YouTube is the media platform that many of us go to for entertaining content, and rightly so. However, beyond the entertaining videos that you can find on YouTube videos, there are also educational videos. You would be surprised at the number of relevant information you can get from YouTube when you make research about anything. There is a probability that this will help to advance your citing as buying YouTube Views and buying YouTube Likes help to expose your YouTube account to a newer audience.
If you are a researcher who has favored journals, books, and search engines for information over a period, you have been doing the norm. many people have limited their source of information to these places. But, who says you cannot do better? Who says you cannot be the unique one among your peer? To be an exceptional researcher, who has more evidence-based sources of information, using YouTube as a source of information is not something you should run from.
Of course, nothing changes when you are checking YouTube for educational information. Like you have always done when you watch videos on YouTube for entertainment, you can do the same when you want to do any research. In the same vein, there is a need to mirror the art of citing your sources in your work as you would do with other sources. In essence, you also need to cite the YouTube video that has been useful in your research work.
There is more than one way to cite a YouTube Video. In this article, we will expose you to the two most popular, which are the APA format, and the MLA format. But before we delve into that, here is some important information you must provide when you are trying to cite a YouTube Video:
- • Full name, Username, or the Name of the company that has posted the video on the platform
- • Title of the Video
- • Title of the website
- • Publisher of the Video
- • Date the video was posted
- • Length or duration of the video
- • URL of the video
These pieces of information are key to identifying the source of your research. So, you should try as much as you can to not omit any of them. As far as the types of YouTube citation goes, these pieces of information are what we have in them.
To cite a YouTube video using MLA, you should check out the following:
Start with the Title of the Video
Citing a YouTube video is done to achieve the same goal as citing a book, journal or newspaper will achieve. However, it is done very differently. And here is the first difference that you will have to adapt to. When you are citing a YouTube video in MLA format, you want to make sure that you begin with the Title of the video. Writing the title of the video only will not cut it. This format requires that you put the title in quotation marks.
Follow with the Name of the Website and YouTube Channel
Now that we have established that the title of the video comes first when you are citing a YouTube video, you should also be aware that you only follow this information with the name of the website, which is YouTube. Of course, the name of your YouTube channel follows immediately after the name of the website.
Date and the URL of the Video
While the title and the name of the website lead the pack when you are citing a YouTube video, the date and URL are the last bit of the information that needs to be added. The date the video was uploaded is essential so you need to add that. After this, the URL of the video should come at the end of the citation.
To cite a YouTube video using APA format you should check out the following:
Write out a video uploader in full
The APA format for citing YouTube videos is nothing like MLA. While both are great, some people prefer this because of its details. To start with, the APA style requires that you write out the full name of the video uploader. You need to start by listing the real last name, and ensuring that the first letter of the name is capitalized. After doing this, you need to make use of the comma sign, which is to be placed after the last name. do this, and follow with their first initial and their first name respectively.
Write the screen name
The screen name is just as important as the real name when you are citing a YouTube video with this format. Of course, you would not need to write it like the real name. you need to put the screen name in a bracket, and ensure that you place a period after closing the bracket.
Write the time, day, and month the Video was posted
Of course, this should be written in the right way. To follow the APA format, you may put the full numerical year, and place a comma after writing it. Then you can write the written month starting with a capital letter. Also, remember to place a comma after this. After doing these, you need to write the numerical day that the video was posted. Never forget that all these three pieces of information should be put in parentheses.
Write the title of the video
To do this correctly, it needs to be written in italics, and of course, you need to capitalize the first letter and proper nouns. Do not place a period after the title.
Write keywords
Put the word video. Ensure that it is capitalized, and in normal font. Also, ensure that it is in a bracket. Of course, you would need to place a period after closing the bracket. You also need to put the word YouTube as it has been spelled, and follow with a period
List the full URL.
The URL is important so you do not want to miss the chance to post that. After posting the URL, you do not need a period. So, you should not put it.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know enough about citing YouTube videos for your citation needs.
We hope this article has given you a clear picture of how you can paraphrase and cite a YouTube video. Simply follow the reliable guide we have discussed here, and you will be well on your way to doing it your way. Good luck with your future YouTube videos.