How to Cite a Video in Chicago Style

Video sources have become increasingly important in academic research, from documentary films to educational YouTube videos to streaming platform content. Chicago style provides flexible guidelines for citing videos from various sources. This guide covers both Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date systems with examples for different video types.

Information to Gather for Video Citations

Collect these elements when citing videos:

• Video creator or production company (director, channel name, or creator name)
• Video title (exact title as displayed)
• Platform or source (YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, etc.)
• Publication or upload date
• URL (complete web address)
• Duration (optional but helpful)
• Timestamp if citing a specific moment in the video

This information typically appears in the video’s metadata and description.

Notes-Bibliography System for Videos

The Notes-Bibliography system treats videos similarly to other media, with clear identification of creator and source.

Online Video (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Full note:

1. Creator First Last, "Video Title," Platform, Month Day, Year, video URL.

Real-world example:

1. Dr. James Chen, "Quantum Physics Explained," YouTube, March 10, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Shortened note:

2. Chen, "Quantum Physics Explained."

Bibliography entry:

Chen, James. "Quantum Physics Explained." YouTube, March 10, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Streaming Service Video

Format:

1. Creator First Last, "Video Title," Streaming Service, release date, URL [if available].

Example:

1. Werner Herzog, "Grizzly Man," Criterion Collection, 2005, https://criterion.com/films/1234.

Author-Date System for Videos

Author-Date uses parenthetical citations with a reference list for video sources.

In-Text Citation for Videos

(Creator Year)
(Chen 2024)

If the creator is mentioned in the sentence:

In his video on quantum mechanics, Chen (2024) explains...

Reference List Entry

Creator Last, First. Year. "Video Title." Platform. Accessed Month Day, Year (if no publication date). URL.

Example:

Chen, James. 2024. "Quantum Physics Explained." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Videos Without Individual Creators

When a video is published by an organization without a specific creator name:

Notes-Bibliography Organization Video

1. Organization Name, "Video Title," Platform, Date, URL.

Example:

1. TED, "The Future of Education," TED.com, March 2024, https://www.ted.com/talks/future_education.

Author-Date Organization Video

TED. 2024. "The Future of Education." TED.com. https://www.ted.com/talks/future_education.

Documentary Films

Documentary films follow similar formats with emphasis on director and production details.

Notes-Bibliography Documentary

Full note:

1. Director First Last, "Documentary Title," directed by Director First Last (Studio/Network, Year), format.

Example:

1. Werner Herzog, "Aguirre, the Wrath of God," directed by Werner Herzog (Aguirre Filmproduktion, 1972), DVD.

Bibliography:

Herzog, Werner. "Aguirre, the Wrath of God." Directed by Werner Herzog. Aguirre Filmproduktion, 1972. DVD.

Author-Date Documentary

Herzog, Werner. 1972. "Aguirre, the Wrath of God." Directed by Werner Herzog. Aguirre Filmproduktion.

Podcasts and Audio Videos

Educational podcasts and audiovisual content follow similar formats.

Notes-Bibliography Podcast Episode

1. Host First Last, "Episode Title," Podcast Name, episode number, Month Day, Year, URL.

Example:

1. Sarah Adams, "Climate Science Deep Dive," Science Weekly, episode 45, March 8, 2024, https://scienceweekly.podcast.com/episode45.

Author-Date Podcast Episode

Adams, Sarah. 2024. "Climate Science Deep Dive." Science Weekly, episode 45. https://scienceweekly.podcast.com/episode45.

Lecture Videos and Educational Content

Lecture recordings from universities or educational platforms are cited similarly.

Notes-Bibliography Lecture Video

1. Lecturer First Last, "Lecture Title," Institution or Platform, Date, URL.

Example:

1. Dr. Jennifer Park, "Introduction to Neuroscience," Stanford Online, March 1, 2024, https://online.stanford.edu/neuroscience-lecture.

Conference Presentations and Symposiums

Videos of conference presentations are cited with emphasis on the conference details.

