Tricky Citations

How do I cite a classroom observation?

Any in-person communication that does not involve a handout, text, or video is not
cited in your reference list. However, you must cite it within your paper including the
date you did the observation in one of these two ways:
Blah blah blah blah (T. Smith, personal communication, January 21, 2016).
According to Mrs. Smith at Washington Elementary School, blah blah blah blah (personal
communication, December 3, 2015).

How do I cite something the author is quoting from another author?

If your quote is part of a main idea you are using to make your argument or if the
paper is a research paper, you should usually go to the original source. So if you find
a quote of another author in your text, use the reference page to look up where the
author found this quote. Get that source and read it for yourself before you quote it.
However, if you decide to use it as a supporting detail in your paper, you must give
credit to both authors. Here are a few ways to do so:
Direct Quotes
According to Jones (1998), Blah, blah, blah, blah. (as cited in Martinez, 2008, p. 107).
Many experts argue that, Blah, blah, blah, blah (Jones, 1998 as cited in Martinez 2008,
p.107).
Paraphrase
Jones (1998) believes that blah, blah, blah, blah (as cited in Martinez 2008).
Martinez (2008) provides several experts such as Jones (1998) who argue for blah, blah,
blah, blah.

How do I cite a YouTube video?

If you choose to cite a YouTube video, treat it as any other source and cite it in-text
and in your references. Be sure that you do not consider this one of your academic
sources if you are required to have them. This type of a source would be in addition to
your academic sources, even if the video is about an educational topic. Use this
example below to help you:
Biffle, C. (2013, August 18). Whole brain teaching: Amazing kindergarten writing (video
file). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2N4q0WOFv4