How to Cite a TED Talk in MLA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 11/08/2024
• Updated on04/12/2025

To cite TED Talks in MLA, the citation style varies depending on the source of the TED Talk (TED website, YouTube, or TED Talk transcript). There are slight formatting differences for each source type, though each citation will need the same fundamental information such as speaker’s name, talk title, date, source, and URL.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to cite a TED Talk in MLA for different formats, along with full examples for clarity.

CITING A TED TALK FROM THE TED WEBSITE

To directly quote a TED Talk from the TED website in MLA, the speaker’s name, title of the TED Talk, platform (TED), date published of the talk, and URL are required. The talk title needs to be in quotes, and the platform name (TED) is in italics. Where available, the citation should have the publication date of the talk rather than the accessed date.

TED TALK FROM THE TED WEBSITE CITATION EXAMPLE

Citation	Brown, Brené. “The Power of Vulnerability.” TED, June 2010, www.ted.com/talks/brown_the_power_of_vul.
Structure	Speaker Surname, First Name. “Talk Title.” TED, Month Year, URL.

The format focuses on the speaker as the primary author, followed by the title of the talk in quotation marks, the platform name in italics, the month and year of publication, and the URL. Including the URL is a requirement for online sources in MLA to enable readers to access the talk easily.

Important Details

• The speaker’s full name is given first, beginning with the last name, followed by a comma, then the first name.
• The title of the TED Talk, in title case with major words capitalized, is in quotation marks.
• The name of the platform, “TED,” is italicized.
• The publication date is in the format month first, followed by year.
• This makes the citation complete and in the default MLA format for online sources.

IN-TEXT CITATION EXAMPLE

Example	(Brown 10:25)
Structure	(Surname Timestamp)

Speaker Last Name (Brown), followed by the timestamp in parenthesis indicating the specific location in the TED Talk where the material being referenced is located.

CITING A TED TALK FROM YOUTUBE

If a TED Talk is cited as being viewed on YouTube, the citation structure varies slightly to include the YouTube uploader’s name. If the uploader is TED or TEDx Talks, then the upload details must also be included. The uploader’s name, usually “TED” or “TEDx Talks,” appears following the title and is signaled by “uploaded by.” The date included must be the upload date rather than the original TED event date.

TED TALK FROM YOUTUBE CITATION EXAMPLE

Citation	Mack, Alicia. “How Art Can Transform a Community | Alicia Mack | TEDxPhoenix.” YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 12 Oct. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyYhE5kCZg8.
Structure	Speaker Surname, First Name. “Video Title.” YouTube, uploaded by TED or TEDx Talks, Day Month Year, URL.

This quotation has the whole name of the speaker, the title of the talk in quotation marks, the platform name in italics (YouTube), the uploader as “uploaded by TEDx Talks,” the upload date in day-month-year format, and the whole URL. This is in conformity with MLA guidelines for citing a TEDx Talk viewed on YouTube.

Important Details

• “Uploaded by” precedes the name of the uploader. This detail indicates the source of the material, particularly if TED Talks are uploaded to another website such as YouTube.
• The date format differs slightly from the TED website citation, in that the day precedes the month, as is customary with MLA citations of YouTube materials.
• Including the full URL ensures readers the capability to visit the right version of the video on YouTube.
• This is particularly handy for those viewing TED Talks on YouTube rather than on the TED website directly.

IN-TEXT CITATION EXAMPLE

Example	(Mack 4:50)
Structure	(Surname Timestamp)

Speaker Surname (Mack), followed by the timestamp in minutes and seconds (4:50) in parenthesis.

CITING THE TRANSCRIPT OF A TED TALK

If a TED Talk is cited as being viewed on YouTube, the citation structure varies slightly to include the YouTube uploader’s name. If the uploader is TED or TEDx Talks, then the upload details must also be included. The uploader’s name, usually “TED” or “TEDx Talks,” appears following the title and is signaled by “uploaded by.” The date included must be the upload date rather than the original TED event date.

TRANSCRIPT OF A TED TALK CITATION EXAMPLE

Citation	Robinson, Ken. “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” TED, Feb. 2006, www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson/transcript.
Structure	Speaker Surname, First Name. “Talk Title.” TED, Month Year, URL.

A TED Talk transcript citation is essentially the same as the citation for the TED website, except for the addition of the “/transcript” at the end of the URL to designate that it is the transcript version.

Important Details:

• Adding “/transcript” at the end of the URL is essential to direct readers to the transcript page rather than the video.
• The format remains consistent with other TED website citations, highlighting the speaker, title, platform, and publication date.
• Maintaining a uniform style across TED citations ensures clarity and consistency within an MLA-style works cited list.

IN-TEXT CITATION EXAMPLE

Example	(Robinson 15:10)
Structure	(Surname Timestamp)

Speaker Surname (Robinson), then the timestamp in minutes and seconds (15:10) from the transcript in parenthesis.

Use Timestamps for Specific References: When quoting or referencing specific points in a TED Talk, include timestamps in your in-text citation. Timestamps direct readers to the exact moment in the talk where the information appears. For example, if you quote a line that occurs two minutes and thirty seconds into the talk, the in-text citation would look like this: (Brown 2:30). Clarify TEDx vs. TED: TEDx events are independently organized TED-style conferences that differ from official TED conferences. If the talk is from a TEDx event, make sure to include “TEDx” as part of the video title in your citation, just as it appears on the platform. This distinction provides additional context for readers and ensures accuracy in your works cited entry. Check for Updated URLs: URLs on platforms like TED and YouTube may occasionally change. Before submitting your work, verify that the URLs for TED Talks are still active and lead to the intended content. Updating your citations ensures that readers can access the correct source and reflects diligence in sourcing. Include the Full Speaker Name: When available, use the speaker’s full name in the citation, including any middle initials, professional titles, or suffixes, as listed on the TED website or in the video description. Full names, when provided, add professionalism and specificity to your citation, particularly for well-known speakers or experts.