How to Cite TED Talks in MLA 9 Format

How to Cite a TED Talk in MLA 9 (Works Cited and In Text)

A TED Talk is usually treated like an online video because you are watching a recorded presentation hosted on a website. In MLA 9, your goal is to help readers find the exact talk you used, and to show clearly who created it, what it is called, where it appears, and when it was published.

MLA citations are built from “core elements” in a consistent order. For a TED Talk, the most common elements are:

1. Author (speaker)
2. Title of the talk
3. Title of the website (TED)
4. Publisher (often TED Conferences, LLC)
5. Date
6. URL

You may also include optional elements like the city of the event, the month and year of the conference (if shown), and an access date (optional in MLA 9, but sometimes useful).

Key Formatting Rules You Must Follow (Based on Your Guide)

Author names, full first names, and correct inversion

• Use full first names, not initials.
• Invert the first author’s name: Last, First Middle.
• If there are two authors, use and between them, and do not invert the second author.

Why this matters: MLA Works Cited entries are alphabetized by the first element, often the author’s last name. Inversion ensures consistent sorting and makes it easier for readers to scan the list.

Title formatting

• Put the talk title in quotation marks because it is a work contained within a larger site.
• The website name TED is italicized because it is the container (the larger work that hosts the talk).

Why this matters: Quotation marks and italics signal the difference between a smaller piece and the larger source that contains it. This helps readers understand what you watched and where it lives online.

Date format (Day Month Year)

• Use Day Month Year, with abbreviated months and no commas:
• 12 Oct. 2020
• 7 June 2019

Why this matters: MLA uses a consistent date style across source types. Consistency reduces confusion and improves readability.

Page numbers and “pp.”

• TED Talks typically do not have page numbers, so you usually will not use p. or pp. in TED Talk citations.
• Still, the rule matters because if you cite a TED transcript from a print source or a paginated PDF, MLA requires pp. for page ranges in the Works Cited.

Why this matters: Page numbers support precise verification. When pages exist, MLA wants them labeled clearly.

Standard MLA 9 Template for a TED Talk (Most Common)

Works Cited format (video on TED.com)

Speaker Last Name, Speaker First Name. "Title of Talk." TED, TED Conferences, LLC, Day Month Year, URL.

Notes:
- End the entry with a period.
- MLA allows you to omit the publisher if it is the same as the website name, but for TED it is often helpful to include TED Conferences, LLC when it is listed.

Example 1, A Typical TED Talk on TED.com (One Speaker)

Works Cited entry

Nguyen, Amanda. "What It Takes to Be a Great Leader." TED, TED Conferences, LLC, 12 Oct. 2020, https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_nguyen_what_it_takes_to_be_a_great_leader.

Why each part is there

• Nguyen, Amanda. This is the author, the person responsible for the content. The name is inverted to support alphabetizing.
• "What It Takes to Be a Great Leader." The specific talk you watched, in quotation marks.
• TED italicized because it is the website hosting the talk.
• TED Conferences, LLC is the publisher, if shown on the page.
• 12 Oct. 2020 uses the required day month year format with an abbreviated month and no commas.
• URL points directly to the talk.

In-text citation

If you mention the speaker in your sentence:
Nguyen argues that leadership is built through consistent practice (Nguyen).

If you do not mention the speaker in your sentence:
Leadership can be developed through repeatable habits (Nguyen).

Tip: TED videos do not use page numbers, so MLA in-text citations usually use the speaker’s last name only.

Example 2, TED Talk on YouTube (TED Channel or TEDx Channel)

Sometimes you watch a TED Talk on YouTube rather than TED.com. In that case, the container changes. You cite it as a YouTube video.

Works Cited entry (YouTube)

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. "The Danger of a Single Story." YouTube, uploaded by TED, 7 Oct. 2009, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg.

What changed and why

• The title is still in quotation marks because it is the video title.
• The container is now YouTube, so YouTube is italicized.
• “Uploaded by TED” identifies the account that posted the video, which helps readers locate it.
• The date is the upload date shown on YouTube, formatted as Day Month Year.

