How to Cite Podcasts and YouTube Videos: APA MLA Chicago Guide

• How to cite a YouTube video in APA 7th edition (with real examples)
• How to cite a podcast episode in MLA 9th/10th edition (with real examples)
• Chicago style footnote and bibliography formats for both source types
• A side-by-side comparison table for all three citation styles
• A printable checklist and common mistakes to avoid

Quick Answer

Here’s how you format the most common podcast and YouTube video citations in the three major academic styles. Use the templates below as your starting point, then swap in your own source details.

APA 7th Edition – YouTube Video

Uploader Last Name, Initial. [Username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL

MLA 9th/10th Edition – YouTube Video

“Title of Video.” YouTube, uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Chicago 17th Edition – YouTube Video

Uploader Name, “Title of Video,” [Video], YouTube, Month Day, Year, URL.

APA 7th Edition – Podcast Episode

Host Last Name, Initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (No. number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Podcast Name. Publisher. URL

MLA 9th/10th Edition – Podcast Episode

“Episode Title.” Podcast Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

Chicago 17th Edition – Podcast Episode

Host Name, “Episode Title,” Podcast Name, episode #, Month Day, Year, URL.

Every example in this guide follows the current edition rules from the official style manuals and Purdue OWL. Read on for detailed explanations, ready-to-use templates, and a step-by-step checklist.

What You Need to Know First

Citing audio and video sources correctly matters because professors and journal reviewers use your citations to verify sources, check academic integrity, and assess your research quality. A single misplaced comma or wrong bracketed descriptor can throw off an entire bibliography.

This guide covers three widely used citation styles:

• APA 7th edition (American Psychological Association) — dominant in the social sciences, education, psychology, and nursing
• MLA 9th/10th edition (Modern Language Association) — standard in the humanities, literature, and arts
• Chicago 17th edition (Notes-Bibliography system) — preferred in history, business, and some humanities disciplines

Each section provides a format template, a worked example, and the corresponding in-text citation. Where rules differ across editions or cause confusion among students, I highlight those differences explicitly.

How to Cite YouTube Videos in APA 7th Edition

APA YouTube Format Template

Last Name or Username, Initial. [Username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Worked Example

Asian Boss. (2020, June 5). World’s leading vaccine expert fact-checks COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy: Stay curious #22 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdLDMLrYIA

In-Text Citation

(Asian Boss, 2020)

Key Rules

• Uploader name, not the video creator. Use the name of the account that uploaded the video. If the uploader has a username and a real name, place both: Adichie, C. N. [TED]. (2019, April 15). *The danger of a single story* [Video]. YouTube.
• Bracketed descriptor. Always include [Video] after the title to signal the source type. This distinguishes YouTube videos from podcast episodes, web pages, or audio files.
• Date format. Include the full date (month and day) when it appears on the video. In in-text citations, use only the year.
• No “Retrieved from.” APA 7th edition drops the “Retrieved from” prefix. Just provide the URL.

How to Cite YouTube Videos in MLA 9th/10th Edition

MLA YouTube Format Template

“Title of Video.” YouTube, uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Worked Example

“World’s Leading Vaccine Expert Fact-Checks COVID-19 Conspiracy.” YouTube, uploaded by Asian Boss, 5 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdLDMLrYIA.

In-Text Citation

(“World’s Leading Vaccine”)

Key Rules

• Title in quotation marks. MLA treats YouTube videos as standalone works, so the episode or video title goes in double quotes, not italics.
• Uploader label. Use “uploaded by” followed by the account name. MLA does not use bracketed descriptors.
• Date format. Use Day Month Year (e.g., 5 June 2020). MLA does not include the year alone as the primary date reference.
• URL. Omit “https://” and “http://” — MLA recommends bare URLs. If you accessed the video through an app or embed, include the platform name (YouTube) before the URL.
• 10th edition note. MLA’s 10th edition is not yet officially released. Until then, follow the 9th edition guidelines, which remain the standard across university writing centers.

How to Cite YouTube Videos in Chicago 17th Edition

Chicago Bibliography Format

Uploader Name, “Title of Video,” [Video], YouTube, Month Day, Year, URL.

Chicago Footnote Format

1. Uploader Name, “Title of Video,” [Video], YouTube, Month Day, Year, URL.

Worked Example (Bibliography)

Asian Boss, “World’s Leading Vaccine Expert Fact-Checks COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy,” [Video], YouTube, June 5, 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdLDMLrYIA.

