How do I cite YouTube videos?

MLA style gives authors several ways to cite YouTube videos.

If you are citing a video in which the primary creator or author is clear, you can list that creator in the Author element. The following provides an example of a citation for the music video of Beyoncé’s song “Pretty Hurts”:

Beyoncé. “Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts (Video).”  YouTube , 24 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXXQLa-5n5w.

The title of the video is copied exactly as it appears on YouTube . The container is YouTube , followed by the date listed below the video and the Location element (the URL of the video).

If it’s not clear who the primary creator or author of a video is, you could omit the Author element and begin the citation with the title of the video:

“Capybara Eat Huge Pumpkin.”  YouTube , uploaded by Alex Smith, 12 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNwxZnABzA.

In this example, the video’s creator is not specified. The name of the account that uploaded the video is provided in the Contributor element, after the title of the container, YouTube . Even if it’s clear who the author or creator of a video is, you might opt to include the name of the account that uploaded the video in the Contributor element if it provides helpful information.

If you are citing an entire work uploaded to YouTube , such as a film, use what you see on YouTube to cite the work in MLA style. Here is an example citation for a film:

Moby Dick . Directed by John Huston, MGM, 1956. YouTube , 8 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Yc8KPH-X0.

Details about the film’s original publication are found in the  YouTube description below the video and so are provided in the citation. Here  Moby Dick  is a self-contained work, and so its title is listed as the first container. It is followed by the Contributor, Publisher, and Date elements. YouTube is the title of the second container, followed by the Date and Location elements.

For more on how to cite YouTube  videos in MLA style, see our posts on citing TV episodes on YouTube and interviews on YouTube , as well as our related posts on citing online videos  and formatting titles of uploaded videos.

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Harvard Referencing – How to Cite a YouTube Video

2-minute read

  • 28th February 2017

Once you’ve watched all of the unboxing videos YouTube has to offer (assuming you have a spare century), you might want to check out the lectures and educational content available. In fact, you might even want to cite them in your work .

But since YouTube videos aren’t conventional academic sources, the rules for citing them are a little different. In this post, we look at how to cite an online video with Harvard referencing .

In-Text Citations

Since a YouTube video does not have an author in the conventional sense, you can instead cite the title and the year it was uploaded:

Ian Ayre describes Rawls’ veil of ignorance as important in philosophy and law ( Rawlsian Veil of Ignorance , 2015).

Here, for example, we give the name of the video, even though the video names Ian Ayre as the presenter.

The presenter. (Image: YaleCourses/YouTube)

You can even quote a YouTube video in your work. To do this, provide a timestamp to show where the quoted passage occurs in the video:

Decision makers behind a veil of ignorance make ‘better and less biased choices’ ( Rawlsian Veil of Ignorance , 2015, 00:02:20).

In this case, the timestamp shows that the passage occurs two minutes and twenty seconds into the video. This is equivalent to giving page numbers when quoting a print source.

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In the Reference List

As with other sources, YouTube videos cited in your work should be added to a reference list at the end of your document. The format for these references is:

Title of Video (date uploaded) YouTube video, added by Username of uploader [Online]. Available at URL [Accessed date].

For the video cited in the examples above, for instance, we’d write:

Rawlsian Veil of Ignorance  (2015) YouTube video, added by YaleCourses [Online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rRzMeAkULc [Accessed 19 December 2016].

Harvard Referencing: A Proviso

Keep in mind that Harvard referencing is not a single, unified system. As such, you should check your style guide in case the rules your university uses differ from those described here.

If your style guide doesn’t give specific information on citing a YouTube video, the method here should be fine. Just remember to make your referencing clear and consistent throughout!

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How to Cite a YouTube Video

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Website Book Journal Video

While you might first think of books, newspapers, and journal articles as go-to sources for academic assignments, YouTube provides a wealth of informative, easily accessible videos. Yes, there is questionable content, but the site is also filled with educational channels, snippets from evening news programs, and even full-length documentaries on a range of interesting and scholarly subjects.

Since YouTube has a ton of information, citing a video retrieved from YouTube might seem more difficult than citing a book. But the process is fairly simple—and we’ve put together this helpful guide on how to cite a YouTube video using MLA format , APA format, and Chicago style.

If you’ve previously cited a video from another website, you’re in luck: The process for citing a video from YouTube is basically the same. To provide an example, we’ve cited a video from the CrashCourse YouTube channel—run by “Fault in Our Stars” author John Green—that offers educational videos on a slew of topics, including history, chemistry, and psychology. This particular video is about the US Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism. We’ve laid out how to cite the video in MLA format, APA format, and Chicago style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO7FQsCcbD8

To properly cite a video from YouTube, you must consider the following pieces of information:

  • Full name, username, or name of the company that posted the content
  • Title of the video
  • Title of the website (YouTube)
  • Publisher of the video
  • Date the video was posted
  • Length or duration of the video
  • URL or of the video

Use the following structure to cite a YouTube video in MLA 9:

Last name, First name (of the individual who posted the content) OR the name of the company OR the username. “Title of the Video.” Title of the Website , Name of the Publisher that uploaded the video (only include if it differs from the author or title), Date it was uploaded, URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in MLA 9 :

CrashCourse. “The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course US History #8.” YouTube , 21 Mar. 2013, youtu.be/bO7FQsCcbD8.

If you need help with in-text and parenthetical citations, CitationMachine.net can help. Our MLA citation generator is simple and easy to use!

Use the following structure to create an APA citation for a YouTube video :

Name of the Account OR Last Name, First initial of uploader [YouTube Account Name]. (Year, Month Day it was posted). Title of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Here’s how the above example would be cited in APA:

CrashCourse. (2013, March 21). The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash course in US History #8 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bO7FQsCcbD8

Use the following structure to cite a YouTube video in Chicago :

Last name, First name of the individual or the company who posted the content. “Title of Video.” YouTube video, length. Date published. URL.

Here’s how the above example would be cited in Chicago :

CrashCourse. “The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course in US History #8.” YouTube video, 13:03. March 21, 2013. https://youtu.be/bO7FQsCcbD8

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Including the name(s) of the video poster is discussed in reference examples 88 and 90 of the APA Publication Manual , 7 th edition. If the video is posted on the organization’s official website, then the speaker or presenter’s name would be listed in the author field. However, if the video is posted on YouTube or any other video sharing site, the name of the account that uploaded the video is listed as the author instead, to aid retrieval.

APA reference list template and examples:

Presenter’s Last Name, F. M. or Uploader’s Last Name, F. M. [Username*]. (Date posted). Title of the video [Video]. Publisher. URL

Cutts, S. (2016, October 18). Are you lost in the world like me? [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/209248444

Fogarty, M. [Grammar Girl]. (2016, September 30). How to diagram a sentence (absolute basics) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zznr-e6A4mQ

Iimjobs. (2020, March 2). Chegg – Life at Chegg | Showcase | iimjobs.com [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Nb3Ebtj9M

*Note: The username should be included if the account holder’s name and account name are both known and if including the username will help in retrieval.

