How to Reference a YouTube Video

While conventional sources like books, newspapers, and journal articles are typically the first considerations for academic assignments, YouTube stands out as a rich repository of easily accessible and informative videos. Despite the presence of questionable content, the platform hosts numerous educational channels, excerpts from evening news programs, and even full-length documentaries on diverse and scholarly subjects.

Navigating the citation process for a video sourced from YouTube might initially seem more challenging compared to citing a book. However, it is a relatively straightforward process, and we've compiled a helpful guide on how to cite a YouTube video in MLA format, APA format, and Chicago style.

If you've previously cited a video from a different website, you're in luck, as the process for citing a video from YouTube is essentially the same. To illustrate, we've provided an example of citing a video from the CrashCourse YouTube channel, led by John Green, the author of "Fault in Our Stars." This channel offers educational videos spanning various topics, such as history, chemistry, and psychology. In the context of this guide, we've outlined how to cite the mentioned video using MLA format, APA format, and Chicago style.

For accurate citation of a YouTube video, it's essential to include the following details:

Full name, username, or the name of the company responsible for posting the content

Title of the video

Website title (YouTube)

Video publisher

Date of video posting

Duration or length of the video

URL of the video

To cite a YouTube video in MLA 9 format, follow this structure:

Author's last name, Author's 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 (include only if it differs from the author or title), Date it was uploaded, URL.

In MLA 9, the example you provided would be cited as follows:

CrashCourse presents "The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course US History #8" on YouTube, published on March 21. youtu.be/bO7FQsCcbD8.

For assistance with in-text and parenthetical citations, you can use CitationMachine.net, which offers a simple and user-friendly MLA citation generator.

To generate an APA citation for a YouTube video, adhere to this structure:

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

In APA, the provided example would be cited as follows:

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

To create a Chicago citation for a YouTube video, use this format:

Last name, First name of the individual or the company posting the content. "Title of Video." YouTube video, length. Date published. URL.

In Chicago style, the given example would be cited as:

CrashCourse's YouTube video titled "The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism: Crash Course in US History #8," with a duration of 13 minutes and 3 seconds. https://youtu.be/bO7FQsCcbD8