Worked Example (Footnote)

1. Asian Boss, “World’s Leading Vaccine Expert Fact-Checks COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy,” [Video], YouTube, June 5, 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQdLDMLrYIA.

Key Rules

• Notes-Bibliography recommends notes only. Unlike APA and MLA, Chicago’s Notes-Bibliography system advises citing YouTube videos only in footnotes or endnotes, not in the bibliography. The rationale is that online video sources are not considered permanent or stable enough for a standalone bibliography entry.
• Bibliography entries are not wrong. Some professors accept full bibliography entries for video sources. When in doubt, follow the Purdue OWL recommendation: cite in notes only.
• Bracketed descriptor. Chicago uses [Video] as a medium identifier, similar to APA.
• Date format. Chicago uses “Month Day, Year” (e.g., June 5, 2020), not the numerical format preferred by APA.

How to Cite Podcasts in APA 7th Edition

Podcast Series (Entire Show)

Host Last Name, Initial. (Host). (Year–present). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. Publisher. URL

Example:

Meraji, S. M., & Demby, G. (Hosts). (2016–present). Code switch [Audio podcast]. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch

In-text: (Meraji & Demby, 2016)

Podcast Episode

Host Last Name, Initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (No. number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Podcast Name. Publisher. URL

Example:

Hannah-Jones, N. (Host). (2019, September 13). How the bad blood started (No. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In 1619. The New York Times. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-how-the-bad-blood-started/id1476928106

In-text: (Hannah-Jones, 2019)

Key Rules

• Episode vs. series. If you cite a specific episode, use the episode template. If you reference the entire show as a source, use the series template.
• Bracketed descriptor. APA uses [Audio podcast] for the whole series and [Audio podcast episode] for individual episodes.
• Episode number. Include the episode number in parentheses when available: (No. 4). If the episode has no number, omit this element.
• “In Podcast Name.” The episode title precedes the podcast name, introduced by “In.” The podcast title is italicized.
• Host label. When the host’s name is known, use it as the author position. When the publisher or platform is the author, use that name.

How to Cite Podcasts in MLA 9th/10th Edition

Podcast Episode Format

“Episode Title.” Podcast Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL.

Example:

“How the Bad Blood Started.” 1619, The New York Times, 13 Sept. 2019, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-how-the-bad-blood-started/id1476928106.

In-text: (Hannah-Jones)

Podcast Hosted on YouTube

Host Name, role. “Episode Title.” Podcast Name, Publisher, Day Month Year. YouTube, Day Month Year, URL.

Example:

Rogan, Joe, host. “Episode 2200.” The Joe Rogan Experience, X, 12 Oct. 2025. YouTube, 12 Oct. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

In-text: (Rogan)

Key Rules

• Episode title in quotes. MLA treats each episode as a self-contained work within a larger container (the podcast). The episode title goes in double quotes, and the podcast title is italicized.
• Episode numbers. MLA does not include episode numbers in the citation unless they are part of the episode title itself.
• Season and episode. If the podcast has numbered seasons and episodes, include them: Season 3, Episode 4.
• Podcast as platform. When the episode is hosted on YouTube rather than a dedicated podcast app, MLA recommends noting both the podcast platform and YouTube separately.

How to Cite Podcasts in Chicago 17th Edition

Chicago Bibliography Format

Host Name, “Episode Title,” Podcast Name, episode #, Month Day, Year, URL.

Chicago Footnote Format

1. Host Name, “Episode Title,” Podcast Name, episode #, Month Day, Year, URL.

Worked Example (Bibliography)

Nadia Hannah-Jones, “How the Bad Blood Started,” 1619, episode 4, The New York Times, Sept. 13, 2019, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-how-the-bad-blood-started/id1476928106.

Worked Example (Footnote)

1. Nadia Hannah-Jones, “How the Bad Blood Started,” 1619, episode 4, The New York Times, Sept. 13, 2019, podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-4-how-the-bad-blood-started/id1476928106.

Key Rules

• Episode number. Chicago uses “episode #” (e.g., episode 4) rather than APA’s parenthetical (No. 4) or MLA’s omission.
• Short month. Chicago abbreviates months to their standard abbreviations: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.
• URL. Chicago recommends omitting “https://” and “http://” from URLs, similar to MLA.

YouTube Video vs. Podcast Video: Understanding the Difference

Many students confuse these two source types and cite them using the wrong format. Here’s how to tell them apart:

YouTube Video — A video uploaded directly to YouTube, not produced as part of a podcast. The channel may feature tutorials, lectures, documentaries, or commentary. The key identifier is that there is no accompanying audio-only series and no episode numbering.

