video title in essay

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APA Style (7th Edition) Citation Guide: Films/Videos/TV Shows

• Introduction
• Journal Articles
• Magazine/Newspaper Articles
• Books & Ebooks
• Government & Legal Documents
• Biblical Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Films/Videos/TV Shows
• How to Cite: Other
• Additional Help

Table of Contents

Film or Video

Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.)

Streaming video from a subscription media website (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, etc.), streaming video from a library database, television series episode.

Note: All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

This Microsoft support page contains instructions about how to format a hanging indent in a paper.

Who to Credit - Film or Video

The director should be credited as the author of a film. If the director is unknown, someone in a similar role, such as a producer and/or writer, can be credited. To clarify what role the person has in the production, their job title such as Director is put after their name in round brackets if the job title is known.

Who to Credit - Streaming Video from a Website

For videos from websites such as YouTube or Vimeo, credit the person who posted the content. If a real name is provided, use that followed by the person's user name in square brackets. If the real name of the person who posted the content is not known, just use their user name without brackets.

Note : It is not necessary to specify how you watched a film or video (e.g. motion picture, DVD, streaming online). 

In the Body of a Paper

Books, Journals, Reports, Webpages, etc.: When you refer to titles of a “stand-alone work,” as the APA calls them on their APA Style website, such as books, journals, reports, and webpages, you should italicize them. Capitalize words as you would for an article title in a reference, e.g., In the book Crying in H Mart: A memoir , author Michelle Zauner (2021) describes her biracial origin and its impact on her identity.

Article or Chapter: When you refer to the title of a part of a work, such as an article or a chapter, put quotation marks around the title and capitalize it as you would for a journal title in a reference, e.g., In the chapter “Where’s the Wine,” Zauner (2021) describes how she decided to become a musician.

The APA Sample Paper below has more information about formatting your paper.

• APA 7th ed. Sample Paper

Film or Video

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is known:

Director/Producer/Writer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title). (Year film was produced).  Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. Production Company.

Note: If not produced in the United States, list the city name and the country.

Hallam, J. (Producer, Writer), & Lam, K. (Producer, Director). (2010).  Staff relations in healthcare: Working as a team  [Film]. Insight Media.

• When you have more than one producer, writer and/or writer to credit, separate the names with a comma and put an ampersand (&) before the last person's last name.
• Serling, R. (Executive Producer). (1959–1964). The twilight zone [TV series]. Cayuga Productions; CBS Productions.

In-Text Paraphrase:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010)

Note: This example has two people to credit, so both last names are given)

In-Text Quote:

(Producer/Director/Writer's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Hallam & Lam, 2010, 2:30)

Note: Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

When the Director, Producer and/or Writer is not known:  Start the citation with the film title.

Title of film: Subtitle if any  [Film]. (Year film was produced). Production Company if Known.

Era of viruses  [Film]. (2006). Films for the Humanities and Sciences.

( Title of Film , Year)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006)

Note: Italicize the title of the film and capitalize the words for the in-text citation.

( Title of Film , Year, Timestamp)

Example: ( Era of Viruses , 2006, 40:00)

When the Poster's Name is known: 

Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. of person who posted the video if known. [User name that posted the video]. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note: According to APA, for citing purposes the person who posted the video is credited as the author.

Nye, B. [TheRealBillNye]. (2009, April 8).  Bill Nye the science guy on energy  [Video]. YouTube. http://youtu.be/0ASLLiuejAo

(Creator's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Nye, 2009)

(Creator's Last Name, Year, timestamp)

Example: (Nye, 2009, 0:55)

When the Poster's Name is not known: 

User name that posted the video. (Year video was posted, Month Day).  Title of video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

All Aces Media. (2012, January 19).  Often awesome the series  [Video]. Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/35311255

(User name, Year)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012)

Example: (All Aces Media, 2012, timestamp)

Producer's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if Given. (Producer). (Year of Publication).  Title of Video  [Video]. Website Name. URL

Note:  When you have one producer (Producer) is used after the producer's name. If you have more than one producer use (Producers) instead.

Allen, T., et. al. (Producers). (2017). The story of Diana  [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

(Producer Last name, Year)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017)

(Producer Last name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Allen, et. al., 2017, 6:45)

Name of Company/Organization that Provided Content or Creator's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. if known. (Year video was created, Month Day if known).  Title of video  [Video]. Database Name.

National Film Board of Canada. (2014).  Making movie history: The women  [Video]. NFB Campus. 

(Name of Company/Organization, Year)

Example: (National Film Board of Canada, 2014)

(Name of Company/Organization, Year, Timestamp)

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Production Company.

Note: For other countries, list the city name and the country.

Young, R. (Writer, Producer, Director). (2010). Flying cheap (Season 2010, Episode 2) [TV series episode]. In  Frontline . American University School of Communication's Investigative Reporting Workshop.

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year)

Example: (Young, 2010)

(Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Young, 2010, 15:38)

Television Series Episode Viewed on a Subscription Media Website 

Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Job Title) if known. (Year the episode was originally aired). Title of episode (Season No., Episode No.) [TV series episode]. In Executive Producer's First Initial. Last Name (Executive producer) if known,  Television series name . Streaming Video Site. URL

Attenborough, D. (Writer). (2001). Ocean world (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Fothergill (Executive producer),  Blue planet: A natural history of the oceans . Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

Example: (Attenborough, 2001)

 (Writer, Producer and/or Director's Last Name, Year, Timestamp)

Example: (Attenborough, 2001, 10:12)

• << Previous: Secondary Sources
• Next: How to Cite: Other >>
• Last Updated: Aug 13, 2024 4:33 PM
• URL: https://libguides.up.edu/apa

How do I treat the title of a work uploaded to a video sharing site?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

In general, copy the title of the work exactly as it appears on the site. For example, YouTube contains a video that an uploader has labeled “ Night of the Comet Widescreen Full Movie 1984.” In your works-cited-list entry, you would therefore provide the title of the work given by the uploader because you’re citing that version of the work, not the original version of the movie, Night of the Comet :

Night of the Comet Widescreen Full Movie 1984 .  YouTube , uploaded by Jen Dobbins, 20 Sept. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=me4pOQOt20s&t=10s.

It’s important to cite the publication details of the version you consult because parts of the original work could be cut off, distorted by poor recording quality, or even altered in invisible ways. Disambiguation is also important: the same work often appears in multiple versions on video sharing sites. For example, a commercial performed by the comedy team Elaine May and Mike Nichols is posted on YouTube with different titles, and the recordings vary in length by five seconds:

“G E Refrigerators Commercial with Mike Nichols and Elaine May.” YouTube , uploaded by recycledboy, 7 Nov. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPGHQYutitY.

“Elaine Maye and Mike Nicholes Freeze Each Other Out.” YouTube , uploaded by theatrecorner, 18 June 2008, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DNoNj8JzX4.

Faithful presentation of the work in the list of works cited does not mean that you must refer to the official version of the work in your writing using the uploaded title. If you are writing generally about Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales , you would refer to it as such, even though you may be quoting from an edition titled The Canterbury Tales: Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue or Canterbury Marriage Tales . Similarly, you would refer to Night of the Comet when discussing the movie generally but Night of the Comet Widescreen Full Movie 1984  (where the name of the movie appears in roman font as a title within a title) when referring specifically to the YouTube version or citing from it:

In the movie Night of the Comet , two valley girls fend off zombies and evil scientists to survive the apocalypse. At the start of the film, the narrator says, “The citizens of Earth would get an extra Christmas present this year” (Night 1:09-12).

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay or Article

When you're writing a paper or article in school or at work, you may be in a situation where you need to write a movie title in your writing. But how should you format them? Should you use italics? Or quotation marks? Or maybe both? Or neither…

The first thing to note is that the rules will be different depending on whether you’re writing an article or an essay. In this guide, we'll explain how to write one in an essay or article so that your writing looks professional and polished. Refer to the relevant section, depending on the piece you are creating. 

The main things to know are:

• If you are writing a movie title in an article, the format you use is up to you (or the company you work for). Pick a format and stick to it.
• If you are writing a movie title in an essay, then you should follow your university's or employer's referencing style guidelines. 

Read on for suggestions of different formats for articles, and more in-depth guidance around different university referencing styles.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Article 

Let's begin by exploring why you need a specific format, and examining some key principles and rules around writing a movie title in an article.

Why You Need a Specific Format 

So picture this. You’re writing an article and want to refer to a particular movie - perhaps to illustrate a point, or maybe you’re critiquing it. But you’re unsure how to format it. You don’t want to be marked down for formatting it incorrectly, so you consider leaving it out to avoid the trouble. Not on our watch!

But hold on a sec! Why should you even worry about this? Why do movie titles need to be formatted correctly anyway? Well, it’s simple really. If you don’t differentiate the title from the rest of the text, your readers might not understand you’re referring to a movie title. Imagine, for instance, that you wrote:

I finally got around to watching three billboards outside ebbing missouri.

Can we agree this sentence doesn’t make any sense? With this punctuation (i.e. none) your reader may well believe that you headed out into the night and found a couple of billboards to look at for some time. 

So do you see why it’s important to have some kind of format for writing movie titles? 

Key Principles and Rules

Now here’s the tricky bit: with articles, there’s no hard and fast rule on how to format a movie title in your writing. There are many different options and any of them would be acceptable to use in an article you’re going to publish online or physically. 

So what to do?

