how do you cite a video in an essay example

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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Films/Videos/TV Shows

• Introduction
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Biblical Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Films/Videos/TV Shows
• How to Cite: Other
• Additional Help

Table of Contents

Film or Video

Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Streaming video from a subscription media website (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, etc.), streaming video from a library database, television series episode.

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Who to Credit - Film or Video

The director should be credited as the author of a film. If the director is unknown, someone in a similar role, such as a producer and/or writer, can be credited. To clarify what role the person has in the production, their job title such as Director is put after their name in round brackets if the job title is known.

Who to Credit - Streaming Video from a Website

For videos from websites such as YouTube or Vimeo, credit the person who posted the content. If a real name is provided, use that followed by the person's user name in square brackets. If the real name of the person who posted the content is not known, just use their user name without brackets.

Note : It is not necessary to specify how you watched a film or video (e.g. motion picture, DVD, streaming online). 

In the Body of a Paper

Books, Journals, Reports, Webpages, etc.: When you refer to titles of a “stand-alone work,” as the APA calls them on their APA Style website, such as books, journals, reports, and webpages, you should italicize them. Capitalize words as you would for an article title in a reference, e.g., In the book Crying in H Mart: A memoir , author Michelle Zauner (2021) describes her biracial origin and its impact on her identity.

Article or Chapter: When you refer to the title of a part of a work, such as an article or a chapter, put quotation marks around the title and capitalize it as you would for a journal title in a reference, e.g., In the chapter “Where’s the Wine,” Zauner (2021) describes how she decided to become a musician.

The APA Sample Paper below has more information about formatting your paper.

• APA 7th ed. Sample Paper

Film or Video

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is known:

Director/Producer/Writer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title). (Year film was produced).  Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. Production Company.

Note: If not produced in the United States, list the city name and the country.

Hallam, J. (Producer, Writer), & Lam, K. (Producer, Director). (2010).  Staff relations in healthcare: Working as a team  [Film]. Insight Media.

• When you have more than one producer, writer and/or writer to credit, separate the names with a comma and put an ampersand (&) before the last person's last name.
• Serling, R. (Executive Producer). (1959–1964). The twilight zone [TV series]. Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010)

Note: This example has two people to credit, so both last names are given)

In-Text Quote:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010, 2:30)

Note: Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is not known:  Start the citation with the film title.

Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. (Year film was produced). Production Company if Known.

Era of viruses  [Film]. (2006). Films for the Humanities and Sciences.

( Title of Film , Year)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006)

Note: Italicize the title of the film and capitalize the words for the in-text citation.

( Title of Film , Year, Timestamp)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006, 40:00)

When the Poster's Name is known: 

Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. of person who posted the video if known. [User name that posted the video]. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note: According to APA, for citing purposes the person who posted the video is credited as the author.

Nye, B. [TheRealBillNye]. (2009, April 8).  Bill Nye the science guy on energy  [Video]. YouTube. http://youtu.be/0ASLLiuejAo

(Creator's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Nye, 2009)

(Creator's Last Name, Year, timestamp)

Example: (Nye, 2009, 0:55)

When the Poster's Name is not known: 

User name that posted the video. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

All Aces Media. (2012, January 19).  Often awesome the series  [Video]. Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/35311255

(User name, Year)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012, timestamp)

Producer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Producer). (Year of Publication).  Title of Video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note:  When you have one producer (Producer) is used after the producer's name. If you have more than one producer use (Producers) instead.

Allen, T., et. al. (Producers). (2017). The story of Diana  [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

(Producer Last name, Year)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017)

(Producer Last name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017, 6:45)

Name of Company/Organization that Provided Content or Creator's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. if known. (Year video was created, Month Day if known).  Title of video  [Video]. Database Name.

National Film Board of Canada. (2014).  Making movie history: The women  [Video]. NFB Campus. 

(Name of Company/Organization, Year)

Example: (National Film Board of Canada, 2014)

(Name of Company/Organization, Year, Timestamp)

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Production Company.

Note: For other countries, list the city name and the country.

Young, R. (Writer, Producer, Director). (2010). Flying cheap (Season 2010, Episode 2) [TV series episode]. In  Frontline . American University School of Communication's Investigative Reporting Workshop.

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Young, 2010)

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Young, 2010, 15:38)

Television Series Episode Viewed on a Subscription Media Website 

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Streaming Video Site. URL

Attenborough, D. (Writer). (2001). Ocean world (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Fothergill (Executive producer),  Blue planet: A natural history of the oceans . Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

Example: (Attenborough, 2001)

 (Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Attenborough, 2001, 10:12)

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How do I cite an online video?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Begin the entry as you would any other: consult the MLA format template . List the title of the video in the “Title of source” slot and the title of the website where you watched the video in the “Title of container” slot.

Rubier, Jeremy, director. Gui Martinez: A Short Film and Photo Essay . Vimeo , uploaded by Poweredby.tokyo, May 2017, vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/216976160.

Keep in mind that some information may not be available, and other information may be included. In the example below, the video has no author, director, or producer, so work with what you have:

Slip Slip Knit (SSK) . YouTube , uploaded by TheKnitWitch, 14 Feb. 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGwcYW3GG3M.

