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Lectures contain valuable information—but citing them depends on whether they're recorded, available online, or only experienced live. From course lectures to TED talks to conference presentations, here's how to cite spoken academic content.
Types of Lectures
The citation approach depends on accessibility:
- Recorded and publicly available: YouTube lectures, TED talks, MOOCs, podcasted courses.
- Recorded and access-restricted: Course videos on LMS (Canvas, Blackboard) requiring login.
- Unrecorded live lectures: Class sessions you attended, no recording exists.
- Conference presentations: May be published in proceedings or delivered only live.
Recorded Public Lectures
For lectures available to anyone online:
APA:
Speaker, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of lecture [Video]. Platform. URL
Example:
Sandel, M. (2022, March 15). Justice: What's the right thing to do? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx
MLA:
Speaker Last, First. "Title of Lecture." Platform, Day Month Year, URL.
Chicago:
Speaker, "Title of Lecture," Platform, Month Day, Year, URL.
Course Lectures (Recorded, Access-Restricted)
For lectures posted on your course LMS that require login:
APA:
Professor, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of lecture [Lecture recording]. Course Name, Institution Name. Retrieved from [LMS name]
Don't include login-required URLs that readers can't access.
MLA:
Professor. "Title of Lecture." Course Name, Institution, Day Month Year. Lecture recording.
Unrecorded Live Lectures
Class lectures you attended with no recording available are personal communication:
APA: In-text only, no reference entry:
Dr. Smith explained that the model applies primarily to Western contexts (personal communication, March 15, 2024).
MLA: Integrate into your text:
Professor Smith noted in her March 15 lecture that the model's applications are limited.
Chicago: Note format:
Jane Smith, lecture, History 301, University Name, March 15, 2024.
Readers can't verify personal communication, hence the different treatment.
Lecture Slides and Handouts
If the professor shared slides or handouts:
APA:
Professor, A. A. (Year). Title of presentation [PowerPoint slides]. Course Name, Institution. Retrieved from [LMS]
MLA:
Professor. "Title." Course Name, Institution, Year. PowerPoint presentation.
If slides are publicly available, include the URL.
Conference Presentations
If published in proceedings:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of paper. In Editor (Ed.), Proceedings of Conference Name (pp. xx-xx). Publisher. DOI
If not published: Treat like a lecture or personal communication:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of presentation [Conference presentation]. Conference Name, Location.
Or if you only attended:
A. Author (personal communication, Conference Name, March 2024).
TED Talks
TED Talks are publicly accessible videos:
APA:
Speaker, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of talk [Video]. TED Conferences. URL
MLA:
Speaker. "Title of Talk." TED, Month Year, www.ted.com/talks/xxxxx.
Guest Lectures
For guest speakers in your class:
If recorded and available: Cite the recording.
If unrecorded: Personal communication with the guest speaker as source:
Industry expert J. Chen (personal communication, guest lecture in MGMT 301, April 10, 2024) explained...
What If You Can't Remember the Exact Date?
Use the best available information:
- Specific date: March 15, 2024
- Week/month: Week 8 of Spring 2024, or March 2024
- Approximate: Spring 2024 lecture
Don't fabricate precision.
Citing What the Professor Said vs. What They Showed
- If citing something your professor said: Cite the lecture.
- If citing a source the professor referenced: Try to find and cite the original source. The professor's mention is a lead, not a citation.
- If citing a slide with data or quotes: Cite the original source if credited on the slide; cite the lecture slides if the professor created the content.
Multiple Lectures From Same Course
If drawing on several lectures:
(Professor Smith, lectures in HIST 301, Spring 2024)
Or cite individually if specific lectures matter to your argument.
The exact formatting for lecture citations depends on your required citation style. Check the specific guide for your discipline below.