In-text citation

Adichie explains how stereotypes flatten human experience (Adichie).

Practical tip: If the TED.com page and the YouTube page have different dates, use the date for the version you actually watched and cite.

Example 3, Two Authors (When a Talk Has Two Credited Speakers)

Most TED Talks have one speaker, but some feature two speakers who share authorship. If a TED page credits two speakers, you can treat it as a two author work.

Works Cited entry (two speakers)

Doe, Jane Marie, and John Michael Smith. "Designing Cities for People." TED, TED Conferences, LLC, 15 Apr. 2021, https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_doe_and_john_smith_designing_cities_for_people.

Why the author formatting matters here

• The first author is inverted: Doe, Jane Marie.
• The second author is normal order: John Michael Smith.
• You must use and between the names.

In-text citation (two authors)

If you cite the talk generally:
Urban spaces should be built around daily human needs (Doe and Smith).

Tip: In MLA, do not use an ampersand in the Works Cited entry. Use and.

Practical Tips for Getting TED Talk Citations Right

Tip 1, Use the talk page to confirm the speaker name

TED speakers sometimes have middle names, particles, or multi part surnames. Copy carefully and keep the name in the correct order. Your guide requires full first names, so avoid initials even if another style guide might allow them.

Tip 2, Use the most stable URL

Use the full TED URL to the talk page. Avoid copying a URL that includes tracking parameters if you can remove them without breaking the link.

Tip 3, Consider adding an access date when content may change

MLA 9 does not require access dates for stable sources, but TED pages can be updated. If your instructor prefers access dates, add:
Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Place it at the end of the citation.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall 1, Using the talk title in italics

In MLA, the talk is a smaller work inside a larger container. The talk title should be in quotation marks, and the container, such as TED or YouTube, should be italicized.

Pitfall 2, Incorrect date format

Do not write: October 12, 2020.
Use: 12 Oct. 2020.

Pitfall 3, Treating TED as the author

The author is usually the speaker. TED is the container or publisher, not the creator of the ideas in the talk.

Pitfall 4, Using timestamps as if they were page numbers

MLA in-text citations typically use author names, not timestamps. If you must point to a specific moment, you can mention the timestamp in your sentence, for example:
At about 3:10, Nguyen describes the turning point in her work (Nguyen).
If your instructor wants a timestamp in the parenthetical citation, confirm their preference first.

Why These Rules Matter

MLA formatting rules are not just picky details. They create a shared system so that:
- Readers can find your source quickly, even years later.
- Authors receive clear credit, which supports academic honesty.
- Your Works Cited page stays consistent, which makes your paper look professional and easy to verify.

If you tell me whether you watched the talk on TED.com or YouTube, and you share the speaker name, talk title, and date shown, I can format the exact MLA 9 Works Cited entry using your required name and date rules.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Common Errors for Ted Talks Citations

Validation Checklist

Special Cases

Overview, what makes TED Talks tricky in MLA 9

Citing a TED Talk in MLA 9 often looks simple, but TED sources create special cases because the “same talk” can appear in multiple places and formats. A talk might be on TED.com, on YouTube, inside an episode of the TED Radio Hour, or in a TED Podcast feed. Some talks have a clear individual speaker, some have multiple speakers, and some are hosted interviews where the host matters more than the guest. TED also provides extra metadata like a “Talk details” page, a transcript, and a translation team, which can confuse what counts as the author.

In MLA 9, your goal is to identify the version you used, name the person responsible for the content, and give enough publication details so a reader can find the same item.

Core MLA 9 pattern for a TED Talk (baseline)

For a TED Talk video on TED.com, a common Works Cited structure is:

Speaker Last, First Middle. “Title of Talk.” TED, Day Month Year, URL.

Key ideas:
- The speaker is usually the author because they created the talk’s content.
- The container is often TED (the website or platform).
- Use the publication date shown on the page you used.
- Include the URL, without “https://” if your instructor prefers, but MLA 9 allows it either way.

