How to Cite a Tweet Like a Pro in Any Style
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Different academic styles require you to cite tweets the way you do other content. This post shares insights on how to cite a Twitter post in various academic styles. Keep reading to master how to cite a tweet in MLA, APA, and Harvard.
Where Do You Find Information for Your Citation
Knowing where to find information for your tweet isn’t hard. This understanding boosts your quest to learn how to cite a tweet. Do you still want to master how to cite a Twitter post? Keep reading below to understand these two sources.
Author’s Name and Username
You can find the information in author names and usernames. You should type the author’s name in the usual inverted format but not as it appears on Twitter. If the author is corporate, name the organization in the author’s place. Always include the username preceded by “@” and use the same capitalization as on the website.
Multimedia Content in Tweets
Where tweets contain extra content, such as photos, videos, links, and polls, state them in separate square brackets. For instance, the following tweet contains a link to an article:
Joseph Consultants [@JC]. (2024, July 7). How to improve customer experience using effective communication [Thumbnail with a link attached]. [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/JC/status/123456778
This tweet contains a photo:
Amadoyah, V. [@Amadoyah]. (2024, May 12). There is no place like daddy’s love. [Image attached]. [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/Amadoyah/status/1246907655
How to Cite a Tweet in APA
Do you want to cite a tweet in APA? Below is how to cite a Twitter post using APA style.
When citing a tweet in APA, include the author’s name and username, the posting date, and the text of the tweet in italics. Put the “Tweet” in square brackets, “Twitter,” and the URL.
If the tweet exceeds 20 words, only cite the first 20 words.
Joseph Consultants. [JC]. (2023, 13 July). Promoting customer satisfaction through improved supplier management. [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/JC/status/777844494949.
Citing Protected Tweets or Direct Messages (DMs)
Some Twitter content is private because it comes from protected accounts and is only accessible to approved followers and DMs from any account. Therefore, cite such tweets as private communication that shouldn’t appear in your citations list. Only reference them in parentheses in the text and give the communication date. You can specify your preferred format as a protected tweet, direct message, or personal communication.
For instance, Amadoyah said that poor customer experience costs companies billions of dollars annually (direct message, 20 July, 2023).
How to Cite a Tweet in Chicago
Do you want to know how to cite a Twitter post in Chicago? Citing a tweet in Chicago takes the following format:
First name, last name, Twitter post, month day, year, time, URL.
How to Cite Twitter MLA
You can also cite a tweet in MLA. Here is how to cite a tweet in MLA.
Name @TwitterHandle. “Content of Tweet.” Twitter, Date, Time, URL (omit http:// or https://).
How to Cite a Tweet in Harvard
Are you asking, “How do you cite a tweet in Harvard?” Here is how to cite tweets in Harvard.
Author(s) of the tweet (Year of posting) [Twitter] Date of posting. Available at: URL (Accessed: Date of access).
Below are samples
Group:
Customer Experience Week (2024) [Twitter] 7 July. Available at: https://twitter.com/customerexperienceweek/status/1141370050269646854”> (Accessed: 5 January 2025).
Individuals:
Amadoyah, V. (2023) [Twitter] 6 March. Available at: https://twitter.com/AmadoyahVuruyah/status/1126525681788014592 (Accessed: 8 February 2024).
Parting Shot
Citing tweets is one way of honoring other people’s intellectual property rights. However, mastering how to quote a tweet in an essay is vital if you want to compose essays that will fetch you good grades. We shared all the facts you need to learn about how to cite a tweet using various academic styles.
The ball is in your court to use these insights to elevate your citing game. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance with your academic tasks.
