how to do apa format for youtube videos

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Reference List: Audiovisual Media

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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.

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.

Video with creator’s real name and screen name

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.

View Screenshot

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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• Reference Page
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Citation Examples

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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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Online video

Cite a video posted online (on YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). Use other forms to cite films , TV show episodes , video podcast episodes , and recorded speeches/lectures .

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APA Format & Citation Style, 7th edition

Youtube video.

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General Format

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase): 

(Author Surname OR Screen name, Year)

In-Text Citation (Quotation):

References:

Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. OR Author screen name. (Year, Month Day {of video post}). Title of video [Video]. Title of website. URL of specific video

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Norton, 2006)

Norton, R. (2006, November 4). How to train a cat to operate a light switch [Video file]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vja83KLQXZs

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Citing YouTube or other streaming video

Tips for citing YouTube and other video sources in APA 7th edition (p. 274, 342-344). 

• When adding a reference for a YouTube video, if you can locate it, add the uploader's last name, first initial as the "author." Then add their username in brackets, for example: Smith, J. [@smithjoe]. 
• After adding the title in italics, in plain text add "video' in brackets and then add YouTube as the platform, for example: How to make pancakes with almond butter [Video]. Youtube. 
• When adding an in-text citation for a direct quote from a video, make sure to add a timestamp after the date. For example, (Smith, 2018, 5:27)

CBS News. (2019, October 4).  The perils of private prison health care | Full documentary [Video] . YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsQuOPy4zX0

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(CBS News, 2019)

In-text Citation (Direct Quote):

(CBS News, 2019, 3:15)

Carrie Forbes, MLS

Page References

Citation information has been adapted from the APA Manual (7th Edition). Please refer to Chapter 10: Reference Examples, pp. 274, 342-344 for more information. 

Helpful Tips

Tips for citing social media in APA 7th edition (p. 274, 342-344). 

• After adding the title in italics, in plain text add "video' in brackets and then add YouTube as the platform, for example:  How to make pancakes with almond butter  [Video]. Youtube. 

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How to Cite YouTube Videos in APA Format

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

damircudic / Getty Images

What Is APA Format?

• Citing a YouTube Video
• Choosing a YouTube Video
• Citing a Video Podcast

Frequently Asked Questions

APA format is the official writing style used by the American Psychological Association . Researchers use this style when publishing articles in professional journals. Students also use this style when writing papers for psychology and social science courses, including education and sociology.

One challenge that students may face is figuring out how to cite different types of sources. A citation for a book reference, for example, will look somewhat different than that of an online source. Video content is becoming an increasingly important source of information, so how exactly would you cite something like a YouTube video or other online video in APA format?

APA Format for a YouTube Video

APA format for online videos is similar to that of other types of digital media and online content. The format should be:

• The name of the person and/or the name of the account that uploaded the video
• The specific date the video was uploaded in parentheses
• The title of the video in italics
• The description "[Video]" in brackets after the title
• The site name (YouTube) and the full YouTube URL

Video Citation Example

TED-Ed. (2018, May 21). How to stay calm under pressure. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgmozFr_GM

Some types of electronic sources need to be surrounded by brackets. According to APA's official style guide, the brackets should surround the necessary content with no spaces between the text and the brackets [like this].

Because many online video creators utilize pseudonyms online, you should also include the author’s screen name in brackets when relevant.

Choosing a Video to Cite in APA Format

It's important that the YouTube videos you cite are both reliable and up to date. According to APA guidelines, you can determine whether a source is reliable by looking at the expertise of the author and the vetting standards of the organization or group that published the video.

For instance, many established organizations such as American Psychological Association (APA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have YouTube channels and publish videos that would be considered reliable sources.

Even individual researchers or scientists may publish their research on YouTube—just be sure to do the research on the individual to be sure that the videos they post are coming directly from them (and not from someone else), and that this person is accredited or credentialed in the area of study they're presenting.

Try to use up-to-date videos as often as possible to be sure you're including the most recent research in your paper.

