how to cite a speech in mla

• Library Catalogue

Citing lectures, speeches, or conference proceedings: MLA (9th ed.) citation guide

This guide is based on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 9th ed. and provides selected citation examples for common types of sources.  For more detailed information, please consult the full manual: available in print and online .

Lecture, speech, reading or address

When citing a live presentation like a speech or lecture from a conference or an event, include the name of the sponsoring/presenting organization (after the title), and the venue (after date and before the wider location) in your works cited. 

Parenthetical (in-text) 

The presenter went to great lengths to prove his point regarding how your brain has been shaped by evolution (Crespi). 

Works cited 

A live lecture  .

Crespi, Bernie. "Darwin and Your Brain." Vancouver Evolution Festival . Simon Fraser University and University of British Columbia, 12 Feb. 2009, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.

An online recording of a live presentation

Parker, Pardis. “Why Being a Billionaire is a Joke.” TED , Oct. 2022, www.ted.com/talks/pardis_parker_why_being_a_billionaire_is_a_joke.

Conference proceedings

A conference proceeding is the published record of a conference, congress, symposium, or other meeting sponsored by a society or association. The document will look similar to an article or book chapter (and it may in fact be a chapter in a book). To cite a conference proceeding, provide the same information as when citing a book or article , but also include additional information such as the title and date of the conference.

You may be citing an edited book of proceedings (see Edited print books ) or a single presentation, in which you would cite the author(s)/presenter(s), the title of the presentation, and the conference proceeding details similar to a book chapter or journal article .

Parenthetical (in-text)

Social media provides a platform for more minority groups to speak out (Fu).

Works cited

Whole proceedings.

Chang, Steve S., et al., editors. Proceedings of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, February 12–15, 1999: General Session and Parasession on Loan Word Phenomena . Berkeley Linguistics Society, 2000.

A single presentation

Fu, Yige, et al. “Research on the Influences of Social Media to Gender Equality.” SHS Web of Conferences , vol. 148, EDP Sciences, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202214803026.

Still using MLA 8?

We've now updated our citation guides to MLA 9, but you can still use the printable version of our MLA 8 citation guide. 

Need more help? Check our Ask a Librarian services .

How do I cite an online lecture or speech?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

To cite an online lecture or speech, follow the MLA format template . List the name of the presenter, followed by the title of the lecture. Then list the name of the website as the title of the container, the date on which the lecture was posted, and the URL:  

Allende, Isabel. “Tales of Passion.” TED: Ideas Worth Spreading , Jan. 2008, www.ted.com/talks/isabel_allende_tells_tales_of_passion/ transcript?language=en .

ZSR Library

Mla 8th ed. style guide: speeches.

• Art, Photography, Music
• Business Resources
• Dissertations, Theses
• Emails, Social Media
• Film, Television, Video
• Journal, Newspaper, & Magazine Articles
• Legal Sources
• Parenthetical (in-text) Citations
• Web Sites, Blogs
• Need more help?

On This Page

Speech Found on a Website Format: Transcript (printed copy of the speech) Format: Audio Recording Format: Video Recording

Speech Found in a Book

Speech Found in a Library Database

Speech Heard in Person

Sample Citations - Books

Speech Found on a Website

Format: Transcript (a printed copy of the speech)

The original date of the speech is not required, but it may be included if the date is certain and considered helpful for your reader. The type of source (in this case, “Transcript”) is also optional, and may be included if the format is unexpected.

Format: Audio Recording and Transcript

In this case, Martin Luther King, Jr. is considered the author since this is primarily his speech. The date of the speech and the name of the host are optional elements. The date the show aired should be included since it is clearly stated in the article. The type of source (“Audio” and “Transcript”) are optional, but may be included if this is considered helpful information for your reader.

Format: Video Recording

In this case, “May 2015” refers to when the lecture was posted to the website, not the date of the actual lecture. Therefore, the date comes after the name of the site, pointing back to the element closest to the date.

When speeches are republished in an anthology or book, the original date of the speech is not required, but may be included if it is considered helpful for your reader. The page range is also optional. If the speech is found in an eBook, the name of the database and the URL should be included.

In this case, the date that the speech was given is included in the title, so there is no need to repeat the date.

The terms “Lecture” or “Address” are optional and may be used to indicate that the speech was heard in person.

• << Previous: Parenthetical (in-text) Citations
• Next: Web Sites, Blogs >>
• Last Updated: Sep 1, 2021 12:15 PM
• URL: https://guides.zsr.wfu.edu/mla8

Generate accurate MLA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• How to cite a lecture in MLA

How to Cite a Lecture in MLA (8th Edition) | Format and Examples

Published on September 13, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 5, 2024.

In MLA style, the following format is used to cite a lecture or speech.

This format also applies to other types of oral presentation, such as a conference panel or a public talk. The format for citing PowerPoint slides is slightly different. To cite a video recording of a lecture, follow the format for citing videos , listing the speaker in the author position.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Lecture titles and event names, lecture locations, descriptive labels, mla in-text citation for a lecture.