Per the MLA Handbook , 9 th ed., the performer or creator is omitted if they are not mentioned in the source. Instead, the name of the uploader is included in the contributor field.

MLA works cited list template and example:

“Video Name.” Name of the Website , uploaded by Account Name, date video was posted, URL.

“Top 10 Unforgettable Buffy The Vampire Slayer Moments.” YouTube , uploaded by MsMojo, 1 Oct. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKq4SjCPzII.

As per the APA Publication Manual , 7 th edition, the in-text citation for a direct quote from a YouTube video should include the last name of the person who uploaded the video, the year the video was published, and a timestamp of the quote you are citing.

APA in-text citation template and example:

(Uploader Surname, year, HH:MM:SS)

(Cutts, 2016, 1:12:37)

American Psychological Association

YouTube Video References

This page contains reference examples for YouTube, including the following:

  • YouTube video
  • YouTube channel

The same format can be used for other sites that host user-generated videos, such as Vimeo. 

Cite a livestream (e.g., YouTube live) that is not archived by its hosting platform and cannot be retrieved by any other means (i.e., recorded and made available online via another hosting site) as a personal communication . 

1. YouTube video

Asian Boss. (2020, June 5). World’s leading vaccine expert fact-checks COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy: Stay curious #22 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdLDMLrYIA

Harvard University. (2019, August 28). Soft robotic gripper for jellyfish [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs

  • Parenthetical citations : (Asian Boss, 2020; Harvard University, 2019)
  • Narrative citations : Asian Boss (2020) and Harvard University (2019)
  • Use the name of the account that uploaded the video as the author.
  • If the account did not actually create the work, explain this in the text if it is important for readers to know. However, if that would mean citing a source that appears unauthoritative, you might also look for the author’s YouTube channel, official website, or other social media to see whether the same video is available elsewhere.
  • To cite the words of individuals featured in a video, name or describe the individual(s) in your sentence in the text and then provide a parenthetical citation for the video. For example, the Asian Boss video is an interview with the director general of the International Vaccine Institute; you should provide details about who spoke and what they said in the text of the sentence and then cite the video using the parenthetical citation shown.
  • Provide the specific date on which the video was uploaded.
  • Italicize the title of the video.
  • Include the description “[Video]” in square brackets after the title.
  • Provide the site name (YouTube) and URL of the video.

2. YouTube channel

APA Publishing Training. (n.d.). Home [YouTube channel]. YouTube. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/user/PsycINFO/

Walker, A. (n.d.). Playlists [YouTube channel]. YouTube. Retrieved October 8, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/user/DjWalkzz/playlists

  • Parenthetical citations : (APA Publishing Training, n.d.; Walker, n.d.)
  • Narrative citations : APA Publishing Training (n.d.) and Walker (n.d.)
  • YouTube channel pages begin on the “Home” tab by default. If you want to cite one of the other tabs (e.g., “Videos,” “Playlists”), use the name of that tab rather than “Home” in the title element of the reference (as in the Walker example).
  • Italicize the title of the channel.
  • Include the description “[YouTube channel]” in square brackets after the title.
  • Provide a retrieval date because the content is designed to change over time and is not archived.

YouTube video references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.12 and the Concise Guide Section 10.10

how to source a youtube video in an essay

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA YouTube Citation

How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA

While doing research for a paper, you may find relevant YouTube videos that you want to cite. You may already know how to cite a website in APA , but it can be difficult to know how to cite YouTube in APA style. You may also want to cite quotes within the video, user comments, or entire YouTube accounts.

The guidelines of this page cover APA 7th edition and specifies what you need to know to cite any various YouTube video content in APA style. For similar but different media, like citing a movie in APA or a tv show,  you’ll need to visit another guide.

Guide Overview

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

Step-by-step instructions for a YouTube video citation in APA style

Basic youtube video citation structure.

  • Video with creator’s real name and screen mame

Video without uploader’s real name OR video by an organization

Citing a youtube channel, citing a direct quote from a video, citing a comment on a youtube video, citing a ted talk found on youtube, a note on apa 7th edition, citing a youtube video in apa, what you need, troubleshooting.

  • List the real last name of the video’s uploader, capitalizing the first letter. Place a comma after the last name and then list the first initial of their first name, followed by a period. If you find their middle initial, list it after the first initial and period, also followed by a period. If the creator’s name is unavailable, skip this step and begin your citation with the next step.
  • Next, using brackets, list the screen name of the video’s uploader as it is spelled on the page. Place a period after the closing bracket.
  • Then, in parentheses, put the full numerical year followed by a comma, the full written month starting with a capital letter and followed by a comma, and the numerical day that the video was posted. Close the parentheses and follow with a period.
  • Put the title of the video in Italics and in sentence case (only capitalizing the first letter and proper nouns). Do not place a period after the title.
  • After the title, put the word Video (for the source format), capitalized, in normal font, and in brackets. Place a period after the closing bracket.
  • Put the word YouTube (for the website source name) as it is spelled here, followed by a period.
  • List the full URL for the web page containing the YouTube video you are citing. Do not follow with a period.

Note that in your citation, you must indent any lines after the first line. APA-style in-text citations for quoting and paraphrasing are the same for YouTube videos.

Reference Page
Structure

Uploader Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). [Video]. Name of website. URL

In-text citation
Structure

(Uploader Last Name OR Screen name, Year)

Video with creator’s real name and screen name

Reference Page
Example

Bissett, A. [Ariel Bissett]. (2016, May 28). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRj4R0hgi8w

In-text citation
Example

(Bissett, 2016)

If only the screen name is available, you put the screen name first in the citation and omit the “[Screen name]” part of the citation.

Reference Page
Example

Chegg. (2018, November 15). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4gmmme8HjQ

View Screenshot

In-text citation
Example

(Chegg, 2018)

Now that you know how to cite YouTube in APA style, you may need more specific information on citing channels, quotes, or comments.

Instead of citing one particular YouTube video, you may want to cite an entire YouTube channel. While the format is similar to citing a YouTube video, there are a few key differences you can see in the format guidelines below.

  • You will always use “n.d.” for “no date” because YouTube channels are undated.
  • If you are instead citing another tab of the account (Videos, Playlists, Channels, Discussion, About), put the correct tab name instead of the word “Home.”
  • Use the words “YouTube Channel” instead of the name of any specific videos since you’re citing a whole channel (not just one video).
Reference Page
Structure & Example

YouTube Channel Uploader’s Last Name, First Initial OR Screen name. (n.d.) [YouTube Channel]. URL of YouTube channel

The Guardian. (n.d.) [YouTube Channel]. https://www.youtube.com/guardian

In-text citation
Structure &

Example

(YouTube Channel Uploader’s Last Name OR Screen name, n.d.)

(The Guardian, n.d.)

You may want to include a direct quote from a YouTube video within your paper. While your reference page citation for the quote will be the same as a citation for the whole video, your in-text citation will need a timestamp to help readers easily access the quote ( Publication Manual , p. 274). It is commonly accepted to only include a timestamp for the beginning of the quote, but you may use a timestamp range if you think it would be helpful.