If it’s not clear that the work you’re citing is a video—for example, if a song by the same title appears on the site—include the medium of publication in the optional-element slot at the end of the entry:

Beyoncé. “Pretty Hurts.”  Beyoncé , www.beyonce.com/video/. Video.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Harvard Referencing / Harvard Referencing Style Examples / How to reference a YouTube (or an online) video in Harvard style

How to reference a YouTube (or an online) video in Harvard style

This guide covers how to reference YouTube videos in the Harvard referencing style. Since YouTube isn’t a conventional source for academic research, the rules for citing YouTube videos are a little different from those you have used for other sources. This guide will look at the conventions to be followed when referencing YouTube videos.

Citing a video from YouTube  

Keep in mind that if you are referencing a section of the video, you should include a time code in your in-text citation. The format for the time code is minutes:seconds .  

Alternatively, if the entire video is relevant, then you don’t need to include the time code. You’ll find two examples for each scenario below.  

In-text c itation template:

(Username/screen name, Year in which video was posted, mm:ss)

Reference list template:

Username or screen name (Year in which video was posted) Video title. Upload Day Month. Available at: YouTube or URL of the video (Accessed: Date).

When a specific part is highlighted

In-text citation  

George Smoot states that it is now possible to map an entire human brain and turn it into a computer model (TEDx Talks, 2014, 12:17) …

Reference list

TEDx Talks (2014) You are a simulation & physics can prove It: George Smoot at TEDxSalford . 12 February. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chfoo9NBEow (Accessed: 24 September 2020).

When the whole video is relevant

Elon Musk thinks that it is possible to make Mars habitable by nuking it (SciShow Space, 2015) …

SciShow Space (2015) Let’s nuke Mars! 18 September. Available at:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Iiz_b_lYU (Accessed: 20 July 2020).

Citing a video embedded in a website

Sometimes, you’ll find videos embedded on a web page. To reference these, Harvard style recommends pointing the reader to where you found the source. It is possible that you will need to click through to the original source of the embedded video to obtain all the information you need to reference it, but you can still use the original URL to build your citation.

In-text c itation structure:

Reference list structure:

Username or screen name (Year in which video was posted) Video title. Upload date. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date).

During the annual Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsutawney (CNN, 2020, 01:12) …

CNN (2015) Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring . 2 February. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/02/02/groundhog-day-2020-punxsutawney-phil-prediction-vpx.cnn (Accessed: 20 July 2020).

Key takeaways

• Keep in mind that if you are highlighting just a section of the video, you should include a time code in your in-text citation. The format to be used is minutes:seconds.
• Alternatively, if the entire video is relevant, then you don’t need to use the time code.

Published October 29, 2020.

Harvard Formatting Guide

Harvard Formatting

• et al Usage
• Direct Quotes
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Page Numbers
• Writing an Outline
• View Harvard Guide

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APA 7th Edition Citation Examples

• Volume and Issue Numbers
• Page Numbers
• Undated Sources
• Citing a Source Within a Source
• In-Text Citations
• Academic Journals
• Encyclopedia Articles
• Book, Film, and Product Reviews
• Online Classroom Materials
• Conference Papers
• Technical + Research Reports
• Court Decisions
• Treaties and Other International Agreements
• Federal Regulations: I. The Code of Federal Regulations
• Federal Regulations: II. The Federal Register
• Executive Orders
• Charter of the United Nations
• Federal Statutes
• Dissertations and Theses

Format for streaming videos

• Interviews, E-mail Messages + Other Personal Communications
• Social Media
• Business Sources
• PowerPoints
• AI: ChatGPT, etc.

Author last name, first initial. (Date).  Title of video [Video]. Host site. URL

• Author:  List the last name, followed by the first initial (and second initial). See  Authors  for more information. The person or group who uploaded the video should be credited as the author for citation purposes, even if that person or group did not create the video. If an author's real name isn't known, provide the user name. If both the real name and user name are known, provide the real name followed by the user name between brackets.
• Date:  List the date between parentheses, followed by a period.
• Title of video:  In italics. Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns, followed by [Video] and then a period.
• Host site: List the name of the site that hosts the video, followed by a period.
• URL:  List URL.

See specific examples below.

Heffernan, M. (2015, May). Why it's time to forget the pecking order at work [Video]. Ted Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_why_it_s_time_to_forget_the_pecking_order_at_work

Fogarty, M. [Grammar Girl]. (2020, April 23). Why are we overwhelmed and not just whelmed? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/zgCjEdVAnaQ

See  Publication Manual , 10.12.

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How to Cite Videos in APA Format

damircudic / Getty Images

What Is APA Format?

• Citing a YouTube Video
• Choosing a YouTube Video
• Citing a Video Podcast

How to Cite a Film or Television Show in APA Format

Frequently asked questions.

While books and journal articles are often the primary sources for psychology papers, it is becoming increasingly common to cite audiovisual sources. The types of videos you might need to cite include streaming movies, television programs, YouTube videos, or other online video clips. If you need to reference a video for a psychology paper, you need to follow APA format to ensure it is cited correctly.

At a Glance

APA format specifies certain guidelines for citing different sources, including videos. This format differs slightly from how you would cite a printed source. It includes information about the video creator, date, and title, much like a printed source. However, it also includes the word [Video] in brackets after the title. Next, the citation should also include the host site and url where the video can be found.

APA format is the official writing style used by the American Psychological Association . Researchers use this style when publishing articles in professional journals. Students also use this style when writing papers for psychology and social science courses, including education and sociology.

One challenge that students may face is figuring out how to cite different types of sources. A citation for a book reference, for example, will look somewhat different than that of an online source. Video content is becoming an increasingly important source of information, so how exactly would you cite something like a YouTube video or other online video in APA format?

