How to Cite a Lecture in APA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 11/15/2024
• Updated on04/12/2025

Academic writing requires the proper citation of sources to maintain credibility and to provide credit for intellectual property to others. The APA (American Psychological Association) style of writing has specific formats for citing all types of sources used, including lectures and recorded speeches.

The following is a step-by-step guide on how to format lecture citations in APA style, both for live lectures or presentations and recorded lectures viewed online.

CITING A TALK AT A LECTURE OR CONFERENCE 

For citing a lecture or conference talk, APA style requires some information such as the presenter’s name, date and title of the presentation, and conference details. The following are the key elements to be included for a full citation in this style.

KEY CITATION ELEMENTS FOR A LECTURE OR CONFERENCE 

• Author: Start with the last name and initials of the presenter. Only the initials of the first and middle names (if any) are included in APA style.
• Date of the Lecture: Provide the year, month, and day(s). If the lecture is being held over a series of days, include both the starting and ending dates (e.g., August 8–11).
• Title of Presentation: The full title of the presentation in sentence case and italics, with only the first word and any proper nouns capitalized.
• Description in Brackets: In square brackets, note that this source is a “[Paper presentation].” This description clarifies that the source is an oral presentation given at a conference.
• Conference Details: Provide the full name of the conference, followed by the location, city, state, and country.
• URL (if available): If the presentation is web-based, include a URL at the end of the citation. This is an optional step if no URL exists.

CITATION EXAMPLE FOR A LECTURE OR CONFERENCE 

CITING A RECORDED LECTURE OR SPEECH 

If you are citing a recorded lecture or speech that is publicly available online, the APA format is a little different. In addition to the speaker’s name and date, you will also include the recording medium and the site where the recording is located.

KEY CITATION ELEMENTS FOR A RECORDED LECTURE OR SPEECH

• Author: Begin with the speaker’s last name, followed by their initials. As with other formats, the speaker’s first and middle names should only be reduced to their initials.
• Date of Speech: Include the year, followed by the month and date of the recorded speech or lecture.
• Title of Speech: Give the full title of the speech in sentence case and italics, with just the first word and proper nouns capitalized.
• Description in Brackets: Add square brackets to specify the type of recording, e.g., “[Speech audio recording].” The description shows that the source is an audio recording of a speech.
• Website Name: Provide the name of the website on which the recording is located.
• URL: Provide a direct URL to the speech or lecture recording.

CITATION EXAMPLE FOR A RECORDED LECTURE OR SPEECH

Sentence Case for Titles: When typing titles in APA style, use sentence case, in which only the first word of the title and any proper nouns are capitalized. Availability of URLs: Though a URL is necessary for online presentations or recordings, it is not necessary for face-to-face presentations. Provide a URL only if it leads to the presentation that has been cited. Date Range: When conferences occur over several days, provide the range of dates in entirety, even when the day of the presentation is known for only one of them. This shows precision and enables readers to find the event. Type of Presentation: Always state the mode of the lecture or presentation in square brackets, either a “[Paper presentation]” for a live lecture or a “[Speech audio recording]” for a recorded speech. This is done to differentiate between live presentations and recorded content. Website Name for Recorded Lectures: For recorded lectures, provide the name of the website where the recording is found. This detail helps to provide context and completes the citation.