How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA and APA

In recent years, writing essays and major research papers have taken a different direction. While we are all used to citing books and other sources, a YouTube video may now become a significant element of your work as one of the electronic sources.

It’s hardly unexpected, given that YouTube has become the go-to source for any information. Every day, millions of helpful videos are uploaded, and some of them are good enough to incorporate into your research.

Keeping this in mind, we’ll go over how to cite a YouTube video for the best and clearest results.

YouTube citation: What does it mean and why is it important?

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms on the internet, and its search engine is the second most used daily, next only to Google. This indicates that people are turning to YouTube for a variety of solutions, which is understandable given the abundance of talented creators with millions of followers. 

If you discover the necessary data you need for your paper on YouTube and as a video file, you must specify where you obtained it.

Citations are a vital component of any excellent work since they demonstrate to the reader that you have done your research and that you have acknowledged the original creator. This is crucial not just to avoid plagiarism, but also to provide a professional touch to any assignment you write.

Citations have been used for a while, but throughout time, a few unique citation styles evolved to assist writers and readers in adding references. You may now utilize MLA or APA citations to acknowledge the original creator while also making it easy for the reader to discover the reference.

The same requirement applies to YouTube videos, as well as any other videos that must be integrated and mentioned in your work.

How To Cite A Youtube Video: Step-by-Step

Proper citation entails mentioning all relevant data in a precise sequence. This is especially true for YouTube videos used in papers since the reader can quickly locate the actual author, which might be difficult on sites with millions of users. 

When citing a youtube video, keep the following in mind:

1. Mention the full name, username, or name of the company that posted the video
2. Write the exact title of the video
3. Say that the source is YouTube
4. Mention the publisher of the video
5. Write the exact date the video was posted
6. Length or duration of the video
7. Copy the short URL or of the video

Depending on the document and your desired style citation this can be done in MLA or APA format. Even the lecturer may insist on specific citation formats, therefore it is essential to become acquainted with both.

How To Cite A Youtube Video In MLA

This citation style, developed by the Modern Language Association, is most commonly used for papers in the humanities and liberal arts, but it can be used for any topic.

There are two sorts of citations. The first is in the text, with only a sample of the entire reference. All full reference list is typically found towards the conclusion of the publication.

Here’s an example of citing a youtube video MLA style when mentioning YouTube videos:

• 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 (if it’s different from the author or title), Date it was uploaded, URL.

How To Cite A Youtube Video in APA

This format, developed by the American Psychological Association, is appropriate for articles in education, economics, social sciences, and business. Despite their origins in psychology-related publications, they are currently the standard format for scientific research. 

Here is an example of how to cite a youtube video in apa:

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

How to cite a YouTube channel?

Sometimes a single video reference is insufficient, and you may need to credit the entire YouTube channel. This might be beneficial for you as a writer who acquired a variety of facts from a single source. However, it is also easy for the reader to find the mentioned creator and perhaps follow them for further material.

You are utilizing the information supplied by the YouTube creator, but you may enhance their influence and number of followers as a result. 

Here’s how to cite a youtube channel:

• Automatically – If you wish to cite a YouTube channel, several programs called citation generator will create the appropriate citations for you (not free of charge, of course). 

• MLA and APA citation – If you want to reference en entire YouTube channel, this can be done, just remember to mention the retrieved date, not just the current content and the username of the channel.

Here is an example:

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

Final Thoughts

YouTube is becoming increasingly popular, and it’s a smart idea to use the online video clip you find there in your articles and essays. Because there are so many sources of information available these days, it is critical to acknowledge and recognize the original author.

This will assist the reader in locating the channel or YouTube video, and it will also provide legitimacy to your work.