Referencing (TAFE)

There are three main ways to cite social media content in an APA Style:

• generally with a URL,
• as a personal communication, and
• with a typical APA Style in-text citation and reference list entry.

If you discuss any website or page in general in a paper (including but not limited to social media), it is sufficient to give the URL in the text the first time it is mentioned. No reference list entry is needed. Here is an example:

 "News agencies like CNN provide breaking news coverage to millions of people every day on their website (http://www.cnn.com) and Twitter account (http://twitter.com/CNN). In our first investigation, we analyzed the content of CNN’s Twitter feed during the year 2012" (http://blog.apastyle.org).

 

Facebook Posts

In-text citation

(Author, Year)

(News From Science, 2019)

Author (Year)

News From Science (2019)

   

Reference list

Author. (Year, Month Day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Status update]. Facebook. https://xxxxx

News From Science. (2019, June 21). Are you a fan of astronomy? Enjoy reading about what scientists have discovered in our solar system —and beyond? This [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNOW/photos/a.117532185107/10156268057260108/?type=3&theater

 

• Provide the first 20 words of the Facebook post as the title. Count a URL or other link, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words.

• If a status update includes images, videos, thumbnail links to outside sources, or content from another Facebook post (such as when sharing a link), indicate that in square brackets (APA, 2020, p. 349).

 

Facebook Page

In-text citation

(Author, Year)

(Community of Multiculturalism, n.d.)

Author (Year)

Community of Multiculturalism (n.d.)

Reference list

Author, A. (n.d). Page title [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved Month Day, Year from https://xxxx

Community of Multiculturalism. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved October 14, 2020, from https://www.facebook.com/communityofmulticulturalism/

 

You need to include a retrieval statement as this content is subject to change and not archived.

X Posts

In-text citation

(Author, Year)

(APA databases 2019)

(Gates, 2019)

Author (Year)

APA Databases (2019)

Gates (2019)

Reference list entry

Author, A. [X handle]. (Year, month day). Content of the post up to the first 20 words [Content post contains if any] [Post]. X. https://xxxx

APA Databases [@APA_Databases]. (2019, September 5). Help students avoid plagiarism  and researchers navigate the publication process. More details available in the 7th edition @APA_Style table [Post]. X. https://x.com/APA_Databases/status/1169644365452578823

Gates, B. [@BillGates]. (2019, September 7). Today, it’s difficult for researchers to diagnose #Alzheimers patients early enough to intervene. A reliable, easy and accurate diagnostic would [Thumbnail with link attached] [Post]. X. https://x.com/BillGates/status/1170305718425137152

 

• Provide the first 20 words of the Facebook post as the title. Count a URL or other link, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words.
• If a status update includes images, videos, thumbnail links to outside sources, or content from another Facebook post (such as when sharing a link), indicate that in square brackets (APA, 2020, p. 349).
• The format used for X is also used for Instagram and TikTok.

 

X Profile

Author, A. [X handle]. (n.d). Cite the relevant tab posts, replies, highlights etc [X profile]. X. Retrieved Month Day, Year from https://xxxx

Jordan, M. B. [@michaelb4jordan]. (n.d.). Replies [X profile]. X. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://x.com/michaelb4jordan/with_replies

 

You need to include a retrieval statement as this content is subject to change and not archived.