Podcast Video — A video version of an audio podcast, uploaded to YouTube for convenience. These often have episode numbers, season breaks, and consistent branding tied to an audio series. On YouTube, they appear with playlists or channel organization that mimics podcast structures.

How to decide which format to use:

1. Check the channel. If the uploader organizes content by episode numbers and seasons, it’s a podcast. Use the podcast citation format.
2. Check the URL and metadata. Podcast episodes often have URLs containing podcast or ep- identifiers. YouTube video URLs typically do not.
3. Check the title. Podcast episodes usually follow the pattern “Episode X: [Title].” Standalone YouTube videos typically have descriptive titles without episode prefixes.
4. When in doubt, use the podcast format. If a source has an episode number, it’s almost certainly a podcast. Using the podcast template is the safer choice.

A practical rule: If you can find the episode on a podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts), treat it as a podcast — even if you watched it on YouTube. If you watched a lecture, interview, or documentary that exists only as a YouTube upload, treat it as a YouTube video.

What to Watch Out For: Common Citation Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the Wrong Bracketed Descriptor

APA uses specific tags to signal source type: [Video] for YouTube videos, [Audio podcast] for podcast series, and [Audio podcast episode] for individual episodes. Using [Audio podcast] for a YouTube video (or vice versa) is a frequent error that reviewers notice immediately.

Mistake 2: Including Publisher Location in APA

In APA 7th edition, publisher locations (e.g., “New York, NY: Penguin”) are no longer required for books and podcasts. Including them is a common holdover from APA 6th edition and results in a format penalty.

Mistake 3: Mixing Up In-Text and Reference List Formats

The in-text citation follows a different pattern from the reference list entry. In APA, the in-text citation is always (Author, Year) — never the full title. In MLA, the in-text citation uses (Author Page) or (Title) depending on whether the source has a unique author. Chicago footnotes follow a completely different structure from parenthetical citations. Do not copy the reference list format into your in-text citations.

Mistake 4: Omitting the Upload or Release Date

APA and MLA both require the full date (Month Day, Year) for web-based sources. Including only the year — which is standard for journal articles and books — is incorrect for YouTube videos and podcast episodes. These sources can change, so the specific date anchors the reader to the exact version you accessed.

Mistake 5: Using “Retrieved from” with Stable URLs

APA 7th edition no longer uses “Retrieved from” for stable URLs like YouTube, podcast archives, or journal articles. Use “Retrieved from” only when the content may change over time (e.g., a wiki page, a social media profile, or a dynamic dashboard).

Mistake 6: Putting YouTube Video Titles in Italics

APA italicizes YouTube video titles but not MLA. This is one of the biggest cross-style differences. APA italicizes the video title and the podcast name. MLA places the video title in quotation marks and the podcast name in italics. Chicago places the episode title in quotation marks.

Mistake 7: Citing a YouTube Podcast Episode as a YouTube Video

When a podcast is hosted on YouTube, students often use the YouTube video template. The correct approach depends on the source type: if it’s a podcast episode (with episode numbers, seasonal structure), use the podcast format. If it’s a standalone lecture or documentary uploaded to YouTube, use the YouTube video format.

Mistake 8: Forgetting to Include the Username in APA

APA 7th edition requires the account username in brackets after the author position for YouTube videos. Without it, the citation is incomplete. For example: TED. (2019, April 15). *The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie* [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg — note that if the uploader is an organization like TED, use the organization name without brackets.

Practical Citation Checklist

Use this checklist before submitting your paper to catch the most common errors:

For APA Citations:

• [ ] Author name in correct format (Last Name, Initial)
• [ ] Bracketed source type included ([Video], [Audio podcast], [Audio podcast episode])
• [ ] Full date (Month Day, Year) in reference list, year only in in-text citation
• [ ] Video or podcast title italicized
• [ ] Publisher name included (not location)
• [ ] URL included without “https://” prefix
• [ ] No “Retrieved from” unless the content may change
• [ ] Episode number included when available

For MLA Citations:

• [ ] Video or episode title in quotation marks
• [ ] Platform name included (YouTube, Spotify, etc.)
• [ ] Full date in Day Month Year format
• [ ] Bare URL (no “http://” or “https://”)
• [ ] In-text citation matches the Works Cited entry

For Chicago Citations:

• [ ] Footnote or endnote format used (not parenthetical)
• [ ] Month abbreviated correctly (e.g., Sept., not September)
• [ ] Episode number formatted as episode #
• [ ] Bare URL (no “http://” or “https://”)
• [ ] If using Notes-Bibliography: cite in notes only, not bibliography (for YouTube and podcasts)

When You Can’t Find Certain Citation Elements

Academic sources often lack complete metadata. Here’s how to handle missing elements:

No host name available:
Use the publisher, organization, or podcast name as the author position. For example, cite an episode from an organization-run podcast as: National Public Radio. (2024, January 22). Episode title [Audio podcast episode]. In Podcast Name. NPR. URL

No episode number:
Omit the episode number element entirely. APA and MLA do not require it — include it only when the episode is numbered. Chicago handles the same way.