Our first advice is to check in with your editor/head of copywriting / your point of reference at the company you work at. They will most likely have a specific format they like to use and will be able to share that with you.

That’s if you are writing for a company.

If you’re self-publishing, say, for example, on your website or Medium.com, then you’re the boss, friend. The conventions you use are completely up to you. 

But here are a few key principles and rules:

• Common conventions are to use italics or quotations marks
• Choose one format and stick with it - not only throughout the article but in everything you write
• Keep an eye out for the correct spelling of the movie. For example, don’t forget the comma in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 
• Title case is a great way to further demarcate the movie title from the rest of the text to make it abundantly clear that it’s a movie title.

How to Write a Movie Title in an Essay 

Now let's turn our attention towards writing a movie title in an essay.

New scenario. You’re writing an essay for your college or university course. Perhaps you’re using the movie as an example, or maybe you’re critiquing it.

But you don’t want to be marked down for getting it wrong, so you consider avoiding mentioning it altogether. But that would be a shame! Let us help you. 

Here are some general rules to get you started:

• Follow the rules of your school’s academic writing style (APA, MLA, AP, or Chicago.)
• Use title case
• Use italics or quotation marks (depending on the writing style)

Academic Referencing Styles

There are different academic referencing/writing styles in the English language, and these vary depending on the education establishment. Different styles have different rules that govern the way that you might write, punctuate and cite within your essay.

The four most common styles are Associated Press (AP), Chicago, American Psychological Association (APA), and Modern Language Association (MLA).

Of course, there are many more than just four in existence, but these are the prevalent ones. 

But why are there so many different writing styles, we hear you ask? Quite simply, this is to cater to different fields. For instance, the scientific sector places a lot of importance on using recent research, hence the APA style places the date before anything. Humanities tend to use the MLA style which places the author's name first. 

Write a Movie Title in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles

Luckily, the APA, MLA, and Chicago styles all use the same format for movie titles, so it’ll be easy to remember.

These styles all require that you place the movie title in italics. Here are some examples:

• Saving Private Ryan
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 

Do not use any quotation marks! This is not necessary and will be considered incorrect.

You’ll also notice that the title is written in the title case. This means you capitalize certain words in the title. More on that in the next section.

Write a Movie Title in AP style

The AP style is the exception here since it does not use italics to format movie titles. Instead, you’re required to use quotation marks. Let’s use the same examples as above, to make the difference clear:

• “Kill Bill”
• “Saving Private Ryan”
• “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

Again, here, remember to use title case. 

Write a Movie Title in Title Case

Using title case means that you capitalize certain words in the title. But depending on the writing style you’re using, there are different rules on which words need capitalizing and which ones don't. Mostly, they disagree on whether or not to capitalize minor words.

Read on to find out the rules for each style, to ensure you’re writing it correctly. 

Note that if you’re writing an article, this will again depend on the rules that the company you work for is using, or if you’re writing for your own business, then you can make your own rules. Remember to pick a structure and stick to it. Consistency is key!

• Capitalize the major words.
• Lowercase the articles the, a, and an.
• Capitalize the ‘to’ in an infinitive (e.g., I Want To Eat Cake)
• Capitalize the first and last words (overrides other rules)
• Capitalize all words of four letters or more (overrides other rules)
• Lowercase the second word after a hyphenated prefix

Chicago Style

• Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions
• Lowercase the second part of Latin species names.
• Lowercase articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions.
• Do NOT capitalize ‘to’ in infinitives (e.g., I Want to Eat Cake).

As you can see, all four styles share some common rules but are different in certain small details. 

Incorrect ways to write a movie title

Here are some examples of incorrect ways to write a movie title:

• Saving private ryan
• Eternal SUNSHINE of a Spotless Mind
• “Shawshank Redemption”
• One Flew Over the cuckoo’s Nest

Can you figure out what is wrong with each of these examples? We’ll give you a clue! It has to do with incorrect usage of title cases, block capitals and quotation marks.

A note on reference lists

We just wanted to include a little note here to remind you that when citing a movie in your essay, you should include it in your reference list, or bibliography, depending on the academic writing style you are using. 

Again, the structure of your reference list will vary depending on whether you’re writing in APA, AP, MLA or Chicago, and you can find guidance on this in an official manual for the style (or online).

Other Points of Interest

There are some other things you might be interested in knowing that are related to the topic of how to write a movie title in an essay or article, so we’re detailing those below.

How to write a quote from a movie

So you’ve successfully referenced a movie using the rules outlined above. Now you’d like to quote a line from the movie. Which conventions should you use for this? 

For this, you would use quotation marks. For instance, if you want to quote this famous line from the movie Star Wars , you would write: “May the force be with you.”

Remember that if you’re writing an essay, you might need to also include the reference in your in-text citation. Let us show you a full example of what this would look like:

History was made when General Dodonna said “May the force be with you.” in the iconic movie Star Wars (Lucas, 1977).

How to write the name of an episode of a TV show 

If you wanted to cite a TV series, you would follow the same rules as those for citing a movie - as outlined above. But what if you also wanted to include the name of the episode you’re referring to? 

Similarly to inserting a direct quote from a movie, in this case, we recommend using quotation marks. For example:

Friends , “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.”

If writing an essay, please refer to your academic writing style’s guide to learn about conventions around formatting and using title case.

Where does the word ‘movie’ come from?

Dating back as far as the early 1900s, the word ‘movie’ stems from the term ‘moving picture’.

Before they could be projected onto a screen for wider viewing, the first movies could only be seen by one person at a time, using an Electrotachyscope, Kinetoscope, or Mutoscope.

And there we have it! We hope that this article has helped you better understand the conventions around writing a movie title in your essay or article, so you can feel confident about handing in your essay or turning in your article to your line manager.

To summarize, when you’re writing an article, the rules are pretty much up to you if writing for your own business, or your manager if writing for another company. Check-in with them to find out which conventions are already in place.

If writing an essay, then you should always use the structure set out in the academic writing style’s manual. Find out first of all which style you are expected to use. 

Now that that's done, it's time to get writing! 

Learn More:

• 'Dos and Don'ts': How to Write Them With Proper Grammar
• How to Write a List Correctly: Colons, Commas, and Semicolons
• ‘Right’ vs ‘Write’ vs ‘Rite’ vs ‘Wright’: What’s the Difference?
• How to Write Height Correctly - Writing Feet and Inches
• How to Write a Postcard (Tips and Examples)
• How to Write Comedy: Tips and Examples to Make People Laugh
• How to Write an Inequality: From Number Lines or Word Problems
• How to Write a Monologue: Tips and Examples
• How to Write a Letter to the President (With Example)
• How to Write Like Ernest Hemingway
• How to Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview
• How to Write a Formal Email
• How to Write a 2-Week Notice Email
• How to Write an Out-of-Office (OOO) Email
• How to Write a Professional ‘Thank You’ Email

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Do You Underline Video Titles When Writing? Best Practices

My name is Debbie, and I am passionate about developing a love for the written word and planting a seed that will grow into a powerful voice that can inspire many.

Have you ever found yourself pausing while writing to ponder whether or not to underline the title of that captivating video you just watched? If so, fret not, for you’re not alone. The rules around punctuating video titles can be quite perplexing, prompting the need for clear guidelines to follow. In this article, we will demystify this conundrum and explore the best practices when it comes to underlining video titles in writing. So, whether you’re a writer, student, or simply curious, join us as we embark on this informative journey to unravel the intricacies of punctuating our favorite video titles.

When it comes to writing, should you underline video titles?

Guidelines for formatting video titles in your writing, understanding the importance of consistent and clear formatting, style manuals and their recommendations for formatting video titles, alternatives to underlining: italicizing and using quotation marks, specific scenarios: when to underline, italicize, or use quotation marks, expert recommendations for formatting video titles, final thoughts and key takeaways on formatting video titles accurately, frequently asked questions, the way forward.

When it comes to formatting video titles in your writing, underlining used to be the go-to method in the past. However, with the evolution of writing styles and the prevalence of digital platforms, underlining video titles is no longer the recommended practice. In modern writing, it is more common to use italics or quotation marks to indicate video titles.

Using italics to format video titles provides a visually appealing and consistent approach. It helps the reader quickly identify and differentiate video titles within the text. Including HTML tags in your writing, such as video title , can be an effective way to apply italics. Additionally, quotation marks can be used as an alternative formatting option. Enclosing the video title in double quotes, like “video title,” also helps distinguish it from the rest of the text. Remember to be consistent in your choice of formatting throughout your writing, whether it is for video titles, book titles, or other types of media.

In conclusion, underlining video titles has become outdated in modern writing practices. Utilizing italics or quotation marks instead provides a more visually appealing and consistent approach. So next time you include a video title in your writing, remember to use italics or quotation marks to format it effectively and make your content stand out.

When it comes to formatting video titles in your writing, consistency and clarity are key factors to consider. Properly formatting video titles not only helps you maintain a professional and organized look but also makes it easier for your readers to navigate through your content. To ensure your video titles stand out and catch the attention of your audience, follow these guidelines:

1. Capitalize the first letter of each word: Make sure to capitalize the first letter of every significant word in your video title. This includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. By doing so, you create a visually appealing and easily readable title.

2. Use appropriate punctuation: When crafting your video title, use punctuation marks that accurately reflect the content and help convey a clear message. Commas, colons, and exclamation marks can all be utilized to enhance the meaning and impact of your titles.