Reference Page
Structure

Uploader’s Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). [Video]. Name of website. URL

In-text citation
Structure

(Author/Creator Last Name OR screen name, Year, Timestamp 0:00)

While researching your topic, you may find that you want to include a comment left on a YouTube video. You will need to cite the comment itself rather than the YouTube video. The format for citing a YouTube comment is similar to citing a YouTube video with a few key differences.

Reference Page
Structure & Example

Commentor’s Last Name, First Initial. OR Commenter’s Username. (Year, Month Day). Title of comment OR up to the first 20 words of the comment [Comment on the video “Title of video”]. URL of YouTube video

Blanco, B. (2021, November 21). My favorite Jackson… in the entire Galaxy! [Comment on video “Essentials for indoor cat happiness”].  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVttlOqcX4

In-text citation
Structure &

Example

(Commentor’s Last Name OR Username, Year)

(Blanco, 2021)

TED Talks are often great sources of information, and they can be found on both the TED website and on YouTube. When citing a TED Talk found on YouTube, list TED as the author for the in-text citation and the reference page.

Reference Page
Structure

TED (2011, January 3). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o

In-text citation
Structure

(TED, 2011)

The 7th edition of the APA Manual came out in 2020, replacing the 6th edition that came out in 2009. There are a few changes in the newest manual that apply when you need to cite YouTube video APA style.

Notable 7th edition changes include:

  • Omission of “Retrieved from” before URLs
  • Addition of the website name
  • Uses “Video” instead of “Video file.”
  • In-text citation format is the same,

APA 6th Edition Reference Page Format:

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of the video [Video file]. Retrieved from URL

APA 7th Edition Reference Page Format:

Uploader Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of the video [Video]. Name of website. URL

In-text Citation Format (6th AND 7th Edition): 

(Author/Creator Last Name OR Screen name, Year)

To cite YouTube videos in APA style, you will need certain information. If available, find the following to include in your citation:

  • Name of the individual(s) or group who uploaded the video. If it’s an individual, use their real name.
  • Video uploader’s screen name
  • Date attached to the video (including year, month, date)
  • Title of the video
  • URL of the video’s webpage

If any of the above information is not available on the same page as the YouTube video, you may need to do a little more research to find it. For example, to find the real name of the video’s uploader, you can click on the screen name to view the creator’s account where you might find their real name in the bio.

If any of the information is not available, even after doing additional research, simply leave it out of the citation, but include the rest of the information following the order of the basic format below.

Who is the author?

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (2020, p. 344) clarifies that the uploader of the video is used as the “author” of the video, even if they are not the creator of it.

Further information on citing in APA can be found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association in Section 10.12.

Solution #1: How to cite a video when the uploader’s real name cannot be found

When you want to cite a video from YouTube, Vimeo, or any other video-hosting sites, but cannot find the uploader’s real name, use their username in place of their actual name in your APA works-cited citation.

If using a username in place of a typical name, keep the same format and case of the username as it is discovered online, and omit the bracketed “username” part of your APA citation in your bibliography.

Use the username in place of the author’s name for your in-text citation.

Example in-text citation:

(videogamedunkey, 2021)

Example reference:

videogamedunkey. (2021, September 21). Originality in video games [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOQzTtsr3AQ

American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10/1037/0000165-000

Published July 21, 2014. Updated April 16, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau.  Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA Examples

how to source a youtube video in an essay

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To cite a YouTube video, you need to have the name of the uploader or the screen name, the full date the video was uploaded, the title of the video, and the URL (uniform resource locator). If any of these details are not available, you can skip it and add only the available information. The templates for in-text citations and reference list entries of a YouTube video along with examples are given below.

In-text citation templates and examples:

Video uploader’s name or Screen name (publication year)

Seburn (2020)

Parenthetical:

(Video uploader’s name or Screen name, publication year)

(Seburn, 2020)

Note that month and day are not mentioned in in-text citations.

Reference list entry template and example:

Video uploader’s Surname F. M. [Screen name]. (Publication Year, Month Day). Video title  [Video]. YouTube. URL

Seburn, C. [Smart Screen]. (2020, May 20). Welcome to the smart student! (Introductory video)  [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/wz9kb_cQ57Y

If you want to include the screen name, include it in square brackets after the uploader’s name. Set the title of the video in italics and sentence case. The word “Video” follows the title in square brackets. Use the word “YouTube” before the URL.

To cite a movie in APA style , it is important that you know basic information such as the name of the director, the date, the title of the movie, and the name of the production company.

In-text citation template and example:

Director Surname (Year)

Coppola (1972)

(Director Surname, Year)

(Coppola, 1972)

Director’s Surname, F. M. (Director). (Year). Title of the movie [Film]. Production Company.

Coppola, F. F. (Director). (1972). The godfather [Film]. Alfran Productions.

To cite a TV series in APA style, it is important that you know basic information such as the name of the executive producer, the date, the title of the TV series, and the name of the production company.

Executive Producer Surname(s) (Year/s)

Crane and Kauffman (1994–2004)

(Executive Producer Surnames, Year/s)

(Crane & Kauffman, 1994–2004)

Executive Producer’s Surname, F. M. (Executive Producers). (Year). Title of the TV show [TV series]. Production Company.

Crane, D., & Kauffman, M. (Executive Producers). (1994–2004). Friends [TV series]. Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions.

Streaming video

To cite a streaming video in APA style, it is important that you know basic information such as the name of the person or group who uploaded the video (or their username), the year, month, and day the video was uploaded, the title of the video, the streaming service, and the URL.

Video uploader’s surname or username (Year)

Stanford (2010)

(Video uploader’s surname or username, Year)

(Stanford, 2010)

Video uploader’s Surname F. M. [Username]. (Publication Year, Month Day). Video title . [Video]. YouTube. URL

Stanford. [Smart Screen]. (2010, March 29). Introduction to human behavioral biology . [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnIGh9g6fA

If you want to include the username with the uploader’s full name, include it in square brackets after the uploader’s name. Set the title of the video in italics and sentence case. The word “[Video]” follows the title. Use the streaming service’s title, “YouTube,” before the URL.

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Citing a YouTube Video

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  • Select style:
  • Archive material
  • Chapter of an edited book
  • Conference proceedings
  • Dictionary entry
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  • DVD, video, or film
  • E-book or PDF
  • Edited book
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With smartphones and lightning fast Wi-Fi now part of everyday life, it is difficult to remember a time when online resources were not available to researchers and students. How did we ever find information quickly?

Some of the most popular and talked about types of online media are videos, like the kinds that millions of people view every day on sites like YouTube and Vimeo. While these sources are great ways to learn about a new topic in a fast and easy way, it can be tempting to neglect citing them properly in your paper.

Need to cite an online video that you’ve used for a research paper? You’ve come to the right place. Read on for guidelines on how to cite this type of source in MLA style, APA style, Harvard, and Chicago style. Also for consideration, Cite This For Me has a handy form for citing an online image or video.

