A Guide to Properly Citing YouTube Videos in APA, MLA, and Chicago Styles
Citing YouTube videos correctly is essential for academic writing. Different styles - APA, MLA, and Chicago - have specific rules for formatting. Here's a quick breakdown:
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APA: Focus on the creator's name, upload date, video title in italics, and URL. Example:
Stevens, M. [Vsauce]. (2017, August 14). The napkin ring problem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY -
MLA: Prioritize the video title in "quotation marks", uploader name, and platform (YouTube in italics). Example:
"Prevent Plagiarism in 5 Steps." YouTube, uploaded by EasyBib, 21 July 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qKg5SZ_35I. -
Chicago: Offers Author-Date or Notes-Bibliography systems. Example (Author-Date):
Stevens, M. 2017. "The napkin ring problem." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY.
Quick Comparison Table
| Style | Title Format | Date Format | Platform Name | URL | In-Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA | Italics | (Year, Month Day) | YouTube | No period | (Author, Year) |
| MLA | "Quotation marks" | Day Month Year | YouTube | Ends with "." | (Author/Title) |
| Chicago | "Quotation marks" | Year or Full Date | YouTube | No period | (Author Year) |
To cite correctly, always include the creator's name, video title, upload date, platform, and URL. Use timestamps for specific references, and ensure URLs are active. Each style serves different academic purposes, so choose based on your field.
How to Cite a YouTube Video (MLA, APA, Chicago)
Core Elements of Each Citation Style
This section breaks down the rules for APA, MLA, and Chicago citation styles, highlighting their unique requirements.
APA Format Rules
In APA style, include the following:
- Creator: Uploader's real name, with the channel name in brackets.
- Date: Full upload date in parentheses (Year, Month Day).
- Title: Video title in italics.
- Medium: Add [Video] in square brackets.
- Platform: YouTube.
- URL: Full video URL.
For in-text citations, use the uploader's last name and year. If referencing a specific moment, include a timestamp.
Example:
Stevens, M. [Vsauce]. (2017, August 14). The napkin ring problem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY
MLA Format Rules
MLA style requires:
- Start with the creator's name. If unavailable, begin with the video title.
- Title: Enclose the video title in quotation marks.
- Platform: Write YouTube in italics.
- Uploader: Include if different from the creator.
- Date: Use the Day Month Year format.
- URL: Full video URL.
If the creator isn't specified, start with the video title. Match the first element of the Works Cited entry in your in-text citations.
Example:
"Prevent Plagiarism in 5 Steps." YouTube, uploaded by EasyBib, 21 July 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qKg5SZ_35I
Chicago Format Rules
Chicago style provides two systems: Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography.
For the Author-Date system:
- Creator: Uploader's name.
- Date: Upload year (or full date in parentheses).
- Title: Video title in quotation marks.
- URL: Full video URL.
In the Notes-Bibliography system, include full details in the first note, followed by shortened citations in later notes.
Quick Reference Table
| Citation Style | Title Format | Date Format | URL Placement | In-Text Citation Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA | Italics | (Year, Month Day) | End of citation | (Author, Year) |
| MLA | "Quotation marks" | Day Month Year | End of citation | (Author) or (Title) |
| Chicago | "Quotation marks" | Year or Full Date | After title | (Author Year) |
How to Create Video Citations
Creating accurate YouTube citations starts with gathering the right details and formatting them according to your chosen citation style. Here's what you need to collect:
- Creator's name (individual or organization)
- Channel name
- Upload date
- Video title
- Video URL
APA Style
Start with the creator's name, followed by the channel name in brackets. Here's an example for a video from the Vsauce channel:
Stevens, M. [Vsauce]. (2017, August 14). The napkin ring problem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY
MLA Style
MLA citations focus on the video title and platform. For example, citing a video from the Drag City channel would look like this:
Newsom, Joanna. "'Sapokanikan' (Official Video)." YouTube, uploaded by Drag City, 10 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc.
Chicago Style
For Chicago citations, follow the specific rules for either the Author-Date or Notes-Bibliography system. Use the same core details mentioned above to build your citation.
Additional Tips
- If there’s no clear creator, start with the video title.