APA Format for a YouTube Video

APA format for online videos is similar to that of other types of digital media and online content. The format should be:

• The name of the person and/or the name of the account that uploaded the video
• The specific date the video was uploaded in parentheses
• The title of the video in italics
• The description "[Video]" in brackets after the title
• The site name (such as YouTube, Vimeo, or other source) and the full video URL

Video Citation Example

TED-Ed. (2018, May 21). How to stay calm under pressure. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgmozFr_GM

Some types of electronic sources need to be surrounded by brackets. According to APA's official style guide, the brackets should surround the necessary content with no spaces between the text and the brackets [like this].

Because many online video creators utilize pseudonyms online, you should also include the author’s screen name in brackets when relevant.

Choosing a Video to Cite in APA Format

It's important that the videos you cite are both reliable and up-to-date. According to APA guidelines, you can determine whether a source is reliable by looking at the author's expertise and the vetting standards of the organization or group that published the video.

For instance, many established organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have YouTube channels and publish videos that would be considered reliable sources.

Even individual researchers or scientists may publish their research on YouTube—just be sure to do the research on the individual to be sure that the videos they post are coming directly from them (and not from someone else), and that this person is accredited or credentialed in the area of study they're presenting.

Try to use up-to-date videos as often as possible to be sure you're including the most recent research in your paper.

Citing a Video Podcast in APA Format

Video podcasts are another type of video format that you may want to cite. Such podcasts often feature interviews with experts, which can be a great source of unique information for your paper.

If you are citing a video podcast, whether it is hosted on YouTube or published on the author’s own website, use the following format:

Video Podcast Example

James, S. (Host). (2019, March 1). Examining the bystander effect (No. 2) [Video podcast]. In This Week in Psychology. Website. http://www.psyyweekly.com/fakepodcasturl

As you can see in the example above, you should begin by listing the author, then identifying them as the host of the program in parentheses. Next, include the date. After that, list the title of the episode, the episode number in parentheses, and the media type in brackets. This should then be followed by the name of the video podcast, the name of the website it was retrieved from, and the URL.

Also note in the above example that the title of the video podcast is in italics. The official APA publication manual states that when written, video, or audio posts are part of an overarching work (such as a blog or podcast series), the title of the total work should be included in italics. This follows the same format that you would use if you were citing an individual chapter that was part of a book.

The format for citing films and television programs is similar to that of online videos, but does not include a page URL.

For a film, the director is cited as the author, followed by the label (Director) in parentheses. The production company should be listed as the publisher. The title should be provided in italics and sentence case. It should then be followed by the label [Film] in brackets.  

For a television program, list the executive producer as the author, followed by the label (Executive producer) in parentheses. Then include the years the show aired in parentheses, followed by the title in italics and sentence case. It should then be followed by the label [TV series] in brackets. Finally, include the name of the production company as the publisher.

Film/TV Show Example

Smith, K. (Director). (2022). The day it happened [Film]. Starling Cinema; Barkly Studios.

Rockland, H. (Executive Producer). (2013-2015). Dark skies [TV series]. Spring Films; ABC Productions.

APA format has many different rules and guidelines for citing various types of sources, so you should always check the official guidebook to make sure that your citations and references are correct. Whenever you cite an online source—whether it's a webpage or a video—you should follow the basic rules for citing electronic sources. This includes listing the author of the video, the date, the title, and the online location of the video.

Always type the creator’s username or screen name exactly as it appears, including both spelling and capitalization.

Include the name of the page or account that uploaded the video. Put this information at the beginning of the citation (where the author's name would go).

On YouTube and many other video platforms, people must publish their content under a username or screen name. While you can sometimes find a person's YouTube page by searching their real name online, you want to be sure to cite their exact username so that someone can find the video you cited.

That depends on the guidelines your instructor gives you. If you are unsure, ask them. But there are reasons why you might want to cite a YouTube video in your academic writing. The video may contain information not available elsewhere, it may feature an interview with an expert on a topic, or it may present unique examples that you want to reference in your paper.

If the name of the person who is interviewed is not mentioned in the title of the video, do not include it in the reference. One way to refer to the interview subject, however, is to refer to them in the text of your paper, where you cite the reference. "For example, Philip Zimbardo noted that... (Psych Interview, 2013)."

American Psychological Association. YouTube Video References .

APA Style Blog, 6th Edition Archive.  How to create a reference for a Youtube video .

American Psychological Association. APA style blog .

Cho D, Cosimini M, Espinoza J. Podcasting in medical education: A review of the literature . Korean J Med Educ . 2017;(29)4:229-239.  doi:10.3946/kjme.2017.69

APA Style. Film and television references .

American Psychological Association. Transcript of an audiovisual work references .

American Psychological Association. YouTube video references .

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington DC: The American Psychological Association; 2019.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The MLA Handbook highlights principles over prescriptive practices. Essentially, a writer will need to take note of primary elements in every source, such as author, title, etc. and then assort them in a general format. Thus, by using this methodology, a writer will be able to cite any source regardless of whether it’s included in this list.

However, this guide will highlight a few concerns when citing digital sources in MLA style.

Best Practices for Managing Online Sources

Because online information can change or disappear, it is always a good idea to keep personal copies of important electronic information whenever possible. Downloading or even printing key documents ensures you have a stable backup. You can also use the Bookmark function in your web browser in order to build an easy-to-access reference for all of your project's sources (though this will not help you if the information is changed or deleted).

