Video material can enrich your research. Although citing video may seem difficult at times, the American Psychological Association (APA) has developed clear guidelines for citing video material. All you have to do is identify the type of video you are going to use and follow the rules for citing that particular type. Once you have mastered the process, you are ready to use a growing variety of video material for your research.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Documentaries and Movies
Step 1. Start with the name of the producer
Write your last name and then a comma. Then write your first initial, a comma, and the middle initial (if you have one), followed by a period.
For example, you should write something like "Smith, J. D."
Step 2. Add the title of the producer after his name
Write "Producer" after their name. Always capitalize it and put it in parentheses, and add a comma afterwards.
The quote should look like this: "Smith, J. D. (Producer),"
Step 3. Enter the names of all the producers if the video has more than one
You will often notice that multiple people have produced the movie, especially if it's a major one. Follow the same format as single producer movies for each name. Separate each name with a comma and place "y" in front of the last name. Write “Producers” in parentheses at the end of the list and conclude with a comma.
You should use this format: "Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers),"
Step 4. Write the director's name after listing the producers
After entering “(Producer),” write “&” and then the director's last name, followed by a comma. Write the director's first initial, then a period, and his middle initial followed by a period. Write “Director” in parentheses after their name and then put a period.
For example, you should write something like: "Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director)."
Step 5. Add the release date of the movie
You just have to include the year. Put it in parentheses and then a period.
You should follow this format: “Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001).”
Step 6. Write the title of the movie
Italicize the name of the movie. Only capitalize the initial letter of the title and proper nouns. Don't add a period at the end of the title.
The quote will appear in this format: “Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie”
Step 7. Classify the type of video quoted
After the title, indicate the type of the movie. Put this information in square brackets followed by a period.
- Use “[Movie]” to indicate that this is an important movie. You can use this designation even if you have seen it on the internet or if it is available on DVD. The quote should look like this: “Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie [Movie].”.
- Add "[DVD]" or [VHS] if a movie, such as a documentary, is available in one of those formats. Even if you have seen the movie on the internet, you should cite this format if the same version is available on DVD or VHS. The quote should look like this: “Spurlock, M. (2004). Super size me [DVD].”.
Step 8. Enter the country of origin
Include the country of origin after the video type. Write the full name of the country and then a colon. The country of origin consists of the one in which the production company has its headquarters.
- You can find this information at the bottom of the movie poster or on websites like IMDb. For rare or historical films, search WorldCat:
- For example, you should write something like: “Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie [Movie]. USA:".
Step 9. Include the information of the production company
After the country of origin, write the name of the production company. End with a period.
A complete quote should look like this: “Smith, J. D., Collins, T., and Brooks, M. L. (Producers), & Smithee, A. F. (Director). (2001). Really big disaster movie [Movie]. United States: Paramount Pictures.”
Step 10. Indicate if the film is not easily accessible
Old movies may be archived and hard to find. On the other hand, the most recent ones or those of limited distribution could be available only on the internet. If the movie in the quote is not available in theaters, DVD or VHS, you will need to add additional information.
- For rare or archived movies, please include the address of the page you viewed them on: “Kessler, B. (Director). (1984). Hawaiian heat. Ancient fires [VHS]. (Available from UCLA Film and Television Archive, 302 E Meinitz, Los Angeles, CA 90095)”.
- For movies that you can only find online, follow the instructions below for online videos.
Method 2 of 5: YouTube and other online videos
Step 1. Find the original video before quoting it
Many videos posted on YouTube, Vimeo, and social media like Facebook are often re-posted by other people. You shouldn't give the wrong person credit, so spend some time identifying the original video.
- The original video usually has the most views.
- Click on the creator's username to see some of the other posts on their channel or profile. Browse these videos to determine if the channel belongs to whoever posted the video you want to quote.
Step 2. Start the quote with the name of the creator
You must write their last name first and then a comma. Then write the initial of his name and a period. If it has a middle name, add the first letter of it and add another period.
- If a person has posted the video, the quote should look like this: "Wilson, R."
- When organizations such as BBC News, the American Psychological Association and the University of Cambridge publish videos relevant to your research, cite the name of the organization as the creator: "BBC News."
- Always try to get the creator's real name instead of their username. Sometimes you won't be able to get her real name. If this happens, skip this step.
Step 3. Include username in appointment
If you don't know the person's full name, capitalize the first letter of their username and start the date with them. If you know their full name, the username will be in brackets after it. Always add a period after the username.
- If you don't know the full name of the creator, write the username like this: “Bellofoletti.”.
- If you know, write like this: "Wilson, R. [SoulPankcake]."
- You can get the username or channel name on YouTube and Vimeo by checking below the view count on the left side of the screen. On Facebook, the username (or profile) is in the upper left-hand side, next to the photo.
Step 4. Write the video publication date
Put the date in parentheses after the username. Write the date in this order: enter the day, then the month, and finally the year. Place a period after the final parenthesis.
You will have to write like this: “Wilson, R. [SoulPankcake]. (October 16, 2017).”
Step 5. Write the full title of the video after the date
Capitalize the first letter, just like any proper noun. Italicize the title of all videos, except vlogs. Don't add a period at the end of the title.
- Do not italicize the title of a videoblog (or vlog) even if it is on YouTube or other platforms: “Oladunni, L. [Lizzie Oladunni]. (2016, November 6). The life of a psychology student: the challenges”.