Not sure which citation style you should be using? Check with your professor and ask which style they prefer before you start writing your paper and references.

What Information Do I Need?

The most efficient way to make citations for your paper is to develop them as you’re writing, instead of waiting until the end to start adding them. By completing them as you need them within your paper, you will be less likely to forget to include an important source that you used, and therefore be less likely to be accused of plagiarism.

The types of information you include in your online video citation can vary based on the particular source you are referencing and your citation style. Here is a list of the most frequently needed data points. We’ll be using the video example linked here below and throughout this guide:

Author/contributor names (this could also be an organization or a username in some cases): Brad Traversy Video title: CSS Crash Course For Absolute Beginners Website where you viewed the video: YouTube Date the video was published: July 19th 2017 Video publisher: Traversy Media Date you viewed the video: July 25th 2018 Video running time: 1:25:10 URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI<

In-Text Citations

After you reference an online video in your paper, you should include an in-text citation that signals to the reader where you got your information from. These types of citations can be added into the sentences of your project and can look parenthetical (like this), or be footnotes that match up with a similarly numbered citation in a bibliography. All of this depends on which citation style you’re using.

Let’s take a look at some examples of how to cite an online video in MLA, APA, Chicago style format, and Harvard styles.

How to Cite an Online Video in APA Style

APA parenthetical citation: (Traversy, 2017)

APA parenthetical citation after quotation: (Traversy, 2017, 0:10)

Full citation:

Traversy, B. (2017, July 19). CSS crash course for absolute beginners [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI

How to Cite an Online Video in MLA Style

MLA parent hetical citation: (“CSS Crash Course”)

“CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners.” YouTube , uploaded by Traversy Media, 19 Jul. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

Note that MLA includes account name that uploaded the video in the “other contributors” slot since there is often no way to verify whether the account that uploaded the video and the author of the video are the same entity.

How to Cite an Online Video in Chicago Style Format (footnote/bibliography style)

Brad Traversy, “CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners,” YouTube Video, 1:25:10, July 19, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

Bibliography:

Traversy, Brad. “CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners.” YouTube Video, 1:25:10. July 19, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

How to Cite an Online Video in Harvard Style*

*This is according to Harvard Cite Them Right Style 10th edition.

Harvard referencing parenthetical citation: (Traversy, 2017)

Traversy (2017) CSS crash course for absolute beginners. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI (Accessed: 25 July 2018).

Making citations for online videos is easier than ever with Cite This For Me!

The in-text citation in APA style, in general, includes only the names of the contributors (or authors) and the publication year. The author of an audiovisual work depends on the type of media. YouTube is an audiovisual work for which the uploader’s name should be used in the author’s place. Therefore, to cite YouTube in the text, you need to include the name of the uploader of the YouTube video (though the uploader is not the original creator of the work) and the publication year.

Below you will find an example of how to format an in-text citation for YouTube in APA style:

Narrative: Uploader’s Surname (Year)

Parenthetical: (Uploader’s Surname, Year)

Narrative: Tucker (2017)

Parenthetical: (Tucker, 2017)

To provide an in-text citation for a YouTube video in MLA style, a shortened form of the video title is used.

Format for the In-text Citation for a YouTube Video

Prose: “Shortened Title of the Video”

Parenthetical: (“Shortened Title of the Video”)

Prose: The documentary “Dark Clouds” . . .

Parenthetical: (“Dark Clouds”)

If a specific portion of the video is the focus, a time stamp is used displaying the relevant hours, minutes, and seconds.

Format for the In-text Citation for a YouTube Video of a Television Show with a Time Stamp

Prose: “ Title ” (Time stamp)

Parenthetical: (“ Title ” Time stamp)

Prose: In the opening scene from an episode of “ Friends ” (00:00:02-00:03:10) . . .

Parenthetical: (“ Friends ” 00:00:02-00:03:10)

Per Chapter 10 of the APA Publication Manual , a reference list entry for a YouTube video should include the name of the channel and/or name of the person who uploaded the video, the date the video was published, title of the video, and URL.

The templates and examples below show how to create a reference list entry for a YouTube video in APA style.

Uploader’s Last Name, First Initial. [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Date video was published). Name of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Fogarty, M. [Grammar Girl]. (2021, May 28). Noah Webster’s influence on American English [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqszseM7xlM

If the name of the uploader is unknown, or if the video was posted by an institution/organization, use the institution’s name instead of the individual contributor’s name at the beginning of your citation.

Institution/Organization Name. (Year, Month Date video was published). Name of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

TED. (2012, October 1). Your body language may shape who you are | Amy Cuddy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc

While the MLA handbook does not provide specific guidelines for citing a comment in the comments section for a YouTube video, it does provide guidelines and an example on how to provide references for comments generally. Most importantly, your citation should help the reader to easily locate the source (in this case, the comment made).

Commenter’s Name. Comment on “Video Name.” Website , uploaded by Uploader Name, Date, URL.

Bunh The Chau. Comment on “Chegg Writing: Grammar & Plagiarism.” YouTube , uploaded by Chegg, 12 Nov. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPFg5KI_6ZI.

The in-text citation formats are provided below. The first time a resource is mentioned, a citation in prose format should be used. Thereafter, either format can be used.

Citation in Prose: Name

Bunh The Chau

Parenthetical Citation: (Name)

(Bunh The Chau)

To format a footnote to a YouTube video in Chicago style, include the speaker(s) in the video (if known), the title of the video, the uploader of the video, the date posted, an indication of the source type (e.g., “YouTube video”), the length of the video, and the URL. The idiosyncratic capitalization (“YouTube”) must be preserved.

  • Peter Thomson et al., “The Sustainable Development Goal 4, Education – Press Conference (28 June 2017),” United Nations, streamed on June 28, 2017, YouTube video, 31:28, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Wt3K1DgDw&list=PLwoDFQJEq_0buo7GDyAEJ9QNbhUuRnIQY.

To format a bibliography entry for a YouTube video in Chicago style, include the speaker’s name(s) in the author element (if known) in inverse order (e.g., Biden, Joe.), the title of the video, the uploader’s name, the streaming date, an indication of the source type (e.g., “YouTube video”), the length of the video, and the URL. The idiosyncratic capitalization (“YouTube”) should be preserved.

“40 Dangerous Animals Caught Being Friendly.” Come Along. Streamed on December 8, 2021. YouTube video, 18:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qf1iPGd_Sk.

To cite a comment on a YouTube video in a footnote, include the commenter name, the date of comment (if available), the phrase “comment on,” followed by the video’s citation information, including the video’s title, the uploader, the streaming date, the video format (YouTube video), the video length, and the URL.

  • Raja Izhar, comment on “The Sustainable Development Goal 4, Education – Press Conference (28 June 2017),” United Nations, streamed on June 28, 2017, YouTube video, 31:28, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Wt3K1DgDw&list=PLwoDFQJEq_0buo7GDyAEJ9QNbhUuRnIQY.