Your special cases happen when one of these elements is unclear, missing, or different in the version you viewed.

Special case 1, TED.com versus YouTube versus other platforms

When the same talk exists in multiple places

Many TED Talks are uploaded to YouTube as well as hosted on TED.com. MLA 9 says you should cite the version you actually used. This matters because:
- Dates can differ between TED.com and YouTube.
- Titles can differ slightly.
- The container changes, which affects how the citation is built.

Practical tip: If you watched it on YouTube, cite YouTube as the container. If you watched it on TED.com, cite TED.

Example 1, talk on TED.com (standard but with details)

Works Cited entry
Gawdat, Mo. “The One Thing You Need to Be Happy.” TED, 3 July 2019, https://www.ted.com/talks/mo_gawdat_the_one_thing_you_need_to_be_happy.

Why this formatting is correct
- Author: “Gawdat, Mo.” The first author name is inverted, last name first.
- Title: In quotation marks because it is a short work within a website.
- Container: TED is italicized.
- Date: 3 July 2019 uses Day Month Year, with an abbreviated month when needed. July is not abbreviated in MLA style.
- Location: The URL points to the exact talk page.

Common pitfall
Do not list “TED Talks” as the author. TED is the publisher or container, not the person who created the speech.

Special case 2, two speakers (two authors)

Some TED Talks are presented by two speakers, or the talk is officially credited to two people. In MLA 9, if there are two authors, you list both. Your rules also require full first names and the first author inverted.

Format:
First Author Last, First Middle, and Second Author First Last. “Title.” TED, Day Month Year, URL.

Example 2, two-author TED Talk

Works Cited entry
Mullainathan, Sendhil, and Eldar Shafir. “How Scarcity Changes Your Brain.” TED, 5 Mar. 2014, https://www.ted.com/talks/sendhil_mullainathan_and_eldar_shafir_how_scarcity_changes_your_brain.

Why this formatting is correct
- Two authors: The first author is inverted, “Mullainathan, Sendhil.” The second author is normal order, “Eldar Shafir.” The word and connects them.
- Date: 5 Mar. 2014 uses the correct abbreviated month, with no commas.
- Why it matters: Correct author formatting controls alphabetizing in your Works Cited list and makes it clear who is responsible for the ideas.

Common pitfalls
- Using initials, like “S. Mullainathan.” Your rule requires full first names.
- Inverting both names. MLA only inverts the first author.

Special case 3, no clear publication date on the page you used

Sometimes a TED page shows multiple dates, for example the recording date, the posted date, and the event date. MLA 9 prefers the date that matches the version you used, usually the date the page or video was published on that platform.

Practical tips:
- Use the date displayed near the talk title or in the page metadata.
- If no date is available, MLA allows you to omit it. Do not invent one.
- If you must distinguish versions in your notes, you can mention the conference event in your prose, not necessarily in the Works Cited entry.

Common pitfall: Using the TED conference year as the publication date when the platform posting date is different.

Special case 4, citing a TED Talk transcript instead of the video

TED provides transcripts. If you used the transcript text, cite that page as the source you consulted. This matters because you are using a written version, not the video. The author is still usually the speaker, but the title and container details may differ.

A practical approach:
- Keep the speaker as author.
- Use the transcript page title as it appears.
- Identify the container as TED.
- Add a descriptor if helpful, such as “Transcript,” after the title.

Common pitfall: Citing the video while quoting lines you copied from the transcript page. Cite what you actually used.

Special case 5, hosted interviews and TED Audio, who is the author?

Not everything branded TED is a classic single-speaker talk. Some items are interviews or podcast episodes hosted by someone else. In those cases, the “author” might be:
- The host, if the host shapes the content and the episode is part of a series.
- The interviewee, if the piece is primarily their speech and ideas, and the platform frames it that way.
- A corporate author, if no person is credited and the content is presented as produced by the organization.

