for is your distinctive perspective. What do you see in the data that others might miss? What connections did you make? How did you synthesize various pieces of information into a coherent, compelling narrative? Magic happens when you weave researched information with your own experiences, insights, and analysis. A personal anecdote illuminates a complex statistic, or your professional experience lends weight to a theoretical concept. This balance makes your speech relatable, authentic, and ultimately, more persuasive. When you infuse your speech with your own intellectual fingerprints, you transform it from a mere report into a living, breathing expression of your ideas. And in the end, that’s what resonates. It is you, the audience will remember. They’ll remember your passion, your unique insights, and the way you made them think differently.

Assessing Credibility and Integrating AI-Generated Sources Ethically

Ethical integration of AI into your speeches goes beyond merely avoiding plagiarism; it involves transparency, critical engagement, and responsible use.

1. Transparency and Disclosure:

Understand College Policies: Students must be mindful of their instructors’ policies on AI use. Instructors typically state their policy in the syllabus and on the learning management system, such as Canvas. Acknowledge AI Use: When using AI, provide in-text citations and include a full citation in your Works Cited list (MLA) or Reference list (APA). For specific guidance, refer to institutional resources, such as the Penn State Library Guide for citing AI (e.g., Penn State University Libraries, n.d.).

2. Originality and Intellectual Ownership:

AI as a Tool, not a Replacement: View AI as a tool to assist your learning and research, not to replace your own critical thinking, analysis, and writing. The final work should always be in your own voice. Al-Sofi ,2024) emphasizes that AI can serve as an assistant, not a substitute, for student research and writing. Writing and Speaking Assignments Build the Teacher/Student Relationship: Many academic assignments are designed to help students develop specific skills and allow teachers to understand students’ genuine speaking and writing styles. Instructors expect students to cite where their material is derived, enabling them to distinguish between student-generated content and AI-generated content. If AI completes the process for students, they miss out on developing their unique voice and on making meaningful connections with their teachers. Barrett and Pack (2023) showed that when clear AI guidelines are provided to students, the relationship between teachers and students improves.

AI self-reflection fosters metacognition and helps students understand the strengths and limitations of AI. Wang et al. (2025) assessed the AI Ethical Reflection Scale (AIERS), which measures students’ opinions regarding AI ethical awareness, critical evaluation of AI, and the use of AI for social good. They found that the scale had good internal consistency, and the results indicated a correlation between AI literacy and AI ethical reflection.

3. Academic Integrity and Avoiding Misinformation:

As students, the onus of academic integrity rests firmly on your shoulders, meaning you are solely responsible for the accuracy and originality of your work. This responsibility extends to all tools utilized in your academic pursuits, including artificial intelligence. When incorporating AI into your research or writing process, it is imperative to cite all sources, acknowledging both traditional academic materials and any AI assistance. Furthermore, exercise vigilance against AI “hallucinations” – instances where the technology generates plausible but incorrect information. Unverified AI output can lead to the submission of factual errors, directly undermining the integrity of your academic endeavors. Therefore, always cross-reference information provided by AI with credible, peer-reviewed academic sources. Finally, cultivate a critical awareness of inherent biases within AI systems. Because AI models are trained on vast datasets, they can inadvertently perpetuate existing prejudice or unsubstantiated claims present in that data. It is your responsibility to critically evaluate AI outputs for bias and ensure your submitted work is free from discriminatory or unfounded assertions. By adhering to these principles, you can responsibly leverage AI as a tool while upholding the highest standards of academic honesty. (Monteith, et al., 2024)

4. Data Privacy and Security:

Be Mindful of Sensitive Information: When individuals enter information into AI tools, they are, in a sense, training the system. Do not input sensitive personal data or confidential research information into AI tools, as this data could compromise privacy. By employing these AI ethical integration strategies, students can responsibly navigate the evolving landscape of AI and leverage its benefits while upholding academic integrity. (Maritsch, et al., 2022)

Integrating AI-Generated Sources Ethically

Ethical integration of AI into your speeches goes beyond merely avoiding plagiarism; it involves transparency, critical engagement, and responsible use.

1. Transparency and Disclosure:

Understand College Policies: Students must be mindful of their instructors’ policies on AI use. Instructors typically state their policy in the syllabus and on the learning management system, such as Canvas.

Acknowledge AI Use: When using AI, provide in-text citations and include a full citation in your Works Cited list (MLA) or Reference list (APA). For specific guidance, refer to institutional resources, such as the Penn State Library Guide for citing AI (e.g., Penn State University Libraries, n.d.).

2. Originality and Intellectual Ownership:

AI as a Tool, not a Replacement: View AI as a tool to assist your learning and research, not to replace your own critical thinking, analysis, and writing. The final work should always be in your own voice. Al-Sofi 2024) emphasizes that AI can serve as an assistant, not a substitute, for student research and writing.

3. Academic Integrity and Avoiding Misinformation:

Responsibility for Accuracy: Remember that students are responsible for preparing their own work. Be sure to cite all sources used, including AI.

Combatting Hallucinations: Because AI can “hallucinate,” relying on it without verification can lead to submitting incorrect information, which undermines academic integrity. Always double-check information provided by AI with academic sources.

Bias Awareness: Be aware that AI can perpetuate biases present in its training data. Critically evaluate AI outputs for bias and ensure your work does not perpetuate unsubstantiated claims or prejudice.

4. Data Privacy and Security:

Be Mindful of Sensitive Information: When individuals enter information into AI tools, they are, in a sense, training the system. Do not input sensitive personal data or confidential research information into AI tools, as this data could compromise privacy.

By employing these AI ethical integration strategies, students can responsibly navigate the evolving landscape of AI and leverage its benefits while upholding academic integrity.

Try It: Ethical Citation with AI Assistance

Wrap-Up: This activity highlights that ethical communication extends to how we use technology. Always disclose AI assistance and cite responsibly to maintain integrity and audience trust.

Real Life Classroom Examples to Learn From:

• Unforeseen Obstacles: Sometimes students arrive at class to find the electricity out in the school. This is a problem if it occurs on your assigned speech day. Sometimes the teacher will delay the speech for a day. However, in the event the speech cannot be delayed it is a good idea to bring a corresponding poster board with your charts, graphs and overall research findings. Another option, if the class is small enough, is to show the class your speech on your laptop.
• The Power of Personal Connection: A student had a sports injury. For her speech she decided to research the specific physical therapy procedure that helped her with her injury. Her powerful personal example illustrates the importance of sharing a genuine real-life experience that ties in with your research to enhance audience engagement and make complex topics more relatable.
• A “Messy” Learning Process: You may be asked to work in a group to prepare a speech. Sometimes, in group research and presentation preparation there can be conflicting ideas, research difficulties, and the struggle to find their collective voice. In such examples, the experience teaches the group valuable lessons in communication, collaboration, and resilience, and usually culminates in a successful research presentation that surpasses their expectations.

These anecdotes highlight key aspects of a college speech research class, including the challenges and triumphs of research, the importance of adaptability and resilience, the power of personal connection, and the collaborative nature of academic work.

By now, you should feel well-equipped to embark on your research journey with confidence. We’ve explored the fundamental importance of research for crafting impactful speeches, delved into the nuances of primary and secondary sources, and developed strategies for building a robust research plan. Remember the critical steps for evaluating sources, especially in an age where AI-generated content requires extra scrutiny for bias and credibility. Finally, understanding the principles of ethical citation and avoiding plagiarism is paramount. Armed with these skills, you’re ready to gather compelling evidence and present your ideas with authority, clarity, and integrity.