How to cite a YouTube video in MLA 9

In MLA the video is the source and YouTube is the container. The account that posted it is named as the uploader.

Works Cited format

"Title of the Video." YouTube, uploaded by Account Name, Day Month Year, URL.

“How Tides Work in Five Minutes.” YouTube, uploaded by Harbor Science, 4 Mar. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123.

• Title. Copy it exactly as it appears on YouTube, inside quotation marks, even if it contains extra words.
• Container. YouTube, in italics.
• Uploader. “Uploaded by” followed by the account name, written exactly as the account shows it. It may differ from the name of the show or channel.
• Date. The date shown below the video.
• URL. The video’s address.

When the creator is clear

If a particular person made the video and it is clear who, you may put that name first, in the author’s position, followed by the title. If it isn’t clear, start with the title.

Okafor, Ngozi. “Why Moss Matters.” YouTube, uploaded by Green Notes, 9 Nov. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyz789.

Live streams

While a video is still being streamed live, MLA says to write “streamed by” in place of “uploaded by.” Once the stream has ended and is posted as a normal video, cite it like any other video.

In-text citation

Use the first element of the entry, which is the creator’s last name if you gave one, or a shortened title in quotation marks if not: (Okafor) or (“How Tides Work”). A video has no page numbers, so give none.

Check before you submit

• Copy the title exactly. MLA asks you to reproduce a video’s title as it appears on YouTube.
• The account name. Reproduce it exactly, even when it is not the name of the show.