How to Cite the National Anthem

Citing the United States' National Anthem requires the same steps as any other song. Referencing "The Star Spangled Banner" may be slightly easier, however, because of its immense popularity in the United States. Depending on the nature of the assignment -- whether you're writing a paper about the song itself or analyzing a certain performance -- you will need different information for the citation, including the name of the performer. These citation instructions follow MLA style guidelines.

Instructions

    • 1

      Begin the citation with the name of the lyricist. Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner," so you would enter his name as: Key, Francis Scott. Add a period after his name.

    • 2

      Type the name of the song. Enclose the song in quotation marks, and add a period before the closing quotation mark: "The Star Spangled Banner."

    • 3

      Type the date of the song's composition, 1814, then add a period. This is where you will need different information depending on how you are referencing the song. If you are simply analyzing the original song, you will not need anything else between the title of the song and the date. However, if you are referencing a specific, recorded version, the record label must be written just before the date, followed by a comma and a period (i.e. RCA, 1945.).

    • 4

      Provide the name(s) of the performer(s) if discussing a certain version. Type "Perf." followed by the performer's name and a period: Perf. Charlotte Church.

Learnify Hub © www.0685.com All Rights Reserved