YouTube/Moving Images

Moving Images include videos, films, and animation. In addition to feature films and television series, moving images include professionally produced documentaries. Moving images are very commonly available as streaming media in digital format, though they are also available in more traditional formats such as DVDs, VHS, or reels of film for loan via York University Libraries.

In terms of the value of moving images for academic research, documentaries  often include on-camera interviews with experts, and they can be a good source of background information, first-person accounts, historical footage, and critical perspectives on a topic. Film is also an important object of study in disciplines such as film and media studies. More broadly, moving images can support learning and research in many fields by helping students understand complex topics through visual communication of information and by offering perspectives, experiences and evidence that may not be available in written sources.

Many people around the world rely on YouTube, an online video-sharing platform, to find and watch video content, including news clips, music videos, films, tutorials, commentary and more on a wide range of topics. YouTube includes videos posted by individuals, but it is also widely used by media and news outlets, entertainment corporations, universities, governments, advocacy groups and other organizations that want to reach large audiences. Much of the content on YouTube is available for free, though, without a paid subscription, viewers typically see advertisements before or during videos.  Videos on YouTube can present well-supported ideas and information, however, others can contain inaccurate, misleading, or biased information. Some content is created for the purpose of attracting views or selling products. When using YouTube videos for academic work, it is important to think critically by considering the creator, purpose, evidence presented, potential bias etc. (see PARCA Test in Resources).