3. Keep it concise: As with all forms of writing, brevity is crucial in video titles. Aim to keep your titles concise, capturing the essence of the video in a succinct manner. Avoid lengthy titles that may overwhelm or bore your readers.

4. Consider SEO: If you are writing for online platforms, it’s important to optimize your video titles for search engine optimization (SEO). Incorporate relevant keywords that accurately describe the video content, making it easier for search engines to index and rank your videos.

Consistent and clear formatting is crucial in various aspects of our lives, whether we realize it or not. In the digital realm, formatting plays a significant role in enhancing the user experience and delivering information effectively. When it comes to websites or online documents, utilizing HTML elements can greatly assist in achieving this goal.

One key benefit of consistent formatting is improved readability. By using headings in HTML, you can create a clear and structured hierarchy that allows readers to skim through the content effortlessly and find what they need. Additionally, incorporating bullet points through the use of an unordered list helps break down information into easily digestible chunks , enabling quick comprehension and giving the text a visually organized look.

When it comes to crafting captivating video titles, style manuals offer valuable recommendations for formatting that can enhance the visibility and appeal of your content. These guidelines provide a standardized approach to ensure consistency and professionalism across different platforms. Here are some key tips to consider when formatting your video titles:

1. Capitalization: Style manuals generally recommend using title case for video titles, which means capitalizing the first letter of each major word. This helps improve readability and gives your titles a polished look. Exceptions to this rule include conjunctions, articles, and prepositions unless they are the first or last word in the title.

2. Punctuation: Proper punctuation can make a significant difference in how your video titles are perceived. Avoid excessive use of punctuation marks and consider using symbols like colons or dashes to separate the main title from subtitles or additional information. This helps create a visually appealing and organized title that quickly catches the audience’s attention.

3. Descriptive keywords: Including relevant keywords in your video titles can boost search engine optimization (SEO) and attract a wider audience. Style manuals recommend leveraging strong, descriptive words that accurately represent the content of your videos. This not only aids in discoverability but also entices viewers to click on your video, knowing exactly what to expect.

By following these recommendations from style manuals, you can effectively format your video titles to stand out, increase engagement, and maximize the overall impact of your content. Remember to adapt these guidelines to suit the specific requirements of different platforms while maintaining a consistent and visually appealing style.

When it comes to emphasizing words or phrases in your writing, underlining is not your only option! You can also use italics or quotation marks to achieve the same effect. Let’s explore these alternatives and discover how they can add variety and clarity to your text.

Italicizing is a popular choice for emphasizing words or phrases in written content. By using the HTML or tags, you can easily emphasize text with a slanted, stylized appearance. Italics are commonly used to highlight titles of books, movies, or artistic works within a sentence, making them stand out. Additionally, italics can be used to provide emphasis, create emphasis on specific words or phrases, or indicate foreign words or phrases. For example, you can use italics to indicate the word “bon appétit” when discussing French cuisine. By using italics, you can make your text visually appealing and help your readers easily identify important information.

On the other hand, quotation marks can be an effective alternative for emphasizing words or phrases. By surrounding specific terms or expressions with double quotation marks, you can draw attention to them and give them added significance. Quotation marks are often used to indicate direct quotes or dialogue, but they can also be used for other purposes. For instance, you can use quotation marks to highlight unfamiliar jargon or slang terms within your text. By providing this visual distinction, you can ensure that readers notice and pay attention to the highlighted words or phrases, ultimately enhancing the clarity and impact of your writing.

When it comes to using underline, italics, or quotation marks in specific scenarios, understanding their appropriate usage can significantly enhance your writing style and clarity. Here are some scenarios where each formatting option proves advantageous:

– Underline: This technique is mainly used when handwritten materials need to be emphasized or highlighted. However, in the digital realm, it is recommended to avoid underlining as it may confuse readers, who may mistake it for a hyperlink. Instead, consider using bold or italics for emphasis.

– Italics: Italics are commonly employed to enhance the readability and coherence of text. They are ideal for emphasizing the titles of larger works, such as books, films, or musical albums. Additionally, italicized words can indicate foreign words or phrases that might be unfamiliar to readers. This formatting option helps draw attention to specific terms or expressions, ultimately improving the overall comprehension of your content.

– Quotation marks: Quotation marks have several important applications in writing. One of their primary functions is to indicate direct quotations, helping to distinguish the quoted text from the surrounding content. Quotation marks can also be used to highlight words or phrases that might be ironic or used in a nonliteral sense. Additionally, quotation marks are useful for titles of smaller works, such as articles, short stories, or poems, which are typically placed within larger works.

When it comes to formatting video titles, following expert recommendations can help you create eye-catching and appealing titles that grab the attention of your audience. Here are some key guidelines to consider:

1. Keep it concise and descriptive: Utilize the limited space of your video title effectively by clearly stating what your video is about. Use words that accurately summarize the content and make it easier for viewers to understand what they can expect.

2. Use keywords strategically: Incorporating relevant keywords in your video title not only helps with search engine optimization but also enables users to find your video more easily. Place the most important keywords towards the beginning of the title for maximum impact.

3. Avoid excessive punctuation or special characters: While a well-placed exclamation mark or question mark can add emphasis, avoid overusing them or using excessive special characters. Too much punctuation can make your title look spammy or unprofessional.

4. Capitalize the first letter of each word: Make your video title stand out by capitalizing the first letter of each word. This enhances readability and gives your title a polished appearance.

5. Include important details: If your video covers a specific topic, include relevant details in the title to attract the right audience. Consider mentioning the year, location, or any other relevant information to provide context to potential viewers.

When it comes to formatting video titles accurately, there are a few key takeaways that can improve the overall presentation and visibility of your content. First and foremost, it is important to prioritize the use of keywords in your titles. Including relevant keywords not only helps search engine optimization, but also allows viewers to quickly understand the content of your video.

Additionally, consider using a consistent and concise format for your video titles. This means keeping them short and to the point, while still conveying what the video is about. Avoid using excessive punctuation or unnecessary details that may confuse viewers. Instead, opt for a clear and direct title that accurately represents the content.

Moreover, don’t forget the importance of capitalization in video titles. Capitalizing the first letter of each word in the title can make it easier to read and understand. However, it is important to note that not all words in the title need to be capitalized. Use your discretion and capitalize only the important words such as nouns, verbs, or adjectives.

In conclusion, accurately formatting video titles is crucial for attracting viewers and enhancing the performance of your content. Remember to incorporate relevant keywords, keep the titles concise and clear, and capitalize appropriately. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your video titles are well-optimized and engaging to potential viewers.

Q: Do you underline video titles when writing? A: No, underlining video titles is not considered the best practice in writing.

Q: What is the recommended way to format video titles in writing? A: According to modern writing conventions, it is suggested to use italics for video titles when writing.

Q: Why is underlining not preferred for video titles? A: Underlining was traditionally used in typewritten or handwritten texts where italics were not easily achievable. However, with advancements in word processing software and accessibility to italics, underlining has become obsolete for formatting video titles.

Q: Are there any exceptions to using italics for video titles? A: Yes, when italics are not available (e.g., in certain social media posts, handwritten notes, or where styling options are limited), using quotation marks around video titles can be an acceptable alternative.

Q: Are there any common style guides or manuals that support this recommendation? A: Yes, style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook all suggest using italics for video titles.

Q: Can you provide an example of correctly formatted video titles? A: Certainly! Here’s an example: The popular TV series “The Crown” or the blockbuster film “Black Panther” both demonstrate the correct use of italics for video titles.

Q: Does the same rule apply to other forms of visual media, such as documentaries, movies, or television shows? A: Yes, the recommendation of using italics also applies to other forms of visual media like documentaries, movies, and television shows. These titles should be italicized in written materials.

Q: What about titles of individual episodes within a TV series? A: Individual TV episode titles, in most cases, are put in quotation marks instead of italics. However, it is advised to consult specific style guides or manuals for more precise guidelines.

Q: Are these rules only applicable to video titles, or do they extend to other media types? A: While this article focuses on video titles, the general rule for using italics applies to other media types as well. This includes books, magazines, newspapers, plays, musical albums, and more.

Q: Is it ever acceptable to use ALL CAPS when writing video titles? A: Unless a specific style guide or brand guideline recommends it, using all caps for video titles is not commonly practiced. Italics or quotation marks remain the preferred formatting options.

Q: Are there any notable exceptions when formatting foreign video titles? A: It is generally recommended to follow the same guidelines of using italics for foreign video titles as well. However, if the title includes diacritics or non-English characters, then it’s advised to maintain the original formatting while ensuring clarity for the readers.

Q: In summary, what is the best practice for formatting video titles when writing? A: The best practice for formatting video titles when writing is to use italics. Underlining video titles is outdated, and quotation marks can be used as an alternative if italics are not available. Remember to consult the appropriate style guide for specific conventions relating to your writing context.

In conclusion, the best practice for writing video titles is to italicize them rather than underline. This ensures clarity and consistency in your writing.

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How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners

What type of content do you primarily create?

Video essays are an incredibly popular genre on YouTube, and many new creators are eager to have their views heard on topics in culture and politics. But making a video essay involves a lot more than just sitting in front of a camera and pressing record. This guide is intended for beginners who don’t quite know where to start. 

What is a video essay?

A video essay’s primary defining feature is that it sets out to make an argument. It is, to put it simply, like an essay you wrote in school. Video essays often cover politics, popular media, or science.