It is also wise to keep a record of when you first consult with each online source. MLA uses the phrase, “Accessed” to denote which date you accessed the web page when available or necessary. It is not required to do so, but it is encouraged (especially when there is no copyright date listed on a website).

Important Note on the Use of URLs in MLA

Include a URL or web address to help readers locate your sources. Because web addresses are not static (i.e., they change often) and because documents sometimes appear in multiple places on the web (e.g., on multiple databases), MLA encourages the use of citing containers such as Youtube, JSTOR, Spotify, or Netflix in order to easily access and verify sources. However, MLA only requires the www. address, so eliminate all https:// when citing URLs.

Many scholarly journal articles found in databases include a DOI (digital object identifier). If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.

Online newspapers and magazines sometimes include a “permalink,” which is a shortened, stable version of a URL. Look for a “share” or “cite this” button to see if a source includes a permalink. If you can find a permalink, use that instead of a URL.

Abbreviations Commonly Used with Electronic Sources

If page numbers are not available, use par. or pars. to denote paragraph numbers. Use these in place of the p. or pp. abbreviation. Par. would be used for a single paragraph, while pars. would be used for a span of two or more paragraphs.

Basic Style for Citations of Electronic Sources (Including Online Databases)

Here are some common features you should try to find before citing electronic sources in MLA style. Not every web page will provide all of the following information. However, collect as much of the following information as possible:

• Author and/or editor names (if available); last names first.
• "Article name in quotation marks."
• Title of the website, project, or book in italics.
• Any version numbers available, including editions (ed.), revisions, posting dates, volumes (vol.), or issue numbers (no.).
• Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
• Take note of any page numbers (p. or pp.) or paragraph numbers (par. or pars.).
• DOI (if available, precede it with "https://doi.org/"), otherwise a URL (without the https://) or permalink.
• Date you accessed the material (Date Accessed). While not required, saving this information it is highly recommended, especially when dealing with pages that change frequently or do not have a visible copyright date.

Use the following format:

Author. "Title." Title of container (self contained if book) , Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink). 2 nd container’s title , Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

Citing an Entire Web Site

When citing an entire website, follow the same format as listed above, but include a compiler name if no single author is available.

Author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), DOI (preferred), otherwise include a URL or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site . Version number, Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), URL, DOI or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites . The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Accessed 23 Apr. 2008.

Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory . Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2003, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/. Accessed 10 May 2006.

Course or Department Websites

Give the instructor name. Then list the title of the course (or the school catalog designation for the course) in italics. Give appropriate department and school names as well, following the course title.

Felluga, Dino. Survey of the Literature of England . Purdue U, Aug. 2006, web.ics.purdue.edu/~felluga/241/241/Home.html. Accessed 31 May 2007.

English Department . Purdue U, 20 Apr. 2009, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/. Accessed 31 May 2015.

A Page on a Web Site

For an individual page on a Web site, list the author or alias if known, followed by an indication of the specific page or article being referenced. Usually, the title of the page or article appears in a header at the top of the page. Follow this with the information covered above for entire Web sites. If the publisher is the same as the website name, only list it once.

Lundman, Susan. “How to Make Vegetarian Chili.”  eHow , www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html. Accessed 6 July 2015.

“ Athlete's Foot - Topic Overview. ”   WebMD , 25 Sept. 2014, www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/athletes-foot-topic-overview.

Citations for e-books closely resemble those for physical books. Simply indicate that the book in question is an e-book by putting the term "e-book" in the "version" slot of the MLA template (i.e., after the author, the title of the source, the title of the container, and the names of any other contributors).

Silva, Paul J.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing. E-book, American Psychological Association, 2007.

If the e-book is formatted for a specific reader device or service, you can indicate this by treating this information the same way you would treat a physical book's edition number. Often, this will mean replacing "e-book" with "[App/Service] ed."

Machiavelli, Niccolo.  The Prince , translated by W. K. Marriott, Kindle ed., Library of Alexandria, 2018.

Note:  The MLA considers the term "e-book" to refer to publications formatted specifically for reading with an e-book reader device (e.g., a Kindle) or a corresponding web application. These e-books will not have URLs or DOIs. If you are citing book content from an ordinary webpage with a URL, use the "A Page on a Web Site" format above.

An Image (Including a Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph)

Provide the artist's name, the work of art italicized, the date of creation, the institution and city where the work is housed. Follow this initial entry with the name of the Website in italics, and the date of access.

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Museo Nacional del Prado , www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74. Accessed 22 May 2006.

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine . 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive , www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

If the work cited is available on the web only, then provide the name of the artist, the title of the work, and then follow the citation format for a website. If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author.

Adams, Clifton R. “People Relax Beside a Swimming Pool at a Country Estate Near Phoenix, Arizona, 1928.” Found, National Geographic Creative, 2 June 2016, natgeofound.tumblr.com/.

An Article in a Web Magazine

Provide the author name, article name in quotation marks, title of the web magazine in italics, publisher name, publication date, URL, and the date of access.

Bernstein, Mark. “ 10 Tips on Writing the Living Web. ”   A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites , 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

An Article in an Online Scholarly Journal

For all online scholarly journals, provide the author(s) name(s), the name of the article in quotation marks, the title of the publication in italics, all volume and issue numbers, and the year of publication. Include a DOI if available, otherwise provide a URL or permalink to help readers locate the source.

