How to Cite a Ted Talk

In the digital age, TED and TEDx Talks have become a popular source of inspiration, knowledge, and innovative ideas. You can go to the TED website or the TED YouTube account to find hundreds of presentations. At Suasive, we reference TED talks to illustrate body language, eye contact, energy, and to show how great speakers deliver their message in a compelling way to live audiences.

Many of our speakers cite TED Talks during their live presentations. When citing a TED Talk in a verbal presentation, you can follow a similar format as you would for written citations.

Here’s an example of how you can verbally cite a TED Talk during a presentation: “In a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson titled ‘Do Schools Kill Creativity?’, he discusses the importance of fostering creativity in education.”

In this example, you mention the speaker’s name and the title of the talk within your presentation, providing a clear attribution to the YouTube TED Talk. Because this is a verbal citation, it is not necessary to include additional details such as the date or URL.

If you are directly quoting or paraphrasing specific information from the TED Talk, it is important to indicate that within your presentation. For example: “As Sir Ken Robinson stated in his TED Talk, ‘Creativity is as important as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.'”

By including the speaker’s name and indicating that the information comes from a TED Talk, you provide proper attribution to the source and acknowledge the ideas or information you are referencing.

It’s always a good practice to mention the speaker’s name and the title of the TED Talk during your presentation to give credit to the source and allow the audience to easily identify and access the talk if they’re interested in learning more.

At Suasive, we teach a universal methodology for delivering audience engaging presentations in any context. It works face-to-face , in virtual or live groups, and even in written form. Most of the time we help students with verbal presentations, but over the years many clients have asked us how to cite TED Talks in the written form as well. So, finally we’re publishing an easy to follow guide on citing TED Talks in the most commonly used style guide formats.

How Do You Reference a TED Talk?

This is the high-level overview of how to reference a TED Talk, but if your writing requires a particular style like MLA, APA, or CMS, the formatting will slightly differ with each. We’ll go into each style guide’s requirements later in this article. If you’re not required to cite using a specific style guide the following citation formats should suffice without ruffling anyone’s feathers.

Cite the Speaker and Title

When referencing a TED Talk, begin with the speaker’s name and the title of the talk. The speaker’s name should be written in the format of last name, followed by the initials. Place the speaker’s name in parentheses after the title of the talk. For example: Smith, J. (Speaker). (Year, Month, Day). Title of the TED Talk [Video]. TED Conferences.

Cite the Date

Including the date of the TED Talk is important for establishing the credibility and relevance of your reference. The date can usually be found below the video on the TED Talk webpage. The format should be written as follows: Smith, J. (Speaker). (Year, Month, Day). Title of the TED Talk [Video]. TED Conferences.

Sometimes a TED Talk video on YouTube will not have the date listed. In this case, use a search engine like Google, and type in the name of the TED Talk and the phrase “release date.” You should be able to find the release date on the search engine results page.

Provide the URL

To ensure proper citation and allow readers to easily access the TED Talk, include the URL of the specific TED Talk webpage. This allows your readers to verify the information and view the talk themselves. The URL should be written in its full form, starting with “https://” or “http://.” For example: Smith, J. (Speaker). (Year, Month, Day). Title of the TED Talk [Video]. TED Conferences. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/ted_talk_example.

In-Text Citations

When referring to specific information or ideas from a TED Talk within your article, it is necessary to provide in-text citations. Include the speaker’s last name and the year of the talk in parentheses. For example: According to Smith (Year), in his TED Talk on the topic of…

Are TED Talks Italicized or Quoted?

One common question that arises is whether TED Talks should be italicized or placed within quotation marks. The answer depends on the citation style being used.

In the American Psychological Association (APA) style, which is commonly used in the social sciences, including psychology and education, the titles of TED Talks are italicized. APA style recommends italicizing titles of longer works, such as books, films, and television series.

Therefore, according to APA guidelines, the title of a TED Talk would be written in italics. For example: Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” would be written as Do Schools Kill Creativity?

On the other hand, in the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, which is typically used in the humanities, including literature and language studies, TED Talk titles are placed within quotation marks. MLA style generally suggests using quotation marks for shorter works, such as articles, poems, and lectures.

So, according to MLA guidelines, the title of a TED Talk would be enclosed in quotation marks. For example: Brené Brown’s TED Talk “The Power of Vulnerability” would be written as “The Power of Vulnerability.”

It’s important to note that these guidelines apply specifically to the title of the TED Talk itself and not the overall TED platform. The organization’s name, TED, is usually written in capital letters without any special formatting.

How to Cite a TED Talk in MLA

When writing academic papers in the humanities, the Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used for citation. This section will guide you through the process of citing a TED Talk in MLA.

The basic format for citing a TED Talk from the TED website in MLA follows this structure: Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Talk.” TED Conferences, Month Year, URL.

Begin the citation with the speaker’s last name, followed by their first name. Place the title of the talk in quotation marks, using title case capitalization for significant words. Specify that the source is from TED Conferences. Provide the month, and year of the talk’s release. Finally, include the URL of the specific TED Talk.

For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Brené Brown titled “The Power of Vulnerability” that was released in June 2010, the citation would look as follows: Brown, Brené. “The Power of Vulnerability.” TED, June. 2010, https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.

Ensure that the URL provided leads directly to the talk’s page, not the general TED Talks homepage. Make sure to double-check the accuracy of information such as the speaker’s name, title, and release date, as these details contribute to a complete and accurate citation.

