How to Cite a Lecture or Presentation in APA 7th Edition

This guide explains how to format a lecture or presentation citation in APA 7th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a lecture or presentation in APA 7th Edition:

Template

Speaker, A. A. (Year, Month Day). *Title of lecture* [Lecture]. Department, University. URL

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Chen, 2025)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Chen, L. (2025, February 10). Advances in quantum error correction [Lecture]. Department of Physics, MIT. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/lectures/quantum-error-correction

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the speaker
List the speaker's last name, comma, and initials. If the lecture has multiple presenters, list them in the standard APA author format.
2
Add the date
Include the full date of the lecture in parentheses: (Year, Month Day). Follow with a period.
3
Write the lecture title
Italicize the title of the lecture. Use sentence case. Add [Lecture] in square brackets immediately after the title (not italicized). End with a period.
4
Add the department and institution
Include the department name and university, separated by a comma. End with a period.
5
Include the URL
If the lecture is available online (e.g., on a course website or lecture repository), include the URL. Do not add a period after the URL.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting the bracketed description [Lecture] after the title.
Forgetting to include the department and university name as the source.
Not including the full date (year, month, and day) of the lecture.
Using the course name instead of the specific lecture title.
Citing lecture notes you received privately; these should be treated as personal communications if not publicly accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a lecture that is not available online?

If the lecture is not publicly retrievable, treat it as a personal communication and cite it only in-text: (L. Chen, personal communication, February 10, 2025). Do not include it in the reference list.

Should I cite lecture slides or the lecture itself?

If you are citing the slides, use [PowerPoint slides] or [Lecture slides] as the bracketed description. If you are citing the spoken lecture, use [Lecture]. Use whichever format matches the material you actually used.

What if the lecture is part of a course on an open platform like Coursera?

Cite it as an online course lecture: Speaker, A. A. (Year). Title of lecture [Lecture]. In Title of course. Platform. URL.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your lecture or presentation:

Speaker
Title
Event/Course
Institution
Date
Location

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the speaker

List the speaker's last name, comma, and initials. If the lecture has multiple presenters, list them in the standard APA author format.

Add the date

Include the full date of the lecture in parentheses: (Year, Month Day). Follow with a period.

Write the lecture title

Italicize the title of the lecture. Use sentence case. Add [Lecture] in square brackets immediately after the title (not italicized). End with a period.

Add the department and institution

Include the department name and university, separated by a comma. End with a period.

Include the URL

If the lecture is available online (e.g., on a course website or lecture repository), include the URL. Do not add a period after the URL.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Omitting the bracketed description [Lecture] after the title.

Forgetting to include the department and university name as the source.

Not including the full date (year, month, and day) of the lecture.

Using the course name instead of the specific lecture title.

Citing lecture notes you received privately; these should be treated as personal communications if not publicly accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a lecture that is not available online?

Should I cite lecture slides or the lecture itself?

What if the lecture is part of a course on an open platform like Coursera?

Cite it as an online course lecture: Speaker, A. A. (Year). Title of lecture [Lecture]. In Title of course. Platform. URL.