- Italicize the title of the other videos on the internet: “Psychology of tomorrow. (March 26, 2015). Documentary of body language”.
Step 6. Put the file type after the title
Put “Video file” in brackets and place it after the title. Make sure to write "Video file" with the initial letter capitalized.
For example, you should write like this: “Oladunni, L. [Lizzie Oladunni]. (2016, November 6). The life of a psychology student: the challenges [Video file].”
Step 7. Enter the URL to redirect to the video
After placing “[Video file],” type “Obtained from” and paste the URL of the video. To do this, click the share button on the page. Copy the URL and paste it into the document to ensure it is accurate. Never put a period after the URL.
The quote should look like this: “American Psychological Association. (September 19, 2011). This is psychology: family caregivers [Video file]. Retrieved from https://facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150303396563992&set=vb.290103137578 "
Method 3 of 5: Unique Formats for Podcasts, Webinars, and Conferences
Step 1. Start a video podcast quote with the creator's name and title
Type the creator's last name first, and then add a comma, their first initial, a period, their middle initial, and another period. Write “Producer” in parentheses after their name and add a period after them.
You should follow a format that looks like this: "Dunning, B. (Producer)."
Step 2. Add the date, title, format, and location of the podcast
Put the date in parentheses (including the day, month, and year) and end with a period after them. Add the full title of the podcast by capitalizing only the first letter and proper nouns. Write “Video Podcast” in square brackets with the first word capitalized, and place a period after them. Finish by putting "Obtained from" and the URL of the podcast.
When the quote is complete, it should look like this: “Dunning, B. (Producer). (January 12, 2011). Facts: Conspiracy Theories [Podcast]. Obtained from https://itunes.apple.com "
Step 3. Use a special format for Ted Talk conferences
Write “Ted Talk,” then a colon and end with the speaker's name. Even if you are watching the lecture for the first time on a page like YouTube, please quote the original video from the Ted Talk page. For these conferences, you don't have to include the day of publication, just the month and the year.
You should write like this: “Ted Talk: Palmer, A. (February, 2013). Amanda Palmer: the art of asking [Video file]. Retrieved from
Step 4. Cite specially formatted webinars
Webinar citations begin with a capital letter of the producer and then a period. Now write “(Producer)” and place another period. Put the year of production of the content in parentheses and add another period. Then italicize the full title of the show. Write "[Webinar]" after the title. End with "Obtained from" and the full URL.
You will have to write like this: “American Psychological Association. (Producer). (2017). APA Style Basics: An Online Course [Webinar]. Obtained from
Method 4 of 5: In-text citations
Step 1. Identify the date of the video and the last names of its creators for in-text citations
You have to know the year in which the video was produced or published on the internet. You don't have to include the month or the day. You will also need to know the last names of the creators, including producers and directors.
- For a video with a single producer or creator, you will only need this person's last name.
- For a video with a producer and a director, you will need to include both, always putting the producer's name first.
- For a YouTube video, you should only use the creator's last name and omit their username. However, if you don't know their last name, you will have to use the username instead.
Step 2. Put the quotes at the end of the sentences that do not mention the creator
When the text does not make a specific reference to a director or producer by name, you will need to include the creator's name in the in-text quote. Write your last name and then a comma. Then write the date of production. Put this information in parentheses before the period at the end of the sentence.
- For single creator cases, write like this: "The movie takes the audience into the crater of Hawaii's most active volcano (Kessler, 1984)."
- For more than one creator, the quote should look like this: “Never before have anthropologists questioned the claims of their own culture. (Monroe & Harper, 1989).”.
Step 3. Put the date after the creator's last name when used in a sentence
When the video creator's last name is used naturally in the writing, all you have to do is put the production date after it. You must put it in parentheses.
- The quote in the text should look like this: "Kessler (1984) transports the public to the crater of the most active volcano in Hawaii."
- If the video has two creators, the quote will look like this: "Monroe and Harper (1989) reveal the revolutionary elements of early 20th century anthropology."
Method 5 of 5: Additional Resources for Exceptions
Step 1. Visit the APA Style Blog to learn more about single dating
Sometimes you will find a video that does not match any of the standard dating scenarios. Also, you might find a new video platform that they recently launched and you may not know how to cite their videos. The APA style blog addresses these issues frequently, so visit their page for more information:
Type the question in the search field on the page to review archived posts. Chances are someone else has already asked the same question
Step 2. Ask an expert for help if it is a one-time appointment
If you can't find the answer to your question, consult an expert. Librarians are an excellent resource, but you can also post your question for an expert to answer on the APA style blog.
Step 3. Review the reference lists from other published sources
Look for a published article or book that uses the APA format and cites a wide variety of video sources. Notice how he has cited similar cases.
- Only use published sources, as unpublished sources could be inaccurate.
- If you know that someone has cited the same video, you might be able to get the exact quote you need.
Advice
- Keep your appointments organized. When you work, be sure to write down which video each note corresponds to, so you don't get confused.
- Consider using an online dating manager or purchasing such a program if you have to deal with many sources.
Warnings
- Don't confuse the APA style with the MLA or Chicago style. They all have different rules.
- Beware of online sources that may disappear in the future. Don't link to sources that will disappear or stop working by the time readers try to review the sources.