Citation guides
How to Cite a YouTube Video: APA, MLA and Harvard
How to reference a YouTube video in APA 7, MLA 9 and Harvard style, with in-text citations, timestamps and channel-name rules.
Videos are legitimate academic sources when used well, and every major style has a clear pattern for them. The key facts you need: the channel (the uploader is the author), the upload date, the video title and the URL.
APA 7th edition
The channel is the author, the title is in italics followed by [Video], and YouTube is named as the platform. More patterns live in the APA citation generator.
APA reference list entry
When a personal channel belongs to a known person, give the real name first and the handle in square brackets:
APA, person with a channel handle
APA in-text citation, with timestamp for a quote
MLA 9th edition
MLA leads with the video title in quotation marks, names YouTube as the container and credits the uploader. The MLA citation generator formats the day-month-year date for you.
MLA works cited entry
MLA in-text citation, with time range
Harvard style
Harvard treats the channel as author and ends with the URL and an accessed date, like any other online source. Variants differ slightly, so check yours or use the Harvard reference generator.
Harvard reference list entry
Harvard in-text citation
Quick rules that apply in every style
- The uploader is the author, even if the ideas come from someone interviewed in the video.
- Quote spoken words with a timestamp so your reader can find the exact moment.
- Use the date the video was uploaded, not the date you watched it (Harvard adds your access date separately).
- Keep the channel name exactly as written, including punctuation like "Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell".
- Strip playlist and timestamp parameters from the URL unless you deliberately link to a moment.
Frequently asked questions
Is the author the channel or the person in the video?
The uploader. Styles credit whoever published the video, which is the channel, even when someone else appears on screen. If you know the real name behind a personal channel, APA writes the name first and the channel handle in square brackets.
How do I cite a specific moment in a video?
Use a timestamp in the in-text citation. APA: (TED, 2024, 3:42). MLA puts a time range in the parenthetical: ("How Vaccines Work" 03:40-04:10). The reference list entry itself does not change.
Can I cite a recorded university lecture on YouTube?
Yes, cite it like any other video with the university or department channel as the uploader. If the recording is unlisted or behind a learning platform login, your reader cannot retrieve it, so many guides treat it like a lecture handout instead; check your course rules.
Should I quote from the auto-generated captions?
Be careful. Auto-captions often mishear words. Listen to the passage yourself and transcribe what is actually said, then cite the video with a timestamp.