As per MLA style, the account name of the uploader is included in the “other contributors” section. More often than not, videos are uploaded by a person who is not the creator. Further, there is no way with the information provided that a user can verify if the video’s creator and uploader are the same person. Hence, the account name is included in the “other contributors” section.

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  • Citing a YouTube Video in Chicago Style | Format & Examples

Citing a YouTube Video in Chicago Style | Format & Examples

Published on May 17, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on April 9, 2024.

Chicago Citation Generator

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , it’s recommended to cite YouTube videos (and other online videos, except for movies ) only in your notes and omit them from the bibliography .

List a video in your bibliography if it’s crucial to your argument, you cite it often, or your university requires you to.

Including the video length is optional. In a note, a specific timestamp or range may be included to show the relevant location in the video. Pay attention to the punctuation (e.g., periods or commas ) in your citations.

Chicago YouTube video citation
Author last name, First name. “Video Title.” Additional information. Month Day, Year. Format, Video lengthURL.

Liu, Jessica. “How to Write a Strong Essay Conclusion.” Scribbr. February 8, 2021. Educational video, 3:50. https://youtu.be/2UElC_YZ0Eo.

Author first name Last name, “Video Title,” Additional information, Month Day, Year, Format, Video length or Timestamp(s), URL.

1. Jessica Liu, “How to Write a Strong Essay Conclusion,” Scribbr, February 8, 2021, educational video, 0:28 to 0:55, https://youtu.be/2UElC_YZ0Eo.

Author last name, “Shortened Video Title,” Timestamp(s).

2. Liu, “Essay Conclusion,” 0:56.

If you use author-date style instead, any videos cited must appear in the reference list.

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Table of contents

Optional details to include in youtube citations, where to find citation information for a youtube video, citing youtube videos in author-date style, frequently asked questions about chicago style citations.

Since YouTube videos can cover a wide variety of different content, a lot of different information may be relevant to your citation. In general, use your own judgment to determine what, if any, additional information is relevant to your citation. Some examples are given below.

  • Music video

In this music video citation, the musician is listed as the main author, the director of the video is listed after the title (relevant if you discuss the video content rather than just the song), and the words “music video” are included for the sake of clarity.

Chicago music video citation
Musician last name, First name. “Video Title.” Directed by Director first name Last name. Month Day, Year. Music video, Video lengthURL.

Glover, Donald. “This Is America.” Directed by Hiro Murai. May 6, 2018. Music video, 4:04. https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY.

Musician first name Last name, “Video Title,” directed by Director first name Last name, Month Day, Year, music video, Video length or Timestamp(s), URL.

1. Donald Glover, “This Is America,” directed by Hiro Murai, May 6, 2018, music video, 4:04, https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY.

Author last name, “Shortened Video Title,” Timestamp(s).

2. Glover, “This Is America,” 1:50.

  • Recorded lecture

When citing a recorded lecture , information about when and where it was recorded, as well as any course or series it was part of, can be relevant. In this case the date of recording, which is shown in the video, replaces the upload date.

Chicago recorded lecture citation
Author last name, First name. “Video Title.” Lecture Series, University Name, filmed Month Day, Year. Video of lecture, Video lengthURL.

Shapiro, Ian. “Lecture 1: Introduction to Power and Politics in Today’s World.” DeVane Lectures, Yale University, filmed August 29, 2019. Video of lecture, 56:14. https://youtu.be/BDqvzFY72mg.

Author first name Last name, “Video Title,” Lecture Series, University Name, Month Day, Year, video of lecture, Video length or Timestamp(s), URL.

1. Ian Shapiro, “Lecture 1: Introduction to Power and Politics in Today’s World,” DeVane Lectures, Yale University, filmed August 29, 2019, video of lecture, 56:14, https://youtu.be/BDqvzFY72mg.

Author last name, “Shortened Video Title,” Timestamp(s).

2. Shapiro, “Power and Politics,” 14:40.

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YouTube’s interface makes it simple to find the key information needed for a citation: the channel name, video title, publication date, video length, and URL. All of this can be found below the video.

Chicago YouTube citation

Use a specific author name if one can be identified from the video or description; otherwise, list the channel name. The name of the channel is italicized if it is also the name of a blog or print publication, such as the Wall Street Journal . The video title is enclosed in quotation marks .

In author-date style , in-text citations consist of the author’s last name and the publication year, as well as a timestamp if relevant.

The corresponding reference list entry is identical to a bibliography entry, but with the year added after the channel name. In this style, it’s mandatory to include all the videos you cite in your reference list.

  • YouTube video
Chicago author-date format Author last name, First name. Year. “Video Title.” Additional information. Month Day, Year. Format, Video lengthURL.
Liu, Jessica. 2021. “How to Write a Strong Essay Conclusion.” Scribbr. February 8, 2021. Educational video, 3:50. https://youtu.be/2UElC_YZ0Eo.
(Liu 2021, 0:56)
Chicago author-date format Author last name, First name. Year. “Video Title.” Directed by Director first name Last name. Month Day, Year. Music video, Video lengthURL.
Glover, Donald. 2018. “This Is America.” Directed by Hiro Murai. May 6, 2018. Music video, 4:04. https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY.
(Glover 2018)
Chicago author-date format Author last name, First name. Year. “Video Title.” Lecture Series, University Name, filmed Month Day. Video of lecture, Video lengthURL.
Shapiro, Ian. 2019. “Lecture 1: Introduction to Power and Politics in Today’s World.” DeVane Lectures, Yale University, filmed August 29. Video of lecture, 56:14. https://youtu.be/BDqvzFY72mg.
(Shapiro 2019, 14:40)

In a Chicago footnote citation , when the author of a source is unknown (as is often the case with websites ), start the citation with the title in a full note. In short notes and bibliography entries, list the organization that published it as the author.

Type Example
Full note 1. “An Introduction to Research Methods,” Scribbr, accessed June 11, 2020, https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/.
Short note 2. Scribbr, “Research Methods.”
Bibliography Scribbr. “An Introduction to Research Methods.” Accessed June 11, 2020. https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/.

In Chicago author-date style , treat the organization as author in your in-text citations and reference list.

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

In Chicago notes and bibliography style , the usual standard is to use a full note for the first citation of each source, and short notes for any subsequent citations of the same source.

However, your institution’s guidelines may differ from the standard rule. In some fields, you’re required to use a full note every time, whereas in some other fields you can use short notes every time, as long as all sources are listed in your bibliography . If you’re not sure, check with your instructor.

  • A reference list is used with Chicago author-date citations .
  • A bibliography is used with Chicago footnote citations .

Both present the exact same information; the only difference is the placement of the year in source citations:

  • In a reference list entry, the publication year appears directly after the author’s name.
  • In a bibliography entry, the year appears near the end of the entry (the exact placement depends on the source type).

There are also other types of bibliography that work as stand-alone texts, such as a Chicago annotated bibliography .

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.