But unlike the essays you wrote in school, video essays need extensive visual accompaniment, whether that’s footage (or B-roll ), still images, or animation.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Craft a thesis

Good video essays will have a central thesis explored throughout the piece. If you can’t summarize your thesis in a sentence (sometimes two), you’ve still got work to do. The best theses immediately leave the viewer wanting to know more. Test it on friends: If you state your thesis to friends and get reactions of curiosity or excitement you’re on to something.

Consider one of my favorite video essays, whose thesis is right in the title: "Why Snowpiercer is a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

‎ Sometimes, a thesis is a little more subtle, but nonetheless important. In Yhara Zayd’s video on horror movies, she argues that horror has always been a genre for social criticism.

‎ The rest of your video isn’t just proving that thesis, though that’s important. You'll want to explore the twists and turns of the idea. What questions does your thesis raise? What are the big doubts about your thesis, and how do you address them? How can we zoom out from your thesis and ask even bigger questions? 

Step 2: Determine your audience  

Your audience will dictate what level of complexity and detail you should cover in your video. If you’re an engineering channel, maybe you want to appeal to working engineers who understand the jargon of the profession. But if you’d like a broader audience, you’ll need to take the time to define terms and give background information. The best video essays usually appeal to both—their topics are unique enough to be interesting to people with prior knowledge of the topic, while accessible enough to be understood to a casual viewer.

Step 3: Organize your research early

Your video essay should have lots of supporting evidence. Aside from the usual list of articles and books, video essays can also use visual evidence.

If you’re commenting on media, that means hyper-specific shots and lines of dialogue. If you’re commenting on history, that means old news clips. Filmed interviews are a great resource regardless of the topic.

Whenever I'm trying to cover a show, I’ll watch the show (sometimes twice), take extensive notes, pause to write out lines of dialogue, and mark where specific moments supported various themes, motifs, or ideas. 

I've always regretted telling myself I’d remember a specific line or shot because I'd find myself spending an hour to hunt it down later in the process.

Whether you’re commenting on news footage, video games, or film and TV, I cannot stress enough how much extensive notetaking will improve your video essay later in the process.

The same advice goes for any books or news articles you might cite: annotate extensively and cite them in your piece.

Step 4: Familiarize yourself with "fair use"

Many video essays source footage from the news, TV, and film without licensing them. I'm not here to give advice on the legality of that, but I do think any video essayist should familiarize themselves with fair use .

Fair use is a set of criteria that a creator can use to defend their use of copyrighted work. It's not a license to freely use copyrighted work if you think you fit those standards; it’s a series of tests a judge should weigh in court. 

Usually, it doesn’t come to that. Most copyright issues go through YouTube’s copyright claim system , which you should also read up on. A film studio may claim your content, or block it altogether, for using their copyrighted material. YouTube allows you to appeal these claims , but if both parties won’t give up, the question can only be settled by a judge (in the US, at least).

Step 5: Start your script

Be sure to use a two-column script, rather than just writing out everything as if it were a traditional essay.

In one column, you’re writing what you’re saying, or what the footage is saying. In the other, write what you plan to show. Your notes here should be specific enough to help you later in the editing process. You may want to add a third column for notes, or sources to cite later.

Writing a video essay follows some different rules than what your English teacher might have expected. Most video essays use a conversational style, and include words, phrases, and grammar that would never fly with the written word. Sometimes that includes filler words, like starting a sentence with “so” or putting an “um” for effect. Just don’t overdo it.

Other writing rules still apply. Be concise, use active verbs, and otherwise just make sure you sound like a human.

Step 6: Film (or record)

You don’t need a $10,000 filming setup to make good video essays. Plenty of  people start with just a microphone, completely avoiding the camera altogether in what's known as a faceless YouTube video .

The two most important things to recommend: get good sound, and be natural. People can tolerate a lot of visual sins, but usually won’t put up with bad audio quality. Similarly, you don’t need to have the charisma of a talk show host, but people have no tolerance for on-screen performances that seem forced or fake.

That is all to say, get a decent microphone and be yourself. If you’re on-screen, buy a cheap teleprompter setup for your phone or camera.

Step 7: Start editing

There are many options for video editing software out there (and Descript is a great one), even for people with limited video editing experience. This article isn’t long enough to be an editing guide , but a few quick tips for a true novice:

• Don’t linger on any one visual for too long. Instead, mix up the visual interest of your video.
• Emphasize important concepts with text on screen.
• Take the time to learn a little about color grading .
• Clean up any noticeable background noise .

Step 8: Figure out your title and thumbnail

This may be the last step of this article, but it should often begin while you’re brainstorming. Your title and thumbnail should generate intrigue without giving it all away. Video essays often lean on titles with “How” and “Why.” Lessons from the Screenplay is a good example:

But video essays can also make provocative statements that make the viewer curious about how you’ll back it up. Consider Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell’s “ Smoking is Awesome ,” which I promise is not pro-tobacco.

Step 9: Publish

Finally, it's time to put your video out into the world and see how it fares. Your first video essay won't be perfect. It's important to put your work in public, take in feedback, and move on to your next project. Like all things, skill comes with time.

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How to Format Movie Titles in Academic Writings

• by Lesley V.
• October 26, 2023

How to write a movie title in an essay?

Students, especially those in Arts, often refer to films or movie series in their papers. The formatting rules here are easy to remember. But:

They vary a bit, depending on the citation style you use.

In this post, I’ve gathered the guidelines for citing movie titles in five primary formats. Examples included, for you to compare and remember everything better.

How to Write Movie Titles in Essays

Are movie titles italicized?

It’s the most frequent question students ask when looking for this information online. Indeed, most citation formats prescribe italicizing. Other general rules include:

• Uppercase for subtitles
• Extra short movie names (like “It” ) may also go in quotations
• When using quotation marks (AP style), put punctuation inside them

Below are the details on how to format movie titles in essays and reference lists correctly.

Writing Film Titles in Different Citation Styles

For APA style (1):

• Uppercase all four-letter words and above
• Uppercase the first and the last word of a movie title, even if they are short articles (a, the) or pronouns (in, at, etc.)
• Italicize the entire name

For MLA format (2):

• Uppercase movie titles and subtitles
• Use capital letters for both parts of hyphenated words
• No uppercase for articles (a, the) and short conjunctions within the movie name
• Italicize the entire movie title

For Chicago style:

• Uppercase all main words
• Lowercase short conjunctions (below four letters) within the movie title
• Uppercase prepositions, regardless of their length

For AP citation style:

• Lowercase articles (a, the) and prepositions/conjunctions that are shorter than four letters
• Uppercase articles and prepositions/conjunctions in the beginning/end of the title
• No italics; put movie names in quotation marks

For Harvard style:

• Uppercase all primary words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.)
• Lowercase articles and prepositions/conjunctions (below four letters) within the movie title

How to Capitalize Movies in Papers

When writing a film name in a sentence, capitalize every word except for:

• Articles (a, an, the) within the movie title
• Short (below four letters) prepositions and conjunctions within the title

If a movie name begins with the above, use uppercase. Also, write long prepositions/conjunctions (moreover, although, etc.) with a capital letter. For example:

Italics vs. Quotations vs. Underlines

Most citation styles, except AP, prescribe italicization for movies and film series titles. When writing in AP, use quotation marks.

Quotes are also possible to use if you mention super short movie names like “It” or “M.” You italicize them in APA, MLA, or Chicago.

Underlines are for handwritten essays. When written by hand, you can’t italicize, huh? Use underlining instead to highlight a movie title somehow.

How to Format Punctuation in Movie Titles

If punctuation is a part of a film name, place it inside quotation marks or italicize it.

For example:

Writing Movie Titles in Reference Lists

Do You Italicize Movie Titles?

Here they go, the rules on formatting movie titles in essays. Now that you know how to write a movie title in an essay properly, the only detail remains:

Check the formatting guidelines before writing. What citation style does an educator or editor ask you to follow? If none assigned, choose one and stick to it for consistency.

References:

• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/index.html  
• https://lib.westfield.ma.edu/c.php?g=354010&p=2388441

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• Exam Guides
• School Life

How to Write a Video Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide and Tips

• by Joseph Kenas
• January 5, 2024
• Writing Tips

The video essay has become an increasingly popular way of presenting ideas and concepts in the age of the internet and YouTube. In this guide, we present a step-by-step guide on how to write a video essay and tips on how to make it.

While it is easy to write a normal essay, the structure of the video essay is a bit of a mystery, owing to the newness of the term.

However, in this article, we are going to define what is a video essay, how to write a video essay, and also How to present a video essay well in class.

What is a Video Essay?

A video essay is a video that delves into a certain subject, concept, person, or thesis. Video essays are difficult to characterize because they are a relatively new form, yet they are recognized regardless. Simply, video essays are visual compilations that try to persuade, educate, or criticize.

These days, there are many creatives making video essays on topics like politics, music, movies, and pop culture.

With these, essays have become increasingly popular in the era of video media such as Youtube, Vimeo, and others.

Video essays, like photo and traditional essays, tell a story or make a point.

The distinction is that video essays provide information through visuals.

When creating a video essay, you can incorporate video, images, text, music, and/or narration to make it dynamic and successful.

When you consider it, many music videos are actually video essays. 

Since making videos for YouTube and other video sites has grown so popular, many professors are now assigning video essays instead of regular essays to their students. So the question is, how do you write a video essay script?