Notes-Bibliography Conference Video

1. Presenter First Last, "Presentation Title," Paper presented at Conference Name, Location, Date, video, URL.

Example:

1. Michael Johnson, "Emerging Trends in Data Science," paper presented at the International Data Science Conference, New York, NY, March 15, 2024, video, https://datascienceconf.org/videos/2024/johnson.

Videos with Timestamps

When citing a specific moment in a video, include the timestamp.

Notes-Bibliography with Timestamp

1. Creator First Last, "Video Title," Platform, Date, video, at minutes:seconds, URL.

Example:

1. David Park, "The Future of AI Ethics," YouTube, March 12, 2024, video, at 5:23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Television Programs and Broadcast Videos

Television episodes and broadcast content are cited with emphasis on episode details.

Notes-Bibliography Television Program

1. Episode Creator First Last, "Episode Title," season, episode number, Television Program Name, Network, Air Date, format.

Example:

1. Brian Grazer, "The Internet's Founding," season 3, episode 2, Modern Marvels, History Channel, November 10, 2023, video.

Step-by-Step Citation Process

Step 1: Identify the video creator or director (appears in credits or channel information).

Step 2: Locate the exact video title (usually at the top of the video page).

Step 3: Note the platform where the video is hosted.

Step 4: Find the publication or upload date in the video metadata.

Step 5: Copy the complete and stable URL (avoid shortened URLs).

Step 6: Note the format (video, DVD, streaming, etc.).

Step 7: If citing a specific moment, record the timestamp.

Step 8: Apply the appropriate format for your system.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using the platform name as the creator (YouTube isn’t the creator, the uploader is)
2. Omitting quotation marks around video titles
3. Including unnecessarily long or unstable URLs (use permanent links when available)
4. Forgetting to include the platform name alongside the URL
5. Using incorrect capitalization of video titles or creator names
6. Omitting publication dates even if the access date is provided
7. Not distinguishing between uploaded date and access date for videos

Verifying Video Access

Always verify that URLs are current and lead to the correct video, as some videos are removed or made private. If citing videos that might be changed or removed, include access dates.

Using Citation Generators for Videos

Citation tools with video support:

• Zotero: Strong support for YouTube and media platform videos
• EasyBib: Video option with automatic metadata retrieval
• Mendeley: Can organize and cite video materials
• CitationMachine: Video and online media support

Always verify that generated citations include complete creator, title, and platform information.

Practice Examples

Example 1: YouTube Educational Video

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Dr. Sarah Chen, "The History of Artificial Intelligence," YouTube, February 15, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Bibliography:
Chen, Sarah. "The History of Artificial Intelligence." YouTube, February 15, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Author-Date:

(Chen 2024)

Chen, Sarah. 2024. "The History of Artificial Intelligence." YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example123.

Example 2: Documentary Film

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Ken Burns, "The Vietnam War," directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (Florentine Films, 2017), PBS, video series.

Bibliography:
Burns, Ken. "The Vietnam War." Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Florentine Films, 2017. PBS, video series.

Example 3: Lecture with Timestamp

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Dr. James Patterson, "Modern Physics Lecture 12," Stanford Online, March 5, 2024, video, at 15:42, https://online.stanford.edu/physics-lectures.

Example 4: Podcast Episode

Notes-Bibliography:

1. Michael Rodriguez, "The Future of Climate Policy," Climate Science Today, episode 78, March 10, 2024, https://climatesciencetoday.podcast.com/episode78.

Bibliography:
Rodriguez, Michael. "The Future of Climate Policy." Climate Science Today, episode 78, March 10, 2024. https://climatesciencetoday.podcast.com/episode78.

Citing Videos with Confidence

Videos have become valuable educational and research resources across academic disciplines. Citing them properly acknowledges multimedia sources and enables readers to view and evaluate the content. Whether from YouTube, streaming platforms, or institutional repositories, these guidelines ensure your video citations meet academic standards.

Use our citation generator to verify your video citations, particularly for platform-specific content. With these guidelines, you’ll cite videos professionally while maintaining scholarly integrity and source verification.