- Use citation generators if you’re unsure about formatting.
- For in-text citations, include timestamps when referencing specific moments. For example, in APA format: (Khan Academy, 2024, 5:23).
- Ensure URLs are active. APA requires unformatted URLs, while MLA and Chicago often add a period at the end.
Double-check that all video links work before finalizing your citations. Reviewing the differences between styles can help you refine your references.
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Style Format Differences
This section highlights the main differences between APA, MLA, and Chicago styles when citing YouTube videos. Understanding these distinctions helps ensure accurate and consistent citations.
APA focuses on publication dates and channel details. It lists the uploader's last name and first initial, with the channel name in square brackets if necessary. This style works well in academic settings where the timing and authority of a source are important.
MLA, on the other hand, prioritizes the creator and the exact video title. Titles are placed in quotation marks, and the platform name is italicized. This format aligns with the humanities' preference for precise authorship and textual detail.
Chicago offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date. Notes-Bibliography relies on detailed footnotes or endnotes for the first citation, while Author-Date uses a concise format that includes the publication year, video title, and URL.
Here’s a quick comparison of the key elements across these styles:
| Element | APA | MLA | Chicago (Author-Date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator Format | Last name, First initial | Full name (creator or uploader) | Full name (uploader's name) |
| Title Format | Title italicized | Title in quotation marks | Title in quotation marks |
| Date Format | (Year, Month Day) | Day Month Year | Year (with access date if needed) |
| Channel Name | [Channel] after creator (if different) | Often noted with "uploaded by" (optional) | Generally not included |
| Platform | [Video]. YouTube | YouTube (italicized) | YouTube |
| URL Format | Full URL (no ending period) | Full URL (ending with a period) | Full URL (no ending period) |
| Timestamp | Not typically included | Timestamps allowed (e.g., 00:05:23) | Not standardized |
MLA stands out for its straightforward approach to timestamps, allowing direct time references instead of page numbers. APA, however, requires adding "[Video]" as a media indicator, which neither MLA nor Chicago mandates. This reflects APA's emphasis on clearly identifying source types, particularly for scientific and social science contexts.
Summary
Citing YouTube videos correctly requires following the specific rules of each citation style. APA, MLA, and Chicago formats share some basic requirements, but their differences cater to the needs of various academic disciplines.
All styles need details like the creator's name, video title, date, platform, and URL. However, the way this information is presented varies. APA includes a media indicator, MLA focuses on title formatting, and Chicago offers two systems for flexibility.
Key Features of Each Style:
- APA: Highlights the type of source and when it was created by including the "[Video]" tag and full URLs.
- MLA: Focuses on properly crediting the creator and formatting titles, with an option to include timestamps for specific segments.
- Chicago: Offers two systems - Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography - to suit different preferences.
Tips for Practical Use: If the author isn't clear, use the channel name instead. Make sure URLs lead directly to the video being cited. Citation tools can help, but knowing the rules ensures accuracy.
Keeping your citations consistent helps readers easily find and verify your sources, promoting academic clarity and integrity. The FAQ section that follows dives deeper into these citation practices.
FAQs
How to cite a YouTube video in MLA generator?
To create an MLA citation for a YouTube video using a citation generator, you'll need to include a few key details. Here's the basic format you should follow:
Format: "Video Title." YouTube, uploaded by Channel Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example:
"Sapokanikan (Official Video)." YouTube, uploaded by Drag City, 10 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc.
What to include:
- The creator's name (if different from the channel)
- The platform name (YouTube), italicized
- The upload date (day-month-year)
- The full URL
When generating your citation, make sure to avoid common mistakes like:
- Forgetting to italicize YouTube
- Leaving out quotation marks around the video title
- Using the wrong date format
- Linking to a broken or incomplete URL
For in-text citations that refer to specific parts of the video, use the timestamp instead of a page number. For example: (Drag City 00:02:15).
If the video's creator is different from the channel, include both in the citation:
Stevens, Michael. "The Napkin Ring Problem." YouTube, uploaded by Vsauce, 14 Aug. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY.
Always double-check your citation against official MLA guidelines to ensure it's accurate.