Citing a Video Podcast in APA Format

Video podcasts are another type of video format that you may want to cite. Such podcasts often feature interviews with experts, which can be a great source of unique information for your paper.

If you are citing a video podcast, whether it is hosted on YouTube or published on the author’s own website, use the following format:

Video Podcast Example

James, S. (Host). (2019, March 1). Examining the bystander effect (No. 2) [Video podcast]. In This Week in Psychology. Website. http://www.psyyweekly.com/fakepodcasturl

As you can see in the example above, you should begin by listing the author, then identifying them as the host of the program in parentheses. Next, include the date. After that, list the title of the episode, the episode number in parentheses, and the media type in brackets. This should then be followed by the name of the video podcast, the name of the website it was retrieved from, and the URL.

Also note in the above example that the title of the video podcast is in italics. The official APA publication manual states that when written, video, or audio posts are part of an overarching work (such as a blog or podcast series), the title of the total work should be included in italics. This follows the same format that you would use if you were citing an individual chapter that was part of a book.

Always type the creator’s username or screen name exactly as it appears, including both spelling and capitalization.

Include the name of the page or account that uploaded the video. Put this information at the beginning of the citation (where the author's name would go).

On YouTube and many other video platforms, people must publish their content under a username or screen name. While you can sometimes find a person's YouTube page by searching their real name online, you want to be sure to cite their exact username so that someone can find the video you cited.

That depends on the guidelines your instructor gives you. If you are unsure, ask them. But there are reasons why you might want to cite a YouTube video in your academic writing. The video may contain information not available elsewhere, it may feature an interview with an expert on a topic, or it may present unique examples that you want to reference in your paper.

If the name of the person who is interviewed is not mentioned in the title of the video, do not include it in the reference. One way to refer to the interview subject, however, is to refer to them in the text of your paper, where you cite the reference. "For example, Philip Zimbardo noted that... (Psych Interview, 2013)."

A Word From Verywell

APA format has many different rules and guidelines for citing various types of sources, so you should always check the official guidebook to make sure that your citations and references are correct. Whenever you cite an online source—whether it's a webpage or a video—you should follow the basic rules for citing electronic sources. This includes listing the author of the video, the date, the title, and the online location of the video.

American Psychological Association. YouTube Video References .

APA Style Blog, 6th Edition Archive.  How to create a reference for a Youtube video .

American Psychological Association. APA style blog .

Cho D, Cosimini M, Espinoza J. Podcasting in medical education: A review of the literature . Korean J Med Educ . 2017;(29)4:229-239.  doi:10.3946/kjme.2017.69

American Psychological Association. Transcript of an audiovisual work references .

American Psychological Association. YouTube video references .

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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How to Cite a YouTube Video

Create citations for free.

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)

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FAQ: How do I cite a YouTube Channel in APA Style?

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Last Updated: Jun 22, 2023 Views: 43831

It is possible to cite an entire YouTube channel. The general format is below. To cite a YouTube video see the FAQ:  How do I cite a YouTube video in APA style?

Citation Example

General format.

YouTube username. (date). Title [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. Retrieved date, from URL

For Example

shapirolibrary. (n.d.). Home [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. Retrieved January 14, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/user/shapirolibrary/

Corresponding In-Text Citation

shapirolibrary (n.d.)

(shapirolibrary, n.d.)

More information

• APA guide  (Shapiro Library)
• APA Blog  (APA)

Further Help

This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to cite sources in your class assignments and projects.

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To access Academic Support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.

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To access help with citations and more, visit the Academic Support via modules in Brightspace:

• Academic Support Overview: Getting Help with your Schoolwork This link opens in a new window

American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7 th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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How to Cite YouTube in APA

Last Updated: September 11, 2020

This article was co-authored by Cara Barker, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . 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 56,022 times.