The title of the lecture appears in quotation marks . You can usually find the title in the course syllabus, the conference program, or publicity materials for the talk.

After the title, you add the name of the course, conference, or event the lecture was part of. Don’t use italics or quotation marks for this part.

It is possible to add more than one event name here. For example, conferences are often divided into themed sessions; after the title of the presentation, you can add both the session and the conference name if relevant.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Often the location of the lecture will appear in the venue name . For example, many university names include the city where they are located. Note that “University” is abbreviated to “U” in an MLA Works Cited entry.

If the city is not already named, add it directly after the venue. If necessary, you can also add the state or country for clarity (for example, if there are multiple cities with the same name).

A short descriptive label (e.g. Lecture, Presentation, Keynote) can optionally be added at the end of the entry if it’s otherwise ambiguous what type of source you’re citing. A label can also be useful to clarify when you’re referring to a handout or slides (e.g. Lecture handout, PowerPoint presentation).

When you use information or ideas from a lecture in your paper, an MLA in-text citation requires only the last name of the lecturer, either in the text itself or in parentheses after the relevant information.

If you refer to a specific slide of a PowerPoint or page of a handout, you can add this to the in-text citation.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2024, March 05). How to Cite a Lecture in MLA (8th Edition) | Format and Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 8, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/lecture-citation/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to format your mla works cited page, a complete guide to mla in-text citations, how to cite a youtube video in mla, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Circulation
• Start Your Research
• Subject & Course Research Guides
• Computers, Printing & Additional Services
• Success Centers
• Faculty Circulation
• eRes & Online Storage
• Schedule a Library Orientation
• Research Skills & Information Literacy
• Find Books & eBooks
• Find Articles
• Find Credible Websites
• Citing Your Sources
• Hours & Holidays
• Library Map
• Library Staff
• Mission, Policies & Outcomes

Speech and Public Speaking: MLA Citations

• Find Websites
• MLA Citations
• APA Citations
• Chicago Style

Works Cited Generators on the Web

• CiteThis Ad-Free Citation generator.
• KniteCite Service

Why is it Important to Cite Your Sources for Your Research Papers?

Citing sources and creating a Bibliography/Works Cited List:

• ​​​​ Gives credit to the author(s)
• Illustrates your ability to locate & evaluate appropriate sources
• Provides evidence for the arguments and conclusions in your paper
• Prevents plagarism and copyright infringement

What Is Plagiarism?

pla·gia·rism (noun)

The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Synonyms - copying, infringement of copyright, piracy, theft, stealing. Informal - cribbing "accusations of plagiarism." Source: Google Definition

Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional.

Citation Styles

• MLA Citation Style
• APA Citation Style
• Chicago Citation Style

What is MLA Style?  

MLA (Modern Language Association) style specifies guidelines for formatting papers. MLA style also provides a system for referencing sources through parenthetical citations in essays and Works Cited pages.

• MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window The go-to resource for writers of research papers and anyone citing sources in MLA format. Watch the How to use MLA Handbook video and guide more... less... MLA Handbook Plus includes the full text of the ninth edition of the handbook, the second edition of the MLA Guide to Digital Literacy, and the MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature, as well as a video course that teaches the principles of MLA documentation style through a series of short videos paired with quizzes, plus a final assessment.

• Success Centers-Chaffey College Need more help? Contact the Success Centers for tutors and workshops on citing your sources.
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide From Owl Purdue University Writing Lab Helps you better understand how to cite sources using MLA Style, including the list of works cited and in-text citations.

What is APA Style?  

APA format is the official style of the  American Psychological Association  (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education, and the social sciences.  Most importantly, the use of APA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of material by other authors .

• APA 7th Edition References/In-Text Citations
• APA 7th Edition Sample Paper
• Chaffey College Success Centers Need more help? Contact the Success Centers for tutors and workshops on citing sources.
• OWL at Purdue University Writing Lab - APA Formatting and Style Guide Overview of APA (American Psychological Association) style and where to find information with different APA resources.

What is Chicago Style?

The Chicago Manual of Style  sets the standard for scholarly publishing in the Humanities.  Chicago  offers two citation formats, the author-date reference format and the standard bibliographic format, each of which provides conventions for organizing footnotes or endnotes, as well as bibliographic citations.  Most importantly, the use of the Chicago style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of material by other authors .

• OWL at Purdue University Writing Lab - Chicago Formatting and Style Guide Information on The Chicago Manual of Style method of document formatting and citation.

Avoid Plagiarism by Citing Sources

Bainbridge State College. "Plagiarism: How to Avoid It."  YouTube . YouTube, 5 Jan. 2010. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

A transcript is in process for this video. If you need assistance, please contact the Reference Librarian at  [email protected].

Citations Galore!

https://blog.writersdomain.net/2014/06/17/this-aint-your-high-school-english-class-why-plagiarism-is-a-big-deal/

MLA Nuts & Bolts

MLA Documentation Overview

MLA Sample Paper

• << Previous: Citing Your Sources
• Next: APA Citations >>
• Last Updated: Jan 17, 2024 2:52 PM
• URL: https://libguides.chaffey.edu/speech_publicspeaking