TED Talks are widely used in academic writing because they provide expert insights on science, business, education, and countless other subjects. If you are writing an essay, report, or dissertation in Harvard referencing style, you may need to cite a TED Talk as a reference.
This guide explains how to format both in-text citations and reference list entries for TED Talks using the Harvard referencing style.
General Format for a TED Talk Citation in Harvard Style
In-text citation:
(Author Surname Year)
Reference list entry:
Author surname, Initial(s), Year, Title of TED Talk in italics, online video, TED Conferences, viewed Day Month Year, <URL>.
Always italicise the TED Talk title and include the phrase online video to indicate the format.
Looking for dissertation help?
Research Prospect to the rescue then!
We have expert writers on our team who are skilled at helping students with dissertations across a variety of disciplines. Guaranteeing 100% satisfaction!
Example 1: Author is an Organisation
In-text citation:
(Southern Cross University Library 2018)
Reference list entry:
Southern Cross University Library 2018, Scholarly vs non-scholarly sources, online video, TED Conferences, viewed 22 October 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqt7M4I-bQM>.
Here, the author is an organisation (Southern Cross University Library) instead of an individual.
Example 2: Author’s Name Missing
When the speaker’s surname is not available, use the organisation, channel, or group name that delivered or published the TED Talk.
Example:
TED-Ed 2021, What makes a good life?, online video, TED Conferences, viewed 15 March 2023, <https://www.ted.com/talks/example>.
Example 3: Adding a Timestamp
If you are quoting or referring to a specific point in a TED Talk, include the timestamp in your in-text citation.
Format: (Author Year, HH:MM:SS)
Example:
(Southern Cross University Library 2018, 01:34:12)
Referencing TED Talks Published on YouTube
Some TED Talks are also uploaded to YouTube. In this case, cite them in the same way you would cite a YouTube video in Harvard style.
Example:
Smith, J 2020, The art of listening, online video, YouTube, viewed 10 July 2022, <https://www.youtube.com/example>.
Key Details to Include
– Author name (or organisation/channel)
– Year of publication/delivery
– Title of talk in italics
– Format = online video
– Publisher (TED Conferences or YouTube)
– Viewed date (Day Month Year)
– Full URL
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can reference a TED Talk in Harvard referencing style. Follow this format: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Talk title [Video]. TED Conferences. URL
If the talk is published on YouTube, format it as an online video from YouTube. Example: Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, Talk title in italics, online video, YouTube, viewed Day Month Year,
List all speakers in the reference entry. If there are more than three, you can cite the first followed by et al. in the in-text citation.
Yes. If you use the transcript from the TED website, cite it as a webpage rather than a video. This makes the format slightly different from the video citation.
No, only use the speaker’s name (surname, initials). Their profession or title should not appear in the citation.
Include both the author’s surname, the year, and a timestamp if relevant. Example: (Robinson 2006, 00:04:15).