Article in an Online-only Scholarly Journal

MLA requires a page range for articles that appear in Scholarly Journals. If the journal you are citing appears exclusively in an online format (i.e. there is no corresponding print publication) that does not make use of page numbers, indicate the URL or other location information.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Article in an Online Scholarly Journal That Also Appears in Print

Cite articles in online scholarly journals that also appear in print as you would a scholarly journal in print, including the page range of the article . Provide the URL and the date of access.

Wheelis, Mark. “ Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. ”   Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

An Article from an Online Database (or Other Electronic Subscription Service)

Cite online databases (e.g. LexisNexis, ProQuest, JSTOR, ScienceDirect) and other subscription services as containers. Thus, provide the title of the database italicized before the DOI or URL. If a DOI is not provided, use the URL instead. Provide the date of access if you wish.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. “ Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates. ”   Environmental Toxicology, vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library , https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20155. Accessed 26 May 2009.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal, vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest , https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

E-mail (including E-mail Interviews)

Give the author of the message, followed by the subject line in quotation marks. State to whom the message was sent with the phrase, “Received by” and the recipient’s name. Include the date the message was sent. Use standard capitalization.

Kunka, Andrew. “ Re: Modernist Literature. ”  Received by John Watts, 15 Nov. 2000.

Neyhart, David. “ Re: Online Tutoring. ” Received by Joe Barbato, 1 Dec. 2016.

A Listserv, Discussion Group, or Blog Posting

Cite web postings as you would a standard web entry. Provide the author of the work, the title of the posting in quotation marks, the web site name in italics, the publisher, and the posting date. Follow with the date of access. Include screen names as author names when author name is not known. If both names are known, place the author’s name in brackets.

Author or compiler name (if available). “Posting Title.” Name of Site , Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), URL. Date of access.

Salmar1515 [Sal Hernandez]. “Re: Best Strategy: Fenced Pastures vs. Max Number of Rooms?” BoardGameGeek , 29 Sept. 2008, boardgamegeek.com/thread/343929/best-strategy-fenced-pastures-vs-max-number-rooms. Accessed 5 Apr. 2009.

Begin with the user's Twitter handle in place of the author’s name. Next, place the tweet in its entirety in quotations, inserting a period after the tweet within the quotations. Include the date and time of posting, using the reader's time zone; separate the date and time with a comma and end with a period. Include the date accessed if you deem necessary.

@tombrokaw. “ SC demonstrated why all the debates are the engines of this campaign. ”   Twitter, 22 Jan. 2012, 3:06 a.m., twitter.com/tombrokaw/status/160996868971704320.

@PurdueWLab. “ Spring break is around the corner, and all our locations will be open next week. ”   Twitter , 5 Mar. 2012, 12:58 p.m., twitter.com/PurdueWLab/status/176728308736737282.

A YouTube Video

Video and audio sources need to be documented using the same basic guidelines for citing print sources in MLA style. Include as much descriptive information as necessary to help readers understand the type and nature of the source you are citing. If the author’s name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once. If the author is different from the uploader, cite the author’s name before the title.

McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E.

“8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube, uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBlpjSEtELs.

A Comment on a Website or Article

List the username as the author. Use the phrase, Comment on, before the title. Use quotation marks around the article title. Name the publisher, date, time (listed on near the comment), and the URL.

Not Omniscient Enough. Comment on “ Flight Attendant Tells Passenger to ‘Shut Up’ After Argument Over Pasta. ”  ABC News, 9 Jun 2016, 4:00 p.m., abcnews.go.com/US/flight-attendant-tells-passenger-shut-argument-pasta/story?id=39704050.

• Bibliography Answers

How to cite a YouTube video

In this guide we’re going to show you the easiest way to cite a YouTube video. YouTube is full of educational material, and as more citable sources move online it’s no longer strange to use YouTube as a resource for your assignments and papers. Here’s how to cite a YouTube video in some of the most popular citation styles: APA , MLA , and Harvard .

 How to cite a YouTube video automatically

The easiest way to create a YouTube citation is to use our citation generator below. Simply paste in the video URL into the search box and we’ll magically find all the details and put them in the right order for your citation. Then just copy and paste it into your paper.

 How to cite a YouTube video manually

If you want to learn how to write the citation by hand then use the templates below corresponding to the citation style you need:

 In APA style

First, locate the following details for the video: author or creator of the video, video title, the date it was uploaded, and the full link to the video .

• The author or creator can be found underneath the video itself on the YouTube page.
• The video title can also be found directly under the video.
• The upload date can be found under the video too.
• The URL can be copied out of the browser address bar. If you’re using the YouTube app then you can usually find this by sharing the video and selecting the ‘link’ option.

Once you have those details, put them in this order with the following punctuation:

Author last name , Author first name initial . ( Uploaded year , Uploaded month and day ). Video title YouTube . Retrieved from Video URL

Your citation should look like this:

Techquickie. (2018, August 10). How Does Spotify Work? YouTube . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9sbMVkdCcY

In a lot of cases (like the above example) the author will be a business or just a username, not a real name. In these cases simply list the full username in place of the author last name and first name initial.

 In MLA 8 style

You need the following details for MLA 8 style: author or creator of the video, video title, the date it was uploaded, the full link to the video, and the access date (the date you watched the video) .

• The access date is the date you viewed the video (usually today)

Then use this template:

Author last name , Author first name . “ Video title ” , Upload date , Video URL . Accessed Access date .