Steps on How to Write a Video Essay Script

Unscripted videos cost time, effort, and are unpleasant to watch. The first thing you should do before making a video writes a script, even if it’s only a few lines long. Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of writing a script. All you need is a starting point.

A video script is important for anyone who wants to film a video with more confidence and clarity. They all contain comparable forms of information, such as who is speaking, what is said, where, and other important details.

While there are no precise criteria that a video essay must follow, it appears that most renowned video essayists are adhering to some steps as the form gets more popular and acknowledged online. 

1. Write a Thesis

Because a video essayist can handle a wide range of themes, video analysis essays lack defined bounds. The majority of essays, on the other hand, begin with a thesis.

A thesis is a statement, claim, theme, or concept that the rest of the essay is built around. A thesis might be broad, including a variety of art forms. Other theses can be quite detailed.

A good essay will almost always have a point to express. Every video analysis essay should have a central idea, or thesis, that ties the film together.

2. Write a Summary

Starting with a brief allows you and your team to document the answers to the most pressing project concerns. It ensures that everyone participating in the video production is on the same page.

This will avoid problems of mixing ideas or getting stuck when you are almost completing the project.

3. Choose a Proper Environment and Appropriate Tools

When it comes to writing your script, use any tool you’re familiar with, such as pen and paper. Also, find a writing atmosphere that is relaxing for you, where you can concentrate and be creative.

Consider what you don’t have to express out loud when you’re writing. Visual elements will be used to communicate a large portion of your content.

4. Use a Template

When you don’t have to reinvent the process every time you sit down, you get speed and consistency.

It’s using your cumulative knowledge of what works and doing it over and over again. Don’t start with a blank page when I sit down to create a script- try to use an already made template. 

5. Be Conversational

You want scripts that use language that is specific and targeted. Always avoid buzzwords, cliches, and generalizations. You want your audience to comprehend you clearly without rolling their eyes.

6. Be Narrative

Make careful to use a strong story structure when you’re trying to explain anything clearly. Ensure your script has a beginning, middle, and end, no matter how short it is. This will provide a familiar path for the viewers of your video script.

7. Edit Your Script

Make each word work for a certain position on the page when you choose your words.

They must serve a purpose.

After you’ve completed your first draft, go over your script and review it.

Then begin editing, reordering, and trimming. Remove as much as possible.

Consider cutting it if it isn’t helping you achieve your goal.

 8. Read Your Script Loudly

Before recording or going on in your process, it’s recommended to read your script aloud at least once. Even if you won’t be the one reading it, this is a good method to ensure that your message is clear. It’s a good idea to be away from people so you may practice in peace.

Words that flow well on paper don’t always flow well when spoken aloud. You might need to make some adjustments based on how tough certain phrases are to pronounce- it’s a lot easier to change it now than when recording.

9. Get Feedback

Sometimes it is very difficult to point out your mistakes in any piece of writing. Therefore, if you want a perfect video essay script, it is advisable to seek feedback from people who are not involved in the project.

Keep in mind that many will try to tear your work apart and make you feel incompetent. However, it can also be an opportunity to make your video better.

The best way to gather feedback is to assemble a group of people and read your script to them. Watch their facial reaction and jot own comments as you read. Make sure not to defend your decisions. Only listen to comments and ask questions to clarify.

After gathering feedback, decide on what points to include in your video essay. Also, you can ask someone else to read it to you so that you can listen to its follow.

A video essay can be a good mode to present all types of essays, especially compare and contrast essays as you can visually contrast the two subjects of your content.

How to make a Good Video from your Essay Script

You can make a good video from your script if you ask yourself the following questions;

• What is the video’s purpose? What is the purpose of the video in the first place?
• Who is this video’s intended audience?
• What is the subject of our video? (The more precise you can be, the better.) 
• What are the most important points to remember from the video?- What should viewers take away from it?

If the context had multiple characters, present their dialogues well in the essay to bring originality. If there is a need to involve another person, feel free to incorporate them.

How to Present a Video Essay Well in Class

• Write down keywords or main ideas in a notecard; do not write details- writing main ideas will help you remember your points when presenting. This helps you scan through your notecard for information.
• Practice- in presentations it is easy to tell who has practiced and who hasn’t. For your video essay to grab your class and professor’s attention, practice is the key. Practice in front of your friends and family asking for feedback and try to improve.
• Smile at your audience- this is one of the most important points when presenting anything in front of an audience. A smiley face draws the attention of the audience making them smile in return thus giving you confidence.
• Walk to your seat with a smile- try not to be disappointed even if you are not applauded. Be confident that you have aced your video presentation.

Other video presentations tips include;

• Making eye contact
• Have a good posture
• Do not argue with the audience 
• Look at everyone around the room, not just one audience or one spot
• Rember to use your hand and facial expressions to make a point.

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

7 Steps to Write a Movie Title in an Essay

By Film Threat Staff | November 6, 2021

There are indeed many types of essays you have to deal with throughout your studies. And every time you sit to type my essay , you first start looking for sources to use in your paper as examples and references. These sources can range from scholarly articles to movies. So naturally, m any times in your college essays, you’ll be asked to make reference to movies. When you do so, you will be confronted with the question of how to refer to the title of a movie in the text of your paper.

Surely, you can make your life easier and contact experts with a message “I want to pay someone to write my paper cheap ”, so you can continue watching the movies while others do your assignments. While there are some variations in how different writing styles approach movie titles, there is a general way to write the titles of movies that you should follow if you plan to discuss a movie title in your essay. So, what are the steps you need to take to write a movie title in your essay correctly? Here are the seven steps you should follow to make sure you get the title right.

If you are stymied by the right way to write about movies in your paper, you can pay someone to do papers for you. A professional writer can free you from the burden of essay writing by offering help with the correct use of movie titles in your paper and expert discussion of the movies you need to write about for your essay properly formatted in APA or MLA citation style. In order to hire an online writer, all you need to do is to contact a quality academic writing service and say, “I need you to write my essays for me online.” While quality academic writing isn’t always cheap, many services offer great value and affordable assistance to help you achieve your essay goals with some of the best professional writers with exceptional experience and a deep bank of movie knowledge to make every essay excellent. 

Many times in your college essays, you’ll be asked to make reference to movies. When you do so, you will be confronted with the question of how to refer to the title of a movie in the text of your paper. Surely, you can make your life easier and contact experts with a message “I want to pay someone to write my paper cheap ”, so you can continue watching the movies while others do your assignments. While there are some variations in how different writing styles approach movie titles, there is a general way to write the titles of movies that you should follow if you plan to discuss a movie title in your essay. So, what are the steps you need to take to write a movie title in your essay correctly? Here are the seven steps you should follow to make sure you get the title right.

Make sure you have the right movie

Many movies have very similar titles. Some have the exact same title. You don’t want to confuse Broken Arrow , a Jimmy Stewart western, with Broken Arrow , a John Travolta thriller, for example, or The House on Haunted Hill for The Haunting of Hill House . Indeed, many movies called “mockbusters” intentionally use titles to remind you of blockbuster films and you don’t want to confuse them! So, before you use a title in your paper, make sure that you have the right movie in mind.

Check the wording of the title

Many movies are known by multiple titles, often because they have been retitled to appeal to different countries. For example, Mad Max 2 became The Road Warrior in the United States. Others have their titles changed after the fact. Star Wars became Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , while Raiders of the Lost Ark had Indiana Jones and… appended to it decades later. When you refer to a movie, be sure you know the correct title for the context and how your audience will expect to see you discuss the title.

Watch out for “a” and “the”

Many movie titles either have an article before them that most people don’t say, or don’t have an article when people say one anyway. This can be a little confusing, but you’ll want to check whether the “a” or “the” at the beginning is really part of the title before you write the title so you will know whether to include it in the title.

Capitalize the title of the movie

When you write the title of a movie, you will generally follow the conventions of capitalization for titles. That means that you will capitalize the first word and the last word and all proper nouns and important words in the title. Capitalization can be tricky, however, because many movies use stylized capitalization in their advertisements and title cards. However, in formal academic writing, you will use standard capitalization except in rare circumstances where another scheme is essential for understanding. That means that if a movie uses ALL CAPS, you will not use all-caps unless they are an essential part of the title. Similarly, unusual or non-standard capitalization should be retained when it is essential. For example, the unusual capitalization of the movie eXistenZ is generally retained in writing because it is a made-up word whose spelling is correct within the movie.

Italicize movie titles

Movie titles should be italicized in most major writing styles. This sets the text apart from the rest of the sentence and indicates which words belong to the title and which do not. There are some exceptions to the rule about italicizing movie titles. The titles of short films are not typically italicized but are often placed in quotation marks. This generally applies to short subject films under half an hour in length, as well as to segments within a larger movie. This rule, however, is not hard-and-fast, and you should check the style guide for your chosen writing style to see when different punctuation is used. Another exception is newswriting. If you are writing in Associated Press style, all movie titles appear in quotation marks rather than italics because AP style does not use italicization for anything except in very rare circumstances.

Give the year of release on first reference

More often than not, it is beneficial to follow the title of a movie with the year of its release in parentheses on first reference. This will help the audience to place the movie in its correct position in time, and it will also make it easier to distinguish between films with similar or the same title. While this step is not always necessary, particularly for very famous films, it is generally good practice in academic writing.

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What is a Video Essay? The Art of the Video Analysis Essay

I n the era of the internet and Youtube, the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of expressing ideas and concepts. However, there is a bit of an enigma behind the construction of the video essay largely due to the vagueness of the term.

