PowerPoint citation generator
Cite PowerPoint, Google Slides or lecture slides, from class, a website or a conference.
or fill in the details below
How to cite PowerPoint slides
A slides citation takes three steps. The first question, where you saw them, sets the format.
Step 1
Choose where you saw the slides
In class on Canvas, Blackboard or Moodle, on a website like SlideShare, or at a talk.
Step 2
Fill in the details
Paste a class platform link and we fill in the platform and its login page. Add the title, the instructor and the date.
Step 3
Copy your citation
Add the reference entry to your list, and add the slide number for a quotation.
How to cite lecture slides in APA
An APA slides citation gives the author, the date, the title in italics, [PowerPoint slides] and where they are. For class slides, that’s the platform’s name and its login page.
Format
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Platform or Department. URL
From a class platform
Mack, R., & Spake, G. (2018). Citing open source images [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@FNU. https://fnu.onelogin.com/login
From SlideShare
Jones, J. (2016, March 23). Guided reading: Making the most of it [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/hellojenjones/guided-reading-making-the-most-of-it
In-text citation, with a slide number
Parenthetical: (Jones, 2016, Slide 4)
Narrative: Jones (2016, Slide 4)
How to cite a PowerPoint in MLA
MLA cites class slides with the instructor, the title in quotation marks, the course, the date, the school and PowerPoint presentation. Slides online give the website and URL instead.
Class slides format
Instructor. “Title.” Course, Day Month Year, School. PowerPoint presentation.
Online
Jones, J. “Guided Reading: Making the Most of It.” SlideShare, 23 Mar. 2016, www.slideshare.net/hellojenjones/guided-reading-making-the-most-of-it.
In-text citation, with a slide number
Parenthetical: (Jones, slide 4)
How to cite Google Slides or SlideShare
Slides you found online follow the website pattern.
Google Slides
Choose Google Slides as the format and paste the share link if anyone can view it. The description in brackets then says [Google Slides].
SlideShare and Speaker Deck
Choose On a website. The site’s name is the platform, and the deck’s own address is the URL.
Keynote
Choose Keynote slides as the format. Everything else works the same way.
How to cite slides from Canvas or Blackboard
Class platforms need a login, so your reader can’t open the slides. APA still cites them.
Name the platform
Give its name as your school uses it, like Canvas@UCLA or Blackboard.
Link to the login page
APA uses the platform’s login page as the URL. Paste your slides’ link and we fill it in.
Or cite the lecture
If the slides weren’t shared, cite the lecture with the lecture and speech citation generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite PowerPoint slides in APA?
Give the author, the date, the title in italics, [PowerPoint slides], the platform or website and the URL. For class slides, use the platform’s name and login page.
How do I cite a PowerPoint in MLA?
Give the instructor, the title in quotation marks, the course, the date, the school and PowerPoint presentation.
How do I cite a slide number?
Add it to the in-text citation: (Jones, 2016, Slide 4) in APA and (Jones, slide 4) in MLA.
Can I cite lecture slides from Canvas?
Yes. APA names the platform, like Canvas@FNU, and links to its login page, since readers need an account to see the slides.
How do I cite slides from a conference talk?
Choose At a talk and give the event and its location. If the slides were posted online, add the URL.
Is this PowerPoint citation generator free?
Yes. It’s free with no signup, and your citations go into the same list as the main Citation Generator.