The final formatted citation should look like this:

Techquickie. “How Does Spotify Work?” YouTube , 10 Aug. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9sbMVkdCcY. Accessed 18 Aug. 2018.

In a lot of cases (like the above example) the author will be a business or just a username, not a real name. In these cases simply list the full username in place of the author last name and first name.

 In Harvard style

Harvard format is very similar to APA. First, locate these details for the video: author or creator of the video, video title, the date it was uploaded, the full link to the video, and the access date (date you viewed the video) .

Author last name , Author first name initial . ( Upload date year ) “ Video title ,” YouTube . Available at: Video URL (Accessed: Date accessed ).

Techquickie (2018) “How Does Spotify Work?,” YouTube . Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9sbMVkdCcY (Accessed: August 18, 2018).

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

How do I cite a video in APA format?

The format for an APA reference for a video is composed of four elements:

• The individual or organization who created the video (Director, Producer, Writer)
• The year the video was published
• The title of the video in italics followed by [Video].
• The publisher, website, or database
• If online, the URL

The format for the reference is:

Creator. (Date). Title [Video]. Publisher. URL

See the following examples:

YouTube video:

TED. (2011, January 3). Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzIF7o

In-Text citation: (TED, 2011).

Video from a Library database: 

Videatives. (2013). Motor development - infants 1-2 years: Stretching the infant's reach [Video]. Films on Demand. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/rasmussen.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffod-infobase-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net%2FPortalPlaylists.aspx%3FwID%3D106986%26xtid%3D189727

Intext citation. (Videatives, 2013).

NOTE: Sometimes you may have in-text citations for different videos that are the same. For example, you could have several Videatives videos that were all published in the same year. According to APA rules, you include an a, b, c, etc. following the year in the in-text citation to distinguish one video from another.

Step 1: Create your reference list. Note that because the beginning of the reference (Author and Date) is the same, you must alphabetize by the title. 

Step 2: Add an a, b, c etc. to the date in BOTH the reference and the intext citation.

Reference: 

Videatives. (2013b). Motor development - infants 1-2 years: Infants explore the harp [Video]. Films on Demand.  https://go.openathens.net/redirector/rasmussen.edu?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffod-infobase-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net%2FPortalPlaylists.aspx%3FwID%3D106986%26xtid%3D189729  

In-text citation: (Videatives, 2013b).

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• Last Updated Oct 17, 2023
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Citing a YouTube Video

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With smartphones and lightning fast Wi-Fi now part of everyday life, it is difficult to remember a time when online resources were not available to researchers and students. How did we ever find information quickly?

Some of the most popular and talked about types of online media are videos, like the kinds that millions of people view every day on sites like YouTube and Vimeo. While these sources are great ways to learn about a new topic in a fast and easy way, it can be tempting to neglect citing them properly in your paper.

Need to cite an online video that you’ve used for a research paper? You’ve come to the right place. Read on for guidelines on how to cite this type of source in MLA style, APA style, Harvard, and Chicago style. Also for consideration, Cite This For Me has a handy form for citing an online image or video.

Not sure which citation style you should be using? Check with your professor and ask which style they prefer before you start writing your paper and references.

What Information Do I Need?

The most efficient way to make citations for your paper is to develop them as you’re writing, instead of waiting until the end to start adding them. By completing them as you need them within your paper, you will be less likely to forget to include an important source that you used, and therefore be less likely to be accused of plagiarism.

The types of information you include in your online video citation can vary based on the particular source you are referencing and your citation style. Here is a list of the most frequently needed data points. We’ll be using the video example linked here below and throughout this guide:

Author/contributor names (this could also be an organization or a username in some cases): Brad Traversy Video title: CSS Crash Course For Absolute Beginners Website where you viewed the video: YouTube Date the video was published: July 19th 2017 Video publisher: Traversy Media Date you viewed the video: July 25th 2018 Video running time: 1:25:10 URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI<

In-Text Citations

After you reference an online video in your paper, you should include an in-text citation that signals to the reader where you got your information from. These types of citations can be added into the sentences of your project and can look parenthetical (like this), or be footnotes that match up with a similarly numbered citation in a bibliography. All of this depends on which citation style you’re using.

Let’s take a look at some examples of how to cite an online video in MLA, APA, Chicago style format, and Harvard styles.

How to Cite an Online Video in APA Style

APA parenthetical citation: (Traversy, 2017)

APA parenthetical citation after quotation: (Traversy, 2017, 0:10)

Full citation:

Traversy, B. (2017, July 19). CSS crash course for absolute beginners [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI

How to Cite an Online Video in MLA Style

MLA parent hetical citation: (“CSS Crash Course”)

“CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners.” YouTube , uploaded by Traversy Media, 19 Jul. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

Note that 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.

How to Cite an Online Video in Chicago Style Format (footnote/bibliography style)

Brad Traversy, “CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners,” YouTube Video, 1:25:10, July 19, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

Bibliography:

Traversy, Brad. “CSS Crash Course for Absolute Beginners.” YouTube Video, 1:25:10. July 19, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI.

How to Cite an Online Video in Harvard Style*

*This is according to Harvard Cite Them Right Style 10th edition.

Harvard referencing parenthetical citation: (Traversy, 2017)

Traversy (2017) CSS crash course for absolute beginners. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfoY53QXEnI (Accessed: 25 July 2018).

Making citations for online videos is easier than ever with Cite This For Me!