What defines a video analysis essay? What is a video essay supposed to be about? In this article, we’ll take a look at the foundation of these videos and the various ways writers and editors use them creatively. Let’s dive in.

Watch: Our Best Film Video Essays of the Year

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What is a video essay?

First, let’s define video essay.

There is narrative film, documentary film, short films, and then there is the video essay. What is its role within the realm of visual media? Let’s begin with the video essay definition. 

VIDEO ESSAY DEFINITION

A video essay is a video that analyzes a specific topic, theme, person or thesis. Because video essays are a rather new form, they can be difficult to define, but recognizable nonetheless. To put it simply, they are essays in video form that aim to persuade, educate, or critique. 

These essays have become increasingly popular within the era of Youtube and with many creatives writing video essays on topics such as politics, music, film, and pop culture. 

What is a video essay used for?

• To persuade an audience of a thesis
• To educate on a specific subject
• To analyze and/or critique 

What is a video essay based on?

Establish a thesis.

Video analysis essays lack distinguished boundaries since there are countless topics a video essayist can tackle. Most essays, however, begin with a thesis. 

How Christopher Nolan Elevates the Movie Montage  •  Video Analysis Essays

Good essays often have a point to make. This point, or thesis, should be at the heart of every video analysis essay and is what binds the video together. 

Related Posts

• Stanley Kubrick Directing Style Explained →
• A Filmmaker’s Guide to Nolan’s Directing Style →
• How to Write a Voice Over Montage in a Script →

interviews in video essay

Utilize interviews.

A key determinant for the structure of an essay is the source of the ideas. A common source for this are interviews from experts in the field. These interviews can be cut and rearranged to support a thesis. 

Roger Deakins on "Learning to Light"  •  Video Analysis Essays

Utilizing first hand interviews is a great way to utilize ethos into the rhetoric of a video. However, it can be limiting since you are given a limited amount to work with. Voice over scripts, however, can give you the room to say anything. 

How to create the best video essays on Youtube

Write voice over scripts.

Voice over (VO) scripts allow video essayists to write out exactly what they want to say. This is one of the most common ways to structure a video analysis essay since it gives more freedom to the writer. It is also a great technique to use when taking on large topics.

In this video, it would have been difficult to explain every type of camera lens by cutting sound bites from interviews of filmmakers. A voice over script, on the other hand, allowed us to communicate information directly when and where we wanted to.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses  •  Video essay examples

Some of the most famous video essayists like Every Frame a Painting and Nerdwriter1 utilize voice over to capitalize on their strength in writing video analysis essays. However, if you’re more of an editor than a writer, the next type of essay will be more up your alley. 

Video analysis essay without a script

Edit a supercut.

Rather than leaning on interview sound bites or voice over, the supercut video depends more on editing. You might be thinking “What is a video essay without writing?” The beauty of the video essay is that the writing can be done throughout the editing. Supercuts create arguments or themes visually through specific sequences. 

Another one of the great video essay channels, Screen Junkies, put together a supercut of the last decade in cinema. The video could be called a portrait of the last decade in cinema.

2010 - 2019: A Decade In Film  •  Best videos on Youtube

This video is rather general as it visually establishes the theme of art during a general time period. Other essays can be much more specific. 

Critical essays

Video essays are a uniquely effective means of creating an argument. This is especially true in critical essays. This type of video critiques the facets of a specific topic. 

In this video, by one of the best video essay channels, Every Frame a Painting, the topic of the film score is analyzed and critiqued — specifically temp film score.

Every Frame a Painting Marvel Symphonic Universe  •  Essay examples

Of course, not all essays critique the work of artists. Persuasion of an opinion is only one way to use the video form. Another popular use is to educate. 

• The Different Types of Camera Lenses →
• Write and Create Professionally Formatted Screenplays →
• How to Create Unforgettable Film Moments with Music →

Video analysis essay

Visual analysis.

One of the biggest advantages that video analysis essays have over traditional, written essays is the use of visuals. The use of visuals has allowed video essayists to display the subject or work that they are analyzing. It has also allowed them to be more specific with what they are analyzing. Writing video essays entails structuring both words and visuals. 

Take this video on There Will Be Blood for example. In a traditional, written essay, the writer would have had to first explain what occurs in the film then make their analysis and repeat.

This can be extremely inefficient and redundant. By analyzing the scene through a video, the points and lessons are much more clear and efficient. 

There Will Be Blood  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Through these video analysis essays, the scene of a film becomes support for a claim rather than the topic of the essay. 

Dissect an artist

Essays that focus on analysis do not always focus on a work of art. Oftentimes, they focus on the artist themself. In this type of essay, a thesis is typically made about an artist’s style or approach. The work of that artist is then used to support this thesis.

Nerdwriter1, one of the best video essays on Youtube, creates this type to analyze filmmakers, actors, photographers or in this case, iconic painters. 

Caravaggio: Master Of Light  •  Best video essays on YouTube

In the world of film, the artist video analysis essay tends to cover auteur filmmakers. Auteur filmmakers tend to have distinct styles and repetitive techniques that many filmmakers learn from and use in their own work. 

Stanley Kubrick is perhaps the most notable example. In this video, we analyze Kubrick’s best films and the techniques he uses that make so many of us drawn to his films. 

Why We're Obsessed with Stanley Kubrick Movies  •  Video essay examples

Critical essays and analytical essays choose to focus on a piece of work or an artist. Essays that aim to educate, however, draw on various sources to teach technique and the purpose behind those techniques. 

What is a video essay written about?

Historical analysis.

Another popular type of essay is historical analysis. Video analysis essays are a great medium to analyze the history of a specific topic. They are an opportunity for essayists to share their research as well as their opinion on history. 

Our video on aspect ratio , for example, analyzes how aspect ratios began in cinema and how they continue to evolve. We also make and support the claim that the 2:1 aspect ratio is becoming increasingly popular among filmmakers. 

Why More Directors are Switching to 18:9  •  Video analysis essay

Analyzing the work of great artists inherently yields a lesson to be learned. Some essays teach more directly.

• Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained →
• What is Aspect Ratio? A Formula for Framing Success →
• Visualize your scenes with intuitive online shotlist software →

Writing video essays about technique

Teach technique.

Educational essays designed to teach are typically more direct. They tend to be more valuable for those looking to create art rather than solely analyze it.

In this video, we explain every type of camera movement and the storytelling value of each. Educational essays must be based on research, evidence, and facts rather than opinion.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement  •  Best video essays on YouTube

As you can see, there are many reasons why the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of communicating information. Its ability to use both sound and picture makes it efficient and effective. It also draws on the language of filmmaking to express ideas through editing. But it also gives writers the creative freedom they love. 

Writing video essays is a new art form that many channels have set high standards for. What is a video essay supposed to be about? That’s up to you. 

Organize Post Production Workflow

The quality of an essay largely depends on the quality of the edit. If editing is not your strong suit, check out our next article. We dive into tips and techniques that will help you organize your Post-Production workflow to edit like a pro. 

Up Next: Post Production →

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How to do a Video Essay: The Video Essay Process

• Plan, Prepare & Create

Storyboarding

• Finding, Filming & Editing
• References & Credits
• The Video Essay Process

This section will give an introductory overview of the stages required to create a video essay.  Video essayers advice is to start simple and work through each stage of the video production process. Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

Identify what is your argument? What is it that you want to communicate to the viewer? Write this down in a few sentences, refer and modify it as required.

Watch Video Essays

Watch a selection of video essays, read blogs and web pages from video essayers and decide what type of video essay you would like to create. Start simple.

A storyboard is a detailed outline (similar to an outline in a written essay) that helps you to organise and visualise the video essay as to what is on the screen, text, media, message and transitions between shots.

Storyboards assist in determining the length, message and meaning of the video essay and help save time with editing and post production processes.

• Free Storyboard Templates

Collect & Edit

Collect video material as downloads, ripping DVDs, screen grabs, mobile phone footage and create voice-overs. Use research skills to find information and statements to support your argument. Maintain a standard of quality and manage your videos by naming conventions and storage.

Use editing software and experiment with available functionality to enhance and support your argument. Add a voice-over, sound effects, music and other aspects of multimodality. Be sure to include references and credits to all sources used in creating the video essay.

Revisit elements of your video essay and modify as required.

Visit the Resources page of this guide for more.

• Where to find video and how to capture it
• Video Editing Basics - iMovie
• Software Guides

References & Credits

References to cite sources used in the Video Essay. Referencing is a formal, systematic way of acknowledging sources that you have used in your video essay. It is imperative that you reference all sources used (including videos, stills, music, sfx) and apply the correct formatting so that references cited can be easily traced. The referencing style used at ECU is the APA style, 6th ed. 2010. Refer to the ECU Referencing Library Guide for accurate citation in APA style.

Production credits Individuals: acknowledgement of individuals and their role in the production. Purpose: A statement for internal use, e.g. “This video was produced for [course name] at [institution’s name] in [semester, year]”

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How to Write a Title of a Movie in a Paper

The formatting and capitalization of a movie title depends on the style guide you are using for your paper. The Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association and Chicago style place movie titles in italics, while Associated Press style uses quotes for such titles. When referring to a movie in the body of a paper, all of the major style guides use title case, which means all of the major words in the title are capitalized.

APA, MLA and Chicago style

Movie or film titles are formatted the same in APA, Chicago and MLA style. In each of these styles, the movie title is italicized in the body of the paper. For instance:

Pirates of the Caribbean broke from Disney's tradition of releasing more mature titles under alternate studio names.

