In the present time, our world has shrunk to become a global village. It has become straightforward for a person to access data produced by another individual sitting on the other end of the world. This exchange of information and knowledge has been used for various purposes, such as entertainment, education, etc. That’s why one need to know How to Cite a YouTube Video.
However, how would one feel if they didn’t get the acknowledgment for their hard work? Needs improvement. That’s why today we will teach you how to cite a YouTube video and acknowledge someone’s efforts.
How to Cite a YouTube Video? | Why it is Necessary?
Citing a video on YouTube is extremely important, ethically and lawfully, as copying or using someone’s content without permission is illicit and not permissible. Such activity counts as plagiarism and degrades the quality of your content. Thus, to improve the credibility of your content, you must always cite your work’s resources.
Ways of Citing
The citing can be done in various ways. Here, we have jotted down three effortless and most common methods to make YouTube citation incredibly easy. They are as follows
- APA style
- MLA
- Chicago style
Each of them has a different format for citation, depending upon their styles. Let’s have a look at each of these online video citation ways.
Citing in APA Format
To cite a YouTube video in APA style, you should first mention the uploader’s name or organization. After that, mention the name of the YouTube channel. Then, add the title next in an italicized font and write “video” right after it in a square bracket. After this, mention the site and mention the URL link of the Video along with it. You can also date the Video. However, that is entirely optional.
Have a look at these simple steps for a better interpretation
- Add the full name of the uploader or organization.
- Add the channel name if it’s different from the uploader’s name.
- Add the title of the Video.
- Mention the site and add a link to the Video you wish to cite.
Here you can have a look at an example of citing in Apa style format:
Uploader last name, Initials. or Organization Name. (Year, Month, Day). Title of Video [Video]. Website Name. URL
Example: Zain, abc company, (2023, March 18). How to work on Excel [Video]. YouTube.
Citing Video in MLA Format
The second way you can cite is in MLA style. In this style, we start by mentioning the name of the video author (the person who has created it.) The site name is italicized after saying this video title with quotation marks. After this, you should write down the site’s name; the uploader’s name should be mentioned. Then comes the date. Add a link to your Video. Your citation for a video in MLA style is done.
Have a look at these simple steps for better MLA citation:-
- Mention the name of the video creator.
- Mention the video title with quotation marks.
- Mention the site name in italics.
- Mention uploader.
- Mention date
- Mention the URL link to your Video.
Here, have a look at the format:
Author’s last name, First name. “Title.” Website, uploaded by Uploader, Day Month, Year, URL.
Example: Khan, Ahmed. “How to raise a baby dolphin.” YouTube, NatNatural 16, april, 2022. https://youtu.be/Ueeba4yi
Tip:- If the video author and uploader have the same name, meaning it’s the same person, then MLA recommends mentioning it concisely by just writing it down once. Repetition should be avoided.
Related: Mute YouTube Video?
How to cite a YouTube channel video in Chicago style
This style includes a bibliography entry for a complete listing of the details of the Video and a footnote to cite in the text. The bibliography entry consists of the title with quotation marks and a specification of the source of the Video and its total length. Also, check the Understanding watch hours.
The footnote list may consist of a timestamp to highlight the location of a specific video part.
Cite in Chicago format is all about:
- Write down the author’s name.
- Mention the video title with quotation marks.
- Mention the date on which the Video was posted.
- Time of video length.
- And last but not least, the link to your Video.
Here is the format of how to put in details for cite in Chicago style:
Author Name. ” Title.” Month, Day, Year. Video, Length. URL.
Example: Samara. “Make-up tutorial, September 18, 2021. 10:45. https://youtube.agbk46ce
What information you need for citing on YouTube
- Title of the Video
- The uploader’s name.
- The date on which the creator uploaded the Video.
- The timestamp or length
- Name of organization or channel if they differ from username.
- The URL link.
- Reference list
Pros and Cons
Benefits
- A correct citation enhances the credibility of your work.
- Viewers can recall back to the reference for a clear understanding.
- Your point of view is delivered more clearly as the video interpretation is available to evade misunderstandings.
- Efforts put in by the original creator are acknowledged.
- Your content presentation becomes more presentable.
Disadvantage
There are a few drawbacks to citing a video on YouTube, which are as follows:-
- The significant disadvantage of citing is that some parts of videos can not be easily linked or copied and pasted in search engines.
- If the video links get embedded, then your mentioned URL will become useless.
These are the only few drawbacks of video citation, and they pose little harm to your content. Thus, these issues can be quickly resolved with little effort. Hence, we suggest ignoring them and opting for your favorable style among the three mentioned above.
Related: Boost Real YT subs
Final Words
In-text citation for a video can be done for many reasons. For instance, you must cite a video to acknowledge someone’s efforts and credit their screen name. Various citation generators mention a video in MLA and APA styles. Yet, they produce inefficient results. The same is why The content above unleashes popular citation styles for a video, including APA citation, MLA format, and parenthetical citation.
By reading all three methods of citing, you must have acquired a vast knowledge regarding it. And you will be able to give credit for the efforts put in by the real owners of the Video by citing the Video.
