FAQ: Where can I find information on APA style and PowerPoint presentations?

How to Format a PowerPoint Presentation in APA Style

The APA manual does not have a section on how to format a PowerPoint presentation, but you can follow APA style guidelines within your PowerPoint. For example:

• Include the same information on your title slide that you would have on a title page. 
  See this FAQ: How do I make an APA cover sheet?
• Include in-text citations for any quote, paraphrase, image, graph, table, data, audio or video file that you use within your presentation. Please note that photographs are considered figures in APA style. See section 7.30 of the APA manual for more information about this.
• The last slide will be your References List. 
• “No citation, permission, or copyright attribution is necessary for clip art from programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020, p. 346).
• Do not reproduce images without permission from the creator or owner of the image. See section 12.15 of the APA manual for more information about this.

How to Cite PowerPoint Slides in your References List

General Format

Author, A. A. (year). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Website Name. https://xxxxx

NOTE: “if the slides come from a classroom website, learning management system [e.g., Brightspace], or company intranet and you are writing for an audience with access to that resource, provide the name of the site and its URL (use the login page URL for sites requiring login)” (APA, 2020, p. 347). Don't forget to indent the second and subsequent lines.

For Example

Southern New Hampshire University. (n.d.). Social media and marketing communications: Written/Oral project outline. [PowerPoint slides]. Brightspace. https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/lp/auth/saml/login

More Information

• APA guide (Shapiro Library)
• APA Blog This link opens in a new window (APA)
• PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References This link opens in a new window (APA)

Disclaimer

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.