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ACS Style Guide - Videos

Free ACS Video Citation Generator

Generate accurate ACS citations for YouTube chemistry videos, lab demonstrations, lectures, and webinars. Paste a video URL for instant formatted references.

How to cite a video in ACS

1

Search for the video

Paste a DOI, URL, ISBN, title, or author name to find the exact source record.

2

Check the ACS formatting fields

Verify author, year, title, container, and publication details before copying the final citation.

3

Copy the formatted result

Get the complete ACS citation plus the matching in-text citation or footnote format.

ACS Video Citation Format

YouTube Format:

Creator, A. B. Video Title. YouTube. URL (accessed YYYY-MM-DD).

Lecture / Webinar Format:

Presenter, A. B. Title of Presentation. Platform/Series. URL (accessed YYYY-MM-DD).

ACS Video Citation Examples

YouTube Chemistry Video

Smith, A. B. Introduction to Organic Reaction Mechanisms. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example (accessed 2026-03-21).

In-text: 1

University Lecture

Johnson, C. D. Thermodynamics and Chemical Equilibrium. MIT OpenCourseWare. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry/lecture5 (accessed 2026-03-21).

In-text: 2

ACS Webinar

Williams, E. F.; Davis, R. J. Advances in Sustainable Polymer Chemistry. ACS Webinar Series. https://www.acs.org/webinars/sustainable-polymers (accessed 2026-03-21).

In-text: 3

Lab Demonstration

Royal Society of Chemistry. Flame Test Demonstration. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flametest (accessed 2026-03-21).

In-text: 4

Examples formatted in ACS style

Handling Special Cases

Chemistry Video Sources

ACS video citations often cover lab demonstrations, chemistry lectures, webinars, and educational channels.

Royal Society of Chemistry. Flame Test Demonstration. YouTube. URL (accessed 2026-03-21).

Access Dates

ACS treats videos as online sources, so include an access date with the URL.

(accessed 2026-03-21)

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a YouTube video in ACS format?

Treat YouTube videos as online sources. Include the creator's name, video title, "YouTube" as the platform, URL, and access date. Example: Smith, A. B. Introduction to Organic Reactions. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example (accessed 2026-03-21).

How do I cite a chemistry lecture video in ACS?

Include the lecturer's name, lecture title, platform or institution, URL, and access date. Example: Johnson, C. D. Thermodynamics Lecture 5. MIT OpenCourseWare. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry (accessed 2026-03-21).

Do I need to include timestamps for ACS video citations?

Timestamps are optional but useful for long videos when referencing a specific section. Include them in the in-text citation if needed. The ACS Style Guide does not have a strict requirement for timestamps in the reference list.

How do I cite a lab demonstration video in ACS?

Cite lab demonstrations like other online videos: Creator/Institution. Title of Video. Platform. URL (accessed YYYY-MM-DD). If the video is from a university or organization, use the institution as the author.

What if the video creator uses a channel name instead of a real name?

Use the channel name or username as displayed. If the real name is known, you can include it followed by the channel name. Example: Khan, S. [NileRed]. Turning Plastic Gloves Into Grape Soda. YouTube. URL (accessed 2026-03-21).

How do I cite a webinar or recorded presentation in ACS?

Include the presenter(s), title of presentation, event or series name if applicable, platform, URL, and access date. Example: Williams, E. F. Advances in Green Chemistry. ACS Webinar Series. https://www.acs.org/webinars (accessed 2026-03-21).

Cite Other Source Types in ACS

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Cite a Video in Other Styles

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