Cite a YouTube video in Chicago (author-date)
Citing a YouTube video in Chicago (author-date) catches students out because the uploader name takes the author slot, not the speaker on camera, and the upload date is the year. Chicago (author-date) (17th ed.) added explicit rules for video uploads, and they apply to channels regardless of how informal the content is.
Chicago (author-date) rules for a YouTube video
- The channel name or uploader handle is the author, not the speaker on camera.
- Use the upload date as the publication date (year, month, day).
- Video title appears in italics; add [Video] in square brackets after the title.
- Container is YouTube; include the full watch URL.
- Timestamp the moment you reference in the in-text citation, not in the reference list.
- Author-date format uses '(accessed Month DD, YYYY)' before the URL.
Worked example
Chicago (author-date) · YouTube videoA real YouTube video formatted using the Chicago (author-date) rules above.
Huberman, Andrew. 2023. "How to write a research paper [Video]." YouTube. accessed January 15, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.
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