Fritz Lang's M deals with the issues of suspicion and punishment in Weimar Germany.

In the body of a paper, APA, Chicago and MLA all use title case capitalization for titles of movies. All major words -- such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and pronouns -- are capitalized. Minor words -- such as prepositions, conjunctions and articles -- are lower case unless it is the first word of the title.

APA also specifies that all words more than four letters should be capitalized: Gone With the Wind . APA uses sentence case capitalization for movie titles in reference lists, which means only the first word of a title and proper nouns (names of specific people, places or things) are capitalized: For whom the bell tolls .

Associated Press Style

In AP style, movie titles are placed in quotes. Note that the normal rules for quotes within quotes still apply. Here are two examples:

"Star Wars" broke box office records when it was first released.

"I am excited to work on any film as complex as 'The Prestige,'" he said.

AP style uses title case capitalization for movie titles. However, the AP stylebook specifies that any word that is four or more letters as well as the first and last word of a title should always be capitalized.

• Rasmussen College: When writing a paper, do I use italics for all titles?
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab: MLA Formatting and Style Guide
• The Chicago Manual of Style Online: Capitalization, Titles
• RMIT University: Harvard Referencing Guide for Visual Material
• Journalist's Resource: Associated Press Style Basics

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How do I mention a video game in a formal piece of writing?

What is the proper convention for mentioning the title of a video game in a formal research paper? Would I place the title in quotations, like the name of a short story ("Myst"), underline it, like the title of a book, or italicize it ( Myst )? I would prefer an answer backed up by a formal standard such as MLA, APA, Chicago, or AP, if they cover this.

• punctuation

4 Answers 4

According to Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation (Bedford-St. Martin's), the MLA citation for a video game should follow this format:

From the same source, the APA citation for a video game should follow this format:

(You can't tell from the example of Sims 2, but in an APA citation, only the first word of a title is capitalized. Therefore, Call of Duty would be listed as Call of duty.

These are the formats for a Works Cited/References entry. In the text itself, the title of the video game should be capitalized and italicized, just as the title of a book would be.

The APA does in fact cover this, though under the broader category of "software."

In text, the title of the video game should NOT be italicized (p. 210). When citing the video game, you'd use the following convention:

Copyright Holder (Year of Publication). Game Title [Software]. Location of Producer: Producer.

Note that Copyright Holder and Producer may be the same.

Source: APA manual, 6th edition. I'll confirm with MLA and Chicago when I get home.

• OP, thanks for accepting my answer, but please see the revised answer! I left out the most important word, "not." The titles should not be capitalized. For added reference, I included the page number. –  emsoff Commented Dec 29, 2014 at 20:08

Chicago Manual of Style 8.190. In running text video game titles are italicized.

According to this blog post , you simply capitalize the title when writing it in-text. The citation style in the previous two answers appears correct.

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11 Ways to Write Exciting YouTube Titles for Your Videos

Writing good YouTube titles is a tricky task. Just when you think you have the right one, you wonder, Is this appealing enough? Will the title resonate with viewers and make them click?

How to Title YouTube Videos for More Views

Good news incoming: You don’t have to struggle with YouTube video titles anymore. Instead of rewriting to no end, focus on what makes a good headline:

• strong keywords
• relatable language
• emotional cues

1. Use Words Your Audience Can Relate To

Imagine going out to dinner with one of your YouTube viewers. Chances are, the two of you will talk about what you have in common during the meal. You might be nervous at first, but you’ll eventually hit a groove where you’re using shared lingo that stems from your similarities.

If you both love dogs, for example, you might use words like:

• Boop the snoot

Writing video titles is no different. The headline starts a conversation between you and viewers, and relatable dialogue is best.

Consider this video title from Zeusy the Pitty's channel: “This Talking Pitbull Is Smarter Than You Can Imagine!”

If you're familiar with pit bulls, you know how vocal they are. It’s almost as if they can speak! When the creator adds “talking pitbull” to the title, it’s a nod to people who adore the vocal nature of pitties.

2. Stay Under the YouTube Title Character Limit

Make sure you're using the right YouTube video title length before settling on a headline. It’s easy to fall in love with the words you’ve written, only to realize you have too many!

On YouTube, you have a title limit of 100 characters. But even that’s too long. The best titles are around 60-70 characters and display fully on most devices. Anything longer will show up as a truncated title.

3. Avoid YouTube Clickbait Titles

It’s true: Sensational headlines attract viewers out of sheer curiosity. Even if something looks too good to be true, viewers will investigate just to be sure.

Because of that, YouTube discourages clickbait content – including video titles.

On its support page, YouTube states that it doesn’t condone “misleading metadata or thumbnails, [such as] using the title, thumbnail, [or] description to trick users” into watching a video.

One example could be a video titled “Buying a Mansion for $1 Million.” If the creator drives around to look at expensive homes with no intention of buying, renting, or even discussing that journey, it’s clickbait.

4. Use the Right Keywords for YouTube Search

SEO (search engine optimization) is everything on YouTube. If people aren’t searching for the kind of videos you make, getting views as a new creator is tough.

So, before you press upload, create a YouTube video title with solid keywords . Start by studying your niche to see which phrases competitors use in their videos. Then use vidIQ’s keyword research tool to double-check your findings.

The goal is to find terms with high search volume plus low to medium competition.

Read More : 7 Ways to Discover the Best YouTube Keywords for Your Channel

5. Use Numbers When Necessary

Adding numbers to headlines is an old marketing rule that still works today. According to an eye-tracking study from 2007 , people pay special attention to numbers.

“Among our discoveries was that numerals often stop the wandering eye and attract fixations, even when they're embedded within a mass of words that users otherwise ignore,” writes Jakob Nielsen, computer interaction researcher.

The study explains that people love numbers because they’re associated with facts . So if you want people to click your titles, don’t skimp on the numerals.

6. Add Emotive Words to Your Title

Did you know 95% of the time, people decide to make purchases with their subconscious mind ? Choosing to watch a YouTube video doesn’t cost money, but it’s still a subconscious decision by most people.

That means you should explore what viewers feel subconsciously as they browse YouTube . What emotions arise when they think of specific topics?

Once you know this, it’s easier to write titles that stick. You’ll know which emotive words to use, such as “lucrative” for finance geeks or “blissful” for hopeless romantics.

Here are more examples of emotive words:

• Competitive
• Best-selling

Need more examples? Here's how to tap into three emotions that make people click videos: curiosity, fear, and desire.

7. Create Harmony Between the Title and Thumbnail

When people create YouTube video titles, the thumbnail is typically an afterthought. But that’s a costly mistake.

No title exists in a vacuum because the headline appears beside the preview image on YouTube. So it’s wise to consider how the two combine to attract viewers.

If the title doesn’t build upon what the thumbnail shows, it's not accurate or strong enough. Do your best to create real harmony, like the thumbnails we paired with these titles.

8. Add Hashtags in Your YouTube Video Title

You want hashtags in your titles because they help viewers find content similar to what they’re already watching. If your title has a hashtag like #growyourchannel, your content could show up on the hashtag page for channel growth .

We accomplished this feat on the vidIQ channel. Below, notice we added #growyourchannel to a video titled “YouTube Settings You Need to Know to Grow Your Channel.”

Four years later, that video is still featured on the #growyourchannel hashtag page.

Here’s how to add hashtags in a YouTube video title: Type the # symbol in your title or description, then start typing the best terms for your topic. YouTube will suggest some popular hashtags; all you have to do is choose the best one for your video.

9. Get Inspiration from Other YouTube Videos

Did you know that seasoned creators don't always brainstorm their video titles? Many of them look at channels in their niche and pull inspiration from videos that went viral! It takes time to research those channels, so we'll save you a bit of trouble here. We recently interviewed title expert Jake Thomas, who studies trends within the YouTube video space. According to him, these emotion-driven titles are working for creators :

• "This changed my life..."
• "The truth about..."
• "I stopped..."
• "I regret..."
• "Do this to..."
• "You're doing it wrong..."
• "This is what I'd do..."

Viewers get curious when they see these titles, and that motivates them to click on the video!

10. Use AI for a Creative Boost

Similar to the tip above, this piece of advice is about using all of the shortcuts available to you. And AI — artificial intelligence — goes a long way in aiding the creative process on YouTube. So, why not use it to write captivating titles?

If that sounds like productive, check our AI Title Generator for YouTube . It's free to try and generates 10 titles for every video description you provide. Plus, the ideas are optimized for viewer engagement!

11. Write Wholesome Video Titles for YouTube

Lastly, be mindful of the community guidelines when you’re naming YouTube videos. Steer clear of profanity, hate speech, and misinformation that's harmful in the real world.

How to Title YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts are vertical videos of 60 seconds or less. They're typically shot on a mobile phone, and viewers usually discover them through the Shorts player. This is a section of the YouTube app that's designed for infinite scrolling, and yes, title do matter there! The rules for writing them are just a tad different.

Read more: How to Write the Best Titles for YouTube Shorts Here are the best practices for titling Shorts:

• Accurately summarize the video: Give viewers a snapshot of what to expect.
• Spark curiosity: Pose a question, or use intriguing adjectives. The goal is to make them stop scrolling and start watching.
• Use relevant keywords: Shorts do appear in YouTube search, so use the right keywords to get more views in that area.
• Keep it short and snappy: You have 40 characters to work with before YouTube truncates the rest of your title when viewing Shorts in the app).