No specific upload date:
If the exact date is unavailable, use the date closest to publication (e.g., the date of the latest season or the date of the podcast archive listing). In APA, use the year and month if available: (2024, January).

No known uploader for YouTube:
Use the channel name or organization that owns the channel. If the uploader is also the creator, you can use the creator’s real name: Adichie, C. N. [TED]. (2019, April 15). *The danger of a single story* [Video]. YouTube.

Podcast with no publisher:
Use the platform where the podcast is hosted (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or SoundCloud) as the publisher.

Accessed through a streaming app:
If you listened to a podcast through an app, cite the app as the publisher rather than the original network. For example: Spotify as the publisher instead of The New York Times.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

The following table shows all three styles for the same two sources, so you can see the differences at a glance.

YouTube Video Comparison

Podcast Episode Comparison

Related Guides

If you’re working on citations, these resources on Essays-Panda cover the styles you’ll encounter most often:

• APA Citation Style Guide: The Complete Reference for Students and Researchers — Full coverage of APA 7th edition, including source-type templates, formatting rules, and common mistakes.
• Harvard Citation Style Guide: Complete Referencing Rules for Students — In-depth guide to Harvard referencing format, including how to handle multiple editions, author variations, and digital sources.
• Citation Manager Tools: Mendeley, Zotero, EndNote for Students — Step-by-step comparison of the three most popular citation tools and how to configure them for APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard.
• Chicago Style Citation Guide: Complete Formatting Rules for Students — Comprehensive overview of Chicago’s notes-bibliography and author-date systems, with examples for every source type.
• FAQ — Answers to frequently asked questions about citation formats, source selection, and academic writing conventions.

Summary and Next Steps

Citing podcasts and YouTube videos correctly comes down to three things: knowing the source type, using the right template, and checking your formatting against the style guide. The key differences you should always verify:

• APA requires bracketed descriptors ([Video], [Audio podcast]), full dates in the reference list, and author-name-initials formatting.
• MLA uses quotation marks for titles (not italics), “uploaded by” for YouTube, and bare URLs.
• Chicago uses footnotes instead of parenthetical citations, abbreviated months, and recommends citing video and podcast sources only in notes.

Before you submit, run through the checklist in this guide and compare your entries against the side-by-side table. When in doubt, verify against the official style manual or the Purdue OWL online guides, which are updated annually and represent the most authoritative sources for citation rules.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a citation generator for podcast and YouTube citations?

Yes — most citation generators (Citation Machine, EasyBib, Zotero, Mendeley) can produce APA, MLA, and Chicago formats for these source types. However, always verify the output. Citation generators sometimes omit bracketed descriptors, use wrong capitalization, or include “Retrieved from” when it’s not required. Compare the generated entry against the templates in this guide before inserting it into your paper.

What if my podcast has no episode number?

Omit the episode number entirely. None of the three styles require it. APA, MLA, and Chicago all treat the episode number as an optional element that appears only when the source provides one.

Should I include a DOI for podcast citations?

Podcasts do not have DOIs. Include the URL of the podcast page or episode instead. APA 7th edition recommends providing the URL of the podcast’s home page or the specific episode page. MLA and Chicago follow the same approach.

Can I cite a podcast or YouTube video in my bibliography if I didn’t use it in the text?

No. Only sources that you directly cite or quote in your paper should appear in your bibliography, works cited page, or reference list. If you listened to a podcast or watched a video that informed your thinking but never cited it in-text, it should not appear in your references.

What citation style do I use for a YouTube video that is also a podcast episode?

Use the podcast citation template, not the YouTube video template. If the content has an episode number, seasonal structure, or is published as part of an audio series, it’s a podcast regardless of the platform. The platform (YouTube) is the container, not the source type.

This guide synthesizes citation rules from the APA 7th edition Publication Manual (2020), the MLA Handbook (9th edition), and the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). All examples are verified against Purdue OWL and the official style guides. For the most current formatting rules, consult the APA Style website, MLA Handbook, and Chicago Manual Online.