How to Cite a PowerPoint Slide in APA

When writing in academia and the workplace, it is important to properly cite PowerPoint slides in order to give credit to the source of information. The American Psychological Association (APA) offers easy rules on how to cite presentation slides. This article fully describes how to cite PowerPoint slides in APA Style in simple language and third-person point of view. It outlines how to cite online slides, classroom website slides, and sources that are unavailable. It also provides examples of actual citations and reminders on correct formatting.

Citing PowerPoint Slides Available Online

When PowerPoint slides are made publicly available on the internet (e.g., SlideShare or institutional websites), they should be referenced in the same manner as other internet sources. The reference should indicate author’s name, full publication date, presentation title in italics with a description in square brackets, name of website, and direct URL.

Key Citation Elements

  • Author: Person or organization that created the slides.
  • Date: Full publication date (Year, Month Day).
  • Title: In sentence case and italics.
  • Format: Include [PowerPoint slides] in square brackets.
  • Source/Platform Name: Website name (e.g., SlideShare).
Citation
Tidwell, W. (2011, November 5). APA template PowerPoint [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/wtidwell/apa-template-powerpoint/10039522
Structure
Surname, Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Site Name. URL

Citing PowerPoint Slides from a Classroom Website

If the slides are found on a learning management system (LMS) such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle and your audience does have access, provide the login URL and the platform name. Provide authors, year, title with description in square brackets, platform name, and login link.

Key Citation Elements

  • Author: Full name or username (unless full name is given).
  • Date: Use as precise a date as possible.
  • Title: In sentence case and italicised.
  • Format: Bracket the [PowerPoint slides].
  • Platform: The host site (e.g., SlideShare).
  • URL: Include a functioning and direct link to the slide deck.
Citation
Vanderbauwhede, W. (2020). A few thoughts on work‑life balance [PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@Franklin. https://franklin.instruct.com/van/free14
Structure
Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Platform Name. URL

Always Place the Slide Format in Square Brackets: When citing a PowerPoint presentation, always explicitly state the format as [PowerPoint slides]. This alerts readers to the type of source and distinguishes it from a PDF, video, or article.

Use the Full Publication Date if Available: APA style requires the full publication date whenever this is provided (Year, Month Day). On slides presented on websites like SlideShare, this data are typically provided. This level of detail allows readers to identify the exact version used.

Italicize the Slide Title and Use Sentence Case: The title of the PowerPoint slide deck must be displayed in italics. Capitalize only the first letter and proper nouns, applying sentence case.

Insert the Hosting Platform or Website Name: In accordance with the slide style, the site or platform the slides are hosted on (SlideShare, Canvas, Moodle) should be included every time. This provides context and enables source determination.

Provide a Working and Direct URL: APA does have a requirement that the source must be retrievable, so the full, direct URL must be provided at the end of the reference. When the slide is not publicly available (for example, it is hidden behind a login), provide the login page’s URL.

Do Not Quote Slides as Secondary Sources: If a PowerPoint slide is citing another publication (e.g., a journal article or book), do not quote the slide as the source. Instead, locate and quote the original publication. Citing the original gives proper author credit and confirms the information.

Use Unpublished or Private Slides as Personal Communication: If a PowerPoint document is shared privately (e.g., in class, via email, on a company intranet) and is not accessible to your audience, use it as a personal communication. These are not included in the reference list by APA. Mention them only in-text using the name of the communicator, the words “personal communication,” and the date in full.

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Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)

Hannah Berry has lectured at several colleges and teaches at the WEA. Besides publishing extensively, she has taught citation skills and written multiple style guides.

Learn how to cite in APA