Citing YouTube in MLA style
Published February 10, 2021. Updated November 21, 2021.
To cite YouTube in MLA, you need to know the video’s creator, the title, the channel or user that uploaded the video, the upload date, and the URL.
The templates and examples below are based on the MLA Handbook, 9th edition. On this page, you can learn how to cite the following:
Basic YouTube videos
YouTube channels
Video comments
YouTube video uploaded by an organization
If you’re trying to cite YouTube in MLA, the Chegg Writing MLA citation generator could help. Help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing plagiarism checker and citation generator.
General note: in-prose vs. parenthetical in-text citations
There are two in-text citation formats: in-prose and parenthetical.
In-prose citations read as a part of the text. Usually, this means that the author’s surname or video title is mentioned within the sentence:
Liu demonstrates ….
Parenthetical citations are not read as a part of the text. Instead, the author surname or video title is enclosed in parentheses.
This video … (Liu).
Read this MLA format guide for more style basics.
Citing a basic YouTube video in MLA style
For citing basic YouTube videos in MLA, a shortened version of the video title is used in the in-prose and parenthetical citations.
In-text citation template and example:
In-prose:
“Video Title”
The “World’s Largest Horn” video demonstrates …
Parenthetical:
(“Video Title”)
This video … (“World’s Largest Horn”)
Works cited entry template and example:
“Title of the Video.” YouTube, uploaded by Uploader First Name Surname or Account Name, date uploaded, URL.
“World’s Largest Horn Shatters Glass.” YouTube, uploaded by Mark Rober, 29 Nov. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFEB0chiuJA.
Note that if the uploader’s real name is not provided, the account name should be used in the “uploaded by” slot. For all YouTube videos, MLA includes account name that uploaded the video in the “other contributors” slot since there is often no way to verify whether the account that uploaded the video and the author of the video are the same entity.
Citing a YouTube channel in MLA style
For citing a YouTube channel in MLA, the name of the account that created the channel is used in the in-prose and parenthetical citations.
In-text citation template and example:
In-prose:
Account Name
CrashCourse
Parenthetical:
(Account Name)
(CrashCourse)
Works cited entry template and example:
Account Name. “Name of Channel.” YouTube, date created, URL.
CrashCourse. “Crash Course Channel.” YouTube, 2006, www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse/about.
Citing a video comment in MLA style
For citing video comments in MLA, the account name of the commenter is used in the in-prose and parenthetical citations.
In-text citation template and example:
In-prose:
Account Name…
Commenter Babushka called the girl…
Parenthetical:
“Comment” (Account Name)
“Spider girl” (Babushka)
Works cited entry template and example:
Commenter’s Name or Username. Comment on “Video Title.” YouTube, comment date, comment time, URL.
Babushka. Comment on “Extra Pupil in a 9-year-old Girl.” YouTube, 12 Sept. 2020, 8:10 p.m., www.youtube.com/oJA-jAMgmh4.
Citing a video with no author in MLA style
Note that it is not possible to have no uploader or multiple uploaders for a YouTube video, so all citations will have a single uploader that is either a person’s real name/account name or an organization’s name.
IN-TEXT EXAMPLES:
In the BBC News “Election Results” video …
… telecasted (“Election Results”).
WORKS CITED EXAMPLE:
“Election Results: Tight Battle in Key States.” YouTube, uploaded by BBC News, 4 Nov. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSRk4U214l0.
For more information on citing sources in MLA, also read these guides on MLA in-text citations and MLA works cited examples.
MLA Style: Learn More
Frequently asked questions
To cite a song on a YouTube video in MLA style, the core elements required are the title of the song, publication date, uploader’s name, and URL. The table below shows how the in-text citation and the works cited entry are included for a YouTube video.
In-text citation
Template:
(“Shortened Title of the Song”)
Example:
(“Birds”)
Work-cited entry
Template:
“Title of the Song.” YouTube, uploaded by Uploader’s Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Example:
“Birds of Prey 2020 Joker Serena-Safari Song.” YouTube, uploaded by Phoenix Entertainment, 9 Jun. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVue1Zy9YzE.
To cite a movie or television show on a streaming video in MLA style, the core elements required are title of the movie or TV show, publisher, date, and URL. The table below shows how an in-text citation and the works-cited entry are included for an episode of a streaming TV show in MLA.
In-text citation (citation in prose)
Template
Include the title of the episode
Example
In the first episode of Y: The Last Man, “The Day Before,”
In-text citation (parenthetical)
Template
(“Title of the Episode” )
Example
(“Day Before”)
If the title is long, it can be shortened but use the first words of the title (omitting articles) to easily find it on the Works Cited page.
Work-cited entry
Template
“Title of the Episode.” Title of the TV Show, season #, episode #, Publisher, Day Month Year, Streaming Site Name, URL.
Example
“The Day Before.” Y: The Last Man, season 1, episode 1, FX, 13 Sept. 2021. Hulu, www.hulu.com.
Note: Though this title begins with the article The, the citation on the Works Cited page will appear alphabetically using the second word in the title but will be written exactly as it appears above.
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