Can I use a YouTube Video as a Source for a Research Paper?

Can I use a YouTube Video as a Source for a Research Paper?

Yes, you can use YouTube videos as sources as many of them can be valuable in terms of content. Make sure, of course, that any videos you cite are reputable and that the creators have some authority on the subject.

To cite a YouTube video in your bibliography, you need the following:

name of the video author/creator
Video title
Organization or entity responsible (usually for publishing the video)
Date uploaded
Medium (example: YouTube video)
Video duration
URL
For YouTube videos without a specific person who is the creator, use the channel name for the author.

For a footnote, you use the same information except using the specific time-stamp (s) that presents the information being cited. 

Bibliography Example: Jeffers, Oliver. “An Ode to Living on Earth.” TED, April 22, 2020. YouTube video, 10:47. https://youtu.be/zpn6MCmoK0g.
Footnote Example: Oliver Jeffers, “An Ode to Living on Earth,” TED, April 22, 2020, YouTube video, 5:40, https://youtu.be/zpn6MCmoK0g.
Shortened Footnote Example: Jeffers, "An Ode to Living on Earth," 5:40

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