How to Cite a Video in APA (YouTube, TED, Film)

Videos are increasingly important sources in academic research, from documentary films to educational videos and TED talks. APA 7th edition provides flexible formatting guidelines for various types of video content. This comprehensive guide covers YouTube videos, streaming films, TED talks, documentaries, and more.

Basic Video Citation Format

The standard APA 7th edition format for citing a video includes:

Creator(s). (Year). Title of video [Video]. Platform or Distributor. URL

Example:

Anderson, R. J. (2023). Machine learning explained simply [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Step-by-Step Video Citation Instructions

Step 1: Identify the Creator

This could be an individual, channel name, or organization that created or uploaded the video.

Individual Creator:

Thompson, L. K.

Channel/Organization:

TED Conferences
Crash Course
Khan Academy

Step 2: Include the Year

Place the year of upload or publication in parentheses.

Examples:

(2023)
(2022)
(n.d.) - if year is unavailable

Step 3: Write the Video Title

Use sentence case: capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon. Do not use quotation marks.

Example: “Machine learning explained simply”

Step 4: Specify the Source as a Video

Include [Video] in brackets after the title to identify the source type.

Format:

Title [Video].

Step 5: Name the Platform or Distributor

Include where the video is hosted or distributed.

Examples:

YouTube
TED Conferences
Netflix
Amazon Prime Video
Vimeo

Step 6: Include the URL

Always include a complete, functional URL to the specific video.

Example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Complete Citation Examples

YouTube Video by Individual Creator

Martinez, C. D. (2023). Introduction to artificial intelligence. [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123

YouTube Educational Channel

Crash Course. (2023). The French Revolution explained. [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example456

TED Talk

Anderson, R. J. (2023, April). The future of technology and society [Video]. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/anderson_future_technology

Documentary Film from Streaming Service

Smith, J. (Director). (2023). *A life in science* [Video]. Netflix.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81234567

Film from Physical Media

Johnson, R. (Director). (2020). *Climate change: A visual story* [Video]. PBS Home Video.

Educational Video from Khan Academy

Khan Academy. (2023). Calculus introduction [Video]. Khan Academy.
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/calculus/introduction

Documentary from Organization Channel

National Geographic. (2023). Ocean ecosystems and conservation [Video]. National Geographic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natgeo_ocean

Vimeo Video

Thompson, L. K. (2022). Contemporary art in digital spaces [Video]. Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/123456789

In-Text Citation Examples

When citing a video in your paper, use the creator’s last name (or organization name) and year. For specific quotes or scenes, include a timestamp.

Paraphrase:

According to recent research discussed in an educational video, artificial intelligence is
rapidly transforming multiple industries (Martinez, 2023).

Direct Quote (with timestamp):

"Machine learning algorithms process information at unprecedented speeds" (Anderson, 2023, 2:35).

Organization Video:

A National Geographic documentary reveals the critical role of ocean ecosystems in climate
regulation (National Geographic, 2023).

Different Types of Video Sources

YouTube Educational Video

Khan Academy. (2023). Photosynthesis: Light dependent reactions [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example789

TED Talk

Williams, T. P. (2023, March). How AI is reshaping business [Video]. TED Conferences.
https://www.ted.com/talks/williams_ai_reshaping

Streaming Service Documentary

Davies, M. (Director). (2023). *Deep learning: The future of artificial intelligence*
[Video]. Amazon Prime Video. https://www.amazon.com/dp/example

Television Program Episode

Anderson, R. J. (Producer). (2023). Climate change episode [Video episode]. In *Science Today*.
PBS. https://www.pbs.org/science-today

Lecture Video from University

Thompson, L. K. (2023). Advanced organic chemistry lecture 15 [Video]. MIT OpenCourseWare.
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry

Personal or Independent Video

Chen, L. (2023). Home gardening techniques for beginners [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gardening101

News Network Video

BBC News. (2023, March 15). Breaking news: Climate report released [Video]. BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/video/example

Promotional or Product Video

Apple Inc. (2023). iPhone 15 Pro features and design [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apple_iphone15

Special Video Citation Scenarios

Video with Multiple Creators

Anderson, R. J., Chen, L., & Martinez, C. D. (2023). Advanced machine learning techniques
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

Video Series (Specific Episode)

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. (2023). How quantum computers work [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quantum_example

Live Stream Recording

Thompson, L. K. (2023, March 15). Live Q&A on climate science [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=livestream_example

Video Without Clear Individual Creator

Veritasium. (2023). The physics of everyday objects explained [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veritasium_physics

Translated or Subtitled Video

Anderson, R. J. (2023). Global perspectives on education [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example [In Spanish with English subtitles]

Video with Timestamp Reference

When citing a specific moment in a longer video:

Thompson, L. K. (2023). The future of renewable energy [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=energy_future [3:45 - 5:20]

Film and Documentary Citations

Feature Film

Nolan, C. (Director). (2023). *Oppenheimer* [Video]. Universal Pictures.

Documentary Feature

Burns, K. (Director). (2023). *The American revolution* [Video]. PBS.
https://www.pbs.org/american-revolution

Director-Specific Film Citation

Scorsese, M. (Director), & De Niro, R. (Actor). (1980). *Raging bull* [Video].
United Artists.

Using GenText to Generate Video Citations

Properly formatting video citations requires managing creator information, video titles, platform details, upload dates, and URLs. GenText’s citation generator simplifies this process. Input the creator name, video title, platform, year, and URL, and GenText generates a complete, accurately formatted citation.

Visit /tools/citation-generator/apa/ to generate video citations in seconds.

Verification Checklist

Before including a video citation in your reference list, verify:

• ✓ Creator or uploader name is correctly identified and formatted
• ✓ Year of upload or publication is included
• ✓ Video title is in sentence case without quotation marks
• ✓ [Video] designation is included in brackets
• ✓ Platform or distributor name is included
• ✓ URL is complete and functional
• ✓ Timestamp is included (if referencing specific moment)
• ✓ Entry is alphabetically ordered in reference list
• ✓ Hanging indent is properly applied

Common Video Citation Errors

• Not including [Video] designation - This identifies the source type
• Using quotation marks around video titles - Use brackets for [Video], not quotation marks
• Incomplete or broken URLs - Verify the URL is complete and functional
• Missing creator information - Always identify who created or uploaded the video
• Inconsistent formatting for different video types - Use the same structure for all videos
• Omitting the platform - Specify where the video is hosted (YouTube, Netflix, etc.)
• Missing publication date - Include the upload or release year
• Improper alphabetization - Alphabetize by creator’s last name

Cross-Reference with Related Guides

• Complete APA 7th Edition Citation Guide
• How to Cite a Website in APA 7th Edition
• How to Cite a Podcast in APA 7th Edition
• How to Cite Social Media in APA

Videos are valuable multimedia sources that provide visual, auditory, and contextual information. By properly citing them using APA 7th edition guidelines, you acknowledge their scholarly value and help readers locate and evaluate these sources.