Practical tips:
- Look at the page’s byline and credits. Use the person credited as the primary creator.
- If it is clearly an episode of a series, treat it like an episode in a podcast or show, with the series as the container.

Common pitfall: Automatically using the guest as the author in an interview episode when the host is the credited creator of the episode.

Special case 6, citing a segment within a longer TED video or compilation

Sometimes you watch a compilation video, like “10 TED Talks to watch,” or a playlist, or an embedded player that includes multiple talks. If you are citing one specific talk inside a compilation:
- Cite the talk itself if you can locate its standalone page.
- If you can only access it inside the compilation, cite the compilation as the source, and use a time range in your in-text citation if your instructor expects it.

Why it matters: A reader needs to find the exact segment you used. The standalone talk page is usually the most stable path.

Special case 7, translated titles and subtitles

TED pages may display translated titles depending on your language settings. MLA expects you to cite the title as it appears in the source you used. If you viewed an English page, use the English title. If you viewed a translated page and you are writing in English, you can include the translated title and optionally add the English title in brackets in your notes, but keep your Works Cited consistent and clear.

Common pitfall: Mixing an English title with a non-English URL page title, which can confuse readers.

Special case 8, multiple containers (TED on YouTube)

When a TED Talk is on YouTube, you often have two layers:
- The video is hosted on YouTube, which is the container you used.
- TED might be the channel name, which can appear as the uploader.

In MLA, you typically cite YouTube as the container. You can include the channel as the publisher if it helps identify the source.

Example 3, TED Talk watched on YouTube

Works Cited entry
Brown, Brené. “The Power of Vulnerability.” YouTube, uploaded by TED, 23 Dec. 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o.

Why this formatting is correct
- Author: Brené Brown is the speaker and content creator. First author is inverted.
- Title: Quotation marks for the video title.
- Container: YouTube italicized.
- Publisher: “uploaded by TED” identifies the channel, which helps readers find the correct upload among reposts.
- Date: 23 Dec. 2010 follows Day Month Year with abbreviated month.
- Location: Direct URL to the video.

Common pitfalls
- Using “TED” as the author instead of the speaker.
- Using the TED.com date when you actually watched the YouTube upload.

Why these rules matter (beyond formatting)

• Crediting the right person: TED is a platform. The speaker is usually the author. Getting this right respects intellectual ownership.
• Helping your reader locate the exact version: Different platforms have different dates and edits. Your citation should point to the version you used.
• Consistency in your Works Cited list: Inverting only the first author and using full first names improves sorting and clarity.
• Academic integrity: Accurate citations reduce accidental misattribution, especially when talks are reposted or clipped.

Practical checklist and quick pitfalls to avoid

Checklist

• Identify the version you used, TED.com, YouTube, podcast, transcript.
• Use the speaker as author unless the source is clearly host-driven.
• Use full first names, not initials.
• Invert only the first author name.
• Use Day Month Year, with abbreviated months when needed.
• Use the most relevant publication date for that platform and page.
• Use a stable URL that leads directly to the talk or episode.

Frequent pitfalls

• Citing TED as the author when a speaker is clearly credited.
• Mixing metadata from TED.com with a YouTube viewing experience.
• Inverting both names in two-author entries.
• Using commas in the date, like “Mar. 5, 2014,” which is not MLA style.
• Citing the video when you actually quoted from the transcript page.

If you tell me which TED format you are using, TED.com video, YouTube upload, TED transcript, or TED podcast episode, I can show the best-fit MLA 9 template and adjust it for missing dates, multiple speakers, or hosted interviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a TED Talk in MLA 9 for my Works Cited page?

In MLA 9, cite a TED Talk like an online video: speaker as author, talk title in quotation marks, website name in italics, publisher (often TED Conferences, LLC), date, URL, and an optional access date if your instructor wants it. Practical scenario: you watched a talk on the TED site for a research paper. Your entry might look like this: Smith, Jane. “The Future of Clean Energy.” TED, TED Conferences, LLC, 12 Mar. 2020, https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_smith_the_future_of_clean_energy. If you watched it on YouTube, the container becomes YouTube and the channel is typically TED. Use the page date, not the upload date if both appear. For more guidance, see MLA Works Cited basics at https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and Purdue OWL MLA citations at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html.