Caulfield, J. (2024, April 09). Citing a YouTube Video in Chicago Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/chicago-style/youtube-video/

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MLA Format: Citing a YouTube Video (Example)

Last Updated: January 21, 2024

This article was co-authored by Cara Barker, MA . Cara Barker is an Assistant Professor and Research and Instruction Librarian at Hunter Library at Western Carolina University. She received her Masters in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Washington in 2014. She has over 16 years of experience working with libraries across the United States. This article has been viewed 306,197 times.

As more information is introduced via the Web, students and instructors must come to expect an increase in the number of online citations included in research papers. YouTube videos are among the content one should learn to handle. Continue reading for specific instructions and examples concerning how to cite a YouTube video in MLA format.

Things You Should Know

  • You can use a shortened version of the video's title in your in-text citations.
  • If you know the real name of the creator, use it on your Works Cited page.
  • You'll need to specify the username of the person who uploaded the video on your Works Cited page.

In-Text Citation

Step 1 Type a portion of the title in parentheses.

  • Maru is a famous cat known for a variety of antics (“Maru Greatest Hits”).

Step 2 Introduce the title in the sentence.

  • As seen in “Maru Greatest Hits,” Maru is a famous cat known for a variety of antics.

Step 3 Include the creator's name when applicable.

  • The man responsible for holding the three Cleveland women captive has been arrested along with two other suspects (Associated Press, "3 Women").
  • As stated in "3 Women," the man responsible for holding the three Cleveland women captive has been arrested along with two other suspects (Associated Press).
  • According to the Associated Press, the man responsible for holding the three Cleveland women captive has been arrested along with two other suspects ("3 Women").
  • In "3 Women," the Associated Press explains that the man responsible for holding the three Cleveland women captive has been arrested along with two other suspects.

Works Cited Page

Step 1 Mention the name or username of the creator.

  • McGonigal, Jane.

Step 2 State the full title of the video.

  • McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.”
  • “8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.”

Step 3 Name the website.

  • McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube ,
  • “8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube ,

Step 4 Indicate who uploaded the video.

  • McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think,
  • “8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube , uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker,

Step 5 State when the video was created.

  • McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012,
  • “8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube , uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016,

Step 6 Finish with the URL.

  • McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E.
  • “8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube , uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBlpjSEtELs.

Community Q&A

wikiHow Staff Editor

  • Ask your instructor if they have a preference regarding the way that YouTube videos are cited. Some instructors prefer students to include the URL of online sources, while others do not. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Check the MLA citation guidelines to verify that the above information is accurate and complete. These guidelines change periodically. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

Cara Barker, MA

To cite a YouTube video in an in-text citation, put the title or a shortened version of it in parentheses after the relevant information, like ("Maru's Greatest Hits"). If you know the name of the video's creator, such as Associated Press, cite it in the parentheses prior to the title. When you move on to your Works Cited page, start with the name of the person responsible for the video or their YouTube username, and include the full title in quotation marks. Finally, include the website and sponsor, which in this case are both YouTube, the video's creation date, the publishing medium, "Web," and the date you accessed the video. For tips on how to cite a YouTube video when you don't know the creator's name, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Reference List: Audiovisual Media

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Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. There is no equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style (i.e., this page was written from scratch), but the old resource for electronic sources, which covers similar ground,  can be found here .

The term "audiovisual media" refers to media that contain both audio components, visual components, or a combination of both. In general, the citation style for audiovisual media varies depending on whether the piece stands alone or is part of a larger work. The following examples provide sample references for some of the most common audiovisual sources. Please note: the following contains a list of the most commonly cited audiovisual sources. For a complete list of how to cite audiovisual sources, please refer to the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

Film or Video

Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication).  Title of motion picture  [Film]. Production company.

Loyd, P. (Director). (2008). Mamma mia! [Film]. Universal Pictures. 

Film or Video in Another Language 

Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication).  Title of motion picture in original language [Translated title]   [Film]. Production company.

Del Toro, G. (Director). (2006). El laberinto del fauno [Pan’s labyrinth] [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.

Executive Producer, P. P. (Executive Producer). (Date range of release). Title of series [TV series]. Production company(s).

Sherman-Palladino, A., Palladino, D. (Executive Producers). (2017-present). The marvelous Mrs. Maisel  [TV series] . Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions; Picrow, Amazon Studios.

TV Series Episode

Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Original air date). Title of episode (Season number, Episode number) [Tv series episode]. In P. Executive Producer (Executive Producer),  Series title . Production company(s). 

Korsh, A. (Writer & Director). (2019, September 25). One last con (Season 9, Episode 10) [TV series episode]. In D. Liman & D. Bartis (Executive Producers), Suits . Untitled Korsh Company; Universal Content Productions; Open 4 Business Productions. 

YouTube Video

Person or group who uploaded video. (Date of publication). Title of video [Video]. Website host. URL 

Tasty. (2018, March 7). 7 recipes you can make in 5 minutes [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_5wHw6l11o

Music Album

Recording artist. (Year of release). Title of album [Album]. Record label.

The National. (2019). I am easy to find [Album]. 4AD.

Note: if you are referencing a re-recorded version of a classical work, list that album title in brackets following the name of the album.

Single Song or Track

Recording artist. (Year of release). Title of song [Song]. On Title of album [Album]. Record label. 

Dacus, L. (2018). Night shift [Song]. On Historian [Album]. Matador Records.

Note: if the song is a piece of classical music, you can list the composer instead of the recording artist.

Note: if the song does not have an associated album, simply omit the section with the album.

Executive Producer, E. P. (Executive Producer). (Range of publication). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. Production company. URL

Bae, P. (Executive Producer). (2017-present). The big loop [Audio podcast]. QRX. https://www.thebiglooppodcast.com/

Note: in place of the executive producer, you can also list the host of the podcast.

Note: if you did not access the podcast via an online source (e.g., if, you used a podcast app), omit the URL.

Single Podcast Episode

Executive Producer, E. P. (Executive Producer). (Date of publication). Title of podcast episode (Episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast . Production company. URL

Koenig, S. (Host). (2014, October 3). The alibi (No. 1) [Audio podcast episode]. In Serial . WBEZ Chicago. https://serialpodcast.org/

Note: if you did not access the podcast via an online source (e.g., if you used a podcast app), omit the URL.

Artwork in a Museum or on a Museum Website

Artist, A. (Year of release). Title of artwork [medium]. Name of museum, City, State, Country. URL of museum

Hopper, E. (1942). Nighthawks [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/111628/nighthawks

Note: if the artwork is available via a museum website, cite that website at the end of the citation. If there is no associated website, simply omit the URL.

Note: if the artwork does not have a title, briefly describe the work and put that description in square brackets.

Photograph (not associated with a museum)

Photographer, P. (Year of publication). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Source. URL

Ryan, S. (2019). Sea smoke on Lake Michigan [Photograph]. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/world/year-in-pictures.html

Note: if the photograph does not have a title, describe the photograph and put that description in square brackets.

