How to Cite a Podcast Episode in Chicago 17th Edition (Author-Date)

This guide explains how to format a podcast episode citation in Chicago 17th Edition (Author-Date). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a podcast episode in Chicago 17th Edition (Author-Date):

Template

Host Last, First M. Year. "Episode Title." Episode of Podcast Name. Produced by Producer. Aired Month Day, Year. Podcast, duration. URL.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Koenig 2014)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Koenig, Sarah. 2014. "The Alibi." Episode of Serial. Produced by Sarah Koenig, Julie Snyder, and Dana Chivvis. Aired October 3, 2014. Podcast, 52:00. https://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the host or creator
List the host as Last Name, First Name.
2
Add the year
Place the year immediately after the host name, followed by a period.
3
Write the episode title
Place the episode title in quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.
4
Add the podcast name and production details
Write "Episode of" followed by the podcast name in italics. Include the producer(s) and air date.
5
Specify the medium and URL
Write "Podcast," followed by the duration (if known) and the full URL where the episode can be accessed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Placing the year at the end instead of immediately after the host name.
Not placing the episode title in quotation marks.
Forgetting to italicize the podcast series name.
Omitting the air date of the episode.
Not specifying the medium as "podcast."

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a podcast citation differ between Chicago Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography?

The main differences are: (1) the year appears immediately after the author in Author-Date, (2) in-text citations use (Host Year) instead of footnotes, and (3) the entry appears in a reference list instead of a bibliography.

Do I include the episode duration?

Duration is optional but recommended, especially if citing a specific timestamp. Write it in hours:minutes format (e.g., 52:00 or 1:23:45).

Should podcast citations appear in the reference list?

Yes. In Chicago Author-Date, all cited sources must appear in the reference list. This differs from Notes-Bibliography, where some podcast citations may appear only in notes.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your podcast episode:

Host(s)
Date of episode
Episode title
Podcast name
Producer or network (if applicable)
URL

Generate citations automatically with CiteDash

Stop formatting citations by hand. CiteDash automatically generates accurate Chicago 17th Edition (Author-Date) citations for all your sources while you research and write.

Start Free Trial More Chicago 17th Edition (Author-Date) Guides

Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the host or creator

List the host as Last Name, First Name.

Add the year

Place the year immediately after the host name, followed by a period.

Write the episode title

Place the episode title in quotation marks with headline-style capitalization.

Add the podcast name and production details

Write "Episode of" followed by the podcast name in italics. Include the producer(s) and air date.

Specify the medium and URL

Write "Podcast," followed by the duration (if known) and the full URL where the episode can be accessed.