Citing YouTube Videos Online: APA 7th Edition Guide

Referencing online video content, especially from platforms like YouTube, is increasingly important in academic and professional writing. Adhering to the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition guidelines ensures proper attribution and academic integrity. This guide provides a clear and concise approach to citing YouTube videos and other online video content in APA format, making sure your references are both accurate and helpful for your readers.

Basic APA Format for YouTube Citations

The fundamental structure for citing a YouTube video in APA 7th edition involves several key components, presented in a specific order to ensure clarity and ease of retrieval. Here’s the template to follow:

Author. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). *Title of video* [Video]. YouTube. URL

Let’s break down each element with an example based on the original article:

Fields, J. [JFieldsStudios]. (2012, October 3). *Brené Brown on the power of being vulnerable* [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3DYvBGyFs

In this example:

• Author: Start with the creator’s last name, followed by their initial(s). If the real name isn’t available, use the screen name as the author. In this case, “Fields, J.”
• Screen name: Include the screen name in square brackets after the author’s name if it’s different from the author’s real name or if the real name is not known. Here, it’s “[JFieldsStudios]”.
• Date: Provide the year, month, and day the video was published on YouTube. For instance, “(2012, October 3)”.
• Title of video: Italicize the full title of the YouTube video. Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle, and any proper nouns. “Brené Brown on the power of being vulnerable“.
• [Video]: Indicate the format of the source in square brackets. Use “[Video]” for YouTube videos.
• YouTube: Specify “YouTube” as the source platform.
• URL: Include the direct URL of the YouTube video so readers can easily access it. “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3DYvBGyFs“.

In-Text Citations for YouTube Videos

When referencing a YouTube video within the body of your paper, use an in-text citation. For APA 7th edition, this typically includes the author’s screen name and the year of publication. Crucially, for videos, you should also include a timestamp to direct readers to the specific part of the video you are referencing.

The format for in-text citations is:

(Screen name, year, time stamp)

Using our example, an in-text citation might look like this:

(JFieldsStudios, 2012, 45:02)

This directs the reader to the video by JFieldsStudios, published in 2012, and specifically to the content around the 45 minute and 2 second mark.

Citing TED Talks Found on YouTube

Sometimes, TED Talks are accessed via YouTube, even though they originate from TED Conferences. If you watched a TED Talk on YouTube, you should cite it as a YouTube video. However, if you watched it directly on the TED website, the citation format is slightly different (as shown in the original article for comparison). For clarity, when using YouTube, stick to the YouTube video citation format.

For example, if a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson is found and cited from YouTube:

TED. (2007, January 6). *Do schools kill creativity | Sir Ken Robinson* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Sir Ken Robinson TED Talk

The in-text citation would be:

(TED, 2007, 1:15)

Key Elements for Accurate YouTube Citations

To ensure your YouTube citations are accurate and APA compliant, remember these key elements:

• Author/Screen Name Clarity: Always prioritize the real author if known. If only a screen name is available, use the organization or screen name as the author.
• Exact Publication Date: Use the full date (year, month, day) provided by YouTube for publication, as this is crucial for accurate referencing, especially for time-sensitive content.
• Descriptive Video Title: Record the title exactly as it appears on YouTube. This helps in easy identification.
• Timestamp Precision: When using in-text citations, timestamps are vital for directing readers to the specific segment of the video that supports your point.

By following these guidelines, you can confidently and correctly cite YouTube videos in your academic and professional work using APA 7th edition style, enhancing the credibility and clarity of your references when using online video sources.