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  • Writing Tips

How to Cite a YouTube Video in Harvard Referencing

3-minute read

  • 6th October 2019

YouTube isn’t just for makeup tutorials and travel vlogs. Sometimes, you may come across something you want to cite in an essay . In this post, then, we’re looking at how to cite a YouTube video in  Harvard referencing , including both in-text citations and the entry in the reference list.

Citing a YouTube Video in Harvard Referencing

Generally, YouTube videos are not the most academic sources, so you may be better off looking for a book or journal article that covers similar information. However, if you’re confident that the video is suitably rigorous to use in your writing, you’ll need to cite it like any other source.

The process for this is a little different for a YouTube video, since you do not need an author’s surname in the citation. Instead, you should cite the title and the year it was uploaded. For example:

The presence of the word “male” in “female” is actually a coincidence ( Words That Seem Related, But Aren’t , 2016).

Here, for instance, the title of the video is Words That Seem Related, But Aren’t . Between this and the year of publication, the reader will be able to find the full source information in the reference list.

Furthermore, if you need to quote a YouTube video directly, you won’t be able to cite any page numbers. But you can provide a timestamp for the part of the video you’re quoting, such as in the following:

According to Arika Okrent in  Words That Seem Related, But Aren’t  (2016, 00:00:20), “The eventual overlap in pronunciation was accidental.”

This shows that the quote is taken from twenty seconds into the video. The reader would then be able to look up the video and skip to the cited section.

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Online Videos in a Harvard Reference List

Any YouTube video cited in your work should be added to the reference list at the end of the document. The format for a YouTube video here is:

Title of Video  (date uploaded) YouTube video, added by Username of uploader [Online]. Available at URL [Accessed date].

For the video cited above, then, the full reference would be:

Words That Seem Related, But Aren’t  (2016) YouTube video, added by Arika Okrent [Online]. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_3PNlkaKs [Accessed 8 November 2016].

The key is providing enough information for readers to find the video.

A Quick Note on Harvard Referencing

“Harvard referencing” is actually a generic term for parenthetical author–date referencing . As such, different universities often have in-house versions of Harvard referencing. And while different versions of this referencing style have much in common, they can also vary in some respects.

As a result, you should always check your style guide for advice if you’ve been asked to use Harvard referencing in a document. And if you need any help checking that your referencing is clear and consistent, don’t forget to submit your documents to our academic proofreading service .

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How to Cite a YouTube Video: APA

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Videos and clips found online can provide lots of useful data for your research. This means it is important that you know how to cite a video in APA correctly. YouTube is a source of millions of clips or films that might be extremely useful during research, but each of them requires proper citation. Whether you are dealing with in-text citation of any clip, or creating reference for a whole channel, there are specific guidelines that must be followed. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place! So go no further and check this simple guide on APA citation for YouTube Video. This article covers all intricacies you should know to format your APA multimedia sources properly. Let’s get started!  

APA referencing style might be a complicated format to grasp at first. If you are confused or couldn’t find any details you need in our blog post, don’t hesitate to ask StudyCrumb to " write a paper for me ". 

APA YouTube Video Citation: Basics

To cite a YouTube video in APA style appropriately, you should include several key details:  

  • Last name and initials of a person who uploaded this clip
  • An account that uploaded it on the platform
  • Date of uploading
  • Title of your specific clip (italicized)
  • Medium “Video” wrapped by square brackets
  • Website name
  • Direct link to your audiovisual material.

Keep in mind that sometimes the name of an individual who uploaded some clip may be different from the one who has actually created it. In this case you should mention the uploader instead of an author. Besides, if both individual’s full name and channel name are available and they differ, you should use both in your APA citation. But if there is no person’s name, just include a channel name. This way, other researchers will be able to easily access this clip or film. Similarly, there may be no channel name. In this case you should just mention an uploader. Let’s look at this example of an APA format citation for multimedia sources brought to you by professional APA writers :  

Example of an APA format citation for multimedia sources

In case you cannot find all required information in the clip description, look for it in some other places. For example, you can examine some other multimedia materials on the same channel or read through a channel description. Be attentive, APA movie citation has a completely different format. Do not mix it up.

How to Cite a YouTube Video APA in Text

For in-text citation of YouTube video APA, you will not need all the information listed above, although it is still crucial for references. To cite a YouTube clip within your text, you should include either a channel name or the name of an uploader. This depends on which information is mentioned or comes first within your full reference. The correct format for an in-text citation is the name and year of uploading separated by a comma and wrapped by parentheses. For example:

Example of an APA in-text citation a YouTube video

If you want to reference any certain point in the multimedia source, you should use the timestamp in the APA paper format :

Example of an APA in-text citation from a multimedia source

You can also mention the speaker in the text if one is not the uploader of the clip.  You can cite a presentation in your work as well. APA cite PowerPoint is simple with our guide. 

How to Cite a YouTube Channel

Discovering how to cite a YouTube video channel in APA format is also essential. Sometimes, you will need to reference the whole channel if it has general information on your research. When citing any YouTube account and its videos, you shouldn’t use a specific year of its creation. Instead, you should opt for an abbreviation “n.d.” which stands for “no date”. Write the retrieval date and change “Video” to “YouTube channel.” For example:  

Example of an APA citation a YouTube channel

To mention a Youtube channel in text, just include an entire channel name and an abbreviation “n.d.”. Look at this sample to format your in-text citation correctly:

Example of an APA in-text citation a YouTube channel

You may also need an  APA interview citation from YouTube. Use our guide to make it right.

Example of How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA

Complying with APA Publication Manual guidelines , there is a certain method of citing a YouTube video in your essay. Make sure that APA citation YouTube video reference contains each required element, from author(s)’ initials to publication time. You can use channel name only in case there is no uploader name. In case you have difficulties with this assignment,  pay someone to do your homework at StudyCrumb . Take a look at this example and see how it works:

Example of how to cite a YouTube video in APA

Hire a proficient academic writer at StudyCrumb and get universal writing asisstance. Our experts can create citations and references for any video, clip, film or other sources. Benefit from a smart and quick solution we have to offer.  

1. How do you cite a video with no author in APA 7?

Some clips from channels may not contain an author’s name. To cite YouTube video in APA with no author , you can simply use an account name (channel) without brackets and include the retrieval date. This will allow others to find your reference easily.

2. How do you cite a streaming video in APA?

APA citation for streaming videos contains the name of a person who uploaded it, date, clip title, streaming service name, and link to the clip. Make sure you italicize the source’s title.

3. How do I cite an Amazon video in APA?

Citing an Amazon video is almost the same as when you cite YouTube video APA. Just insert the author, date, source title (italicized) and mention that it’s a [Video] using square brackets as usual, but replace ‘YouTube’ with ‘Amazon’.

4. How do I cite a Vimeo video in APA?

APA video citation is quite similar for all streaming platforms. Include an author’s name, channel name, [Video] in square brackets, date of uploading and clip title (in italics). But use ‘Vimeo’ instead of ‘YouTube’.

