Please see below for MLA guidelines on how to cite commonly used social media sources.
Author: If the source uses a username, screen name, or other pseudonym, include it as the author’s name, if the author’s real name is not known. Example: One Frugal Girl. If both are known, list the author's name first, then follow it with the username in brackets with the @ symbol. Example: Rose, Adam [@therealarose].
If the author's name and username are similar, you do not have to include both the account name and username if you include the URL. Example: Angie Thomas and user name @angiethomas, you would just use Thomas, Angie.
Alphabetizing: When alphabetizing works cited entries, ignore any special characters (such as @) in an online username.
Titles: For emails, use the subject as the title (in quotation marks, capitalize like a title). For short messages/posts without title (like a tweet or Facebook post), list the entire message (without changes) in quotation marks in place of a title. For longer messages or images without a title, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns).
Accessed Date: Include the date you accessed the source if it can be edited (examples: a blog, Instagram or Facebook post). For sites like Twitter and Tiktok that do not allow editing (only deleting), you do not need to include a date accessed. If you are unsure, include the date accessed.
Format: Author(s). “Post Title or Email Subject.” Title of Website in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date Posted, Time, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Include username as author when author’s real name is not known. If the author is using a username, include author’s real name if known in parenthesis after the username.
Example 1: Pierdinock, Amber. “Black History Month.” The Stacks, Spartanburg Community College Library, 2 Feb. 2021, libguides.sccsc.edu/blog/Black-History-Month. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.
Example 2: One Frugal Girl. “Use Your Why to Find Purpose In Life.” One Frugal Girl, 8 Nov. 2019, www.onefrugalgirl.com/category/minimalism/page/3/. Accessed 14 June 2020.
Format: Author or Facebook Account Name. Description of post or meme. Facebook, Date Posted, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Individual authors should be listed last name, first name.
*Note: For short posts without title, list the entire message (without changes) in quotation marks in place of a title. For longer messages or images without a title, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: Inspirational Quotes for Students Life. “Every student has some failures in past...... I think we should forget that failures ..... But we should Never forget That we taught from our failures in the past....”Facebook, 20 Feb. 2018, www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1205511206246047&id=475499445913897&__tn__=-R. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.
Example 2: The Weeknd. Information on red suit on Rolling Stone including pictures. Facebook, 19 Sep. 2020, 5:46 p.m., www.facebook.com/theweeknd/posts/3484052348285226?__tn__=-R. Accessed 15 Dec. 2020.
Example 3: Witherspoon, Reese. “I did it! Did you? Feels good to exercise my right to VOTE. 18 days until the election! Have you sent your ballots in?? Text me a photo of your "I Voted" stickers! 615-235-5390.” Facebook, 16 Oct. 2019, 11:33am, www.facebook.com/ReeseWitherspoon/photos/a.613856408733999/3397354113717534/?type=3&theater. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Entire caption of the picture or video.” Instagram, Date Posted, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
*Note: In place of a title for images with a short caption, include the entire caption (no changes) in quotation marks. For longer captions or images without a caption, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: @coolerfuture. “FACT: The countries that pay the highest price for #globalwarming, are the countries least responsible for causing the problem!” Instagram, 19 Oct. 2020, www.instagram.com/p/CGhpXJPFaze/?igshid=1dwjn4m3wr1xc. Accessed 23 Oct. 2020.
Example 2: Rose, Adam [@therealarose]. “double maskin’ it. also i feel like it’s been forever since i posted a picture on ig. been mostly videos. should i be posting more pics??” Instagram, 23 Jan. 2021, www.instagram.com/p/CKaGReGlmQt/?igshid=12m32sym43h5k. Accessed 1 Feb. 2021.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Caption of video.” TikTok, Date Posted, URL.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
*Note: If there is no caption for the video, create a description to use in place of a title. Write it in plain text (no quotes/no italics), and capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: Remillard, Lisa [@todaysnews]. “#tax #unemployment #stimulus I asked the IRS, YOUR most most popular questions.” TikTok, 5 Feb. 2021, vm.tiktok.com/ZMedmreM3/.