The in-text citation in APA style, in general, includes only the names of the contributors (or authors) and the publication year. The author of an audiovisual work depends on the type of media. YouTube is an audiovisual work for which the uploader’s name should be used in the author’s place. Therefore, to cite YouTube in the text, you need to include the name of the uploader of the YouTube video (though the uploader is not the original creator of the work) and the publication year.

Below you will find an example of how to format an in-text citation for YouTube in APA style:

Narrative: Uploader’s Surname (Year)

Parenthetical: (Uploader’s Surname, Year)

Narrative: Tucker (2017)

Parenthetical: (Tucker, 2017)

To provide an in-text citation for a YouTube video in MLA style, a shortened form of the video title is used.

Format for the In-text Citation for a YouTube Video

Prose: “Shortened Title of the Video”

Parenthetical: (“Shortened Title of the Video”)

Prose: The documentary “Dark Clouds” . . .

Parenthetical: (“Dark Clouds”)

If a specific portion of the video is the focus, a time stamp is used displaying the relevant hours, minutes, and seconds.

Format for the In-text Citation for a YouTube Video of a Television Show with a Time Stamp

Prose: “ Title ” (Time stamp)

Parenthetical: (“ Title ” Time stamp)

Prose: In the opening scene from an episode of “ Friends ” (00:00:02-00:03:10) . . .

Parenthetical: (“ Friends ” 00:00:02-00:03:10)

Per Chapter 10 of the APA Publication Manual , a reference list entry for a YouTube video should include the name of the channel and/or name of the person who uploaded the video, the date the video was published, title of the video, and URL.

The templates and examples below show how to create a reference list entry for a YouTube video in APA style.

Uploader’s Last Name, First Initial. [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Date video was published). Name of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Fogarty, M. [Grammar Girl]. (2021, May 28). Noah Webster’s influence on American English [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqszseM7xlM

If the name of the uploader is unknown, or if the video was posted by an institution/organization, use the institution’s name instead of the individual contributor’s name at the beginning of your citation.

Institution/Organization Name. (Year, Month Date video was published). Name of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

TED. (2012, October 1). Your body language may shape who you are | Amy Cuddy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc

While the MLA handbook does not provide specific guidelines for citing a comment in the comments section for a YouTube video, it does provide guidelines and an example on how to provide references for comments generally. Most importantly, your citation should help the reader to easily locate the source (in this case, the comment made).

Commenter’s Name. Comment on “Video Name.” Website , uploaded by Uploader Name, Date, URL.

Bunh The Chau. Comment on “Chegg Writing: Grammar & Plagiarism.” YouTube , uploaded by Chegg, 12 Nov. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPFg5KI_6ZI.

The in-text citation formats are provided below. The first time a resource is mentioned, a citation in prose format should be used. Thereafter, either format can be used.

Citation in Prose: Name

Bunh The Chau

Parenthetical Citation: (Name)

(Bunh The Chau)

To format a footnote to a YouTube video in Chicago style, include the speaker(s) in the video (if known), the title of the video, the uploader of the video, the date posted, an indication of the source type (e.g., “YouTube video”), the length of the video, and the URL. The idiosyncratic capitalization (“YouTube”) must be preserved.

• Peter Thomson et al., “The Sustainable Development Goal 4, Education – Press Conference (28 June 2017),” United Nations, streamed on June 28, 2017, YouTube video, 31:28, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Wt3K1DgDw&list=PLwoDFQJEq_0buo7GDyAEJ9QNbhUuRnIQY.

To format a bibliography entry for a YouTube video in Chicago style, include the speaker’s name(s) in the author element (if known) in inverse order (e.g., Biden, Joe.), the title of the video, the uploader’s name, the streaming date, an indication of the source type (e.g., “YouTube video”), the length of the video, and the URL. The idiosyncratic capitalization (“YouTube”) should be preserved.

“40 Dangerous Animals Caught Being Friendly.” Come Along. Streamed on December 8, 2021. YouTube video, 18:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qf1iPGd_Sk.

To cite a comment on a YouTube video in a footnote, include the commenter name, the date of comment (if available), the phrase “comment on,” followed by the video’s citation information, including the video’s title, the uploader, the streaming date, the video format (YouTube video), the video length, and the URL.

• Raja Izhar, comment on “The Sustainable Development Goal 4, Education – Press Conference (28 June 2017),” United Nations, streamed on June 28, 2017, YouTube video, 31:28, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Wt3K1DgDw&list=PLwoDFQJEq_0buo7GDyAEJ9QNbhUuRnIQY.

As per MLA style, the account name of the uploader is included in the “other contributors” section. More often than not, videos are uploaded by a person who is not the creator. Further, there is no way with the information provided that a user can verify if the video’s creator and uploader are the same person. Hence, the account name is included in the “other contributors” section.

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• Knowledge Base
• Citing sources

How to Cite Sources | Citation Generator & Quick Guide

Citing your sources is essential in  academic writing . Whenever you quote or paraphrase a source (such as a book, article, or webpage), you have to include a  citation crediting the original author.

Failing to properly cite your sources counts as plagiarism , since you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

The most commonly used citation styles are APA and MLA. The free Scribbr Citation Generator is the quickest way to cite sources in these styles. Simply enter the URL, DOI, or title, and we’ll generate an accurate, correctly formatted citation.

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Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text.

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Table of contents

When do you need to cite sources, which citation style should you use, in-text citations, reference lists and bibliographies.

