Author
On sites where items are posted under user names but not necessarily proper names, enter the user name where you would normally put the author's name. Author in this case will be the main creator(s) for the item you are citing.
Creator information may often be found under a section called "About" for some types of social media, however this is not always standard.
Date
Most items will provide a date they were posted. The standard format for the date is Year, Month Day.
If only part of the date is provided, post what you have such as the year and skip the rest of the date.
If no date is provided, use the initials n.d. where you would normally put the date.
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.
Author's Last Name, First Initial. or Group Name [@username]. (Year tweet was posted, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Tweet]. Site name. URL
Note: If the tweet includes images, videos, or links to other sources, indicate that information in brackets after the content description. Also attempt to replicate emojis if possible.
| Reference List Example |
Mercer, R. [@rickmercer]. (2010, May 3). The only thing i have achieved today is ignoring my list. And that's not on the list [Tweet; thumbnail link to article]. Twitter. http://twitter.com/RICKMERCER Note: Keep the spelling and grammar of the tweet the same as in the original, even if there are errors. |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (Mercer, 2010) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (Mercer, 2010) Note: Because tweets do not have page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings,this information is left out of the in-text citation. |
Author's Last Name, First Initial., Middle Initial. or Group. (Year, Month Day of post). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Type of post]. Site name. URL
Note: If the Facebook post includes images, videos, or links to other sources, indicate that information in brackets after the content description. Also attempt to replicate emojis if possible.
| Reference List Example |
U.S. Department of the Interior. (2020, January 10). Like frosting on a cake, snow coats and clings to the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/USInterior/photos/a.155163054537384/2586475451406120/?type=3&theater Note: Keep the spelling and grammar of the post the same as in the original, even if there are errors. |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 2020) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 2020) Note: Because Facebook posts do not have page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings,this information is left out of the in-text citation. |
Author's Last Name, First Initial., Middle Initial. or Name of Group [@username]. (Year, Month Day of post). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Type of post]. Site name. URL
| Reference List Example |
BBC [@bbc]. (2020, January 12). Skywatchers have been treated to the first full moon of 2020-known as a “wolf moon”-at the same time as a [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7OkWqbBwcf/ Note: Keep the spelling and grammar of the post the same as in the original, even if there are errors. |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (BBC, 2020) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (BBC, 2020) Note: Because Instagram posts do not have page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings,this information is left out of the in-text citation. |
Author's Last Name, First initial. Second Initial if Given. or Username if real name not provided. (Year blog post was published, Month Day). Title of blog post. Publisher. URL
| Reference List Example |
Dobbs, D. (2012, June 13). Fun in cities: Feature, not bug. Wired. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/fun-in-cities-feature-not-bug/ Note: If the blog author's real name is not provided, use their username instead. |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Author's Last Name, Year) Example: (Dobbs, 2012) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Author's Last Name, Year, Section Heading section if given) Example: (Dobbs, 2012) Note: This blog post has no page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings so this information is left out of the in-text citation. |
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]. Name of streaming service. URL
Note: According to APA, for citing purposes the person who posted the video is credited as the author. If the author’s name is the same as the username, you can omit the [Username].
| Reference List Example |
Nye, B. [TheRealBillNye]. (2009, April 8). Bill Nye the science guy on energy [Video]. YouTube. http://youtu.be/0ASLLiuejAo |
| In-Text Paraphrase |
(Creator's Last Name, Year) Example: (Nye, 2009) |
| In-Text Quote |
(Creator's Last Name, Year, Time stamp) Example: (Nye, 2009, 5:21) Note: If you are citing a direct quotation from a video, you can use the time stamp in place of a page number within the in-text citation. |
Have a question about citing social media that isn't answered on this page? Take a look at these webpages, created by authorities on APA style, for more detailed information:
