We have many books that tell us exactly how to cite sources when writing. We can use an MLA or APA stylebook to put together that dreaded “works cited” list. But when it comes to speaking, things get a little muddy. Below are a few guidelines we can use to clear things up and give proper credit to the sources we use when presenting.
The Rule of 3
Always give the audience enough information that they can easily locate the source on their own. To that end, you should give at least 3 pieces of citation information from the following list for each source you reference:
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- author (who said it, wrote it, researched it, etc.)
- title (the name of the book, article, podcast, study, etc.)
- source (the governing organization, news outlet, website, publisher, etc.)
- date (when it was written, spoken, published, etc.)
- credibility (the credentials of the speaker, writer, source, etc.)
At first, it can feel awkward or cumbersome to work citation information into the flow of your presentation, but it’s important. Don’t settle for incomplete citations. Note in the following examples how difficult it would be for an audience member to find a specific source with incomplete information.
Incomplete: In an interview with Dr. Green…
Complete: In an October 2017 interview with Dr. Tim Green, Professor of Religion at Trevecca Nazarene University…Incomplete: According to an article on ethos3.com…
Complete: According to an article titled, “3 Hints to Selecting Great Photography,” published in October of 2018 on ethos3.com…
Also, don’t cut corners by using one slide at the end of your presentation to list all your sources. Lumping them all together in a kind of source stew can harm your credibility. Individual studies and works deserve to be cited with the specific information that comes from them.
Order
Studies show that the human brain has superior pattern processing ability. We like information that is presented in a logical and discernable order. When we read, textual clues like quotation marks let us know the following information comes from somewhere else. However, when we are speaking, it gets a little tricky. Because the audience can’t see the quotation marks when you are speaking, it’s important to give your citation first. That way the audience can more easily process the information by first understanding where it comes from. For example,
Incorrect Order: “To be human is to live by sunlight and moonlight, with anxiety and delight, admitting limits and transcending them, falling down and rising up.” This is a quote from Barbara Brown Taylor’s 2014 book, Learning to Walk in the Dark.
Correct Order: The following quote comes from Barbara Brown Taylor’s 2014 book, Learning to Walk in the Dark. “To be human is to live by sunlight and moonlight, with anxiety and delight, admitting limits and transcending them, falling down and rising up.”
If you list the citation information first, you won’t have to say “quote” or “end quote,” which can get awkward quickly. Instead, set up the quote with a 3-part citation, make a brief pause, and then deliver the quote.
Visual
You might also consider using visuals to help your source citation. Research shows that reinforcing verbal content with visuals could increase how much your audience remembers by 15%. For example, if you are using a quote like the one mentioned above, you might use a slide to show the quote while you also read it to the audience. In this case, it’s okay to wait until after you’ve read the quote to give the citation. The slide allows the audience to understand immediately that it has been taken from another source. After the quote, use the rule of 3 to give a simple citation. It’s particularly helpful to use graphic support in cases where the citation information is difficult to relay or understand. For example, if the author’s name is difficult to understand or the name of the website is confusing, it will help the audience to see it.
Leave the stylebooks on your shelf, and use these three simple tips the next time you get stuck on oral citations.
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