How to Cite a YouTube Video in Text
If you are using YouTube videos in your research, it is essential that you learn the basic citation styles such as APA style, MLA style and Chicago style for them. This guide provides essential instruction.
Introduce the title of the video using quotation marks and, if applicable, include both names of its author as they differ from their channel name. Also provide details regarding when access was gained in Day Month Year format before concluding with a period.
Title of Video
If you use a YouTube video in an essay, be sure to cite it correctly. This includes including information such as its title, date of uploading and channel name where it can be found; additionally provide a link for viewers so they can watch it themselves; this step is essential whether using MLA or APA styles of writing.
Citing a YouTube video begins by placing its title between quotation marks. Once that has been done, include the full name and screen name of its uploader (this could include real names or user IDs such as GagaFanatic20 or Jones), followed by its publication date – normally this would be when first uploaded onto YouTube; if originally published elsewhere on another platform use access date instead.
YouTube stands out among video sites by restricting title length, as the website strives to ensure videos display consistently across desktop and mobile devices. YouTube sets its maximum width limit at 600 pixels per video title – thus it is important that titles remain short and simple for optimal viewing experience.
Likewise, if the video was shared from someone else’s YouTube account and reposted onto your own site, include their name as part of your citation. This is particularly important if the original creator of the video remains unknown. Furthermore, if this video excerpt comes from an extended work you should include this detail by writing “(Credit, Title of Video).”
Finally, you should identify what kind of media it is; in the case of YouTube videos this would likely be “Web”; end your citation with a period. If unsure which medium your video falls under please consult our Writing and Citing Libguide or request help from a librarian.
Author of Video
Citing YouTube videos in an MLA or APA style paper requires including information such as their author, title, URL and timestamp for easy referencing by readers. Because videos lack page numbers like written texts do, giving your reader an easy way of quickly finding where the quote you are using begins is also essential.
Author of a Video If unsure who created it, or cannot find their account’s username/screen name/real name then use their full name followed by their channel name in brackets as author of video.
If the video is part of a series or television show, its director and writer must also be listed. Typically this would be the person responsible for penning its script; otherwise a last name and initial could suffice – for example the writer may provide their initials, while director may use both initials in addition to their last name if available.
Once you have provided details about the author and upload date of a video, the next step should be providing its URL in italics with a period at the end. If it was accessed in another format than originally intended, state this with another period as appropriate.
If your video is part of a TED talks series, be sure to include the speaker’s full name; otherwise if their last name is unknown you can use their username with @ symbol in front of it as their full last name would otherwise not be apparent. If this proves unsuccessful you could also state their channel of choice or in case it’s a TED talk simply state their website address as the same may apply.
Channel Name of Video
When citing YouTube videos for academic writing purposes, it’s essential that all relevant details are included. This includes information like title of video, date uploaded and channel name of uploader – this is especially crucial when using either the APA or MLA citation formats which are both common among academic writing.
Your citation must also include the date you watched the video. To do this, right-click it and select “Properties,” with Last Visited section being the place for this information. If unsure, a website such as YouTube Time may help to give a better indication.
When using MLA citation format, begin your citation with the title of the video enclosed within quotation marks, followed by its creator (youTube channel or video uploader) in italics and finally including its upload date as day, month and year with hanging indents for all subsequent lines.
If the video has multiple uploaders, include all their names in your citation. If they have been publicly identified, this should include their full names; otherwise screen names should suffice. All names should be followed by a period. Adding job titles such as Director is optional.
The APA style differs slightly from MLA in that you must specify who created the video you are citing. While this may be difficult, including this information is essential in avoiding plagiarism. Before using an APA citation style for any assignment, always consult with your professor on which style they prefer.
Citing YouTube videos requires many different approaches, with the primary consideration being including all relevant information. A citation generator may also help ensure accurate citations.
Date of Video
Date of YouTube Upload (DVD/Blu-ray Release Date). It is essential to include this date when citing YouTube videos because this will assist readers with quickly finding them. Date should be written as: Day Month Year and additionally note the Time Zone where it was released.
Citing YouTube videos in an MLA 8th edition paper depends on your chosen style of citation; however, certain elements remain essential. These include capitalizing the author’s last name and including quotation marks around its title, along with capitalizing the first letter of all words except articles, prepositions, or conjunctions.
Citing video creators under MLA 8th edition requires writing down several elements: their real last name or username, video title, container and publication date (Day Month Year format). Furthermore, you should include a link to their URL.
When using YouTube videos as in-text citations, it’s essential that the time of each video be mentioned. This will enable readers to gain context of your research while making it simpler for them to locate it when needed. If you don’t know the exact time, a website which converts coordinates to local time may also come in handy.
MLA 8th edition video citations require that the date on which you watched or accessed a video be specified. You can find this date either within its description or through searching on YouTube; oftentimes this information can be found under its title. You should also include a link back to its source in your “Retrieved from” section.
Chicago-style video citation requires that the author’s name should include last name, first name or screen name as well as a period if available; alternatively use YouTube official channel name instead if no author name is given. If using video from another site besides YouTube, state publisher name in terms of Last name/First name/Screen name to complete your citation.