Scribbr Citation Generator

Other useful citation tools

Citation examples and full guides, frequently asked questions about citing sources.

Citations are required in all types of academic texts. They are needed for several reasons:

• To avoid plagiarism by indicating when you’re taking information from another source
• To give proper credit to the author of that source
• To allow the reader to consult your sources for themselves

A citation is needed whenever you integrate a source into your writing. This usually means quoting or paraphrasing:

• To quote a source , copy a short piece of text word for word and put it inside quotation marks .
• To paraphrase a source , put the text into your own words. It’s important that the paraphrase is not too close to the original wording. You can use the paraphrasing tool if you don’t want to do this manually.

Citations are needed whether you quote or paraphrase, and whatever type of source you use. As well as citing scholarly sources like books and journal articles, don’t forget to include citations for any other sources you use for ideas, examples, or evidence. That includes websites, YouTube videos , and lectures .

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Usually, your institution (or the journal you’re submitting to) will require you to follow a specific citation style, so check your guidelines or ask your instructor.

In some cases, you may have to choose a citation style for yourself. Make sure to pick one style and use it consistently:

• APA Style is widely used in the social sciences and beyond.
• MLA style is common in the humanities.
• Chicago notes and bibliography , common in the humanities
• Chicago author-date , used in the (social) sciences
• There are many other citation styles for different disciplines.

If in doubt, check with your instructor or read other papers from your field of study to see what style they follow.

In most styles, your citations consist of:

• Brief in-text citations at the relevant points in the text
• A reference list or bibliography containing full information on all the sources you’ve cited

In-text citations most commonly take the form of parenthetical citations featuring the last name of the source’s author and its year of publication (aka author-date citations).

An alternative to this type of in-text citation is the system used in numerical citation styles , where a number is inserted into the text, corresponding to an entry in a numbered reference list.

There are also note citation styles , where you place your citations in either footnotes or endnotes . Since they’re not embedded in the text itself, these citations can provide more detail and sometimes aren’t accompanied by a full reference list or bibliography.

A reference list (aka “Bibliography” or “Works Cited,” depending on the style) is where you provide full information on each of the sources you’ve cited in the text. It appears at the end of your paper, usually with a hanging indent applied to each entry.

The information included in reference entries is broadly similar, whatever citation style you’re using. For each source, you’ll typically include the:

• Author name
• Publication date
• Container (e.g., the book an essay was published in, the journal an article appeared in)
• Location (e.g., a URL or DOI , or sometimes a physical location)

The exact information included varies depending on the source type and the citation style. The order in which the information appears, and how you format it (e.g., capitalization, use of italics) also varies.

Most commonly, the entries in your reference list are alphabetized by author name. This allows the reader to easily find the relevant entry based on the author name in your in-text citation.

In numerical citation styles, the entries in your reference list are numbered, usually based on the order in which you cite them. The reader finds the right entry based on the number that appears in the text.

Because each style has many small differences regarding things like italicization, capitalization , and punctuation , it can be difficult to get every detail right. Using a citation generator can save you a lot of time and effort.

Scribbr offers citation generators for both APA and MLA style. Both are quick, easy to use, and 100% free, with no ads and no registration required.

Just input a URL or DOI or add the source details manually, and the generator will automatically produce an in-text citation and reference entry in the correct format. You can save your reference list as you go and download it when you’re done, and even add annotations for an annotated bibliography .

Once you’ve prepared your citations, you might still be unsure if they’re correct and if you’ve used them appropriately in your text. This is where Scribbr’s other citation tools and services may come in handy:

Plagiarism Checker

Citation Checker

Citation Editing

Plagiarism means passing off someone else’s words or ideas as your own. It’s a serious offense in academia. Universities use plagiarism checking software to scan your paper and identify any similarities to other texts.

When you’re dealing with a lot of sources, it’s easy to make mistakes that could constitute accidental plagiarism. For example, you might forget to add a citation after a quote, or paraphrase a source in a way that’s too close to the original text.

Using a plagiarism checker yourself before you submit your work can help you spot these mistakes before they get you in trouble. Based on the results, you can add any missing citations and rephrase your text where necessary.

Try out the Scribbr Plagiarism Checker for free, or check out our detailed comparison of the best plagiarism checkers available online.

Scribbr Plagiarism Checker

Scribbr’s Citation Checker is a unique AI-powered tool that automatically detects stylistic errors and inconsistencies in your in-text citations. It also suggests a correction for every mistake.

Currently available for APA Style, this is the fastest and easiest way to make sure you’ve formatted your citations correctly. You can try out the tool for free below.

If you need extra help with your reference list, we also offer a more in-depth Citation Editing Service.

Our experts cross-check your in-text citations and reference entries, make sure you’ve included the correct information for each source, and improve the formatting of your reference page.

If you want to handle your citations yourself, Scribbr’s free Knowledge Base provides clear, accurate guidance on every aspect of citation. You can see citation examples for a variety of common source types below:

And you can check out our comprehensive guides to the most popular citation styles:

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The abbreviation “ et al. ” (Latin for “and others”) is used to shorten citations of sources with multiple authors.

“Et al.” is used in APA in-text citations of sources with 3+ authors, e.g. (Smith et al., 2019). It is not used in APA reference entries .

Use “et al.” for 3+ authors in MLA in-text citations and Works Cited entries.

Use “et al.” for 4+ authors in a Chicago in-text citation , and for 10+ authors in a Chicago bibliography entry.

The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

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