How to Cite a Podcast in Turabian Format

This guide explains how to cite a podcast Turabian-style for both the Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems. Turabian is a common citation style used in history, some humanities, and many undergraduate papers. If you need fast, correctly formatted citations, try Rephrasely’s free citation generator: https://rephrasely.com/citation.

Introduction — What Turabian Is and Who Uses It

Turabian is a student-oriented adaptation of Chicago Manual of Style. It supports two main citation systems: Notes-Bibliography (NB) and Author-Date. Scholars in history, theology, and many humanities courses commonly use NB, while sciences and social sciences may prefer Author-Date.

Podcasts are a growing primary source in research and must be cited accurately. This article focuses on practical examples and step-by-step rules so you can cite episodes, series, and related media correctly.

General Rules — Key Formatting Rules

Choose a system: Use Notes-Bibliography (footnotes/endnotes + bibliography) or Author-Date (parenthetical citations + reference list).
Essential elements: For podcasts: author/host, episode title, podcast title, episode number (if any), type/medium, date, duration, and URL.
Order & punctuation: Follow Turabian punctuation precisely—commas, periods, and parentheses matter.
Italics vs. quotes: Podcast series titles are italicized; episode titles appear in quotation marks.
Access dates: Not usually required for stable podcasts with dates, but include when content is likely to change or has no publication date.

How to Cite by Source Type — Step-by-Step Examples

Below are step-by-step citation formats for podcasts plus common source types (books, journals, websites, interviews, films). Use the code blocks for exact formatting.

1. Podcast Episode — Notes-Bibliography (NB)

Footnote format (first citation):

1. Host First Last, "Episode Title," Podcast Title, episode # (Month Day, Year), mp3 audio, length, URL.

Example:

1. Sarah Koenig, "What We Know," Serial, episode 1 (October 3, 2014), mp3 audio, 47:28, https://serialpodcast.org/.

Bibliography entry:

Koenig, Sarah. "What We Know." Serial. Episode 1. October 3, 2014. MP3 audio, 47:28. https://serialpodcast.org/.

2. Podcast Episode — Author-Date

Parenthetical citation and reference list:

(Koenig 2014)

Koenig, Sarah. 2014. "What We Know." Serial, October 3. MP3 audio, 47:28. https://serialpodcast.org/.

3. Entire Podcast Series

If citing the whole series rather than an episode, treat the series like a title with the host or creator as author.

Host Last, First, host. Podcast Title. Production Company, Year started–Year ended (if applicable). URL.

Rogers, Ira, host. The History Hour. BBC Radio, 2016–present. https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts.

4. Book (NB and Author-Date examples)

NB footnote:

1. First Last, Title of Book (Place: Publisher, Year), page.

Bibliography:

Last, First. Title of Book. Place: Publisher, Year.

Author-Date reference list:
Last, First. Year. Title of Book. Place: Publisher.

5. Journal Article

NB footnote:

1. First Last, "Article Title," Journal Title volume, no. issue (Year): page–page, DOI or URL.

Author-Date reference:

Last, First. Year. "Article Title." Journal Title volume (issue): page–page. DOI or URL.

6. Website Page

NB footnote:

1. First Last, "Page Title," Website Name, Month Day, Year, URL.

Author-Date:

Last, First. Year. "Page Title." Website Name, Month Day. URL.

7. Interview, Film, and Other Media

For interviews: identify the interviewer, interviewee, and format. For films: director, title (italicized), distributor, year, medium.

NB example:
1. Interviewee First Last, interview by Interviewer First Last, Format, Date, URL (if online).

Film bibliography:
Director Last, First, dir. Title of Film. Distributor, Year. DVD.

In-Text Citations — Rules and Examples

In Turabian NB, in-text citations generally appear as footnotes or endnotes. Use superscript numbers in the text that correspond to the note.

Example in text:

The episode investigates the case in depth.1

Corresponding note:

1. Sarah Koenig, "What We Know," Serial, episode 1 (October 3, 2014), mp3 audio, 47:28, https://serialpodcast.org/.

For Author-Date, include the author (or host) and year in parentheses. If quoting, include a timestamp or approximate time.

(Koenig 2014, 12:34)

Use the timestamp format to point to the quoted moment in the episode—this helps readers locate audio material quickly.

Reference List — Formatting Rules and Example

In Notes-Bibliography, the reference list is titled "Bibliography" and appears at the end of your work. Entries are alphabetized by author or host.

Key rules:

Use a hanging indent for each bibliography entry.
Italicize podcast series titles; put episode titles in quotation marks.
List the medium (e.g., MP3 audio) and duration when available.
Provide a stable URL; DOIs are rare for podcasts but include when present.

Example Bibliography (multiple entries):

Bibliography

Koenig, Sarah. "What We Know." Serial. Episode 1. October 3, 2014. MP3 audio, 47:28. https://serialpodcast.org/.

Rogers, Ira, host. The History Hour. BBC Radio, 2016–present. https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts.

Smith, Jane. "Revolutionary Roads." In The Urban Landscape, 120–45. New York: City Press, 2018.

For Author-Date, the section is "Reference List" and entries are alphabetized similarly. Use author-date order.

Common Mistakes — Errors to Avoid

Mixing systems: Don’t combine Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date within one paper. Pick one and apply it consistently.
Missing host vs. producer: Identify who should be credited—sometimes the host, sometimes the producer or creator is most relevant.
Incorrect punctuation and italics: Turabian relies on precise punctuation—mismatched commas, italics, or quotation marks can make a citation incorrect.
Forgetting the medium and duration: Include "MP3 audio" or "podcast audio" and runtime whenever available, especially for audio quotations.

Practical Tips and Tools

Actionable steps right away:

Collect metadata when you listen: host, episode title, series title, date, duration, and URL.
Create a footnote when you quote audio; include the timestamp for precise reference.
Use Rephrasely’s free citation generator to auto-format entries: https://rephrasely.com/citation.
After generating citations, run your paper through Rephrasely’s plagiarism checker and polish with the AI writer. Use the AI detector if you need to verify originality.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I format a citation for a podcast interview in Turabian?

For a podcast interview, include the interviewee (or host if more appropriate), the episode title in quotes, the podcast series title in italics, the episode number (if any), the date, medium (MP3 audio), duration, and URL. Use the same structure for NB and Author-Date but adjust order and punctuation per the system shown above.

Should I include a timestamp when citing a podcast?

Yes—when quoting or referring to a specific moment, include a timestamp. In notes, include the timestamp in the note text; in Author-Date citations, add it after the year like (Koenig 2014, 12:34). This makes your reference precise and useful for readers.

Can I cite a podcast transcript instead of the audio?

Yes. Cite the transcript as a document or webpage, not as audio. Provide author (if listed), "Transcript" or "Episode transcript" in the title, the site or publisher, date, and URL. If you used the audio and transcript, cite the audio for sound-specific claims and the transcript for textual quotes.

How to Cite a Podcast in Turabian Format