For some types of papers, you may want to use a video you found on YouTube as a reference. If you're using American Psychological Association (APA) citation style, you'll generally cite the YouTube video the same way as a non-periodical document or report you accessed online. If you want to cite a YouTube comment, you'll generally follow the same format used for blog comments. [1] X Research source

Citing a YouTube Video

• If the person who posted the video didn't produce the video, try to find out who originally produced or created the video. If the person who posted it was the original producer, try to find their first and last name.
• Try to find and use the original video posted, if at all possible. With viral videos this may be difficult (or the original post may have been deleted). The video posted on the earliest date, or with the most views, typically is the original one.

• If you can't find the person's real name, list the person's username as the author. If there's no real name, you don't have to put the username in brackets.
• Some videos are credited to an institutional author, such as a corporation or a news organization. In that case, use the whole name of the institution that created the video. For example, you would list the author as "BBC News" or "Microsoft."
• Example: "Last name, First initial. Middle Initial." [username]
• Example: "Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]."
• Example: "BBC News."

• Example: "Last name, First initial. Middle Initial." [username]. (Year, month day).
• Example: "Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]. (2011, September 9)."

• Example: "Last name, First initial. Middle Initial." [username]. (Year, month day). Title of video. [Video file].
• Example: "Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]. (2011, September 9)." NFL Highlights . [Video file].

• Example: "Last name, First initial. Middle Initial." [username]. (Year, month day). Title of video. [Video file]. URL
• Example: "Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]. (2011, September 9)." NFL Highlights . [Video file]. http://www.youtube.com/watch=VSk8HEk22

Citing a YouTube Comment

• For example, you might want to chronicle people's reactions to a video, or you might be doing a study of viral videos or internet trolls. These would all be valid reasons to cite a YouTube comment in a research paper.
• If you have any questions or concerns, discuss the issue with your teacher before you turn your paper in.

• Click on the username and see if their name is included anywhere on their account. If so, list their real name with their last name first, followed by their first and middle initials (if available).
• Example: "Jackson, L. A. [snickerdoodle]."

• Example: "Jackson, L. A. [snickerdoodle]. (2014)."

• The video's title should be in italics, but not the leading abbreviation (since it's not part of the title). Follow the video title with the format "video file" in brackets.
• Example: "Jackson, L. A. [snickerdoodle]. (2014). Re: Manatee nose smush with honk sound effect [Video file]."

• Example: "Jackson, L. A. [snickerdoodle]. (2014). Re: Manatee nose smush with honk sound effect [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/s-33i2b17nc"

Writing in-Text Citations

• Go by the name you used for your full citation. If you have the video creator's full name, use their last name. If you were only able to find the username, use that instead.
• If the video creator was a corporation or news organization rather than a person, use the full name of the institution in your in-text citation. [11] X Research source
• Example: "(PlanktonBouy"

• With a username, copy the same capitalization that appears on the account name.
• Example: "(PlanktonBouy, 2010)"

• Example: "(GOFISH, 2014)"
• Remember to use the year the comment was posted, not the year the video was published.

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• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/
• ↑ http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2011/10/how-to-create-a-reference-for-a-youtube-video.html
• ↑ http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2016/09/how-to-cite-a-youtube-comment.html
• ↑ http://libguides.gwumc.edu/c.php?g=27779&p=170348

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APA Video Citation

Videos are categorized under audiovisual media along with audios and television broadcasts. Though this medium is usually associated with entertainment, it can also be a valuable source of information. In this article, we will discuss how to cite videos.

Let’s begin with the guides in citing the author/s:

Table of Content

• 1.1 One Author
• 1.2.1 Two to Seven Authors
• 1.2.2 More than Seven Authors
• 2 In-Text Citation
• 3.2 Video Blog Post
• 3.3 Video Podcast

Citing the Author

Multiple authors , two to seven authors, more than seven authors, in-text citation.

• The in-text citation is written inside a parenthesis with the last name of the author and year, separated by a comma.

(Santos, 2010)

• If the name of the author is included within the text, only the year is written inside the parenthesis.

Santos (2010)

Reference List

Below are the important elements of an APA video citation.