How do I do an in-text citation for a TED Talk, and what if there are no page numbers?

MLA in-text citations usually use the author’s last name and a page number, but videos have no pages. Use the speaker’s last name alone, or include a time range when you quote or refer to a specific moment. Practical scenario: you quote a line that occurs around 4 minutes, 10 seconds. You can write: (Nguyen 4:10–4:18) if your instructor accepts timestamps, or (Nguyen) if you are summarizing the overall idea. If you name the speaker in your sentence, you can omit the parenthetical: Nguyen argues that… then no citation is needed unless you include a timestamp. Be consistent throughout the paper. For MLA in-text guidance, see https://style.mla.org/in-text-citations/ and for timestamp conventions, see general MLA video citation examples at https://style.mla.org/citing-a-youtube-video/.

Should I cite the TED website or YouTube if I watched the TED Talk on YouTube?

Cite the version you actually used, because your reader should be able to find the same source. If you watched it on YouTube, cite it as a YouTube video with the talk title, the platform as the container, the channel name, the date, and the URL. Practical scenario: your teacher asks for the exact link you used, and you only have the YouTube link in your notes. Use YouTube. If you watched it on TED.com, cite TED as the container and use the TED URL. If both versions exist, choose the one you consulted, unless your instructor prefers TED.com for stability. If you switch platforms, update your Works Cited entry to match. For detailed examples, see MLA’s video guidance at https://style.mla.org/citing-a-youtube-video/ and the MLA Works Cited guide at https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

Who is the author in a TED Talk citation, the speaker, the interviewer, or TED?

In MLA 9, the author is usually the person responsible for the content, which for a TED Talk is the speaker. Put the speaker’s name first in the Works Cited entry. TED is typically the website or publisher, not the author. Practical scenario: a TED interview or conversation includes a host asking questions. If the content is primarily the interviewee’s ideas, list the interviewee as author. If it is clearly a TED-produced interview format where the interviewer drives the piece, you can list the interviewer as author and name the interviewee in the title or in a description, but most student papers treat the featured speaker as author. If you are citing a TED-Ed lesson, the credited educator is often the author, and TED-Ed is the site. For MLA author rules, see https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and Purdue OWL’s guidance on author elements at https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_page_basic_format.html.

How do I cite a TED Talk transcript in MLA 9, and do I cite the video or the transcript?

Cite what you actually used. If you quoted from the transcript text, cite the transcript page, because the wording and formatting can differ from the spoken video. Practical scenario: you copied a sentence from the transcript on TED.com to quote precisely. Your Works Cited entry should point to the transcript URL, and you can label it as a transcript in the title or as an optional descriptor if needed. If you watched the video and paraphrased ideas, cite the video page. If you used both, you can cite the one that matches each quotation, or choose one version consistently and use timestamps for direct video quotes. In-text citations for transcript quotes still use the speaker’s last name, and you may add a paragraph number if the transcript provides stable numbering, but many do not. For MLA guidance on citing what you consulted, see https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.

Do I need an access date for a TED Talk in MLA, and what date should I use if multiple dates appear?

MLA 9 treats access dates as optional, but they are recommended when content can change, when no publication date is given, or when your instructor requires them. Practical scenario: you are using a TED Talk page that shows a recording date and a posted date, and you are worried about which to choose. Use the publication or posting date that appears with the online entry, since that is the date tied to the version you accessed. If no clear date is provided, omit the date and include an access date like “Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.” If multiple dates appear, pick the one that best matches the container you are citing, TED.com or YouTube. Always include the full URL. For MLA’s date and access date guidance, see https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/ and MLA advice on URLs at https://style.mla.org/urls/.

Last Updated: 2026-01-01
Reading Time: 10 minutes