Writing Good YouTube Titles Takes Practice

It won't happen overnight, but with regular practice, you can write titles so alluring that people have to click. Part of that skill set comes with mastering the basics. Once you've done that, you're ready to move to the next step: creating thumbnails that make viewers stop in their tracks !

Blog Manager at vidIQ

Lydia Sweatt is a writer who loves balancing her article/blog time indoors with a healthy dose of nature. She bikes, hikes, and identifies edible plants along the way.

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Generate accurate MLA citations for free

• Knowledge Base
• MLA titles: Formatting and capitalization rules

MLA Titles | How to Format & Capitalize Source Titles

Published on April 2, 2019 by Courtney Gahan . Revised on March 5, 2024.

In MLA style , source titles appear either in italics or in quotation marks:

• Italicize the title of a self-contained whole (e.g. a book, film, journal, or website).
• Use  quotation marks around the title if it is part of a larger work (e.g. a chapter of a book, an article in a journal, or a page on a website).

All major words in a title are capitalized . The same format is used in the Works Cited list and in the text itself.

When you use the Scribbr MLA Citation Generator , the correct formatting and capitalization are automatically applied to titles.

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Table of contents

Capitalization in mla titles, punctuation in mla titles, titles within titles, exceptions to mla title formatting, sources with no title, abbreviating titles, titles in foreign languages, frequently asked questions about mla titles.

In all titles and subtitles, capitalize the first and last words, as well as any other principal words.

What to capitalize

What not to capitalize

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Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

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See an example

Use the same punctuation as appears in the source title. However, if there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space, even if different (or no) punctuation is used in the source.

Example of a work with a subtitle

The exception is when the title ends in a question mark, exclamation point or dash, in which case you keep the original punctuation:

Sometimes a title contains another title—for example, the title of an article about a novel might contain that novel’s title.

For titles within titles, in general, maintain the same formatting as you would if the title stood on its own.

Titles and names that fall into the following categories are not italicized or enclosed in quotation marks:

• Scripture (e.g. the Bible, the Koran, the Gospel)
• Laws, acts and related documents (e.g. the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution , the Paris Agreement)
• Musical compositions identified by form, number and key (e.g. Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5 in C minor, op. 67)
• Conferences, seminars, workshops and courses (e.g. MLA Annual Convention)

Sections of a work

Words that indicate a particular section of a work are not italicized or placed within quotation marks. They are also not capitalized when mentioned in the text.

Examples of such sections include:

• introduction
• list of works cited
• bibliography

Introductions, prefaces, forewords and afterwords

Descriptive terms such as “introduction”, “preface”, “foreword” and “afterword” are capitalized if mentioned in an MLA in-text citation or in the Works Cited list, but not when mentioned in the text itself.

Example of descriptive term capitalization

In-text citation: (Brontë, Preface )

In text: In her preface to the work, added in a later edition, Brontë debates the morality of creating characters such as those featured in Wuthering Heights .

If there is a unique title for the introduction, preface, foreword or afterword, include that title in quotation marks instead of the generic section name when referencing the source in the Works Cited list or an in-text citation.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

For sources with no title, a brief description of the source acts as the title.

Example of a source reference with no title

Follow these rules for capitalization:

• Capitalize the first word
• Capitalize proper nouns
• Ignore other MLA rules for capitalization

There are some exceptions to this general format: descriptions including titles of other works, such as comments on articles or reviews of movies; untitled short messages, like tweets; email messages; and untitled poems.

Exceptions to general format for sources with no title

If you need to mention the name of a work in the text itself, state the full title, but omit the subtitle.

If you need to refer to the work multiple times, you may shorten the title to something familiar or obvious to the reader. For example, Huckleberry Finn for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . If in doubt, prefer the noun phrase.

If the standalone abbreviation may not be clear, you can introduce it in parentheses, following the standard guidelines for abbreviations. For example, The Merchant of Venice ( MV ) . For Shakespeare and the Bible , there are well-established abbreviations you can use.

When you abbreviate a title, make sure you keep the formatting consistent. Even if the abbreviation consists only of letters, as in the MV example, it must be italicized or placed within quotation marks in the same way as it would be when written in full.

Abbreviating very long titles in the Works Cited list

Titles should normally be given in full in the Works Cited list, but if any of your sources has a particularly long title (often the case with older works), you can use an ellipsis to shorten it here. This is only necessary with extremely long titles such as the example below.

In the Works Cited list, if you are listing a work with a title in a language other than English, you can add the translated title in square brackets.

Example of a reference with a translated title

If you are using the foreign-language title in the text itself, you can also include the translation in parenthesis. For example, O Alquimista ( The Alchemist ) .

You don’t need to include a translation in your reference list or in the text if you expect your readers to be familiar with the original language. For example, you wouldn’t translate the title of a  French novel you were writing about in the context of a French degree.

Non-Latin script languages

For works in a language that does not use the Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, or Russian, be consistent with how you mention the source titles and also quotations from within them.

For example, if you choose to write a Russian title in the Cyrillic form, do that throughout the document. If you choose to use the Romanized form, stick with that. Do not alternate between the two.

Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.

This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .

In MLA style , book titles appear in italics, with all major words capitalized. If there is a subtitle, separate it from the main title with a colon and a space (even if no colon appears in the source). For example:

The format is the same in the Works Cited list and in the text itself. However, when you mention the book title in the text, you don’t have to include the subtitle.

The title of a part of a book—such as a chapter, or a short story or poem in a collection—is not italicized, but instead placed in quotation marks.

When a book’s chapters are written by different authors, you should cite the specific chapter you are referring to.

When all the chapters are written by the same author (or group of authors), you should usually cite the entire book, but some styles include exceptions to this.

• In APA Style , single-author books should always be cited as a whole, even if you only quote or paraphrase from one chapter.
• In MLA Style , if a single-author book is a collection of stand-alone works (e.g. short stories ), you should cite the individual work.
• In Chicago Style , you may choose to cite a single chapter of a single-author book if you feel it is more appropriate than citing the whole book.

The title of an article is not italicized in MLA style , but placed in quotation marks. This applies to articles from journals , newspapers , websites , or any other publication. Use italics for the title of the source where the article was published. For example:

Use the same formatting in the Works Cited entry and when referring to the article in the text itself.

The MLA Handbook is currently in its 9th edition , published in 2021.

This quick guide to MLA style  explains the latest guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers according to MLA.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. (2024, March 05). MLA Titles | How to Format & Capitalize Source Titles. Scribbr. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/mla/titles/

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How to ace your mba video essay.

MBA video essays are increasingly popular, and they give admissions committees a different way to engage with potential applicants. When you apply to an MBA program, you might be required to submit a video instead of a traditional written essay. The specific video essay requirements will vary by school, but these tips can help you to create a quality video for your MBA application. 

Consider why video essays are valuable

Understanding why schools use video essays can help you to deliver the content that the admissions committee wants to see. Oren Margolis, a former Senior Associate Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern, is currently an MBA admissions consultant and founder of Pinetree & Palm Consulting.  He explains that video essays allow applicants to show a level of dimensionality that can’t be conveyed with a written essay. 

“By viewing a candidate on video, admissions committees are able to get a feel for their ability to articulate themselves, their goals, and their values,” he explains. He notes that a video can also give the committee a sense about your professional polish, your English language skills, and your ability to think on your feet. 

Set yourself up for success

Maria Wich-Vila, an expert MBA admissions consultant and founder of ApplicantLab, recommends that applicants spend some time perfecting their video setup. She notes that it’s best to have a lamp or light source directly in front of you. It’s also essential to avoid having any light source, like a window, behind you, which can create strong shadows. 

“Don’t forget that sound quality is very important,” says Wich-Vila. “Use a microphone!” Using a microphone can also help reduce background noise. 

Additionally, use the rule of thirds to position yourself on camera. Your eyes should be about a third of the way down the screen, and your body should be cantered from left to right. 

You’ll also need to carefully choose your outfit. “It’s always better to overdress, versus underdress,” Margolis cautions. “I recommend business attire, even if it feels a little strange to put on a full suit while sitting at home.”  

Prepare your responses

While recording your video, you may have to respond to unexpected or spontaneous questions. Resist the temptation to memorize answers to questions, since these answers can feel robotic. Instead, Wich-Vila recommends you familiarize yourself with the types of questions the school may ask. “Prepare “Swiss Army knife stories” that have different angles that you can pull out or utilize to answer many different possible questions.” 

For example, you could use a Swiss Army knife story about your leadership experience to answer questions like “When were you a leader?” or “When were you on a team that wasn’t working together well?” or “Talk about a time that you failed.” 

Practice your video

Wich-Vila encourages applicants to practice their videos to get a sense of the timing involved. You can do this using your webcam or the camera on your phone, as well as a timer. “Think for 30 seconds, then give your answer for 90 seconds is a very unnatural way to speak,” she explains. “First practice just saying something, anything, for exactly 90 seconds, or however long the answer is,” she says. From there, you can start practicing using question banks; read the question, think about your response, and then deliver your response in the allotted time. 

While it’s important to get comfortable with the video essay format, Wich-Vila cautions again against over-preparing to the point where you’re starting to memorize answers. “Think likability over accuracy,” she says. “That is, I’d rather watch an answer from someone who is warm and friendly, even if they make some mistakes, versus a “perfect” answer from someone who sounds like a robot.”  

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