• Year or date
• Title of video

And here are simple guides in citing a video in the reference list:

• Include as much information available from the source.
• The authors are usually the Producers, Directors and the person who posted the video. Indicate their contributions in a parenthesis after their names.
• Include the format or description of form inside a bracket after the title. The first word of the format starts with a capital letter and the next word is in lowercase (e.g. Video file and Video podcast).
• Use the screen name if the full name of the author is not available.
• For videos posted online, list the exact date of posting with the year first followed by the month and date.
• List the URL for videos retrieved from the web.

Basic Formats: Author (Producer or Director). (Year). Title of Video [Format]. Country: Studio.

Examples: Spielberg, S., Royce, I., Gordon, M., & Levinson, G. (Producers), & Spielberg, S. (Director). (2004).  Saving Private Ryan  [DVD]. United States: Universal.

Basic Formats (if it is available on-line): Author (Producer or Director). (Year). Title of Video [Format]. Available from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Examples: American Psychological Association (Producer). (2000). Responding therapeutically to patient expressions of sexual attraction [DVD]. Available from http://www.apa.org/videos/

Note: After the name, indicate whether the person/s is the Producer or Director in a parenthesis. The name of the Producer/s is listed first before the name of the Director/s.

Video Blog Post

Basic Format: Author. (Date). Title of Video [Format]. Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Example: Norton, R. (2006, November 4). How to train a cat to operate a light switch [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vja83KLQXZs

Note: Titles of videos from online communities such as blogs, newsgroups, and forums are not italicized.

Video Podcast

Example: Dunning, B. (Producer). (2011, January 12) inFact: Conspiracy theories [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a YouTube video in APA

To cite a YouTube video in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the YouTube video: The person who posted the video is credited as the author. Use the person's real name if available followed by the user name.
• User name: If the user name is not visible on the page, check the 'About page' of the user that uploaded the video.
• Date of publication: Give the year, month and day in brackets followed by a full stop, e.g. (2019, June 13).
• Title of the video: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• URL: Give the full URL of the web page including the protocol (http:// or https://).

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a YouTube video in APA style 6th edition:

Author(s) of the YouTube video . [ User name ] ( Date of publication ). Title of the video [Video file]. Retrieved from URL

To cite a YouTube video in a reference entry in APA style 7th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the YouTube video: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a YouTube video in APA style 7th edition:

Author(s) of the YouTube video . [ User name ] ( Date of publication ). Title of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

APA reference list examples

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for a YouTube video citation in action:

A YouTube video where the creator's real name is not provided

AsapSCIENCE . ( 2017, September 28 ). How to learn faster [ Video file ]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9SptdjpJBQ

Note: The person's real name is not available, the user name is used instead.

AsapSCIENCE . ( 2017, September 28 ). How to learn faster [ Video ]. YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9SptdjpJBQ

A YouTube video where the creator's real name is available

Bialik, M . ( 2019, June 13 ). The life changing magic of detective Pikachu [ Video file ]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97KJhK-9yvc

Bialik, M . ( 2019, June 13 ). The life changing magic of detective Pikachu [ Video ]. YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97KJhK-9yvc

A YouTube video where both the creator's real name and the user name are available

Frank, T . [electrickeye91]. ( 2017, February 8 ). How to learn faster with the Feynman technique (example included) [ Video file ]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-qkGJBPts

Frank, T . [electrickeye91]. ( 2017, February 8 ). How to learn faster with the Feynman technique (example included) [ Video ]. YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f-qkGJBPts

This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ( 6 th edition).

More useful guides

• How do I cite a YouTube video in APA style?
• How to Create a Reference for a YouTube Video APA
• APA Citation Style: Youtube Video

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• APA: how to cite an annual report
• MLA: how to cite a BrainPOP video
• MLA: how to cite a translated book

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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 :  

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:

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

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:  

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:

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:

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’.

Emma Flores knows all about formatting standards. She shares with StudyCrumb readers tips on creating academic papers that will meet high-quality standards.

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How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA and MLA Style

Using a YouTube video in your research paper? Here's how to properly cite it using MLA and APA.