When citing a TED Talk in MLA, it is worth mentioning that the format does not require the [Video] descriptor used in other citation styles. Additionally, MLA format does not require the retrieval date for online sources, as the emphasis is on the publication date.

TED Talk MLA Format Examples

Here are a few more examples of how to cite TED Talks in MLA format:

Citing a TED Talk in MLA format from YouTube:

Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Video Title.” YouTube, uploaded by TED or TEDx Talks, Day Month Year, URL.

For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson titled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” that was published on June 26, 2006, the in-text citation would be as follows: Robinson, Sir Ken. “Do Schools Kill Creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 26 June. 2006,
https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.

Multiple Speakers:

First Speaker’s Last Name, First Name and Second Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Talk.” TED Conferences, Year, URL.

If you were citing a TED Talk by Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling titled “How Not to Be Ignorant About the World,” that was published in 2014, the citation would be: Rosling, Hans and Rosling, Ola. “How Not to Be Ignorant About the World.” TED Conferences, 2014,
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_and_ola_rosling_how_not_to_be_ignorant_about_the_world.

How to Cite a TED Talk in APA

APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used in academic writing and research papers. This section will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to cite a TED Talk in APA style.

To cite a TED Talk from the TED site, list the speaker as author, give the date listed on the site, include “Video” in square brackets after the title, list the publisher as “TED Conferences,” and give the URL.
For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Brené Brown titled “The Power of Vulnerability” that was released in June 2010, the citation would look as follows: Brown, B. (2010, June). The Power of Vulnerability [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.

TED Talk in APA Format Examples

Here are a few examples of how to cite TED Talks in APA format:

Citing a TED Talk in MLA format from YouTube:

Channel name. (Year, Month Day). Talk Title [Video]. YouTube. URL

For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson titled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” that was published on June 26, 2006, the in-text citation would be as follows: TED. (2006, June 26). Do Schools Kill Creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson [Video]. YouTube.”
https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.

Multiple Speakers:

First Speaker’s Last Name, First Initial & Second Speaker’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month). Title of the Talk [Video]. TED Conferences. Retrieved from URL.

If you were citing a TED Talk by Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling titled “How Not to Be Ignorant About the World,” that was published in September 2014, the citation would be: Rosling, H., & Rosling, O. (2014, September). How Not to Be Ignorant About the World [Video]. TED Conferences. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_and_ola_rosling_how_not_to_be_ignorant_about_the_world.

How to Cite a TED Talk in Chicago Manual of Style

The basic format for citing a TED Talk in Chicago Manual of Style follows this structure:
Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Talk.” Recorded Month, Year. Video, xx:xx. TED Conferences, URL.

Begin the citation with the speaker’s last name, followed by their first name. Place the title of the talk in quotation marks. Specify the recorded month, day, and year of the talk. Indicate that the source is a video, followed by the time stamp (in minutes and seconds) where the information you are citing can be found within the TED Talk video. Then, specify TED Conferences as the organization responsible for the TED Talk. Finally, include the URL of the specific TED Talk.

For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie titled “The Danger of a Single Story,” recorded on July 2009, and the information you are citing can be found at the 3-minute and 42-second mark, the citation would look as follows: Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “The Danger of a Single Story.” Recorded July 2009. Video, 3:42. TED Conferences,
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.

It is important to note that the CMS does not require the retrieval date for online sources. However, it is recommended to verify the accuracy of information such as the speaker’s name, title, recorded date, and the specific timestamp within the video.

TED Talk in CMS Format Examples

Here are a few more examples of how to cite TED Talks in CMS format:

Individual Speaker:

Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Talk.” Recorded Month Day, Year. Video, xx:xx. TED Conferences. URL.

For example, if you were citing a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson titled “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” that was recorded on February 2006 and the information you are citing can be found at the 10-minute and 20-second mark, the citation would look as follows: Robinson, Ken. “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” Recorded February 2006. Video, 10:20. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.

Multiple Speakers:

First Speaker’s Last Name, First Name and Second Speaker’s Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Talk.” Recorded Month Day, Year. Video, xx:xx. TED Conferences. URL.
For instance, if you were citing a TED Talk by Hans Rosling and Ola Rosling titled “How Not to Be Ignorant About the World,” that was recorded on September 2014 and the information you are citing can be found at the 5-minute and 30-second mark, the citation would be: Rosling, Hans and Rosling, Ola. “How Not to Be Ignorant About the World.” Recorded September 2014. Video, 5:30. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_and_ola_rosling_how_not_to_be_ignorant_about_the_world.

Professional Presentation Training

If you’ve always marveled at the poise and confidence of TED Talk presenters, just know that you, too, can make the same impact. All it takes is knowing what to do as well as how to do it.

The vast majority of TED Talk presenters have invested in presentation training so they have a formal methodology and process to follow. While it may look like they are winging it, we can assure you they have had lots of training under their belt. They use the training as a compass that guides them in every aspect of their talk – story, slides, and delivery – so that their deliberate actions appear effortless and natural to the audience. With practice, the right methodology will develop lifelong skills and success.

Suasive, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based communication consulting company that offers public speaking classes for organizations and individuals.

To date, we’ve coached over 600 CEOs and helped individuals in some of the world’s largest companies including Netflix, eBay, Sonos, Lyft, and Freshworks.

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