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How to Cite a Documentary in ASA (7th edition)

Learn how to cite documentary films and non-fiction films in ASA format (7th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

ASA Reference List Format

Here is the standard ASA format for citing a documentary in your reference list:

ASA Example for a Documentary

A complete ASA reference for a documentary, formatted by the official ASA CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Ferreira, Bruno, dir. 2021. Paper Trails. Northlight Films.

Matching in-text citation: (Ferreira 2021)

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your documentary.
  2. Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the ASA (7th edition) template shown above.
  3. Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
  4. Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match ASA requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model.

CSL style record: asa.csl

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a documentary in ASA?
To cite a documentary in ASA (7th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the ASA format for a documentary citation?
The ASA format for a documentary is: Ferreira, Bruno, dir. 2021. Paper Trails. Northlight Films.
What does the in-text citation look like for a documentary in ASA?
In ASA, the in-text citation for the example above is (Ferreira 2021)

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Cite a Documentary in Other Styles

Documentary in APADocumentary in MLADocumentary in ChicagoDocumentary in HarvardDocumentary in VancouverDocumentary in IEEEDocumentary in AMADocumentary in TurabianDocumentary in CSEDocumentary in BibTeXDocumentary in NatureDocumentary in ACSDocumentary in OSCOLADocumentary in BluebookDocumentary in AGLCDocumentary in APSADocumentary in AAADocumentary in NLMDocumentary in ACMDocumentary in APSDocumentary in AIPDocumentary in CellDocumentary in ScienceDocumentary in PLOSDocumentary in BMJDocumentary in LancetDocumentary in JAMADocumentary in Elsevier HarvardDocumentary in Springer

Cite Other Sources in ASA

Website in ASABook in ASAJournal Article in ASAYouTube Video in ASAPodcast in ASANewspaper Article in ASAMagazine Article in ASABlog Post in ASAWikipedia in ASAPDF in ASAInterview in ASASocial Media Post in ASAGovernment Document in ASADissertation or Thesis in ASAConference Paper in ASALecture or PowerPoint in ASAWebinar in ASAOnline Course in ASAPowerPoint Presentation in ASAImage or Photograph in ASAMovie or Film in ASATV Show in ASASong or Music in ASAPoem in ASACourt Case in ASAPatent in ASAEncyclopedia Entry in ASADictionary Entry in ASADataset in ASASoftware or App in ASAVideo Game in ASAPress Release in ASAReport in ASAPreprint in ASABook Chapter in ASAChatGPT in ASABible in ASATED Talk in ASAEmail in ASAReddit or Forum Post in ASAX (Twitter) Post in ASAMap in ASA

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