Cite a YouTube Video

If you need to cite a YouTube video for a report or other assignment, make sure you know the name of the video, the name of the user, the date the video was posted, the URL of the video, and the duration of the video. The specific requirements for YouTube video citations vary depending on which citation style you use, however. Don't worry -- we'll cover all the styles!

Steps

Citation Templates and Sample Citations

Doc:MLA Citation for Video,APA Citation for Video,Chicago Citation for Video

APA Style[1]

  1. Name the compiler. If the real name of the producer or compiler is available, write it out in last-name, first-initial format. Otherwise, use the compiler's screenname. If the video is pulled from YouTube's official channel, indicate that the author's name is "YouTube." Follow with a period.
    • Doe, J.
    • Sephora.
    • YouTube.
  2. Indicate the date the video was posted. List the date in year-month-day format, and enclose it in parentheses. Follow with another period.
    • YouTube. (2012, December 21).
  3. Type out the name of the video. Only capitalize the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns. If there is a subtitle, also capitalize the first word after the colon.
    • YouTube. (2012, December 21). Top searches on YouTube: August - November 2012
  4. Specify that the source is a video file. In brackets, type the words "Video file." Place a period after the brackets.
    • YouTube. (2012, December 21). Top searches on YouTube: August - November 2012 [Video file].
  5. Include the URL of the video. Introduce the URL with the phrase "Retrieved by." Use the video's specific URL, not the general URL for YouTube. Do not follow it with a period.

MLA Style[2]

  1. Write the name or username of the compiler. If the user indicates his or her real name, use it. Otherwise, use the compiler's username or screenname. If citing from YouTube's official channel, specify the username as "YouTube." Follow with a period.
    • Doe, John.
    • Sephora.
    • YouTube.
  2. Name the video. Put the title in quotation marks and follow it with a period. Capitalize the first letter of all major word (that is, anything that isn't an article, conjunction, preposition, or "to").
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012."
  3. Specify the format of the citation. Indicate that you are citing an "Online video clip." Follow with a period.
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012." Online video clip.
  4. Indicate that the video came from YouTube. Even if the video was pulled from the official YouTube account, you still need to indicate that the video was pulled from YouTube. Italicize the website's name, and follow with a comma.
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012." Online video clip. YouTube,
  5. List the posting date. Type out the date in day-month-year format. Conclude with a period.
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012." Online video clip. YouTube, 21 December 2012.
  6. State that the video came from the Web. This may seem redundant, but MLA format requires you to specify whether each source is electronic or print. Write "Web" and follow it with a period.
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012." Online video clip. YouTube. 21 December 2012. Web.
  7. Indicate the date you retrieved the video. Write this date out in day-month-year format. End with a final period.
    • YouTube. "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012." Online video clip. YouTube, 21 December 2012. Web. 31 December 2012.

Chicago Style[3]

  1. Name the video. Capitalize the first letter of each major word and enclose in quotation marks. Follow with a comma.
    • "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012,"
  2. Indicate that the source is a YouTube video. Include the phrase "YouTube video" after the video title, followed by another comma.
    • "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012," YouTube video,
  3. Specify the duration of the video. Separate the minutes and seconds with a colon. Add another comma after the seconds.
    • "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012," YouTube video, 2:13,
  4. Name the source responsible for posting it. Introduce the name with the phrase “posted by.” Type out the compiler's username. If using a video from the official YouTube channel, use "YouTube" as the username. Include the name in quotation marks and use the same capitalization used on the channel. Follow with another comma.
    • "Sephora Features: Sophy Robson's Wild Giraffe Nail Tutorial," YouTube video, 1:16, posted by "sephora,"
    • "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012," YouTube video, 2:13, posted by "YouTube,"
  5. Type out the date the video was posted. The date should be in month-day-year format. Place a comma after the year.
    • "Top Searches on YouTube: August - November 2012," YouTube video, 2:13, posted by "YouTube," December 21, 2012,
  6. Conclude with the video's URL. You do not need to introduce the URL with a phrase. Simply paste the video's exact URL and conclude with a period.
  7. Note that the above style applies to footnote and endnote citations. In order to cite a YouTube video in Chicago style for a bibliography, follow the above format but replace the commas after the video title, duration, and date with periods.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://guides.boisestate.edu/content.php?pid=19556&sid=586331
  2. ↑ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/18/
  3. ↑ http://libguides.csuchico.edu/content.php?pid=214757&sid=1836853
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