So You Heard a Mind-Blowing Lecture (and Now Need to Prove It Happened): How to Cite a Lecture in Chicago Style (Without Tears)
Let's face it, you just absorbed the wisdom of a genius (or at least a really enthusiastic professor) in a lecture. Now your professor wants you to cite it in Chicago style, a system that, frankly, can be as confusing as a mime convention. Fear not, fellow scholar of the slightly obscure, for this guide will be your hilarious hero on this perilous quest!
First Things First: Friend or Foe? Identifying the Lecture Beast
- The Live Lecture: This is the classic "dude with a PowerPoint" situation. You were physically present, eyes glued open (hopefully), and information was imparted.
- The Recorded Lecture: Maybe you're a master of procrastination, or perhaps wisdom comes pre-recorded these days. This lecture showed up on your screen, and knowledge seeped in (or maybe you just played Tetris while it droned on).
Remember: For both these beasts, you'll need the lecturer's name, the title (hopefully catchier than "Lecture 3: Photosynthesis"), and the date.
Taming the Lecture Beast: Chicago Style Note Shenanigans
Now, let's wrangle this beast into a Chicago style note. Here's the basic format:
Lecturer Last Name, First Name. "Lecture Title." Date, Location.
For example:
Smith, Dr.Hilarious. "The Hilarious History of Pants." September 19, 2023, University of Laughter.
Bonus points for including if it was a PowerPoint Presentation (because, let's be honest, were there ever lectures without them these days?):
Smith, Dr.Hilarious. "The Hilarious History of Pants." PowerPoint presentation, University of Laughter, September 19, 2023.
Chicago Style Bibliography Bonanza: The Lecture Lives On!
The Chicago style bibliography is where the lecture gets to shine (even if it wasn't that shiny to begin with). Here's the format:
Last Name, First Name. "Lecture Title." Date.
Following our example:
Smith, Dr.Hilarious. "The Hilarious History of Pants." September 19, 2023.
Easy, right? Now, go forth and conquer those citations! And remember, if all else fails, just quote your friend who swears they were there and totally paid attention.
