How to Cite a Lecture in APA, MLA and Chicago
How you cite a lecture depends on whether your reader can access it. In APA 7th edition, a live class lecture that wasn't recorded is usually cited as a personal communication in the text only, while a recorded lecture or online talk gets a full reference entry. In MLA 9th edition, you can cite any lecture with the speaker, title, event or course, date, institution and the label "Lecture." Chicago (17th edition) treats lectures as unpublished talks, with the speaker, title, the word "lecture," the setting and the date. Before citing, check whether your instructor wants you to cite class material at all, since some prefer that you cite the readings behind the lecture instead.
The examples below use invented names and courses.
First, decide what kind of lecture it is
| Situation | What you're citing |
|---|---|
| You attended a live class and took notes | An unrecorded lecture |
| The lecture was recorded and posted on a course site | A recorded lecture (course material) |
| The lecture is publicly available online, e.g. on a video site | An online video or webinar |
| You're quoting the instructor's slides | Lecture slides (see our separate guide for presentations) |
| A guest speaker gave a public talk | A speech or presentation at an event |
The best citation is the one that lets your reader find the source. If they can't access it, some styles handle it differently.
APA 7th edition
Unrecorded live lecture: personal communication
APA treats information a reader cannot retrieve as a personal communication. You cite it in the text only, with no reference list entry.
(R. Chen, personal communication, March 4, 2026) R. Chen (personal communication, March 4, 2026) explained that...
Use the speaker's initials and surname, and give the exact date.
That said, APA's guidance is that if you're writing for an audience that can access the material, such as your own class, you may cite it in the reference list as course material. Many instructors are happy with either approach; ask if you aren't sure.
Recorded lecture on a course site
When the recording or lecture notes are posted on a learning management system and your reader (usually your instructor) can access it:
Chen, R. (2026, March 4). Coastal sediment transport [Lecture recording]. Department of Earth Sciences, Northgate University. Canvas. https://northgate.instructure.com/
Some instructors prefer the LMS login page URL, since course-specific URLs need a login. The bracketed description can be adjusted: [Lecture notes], [Lecture recording], [PowerPoint slides].
Lecture published online
Cite it in the format of where you found it. A lecture on a video site is cited as a video:
Northgate University. (2025, October 12). Why coastlines move: Public lecture by Dr. Rui Chen [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxx
The person or channel who uploaded it goes in the author position. Mention the speaker in your sentence if they differ from the uploader.
APA in-text citations
- (Chen, 2026)
- Chen (2026) described...
- For a quote from a recording, add a timestamp: (Chen, 2026, 14:32)
MLA 9th edition
MLA's general template works for lectures. Add "Lecture" at the end as a description.
Live lecture
Chen, Rui. "Coastal Sediment Transport." Earth Sciences 210: Coastal Processes, 4 Mar. 2026, Northgate University, Boston. Lecture.
If the lecture had no title, describe it instead without quotation marks:
Chen, Rui. Class lecture on sediment transport. Earth Sciences 210: Coastal Processes, 4 Mar. 2026, Northgate University, Boston.
Recorded lecture online
Chen, Rui. "Why Coastlines Move." YouTube, uploaded by Northgate University, 12 Oct. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxx.
Public talk or guest lecture
Okafor, Ada. "Mapping Flood Risk in Growing Cities." Annual Climate Forum, 20 Feb. 2026, Riverside Convention Centre, Leeds. Lecture.
MLA in-text citations
Lectures don't have page numbers, so use the speaker's surname alone:
(Chen)
Or name the speaker in your sentence and skip the parenthetical. For recordings, MLA allows a time range: (Chen 00:14:32-00:15:10).
Chicago 17th edition
Chicago treats lectures, papers and talks as unpublished presentations.
Footnote
- Rui Chen, "Coastal Sediment Transport" (lecture, Earth Sciences 210: Coastal Processes, Northgate University, Boston, MA, March 4, 2026).
Short form:
- Chen, "Coastal Sediment Transport."
Bibliography
Chen, Rui. "Coastal Sediment Transport." Lecture, Earth Sciences 210: Coastal Processes, Northgate University, Boston, MA, March 4, 2026.
Add a URL at the end if the lecture is available online.
Author-date
Chen, Rui. 2026. "Coastal Sediment Transport." Lecture, Northgate University, Boston, MA, March 4, 2026. In-text: (Chen 2026)
Taking notes you can cite later
Citing a lecture accurately starts in the lecture itself. At the top of your notes, record:
- Speaker's full name and title
- Lecture title, if announced
- Course name and number, or event name
- Date and location
- Whether it's recorded and where
When you write down something the lecturer says word for word, put it in quotation marks in your notes. Without that, it's easy to reproduce their exact phrasing later as if it were your own.
Tidying up messy notes is simpler with an AI notes generator that organises what you typed, as long as you keep track of which points came from the speaker.
Cite the lecture or the source behind it?
Lecturers often summarise published research. If your instructor mentions a specific study, find and cite that study directly. It makes your essay stronger, since readers can check it, and it shows you went beyond class material. Cite the lecture when you're using the lecturer's own analysis, examples or framing, or when the assignment explicitly asks you to engage with lecture content.
Common mistakes
- Citing a live lecture in an APA reference list without checking whether your instructor wants it there.
- Leaving out the date. Lectures in a series often share a speaker and course name.
- Treating a video of a lecture as a live event. If you watched a recording, cite the recording.
- Using a lecture as the only source for a factual claim that should be backed by published evidence.
Inkwell's APA citation generator and MLA citation generator can format the reference once you have the details. Check the source type and descriptions match what you actually used.
FAQ
Do I need to cite my professor's lecture?
If you use their specific ideas, examples or words, yes. General knowledge you learned in class usually doesn't need a citation, but ask your instructor about their expectations.
How do I cite a lecture in APA with no reference list entry?
Use a personal communication citation: (initial and surname, personal communication, Month Day, Year). It appears in the text only.
How do I cite a recorded Zoom lecture?
If it's posted on a course site, cite it as a lecture recording with the LMS name and URL. If it's publicly available, cite it like an online video.
What if the lecture has no title?
In APA, describe it in square brackets in place of a title. In MLA, give a short description in plain text instead of a quoted title.