How do I cite YouTube videos in different styles: APA, Chicago, Harvard & MLA?

Isn't YouTube where you go to AVOID studying? 😝 ...Not always!

YouTube videos are probably not the first thing you think of as "academic" or "scholarly", but you can use videos from reputable accounts like news broadcasts and TED Talks for your research papers.

If you decide to use YouTube videos to emphasize a point in your research, you must cite (or reference) these videos to avoid claims of plagiarism.

Here's how!

To cite (or reference) a YouTube video, you will most likely be required to use APA, Chicago, Harvard or MLA style.

Many colleges and universities have their own style and format guides (sometimes for different departments), so confirm the style and format required with your instructor before you begin, and follow any style guidelines specified in your course or degree.

The following guides are a general "how to" on each commonly used style.

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A citation is used in the body of a paper ("in-text citation"), while a reference is used in the list at the end (often as a Bibliography, Reference List, or Works Cited List).

Citations have two formats: parenthetical and narrative.

Parenthetical Citations ⬇️

• The YouTube author/creator/account name and upload/publication date appear in parentheses within the sentence.

Example: (MIT Solve, 2017)

Narrative Citations ⬇️

• The YouTube author/creator/account name is incorporated into the text as part of the sentence and the year follows in parentheses ( ).

Example: According to MIT Solve (2017),...

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A note (not a citation) is used in the Chicago/Turabian (Notes and Bibliography) style.

There are TWO Chicago/Turabian styles:

• Notes and Bibliography

• Author-Date

Double-check which one you need to use.

Following American Psychological Association guidelines, you cite (or reference) YouTube videos in APA 7 style by:

In-Text Citations ⬇️

• Parenthetical citation: (Name of the Account OR Last Name, Year)

Example: (MIT Solve, 2017)

• Narrative citation:Name of the Account OR Last Name (Year)

Example: According to MIT Solve (2017),...

Read more about citations at APA Style.

Reference List ⬇️

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

Example:

MIT Solve. (2017, Dec 16). Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o

Read more about YouTube references at APA Style.

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Following The Chicago Manual of Style Online guidelines, you cite (or reference) YouTube videos in Chicago/Turabian (Notes and Bibliography) style by:

Notes ⬇️

Number. First name and Last name of the individual, company or the name of the account who created the content, "Title of Video," First name and Last name of the individual, company or the name of the account who published/uploaded the content (if different from the creator), Month Day, Year uploaded, YouTube video, Video length, URL.

Example:

1. MIT Solve, "Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative," December 16, 2017, YouTube video, 3:27, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o.

Bibliography ⬇️

Last name, First name of the individual, company or the name of the account who created the content. “Title of Video.” First name and Last name of the individual, company or the name of the account who published/uploaded the content (if different from the creator). Month Day, Year uploaded. YouTube video, Video length. URL.

Example:

MIT Solve. "Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative." December 16, 2017. YouTube Video, 3:27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o.

Read more about citations at Turabian Citation Quick Guide (Notes and Bibliography).

Following The Chicago Manual of Style Online guidelines, you cite (or reference) YouTube videos in Chicago/Turabian (Author-Date) style by:

In-Text Citations ⬇️

• Parenthetical citation: (Name of the Account OR Last Name, Year)

Example: (MIT Solve, 2017)

Reference List ⬇️

Last name, First name of the individual, company or the name of the account who uploaded the content. Year uploaded. “Title of Video.” Additional information. Month Day, Year. Video length. URL.

Example:

MIT Solve. 2017. "Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative." December 16, 2017. 3:27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o

Read more about citations at Turabian Citation Quick Guide (Author-Date).

Following Harvard Cite Them Right Style 10th edition guidelines, you cite (or reference) YouTube videos in Harvard style by:

In-Text Citations ⬇️

• Parenthetical citation: (Name of the Account OR Last Name, Year)

Example: (MIT Solve, 2017)

• Narrative citation:Name of the Account OR Last Name (Year)

Example: According to MIT Solve (2017),...

If you're referencing a section of the video, you should include a timestamp in your in-text citation. The format for the time code is minutes:seconds. 

Example: (MIT Solve, 2017, 1:30)

Reference List ⬇️

Last name, First name of the individual, company or the name of the account who uploaded the content (Year video posted) Title of video. Available at: URL (Accessed Day Month Year).

Example:

MIT Solve (2017) Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o (Accessed 17 June 2024).

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Harvard is a generic term for parenthetical author–date referencing. Universities and colleges often have in-house versions, so check with your instructor.

Following the Modern Language Association MLA Style Guide referencing guidelines, you cite (or reference) YouTube videos in MLA 9 style by:

In-Text Citations ⬇️

• Parenthetical citation: (Title of video)

Example: (“Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative”)

• Parenthetical citation after quotation: (Title of video, Timestamp)

Example: (“Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative” 0:10)

Works Cited List ⬇️

Last name, First name of the individual, company or the name of the account who created the content. “Title of the Video.” YouTube, Name of the Publisher that uploaded the video (only include if it differs from the account who uploaded the content), Date it was uploaded, URL.

Note: If the video was created and uploaded by the same individual or company, omit the creator element and start with the video’s title instead.

Examples:

MIT Solve. "Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative". YouTube, December 16, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o.

"Pitching Their Stories: The Rumie Initiative". YouTube, uploaded by MIT Solve. December 16, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDZlnQ-hc6o.

Read more about citations at MLA Style Center.

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Congratulations! You've learned how to cite YouTube videos in the most common styles (APA, Chicago, Harvard & MLA). What's next?