A source list at the end of a video leaves viewers guessing which line each source supports. Record the source beside each claim before recording narration. Show the attribution when the claim appears.
Fiction and opinion need clear framing. Claims about a planet, public statistic, historical event, or product feature need a source readers can check.
Use three layers of attribution
- Research note: save the exact claim, source page, supporting passage, and date checked. This is the editor's record, not video text.
- On-screen credit: identify the source near the claim, in a place that survives captions and platform controls.
- Description citation: give the full source title and URL so an interested viewer can inspect it. YouTube recommends writing a unique description for each video; do not paste an unrelated channel-wide source list into every upload.
YouTube's description guide explains how descriptions appear on search, watch pages, and mobile. It does not prescribe a special citation format. Use a format a viewer can understand and follow.
Worked example: one NASA fact, three places
NASA's Venus facts page gives about 243 Earth days for one rotation and about 225 Earth days for one orbit around the Sun. The script compares those two measures only. It says one rotation, rather than using the ambiguous phrase “a day on Venus.”
| Beat | Narration | Visual and attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | One spin of Venus takes longer than one trip around the Sun. | Simple rotation-versus-orbit diagram; small 'Source: NASA Science' label. |
| Evidence | Venus takes about 243 Earth days to rotate once, but about 225 to orbit the Sun. | 243-day rotation and 225-day orbit side by side; 'NASA Science · Venus: Facts' remains visible. |
| Clarification | Here, 'spin' means one rotation on Venus's axis, not the time between sunrises. | Keep the rotation diagram; do not use a sunrise clock for this comparison. |
The description can read: “Venus rotation and orbit figures: NASA Science, ‘Venus: Facts,’ Orbit and Rotation section, https://science.nasa.gov/venus/venus-facts/ (checked October 3, 2026).” This is a citation, not a claim that NASA endorses this video.
YouTube says URLs in Shorts descriptions and comments are not clickable. Keep the source name readable on screen; the description still gives viewers a URL they can copy or search. Do not write “tap the link below” as if it is clickable.
Keep a claim-to-source ledger
Give each checkable claim its own row. One source may support the first claim in a Short and say nothing about the second.
| Claim in script | What the source must show | Edit decision |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation: about 243 Earth days | NASA's rotation figure | Keep 'about'; show axial rotation, not a sunrise clock. |
| Orbit: about 225 Earth days | NASA's orbital period | Keep the same Earth-day unit. |
| One spin exceeds one orbit | Both figures in the same source | Compare 243 with 225; no extra statistic needed. |
If you cannot find the supporting passage, remove or rewrite the line. For fast-changing claims such as tool pricing or platform eligibility, note the date and check the official page again before publishing. For a broader script review, use the storyboard source column to connect claims to scenes.
Make the credit legible without covering the lesson
- Write “NASA Science” on screen; put the full page title and URL in the description.
- Keep credit text away from captions, platform controls, and the visual fact it identifies.
- Hold the cited number and its source together long enough to inspect on a phone.
- Check the exported Short, not only the editor preview.
The caption guide explains caption placement. Source credits are separate labels; a viewer should be able to read captions and credits separately.
A citation does not repair a bad claim
Do not turn “about 243 Earth days to rotate” into “the Sun rises every 243 days.” Axial rotation and a sunrise cycle are different measures. NASA supports the rotation and orbit figures here. A statistic from one year also needs its year; do not pass it off as current.
When producing a recurring series, store a separate ledger with each episode. Reuse the citation layout, but verify each new factual claim. ShortsFast can help with recurring faceless video production; the creator remains responsible for the script and sources.