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IMAGES

  1. 4 Ways to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

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  2. How to Cite YouTube and Other Videos in MLA and APA

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  3. How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA: Quick Guide and Examples

    how to source a youtube video in an essay

  4. How to Cite YouTube Videos

    how to source a youtube video in an essay

  5. How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

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  6. Cara Menulis Daftar Pustaka Dari Video Youtube Apa Style Bang Tutorial

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite a YouTube Video

    To cite a video from YouTube or another video sharing site, you need an in-text citation with a corresponding reference listing the uploader, the publication date, the video title, and the URL. The format varies depending on the citation style you use. The most common styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago style. Use the interactive example generator ...

  2. How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

    Start the citation with the title, and list the channel name in the other contributors element. In the example below, the video was both created and uploaded by the organization BBC News, so the reference starts with the title. A shortened version of the title appears in the in-text citation. MLA format.

  3. How do I cite YouTube videos?

    Here Moby Dick is a self-contained work, and so its title is listed as the first container. It is followed by the Contributor, Publisher, and Date elements. YouTube is the title of the second container, followed by the Date and Location elements. For more on how to cite YouTube videos in MLA style, see our posts on citing TV episodes on YouTube ...

  4. How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA Style

    To cite a YouTube video in APA Style, you include the person or organization that uploaded it, their channel name (if different from their real name), the upload date, the video title (italicized), "Video" in square brackets, the name of the site, and a link to the video. Note that the same format works for other video sites like Vimeo ...

  5. How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

    Citing a YouTube Video. According the official MLA Style website, you start the citation off with the title of the video in quotation marks.The name of the website, YouTube, comes next, followed by the name of the YouTube channel, also called the video uploader.Finally, include the date the video was uploaded and the URL of the video at the end of the citation.

  6. Harvard Referencing

    In the Reference List. As with other sources, YouTube videos cited in your work should be added to a reference list at the end of your document. The format for these references is: Title of Video (date uploaded) YouTube video, added by Username of uploader [Online]. Available at URL [Accessed date].

  7. APA Referencing

    To cite an online video APA style, you'll need to give the uploader's name and the year the video was uploaded in brackets in the main text of your essay. For instance, we could cite a video uploaded in 2016 by the cultural critic Anita Sarkeesian to her Feminist Frequency YouTube channel as follows: The trope of the sinister seductress is ...

  8. How to Cite a YouTube Video

    Use the following structure to cite a YouTube video in MLA 9: Last name, First name (of the individual who posted the content) OR the name of the company OR the username. "Title of the Video.". Title of the Website, Name of the Publisher that uploaded the video (only include if it differs from the author or title), Date it was uploaded, URL.

  9. How to reference a YouTube (or an online) video in Harvard style

    The format for the time code is minutes:seconds. Alternatively, if the entire video is relevant, then you don't need to include the time code. You'll find two examples for each scenario below. In-text citation template: (Username/screen name, Year in which video was posted, mm:ss) Reference list template: Username or screen name (Year in ...

  10. YouTube Video References

    YouTube channel pages begin on the "Home" tab by default. If you want to cite one of the other tabs (e.g., "Videos," "Playlists"), use the name of that tab rather than "Home" in the title element of the reference (as in the Walker example). Italicize the title of the channel. Include the description " [YouTube channel]" in ...

  11. How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA

    Citing a direct quote from a video. You may want to include a direct quote from a YouTube video within your paper. While your reference page citation for the quote will be the same as a citation for the whole video, your in-text citation will need a timestamp to help readers easily access the quote (Publication Manual, p. 274).It is commonly accepted to only include a timestamp for the ...

  12. How to Cite a YouTube Video

    To format a footnote to a YouTube video in Chicago style, include the speaker(s) in the video (if known), the title of the video, the uploader of the video, the date posted, an indication of the source type (e.g., "YouTube video"), the length of the video, and the URL. The idiosyncratic capitalization ("YouTube") must be preserved. Example:

  13. 3 Ways to Cite a YouTube Video

    3. Provide the title and format of the video. Type the title of the video in italics. Use sentence case, capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns in the title. After the title, place the name of the format in square brackets. Since you're citing a YouTube video, the format will always be "Video."

  14. Citing a YouTube Video in Chicago Style

    Including the video length is optional. In a note, a specific timestamp or range may be included to show the relevant location in the video. Pay attention to the punctuation (e.g., periods or commas) in your citations. Chicago YouTube video citation. Chicago bibliography. Author last name, First name. " Video Title .". Additional information.

  15. How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA: Quick Guide and Examples

    Works Cited Page. Download Article. 1. Mention the name or username of the creator. Use the real name of the director, editor, or compiler when available. Write it out in "LastName, FirstName" format. End with a period. If the video was uploaded by the official YouTube channel, put "YouTube" as the creator.

  16. MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

    A YouTube Video. Video and audio sources need to be documented using the same basic guidelines for citing print sources in MLA style. Include as much descriptive information as necessary to help readers understand the type and nature of the source you are citing. If the author's name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once.

  17. How to Cite YouTube and Other Videos in MLA and APA

    To create an in-text citation in MLA, use the author and timestamp. In-Text Citation MLA Video Example - Author. (Aaron) (Aaron 01:15 - 02:00) In-Text Citation MLA Video Example - Without Author. ("Annotation a Short Film") ("Annotation a Short Film" 01:32 - 02:00) Note: Use the title for videos with no author.

  18. How To Cite Videos in APA and MLA Style (With Examples)

    URL. 1. Include the author and timestamp. When citing videos in APA style, the author always refers to the person or entity who uploaded the video. For the timestamp, you would only include hours if the relevant material appears after an hour's runtime. 2.

  19. Reference List: Audiovisual Media

    The term "audiovisual media" refers to media that contain both audio components, visual components, or a combination of both. In general, the citation style for audiovisual media varies depending on whether the piece stands alone or is part of a larger work. The following examples provide sample references for some of the most common ...

  20. How to Cite a YouTube Video in Harvard Referencing

    The format for a YouTube video here is: Title of Video (date uploaded) YouTube video, added by Username of uploader [Online]. Available at URL [Accessed date]. For the video cited above, then, the full reference would be: Words That Seem Related, But Aren't (2016) YouTube video, added by Arika Okrent [Online].

  21. How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA Style

    Instead, you should opt for an abbreviation "n.d." which stands for "no date". Write the retrieval date and change "Video" to "YouTube channel.". For example: To mention a Youtube channel in text, just include an entire channel name and an abbreviation "n.d.". Look at this sample to format your in-text citation correctly:

  22. Ghana, bondholders reach agreement in principle to restructure $13 bln

    Ghana has reached an agreement in principle with its bondholders for the restructuring of $13 billion worth of international debt, three sources told Reuters on Thursday, on the heels of a deal ...

  23. Chiropractor Videos Take Off on TikTok and YouTube

    Neck cracks and spine adjustments have become a potent social media trend, but some chiropractors fear the videos send the wrong message about the profession. By Derrick Bryson Taylor Snap. Crack ...