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APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: Social Media Posts

Citing Social Media Posts

How to Create an APA 7th edition Reference for a Social Media Post
Author Date Title (SOURCE) Social Media Site Name (SOURCE) URL

Twitter & Instagram: Author, A. A. [@username].

Facebook & others: 

Name of Group.

Name of Group [Username].

Username (if no group name)

(2020, September 28).
(n.d.).

Content of the post up to the first 20 words. 

Content of the post up to the first 20 words [description of audiovisuals].

[Description of audiovisuals] (if no text is available..

Site Name.

 

https://xxx.xxxx
Retrieved December 22, 2020 from https://xxx.xxxx

 

Tips for citing social media in APA 7th edition (p. 348-350). 

  • If possible, cite only original information in social media posts, for example, if a post is sharing a link to an article or another website, share the original website or link instead of the "re-shared" content.
  • Social media posts can have just text, just photographs or videos, just website links, or a combination of any of these mediums. When creating a title of the social media post, use the first 20 words of text shared, or the name of the photograph or video. 
  • After the text title has been created, use brackets to indicate the type of additional content being shared: Photograph, Video, Tweet, Online Forum Post (Reddit), etc.. 
  • Social media posts often contain nonstandard words, #hashtags, :) emojis, and links. Do not change or alter any of part of the language used. If possible, add any emojis (or describe them), and include them in the title if they are within the first 20 words of the text. 
  • Authors are listed by last name, first initial if known, and then the username or @username is included in brackets. If there is no known name or organization, the username can be used alone. 
 
Examples:
Tweet: 

Reference:

Aust Aphasia Assoc [@ausaphasiaassoc]. (2019, January 8). #AphasiaResearchWednesdays There has been a growing interest in music therapy to address aphasia, however there still remains a limited amount [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/AusAphasiaAssoc/status/1082849474433540096

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Aust Aphasia Assoc, 2019)

 

Facebook Post: 

Reference:

Southern Poverty Law Center [@SPLcenter]. (2019, January 7). Zora Neale Hurston refused to let black women be written out of the story.
Born in Alabama, a pivotal voice
[Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://bit.ly/2XBVVHu

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019)

 
Instagram Photograph:

Reference:

American Nurses Association. [@ananursingworld]. (2020, April 13). ANA says "NO" to any form of retaliation against nurses for raising legitimate concerns for their safety. We encourage any [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7PtMTFwqA/

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(American Nurses Association, 2020)

 
Tiktok:

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/tiktok-references

Reference:

World Health Organization [@who].(2018, May 31). Big tobacco replaces dying smokers with young smokers full of live. #SpeakOut #tobaccoexposed #covid19 [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@who/video/6832970440185515269?lang=en

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(World Health Organization, 2018)

 
Reddit Post: 

https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/online-forum-references

Reference:

medical_news_mod. (2019, August 29). Gout pushes up kidney failure risk by 200 percent for those on dialysis, study say [Online Forum Post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/medical_news/comments/cwzb5b/gout_pushes_up_kidney_failure_risk_by_200_percent/

In-text Citation (Paraphrase):

(medical_news_mod, 2019)

 

Carrie Forbes, MLS

Profile Photo
Carrie Forbes
She/Her/Hers
Contact:
Laupus Library
Room 2518
East Carolina University
600 Moye Blvd.
Greenville, NC 27834
252-744-2217 -OR- 252-689-8734 (TEXT)
Website
Subjects: Nursing

Page References

Citation information has been adapted from the APA Manual (7th Edition). Please refer to Chapter 10: Reference Examples, pp. 348-350 for more information. 

Helpful Tips

Tips for citing social media in APA 7th edition (p. 348-350). 

  • If possible, cite only original information in social media posts, for example, if a post is sharing a link to an article or another website, share the original website or link instead of the "re-shared" content.
  • Social media posts can have just text, just photographs or videos, just website links, or a combination of any of these mediums. When creating a title of the social media post, use the first 20 words of text shared, or the name of the photograph or video. 
  • After the text title has been created, use brackets to indicate the type of additional content being shared: Photograph, Video, Tweet, Online Forum Post (Reddit), etc.. 
  • Social media posts often contain nonstandard words, #hashtags, :) emojis, and links. Do not change or alter any of part of the language used. If possible, add any emojis (or describe them), and include them in the title if they are within the first 20 words of the text. 
  • Authors are listed by last name, first initial if known, and then the username or @username is included in brackets. If there is no known name or organization, the username can be used alone. 

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