With more and more information being provided on platforms like YouTube, citing sources for your research projects can be tricky. Whether you're using MLA or APA, the entire format can change if the uploader is different from the author, or if you are citing an interview on Youtube versus a regular video.

Here's how to cite a YouTube video in APA and MLA formats, so you never have to worry about improper bibliographies again.

MLA and APA Citation Basics

Before we get started, it's important to understand the contents of MLA and APA citations for online videos. Fortunately, these types of MLA and APA citations both largely contain the same information.

Here's a breakdown of the information included in both MLA and APA citations for YouTube videos:

• Name:  The full name refers to the actual person who uploaded the video—this is not necessarily the same as the person who is depicted in the video. If you were watching a Lady Gaga video, but it was uploaded by GagaFanatic20, you would want to use the screen name for GagaFanatic20, or their real name (if available).
• Date: The year, month, and day the video was published. Keep in mind that this is not the date you found the video or the date you are writing your article.
• Title :  Use the title of the video.
• URL : The site where you found the video—YouTube, in this case—and the URL of the video. Don't include any tracking parameters in your URL if you found it through another site, like Facebook.

How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA

Citing a YouTube video isn't much different than citing other sources like PowerPoint presentations . You need to include as much information as possible, so the reader can find the video at a later time.

Your citation will include the full name and/or channel name of the uploader, the publication date, the title of the video, the hosting website (YouTube in this case), and the URL for the video.

Follow the format below for APA citations:

If you're quoting or referring to a specific part of a video, you will need to include a timestamp in your in-text citation, pointing to the exact moment of the video you are referencing. For example, "(GagaFanatic20, 2016)" or "(GagaFanatic, 2016, 0:45)"

Citing a YouTube Channel in APA

If you want to cite a YouTube channel instead of an individual video, you will follow a slightly different format:

As you can see, you don't need to include the date that the channel was actually published. Instead, you'll just write n.d. (no date).

"Home" refers to the channel's homepage. And instead of including "video" to let people know about the media type, just write "YouTube channel" in its place. You'll also want to add the date that you found the channel, followed by the URL of the channel's homepage.

How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

Even though MLA citations will follow a slightly different format, the information will mostly remain the same. In your citation, include the title of the video, the website you found the video on, the screen name of the uploader, the publish date, and URL:

You'll also follow this format if the uploader was the same person as the author of the video. If the person who authored the video is not the same as the person who uploaded it, you will need to put their full name before the title of the video, as shown below:

Unlike APA style, which requires you to italicize the name of the video, you will have to italicize "YouTube" in MLA format. The date still refers to the publish date and not the date you wrote the article or found the video.

When writing your in-text citations, write the author's last name followed by the timestamp of the video. If the author is the same as the uploader, or if you don't have the author's last name, just use the title of the video:

• (Last name, 00:01:15 - 00:02:00)
• ("Title of video," 00:01:15 - 00:02:00)

Citing a YouTube Interview in MLA

If you are citing an interview on YouTube, use the interviewee's name as the author, while also including the YouTube channel's name.

If you're citing a whole movie or TV show that was uploaded to YouTube, use the MLA movie citation format instead. If you're still a little confused, Google Docs has add-ons that make your citations and bibliographies easier to write.

Where You Can Find YouTube Citation Information

All the information that you need for your YouTube citations can be found directly below the video you are citing.

The title, publish date, and author name will be on the left side, directly under the video. Write the name of the channel exactly as it appears on screen, but make sure the YouTube title follows APA and MLA capitalization rules.

To find the URL, click on the Share  button under the video on the right side. Click on the Copy button to copy the URL directly to your clipboard. Then, paste the URL directly into the citation. This will keep you from copying improper URLs that contain extra tracking parameters.

Easily Write YouTube Citations in MLA and APA Format

YouTube citations need to include relevant information to help your readers find the video you referenced. Citations can be a lot of work, and if you're tired of doing everything by hand, just use an automatic citation app instead.