citationgenerator

How to Cite a YouTube Video in Bluebook (legal)

In Bluebook a YouTube video is cited as an internet audiovisual source with the uploader, the video title in italics, YouTube as the site, the full URL, and a posting date parenthetical, with a timestamp added to point to a precise moment.

Citation style Bluebook (legal)
Source type YouTube Video

Fill the required fields to generate your citation.

No account needed. Your citations stay in your browser and are never uploaded.

How to cite a youtube video in Bluebook step by step

  1. Uploader. Give the account or channel that posted the video as the author of the online source.
  2. Italicize the title. Set the video title in italics as the title of the specific work.
  3. Platform. Identify YouTube as the website hosting the video.
  4. URL. Provide the full watch URL to the specific video.
  5. Date and timestamp. Add the posting date in the parenthetical, and a timestamp such as at 4:35 to pinpoint the cited moment.

Bluebook youtube video citation format

Bluebook orders a YouTube video as uploader, italicized title, YouTube, URL, and posting date parenthetical. A timestamp pinpoints the cited moment, which the worked example reflects.

Common youtube video citation variations

How do I pinpoint a moment in a YouTube video in Bluebook?

Add the timestamp after the citation, for example at 4:35, since a video has no pages and the time anchors the exact point you rely on.

How do I cite a YouTube video posted by an institution in Bluebook?

Use the institution channel name as the uploader and author, then the italicized title, YouTube, the URL, and the posting date parenthetical.

How do I cite a YouTube video with no posting date in Bluebook?

Use last visited with your access date in the parenthetical when the upload date is not shown, so the time the content existed is still fixed.

Is YouTube a website or audiovisual source in Bluebook?

It is cited under the internet rules as an online audiovisual source, so it takes a URL and a date parenthetical rather than a recording medium label.

Cite any source in Bluebook

Cite journal article Cite a journal article with author, journal, volume and DOI. Cite book Cite a book with author, title, publisher and year. Cite website Cite a web page with author, site name, URL and access date. Cite image Cite an image, figure or photograph with creator, title and source. Cite pdf Cite a PDF report or document with author, title and source. Cite chatgpt Cite ChatGPT or another AI chatbot with model, owner, date and prompt.

See the full Bluebook (legal) citation generator and every source type →

YouTube Video citation FAQ

Do I italicize a YouTube video title in Bluebook?

Yes. The specific video title is italicized, while YouTube as the site name stays in roman.

Who is the author of a YouTube video in Bluebook?

The uploader or channel that posted the video is treated as the author of the online source.