How to Correctly Cite a Tweet in APA and MLA Style

You never know where you’ll find a good piece of information on the web with all the rapidly developing markets nowadays. You can even discover data related to your research on Twitter. So how do you reference a tweet in a research paper as a professional essay writer? Keep reading to find out how to reference a tweet in APA (7th ed.) or MLA (8th ed.) style.

Citing a Tweet for Reference list in APA Style

According to APA (7th ed.), you should start a citation of a tweet with the author’s name, followed by their @twitterhandle in square brackets. Then you should state the date in round brackets and the first 20 words of the tweet. If a tweet includes a visual element, you should also indicate that (i.e., [image attached], or [thumbnail with the link attached]). The citation should end with the name of the platform – Twitter – followed but the link. Here’s an example:

Encyclopaedia Britannica [@Britannica]. (2022, February 8). It’s #NationalFrankensteinDay! A character from the classic novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley—who was born today in 1797 [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/Britannica/status/1432342340174323712

You should write the exact wording of the first 20 words of the post. This implies that nonstandard English, as well as hashtags, URLs, and even emoticons, must be included. Your reference should include all links in the first 20 words of the post if there are any. If the tweet contains an image, video, or thumbnail, use square brackets before it (i.e., [image attached]).

Citing a Twitter Profile in APA Style

In case you need to reference a Twitter profile, rather than a single post, simply replace the date with “n.d.” in the reference list. Using Encyclopaedia Britannica as an example, the citation entry would be formatted as follows:

Encyclopaedia Britannica [@Britannica]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from https://twitter.com/Britannica

Citing a Tweet in MLA Style

Now, let’s not forget about the MLA stylebook, which is a source of concern for every freshman general studies student. The username of the person or company who posted a tweet must be included in the in-text reference for a tweet in MLA style:

Oprah has announced “The Way of Integrity” by @MarthaBeck as her next book club read. (Oprah Winfrey)

The complete source details are then included in the cited list of your paper.

Tweets in an MLA Papers Cited List

According to MLA, you should start a citation of a tweet with the author’s @username. Then, insert the entire tweet in inverted commas, including punctuation marks. Include the platform’s title, Twitter, as well as the date and time, separated by a comma. Consider the following example:

Oprah Winfrey [@Oprah]. “My next @oprahsbookclub pick is “The Way of Integrity” by @MarthaBeck. For over 15 years, I have looked to Martha for her wisdom and marveled at how she helps people through crises in their lives. #ReadWithUs” Twitter, 8 Feb 2022, 3:35 pm, https://twitter.com/Oprah/status/1491042954575704065

Citing a Twitter Profile in MLA Style

You don’t need to include a Twitter profile in the works reference list when referencing a profile on Twitter in MLA format. In your text, simply put either the link or the author’s username in round brackets:

Oprah Winfrey’s Twitter feed (@Oprah) is the official account of the American talk show host, TV producer, actress, writer, and philanthropist.

We hope you’ve learned helpful information and can now confidently reference a post or a profile on Twitter.