Example 2: @cbsnews. “How NASA's Mars Perseverance rover will make the most difficult landing ever attempted on the red planet. #news #mars #nasa #edutok #stepbystep.” TikTok, 5 Feb. 2021, vm.tiktok.com/ZMedm1xu8/.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Entire post without changes.” X, Date Posted, URL.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
Example 1: Green, Hank. “The wild thing about Crash Course is that students think everyone knows about it, teachers think it’s their little secret, and administrators have no idea it exists. This is not a great outcome for getting funding, but we’ll figure it out.” X, 8 Feb. 2021, twitter.com/hankgreen/status/1358645423460683776.
Example 2: @ColIegeStudent. “Haven’t gotten enough attention today, think i’ll put my dog on my lap during my zoom lecture.” X, 12 Jan. 2021, twitter.com/ColIegeStudent/status/1349104103708913666.
Author: If the source uses a username, screen name, or other pseudonym, include it as the author’s name, if the author’s real name is not known. Example: One Frugal Girl. If both are known, list the author's name first, then follow it with the username in brackets with the @ symbol. Example: Rose, Adam [@therealarose].
If the author's name and username are similar, you do not have to include both the account name and username if you include the URL. Example: Angie Thomas and user name @angiethomas, you would just use Thomas, Angie.
Alphabetizing: When alphabetizing works cited entries, ignore any special characters (such as @) in an online username.
Titles: For emails, use the subject as the title (in quotation marks, capitalize like a title). For short messages/posts without title (like a tweet or Facebook post), list the entire message (without changes) in quotation marks in place of a title. For longer messages or images without a title, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns).
Accessed Date: Include the date you accessed the source if it can be edited (examples: a blog, Instagram or Facebook post). For sites like Twitter and Tiktok that do not allow editing (only deleting), you do not need to include a date accessed. If you are unsure, include the date accessed.
Format: Author(s). “Post Title or Email Subject.” Title of Website in Italics, Website Publisher (if different than title), Date Posted, Time, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Include username as author when author’s real name is not known. If the author is using a username, include author’s real name if known in parenthesis after the username.
Example 1: Pierdinock, Amber. “Black History Month.” The Stacks, Spartanburg Community College Library, 2 Feb. 2021, libguides.sccsc.edu/blog/Black-History-Month. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.
Example 2: One Frugal Girl. “Use Your Why to Find Purpose In Life.” One Frugal Girl, 8 Nov. 2019, www.onefrugalgirl.com/category/minimalism/page/3/. Accessed 14 June 2020.
Format: Author or Facebook Account Name. Description of post or meme. Facebook, Date Posted, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Individual authors should be listed last name, first name.
*Note: For short posts without title, list the entire message (without changes) in quotation marks in place of a title. For longer messages or images without a title, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: Inspirational Quotes for Students Life. “Every student has some failures in past...... I think we should forget that failures ..... But we should Never forget That we taught from our failures in the past....”Facebook, 20 Feb. 2018, www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1205511206246047&id=475499445913897&__tn__=-R. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.
Example 2: The Weeknd. Information on red suit on Rolling Stone including pictures. Facebook, 19 Sep. 2020, 5:46 p.m., www.facebook.com/theweeknd/posts/3484052348285226?__tn__=-R. Accessed 15 Dec. 2020.
Example 3: Witherspoon, Reese. “I did it! Did you? Feels good to exercise my right to VOTE. 18 days until the election! Have you sent your ballots in?? Text me a photo of your "I Voted" stickers! 615-235-5390.” Facebook, 16 Oct. 2019, 11:33am, www.facebook.com/ReeseWitherspoon/photos/a.613856408733999/3397354113717534/?type=3&theater. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Entire caption of the picture or video.” Instagram, Date Posted, URL. Accessed Date.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
*Note: In place of a title for images with a short caption, include the entire caption (no changes) in quotation marks. For longer captions or images without a caption, create a description of the source, and list this in place of a title (written plain text, no quotes/no italics, capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: @coolerfuture. “FACT: The countries that pay the highest price for #globalwarming, are the countries least responsible for causing the problem!” Instagram, 19 Oct. 2020, www.instagram.com/p/CGhpXJPFaze/?igshid=1dwjn4m3wr1xc. Accessed 23 Oct. 2020.
Example 2: Rose, Adam [@therealarose]. “double maskin’ it. also i feel like it’s been forever since i posted a picture on ig. been mostly videos. should i be posting more pics??” Instagram, 23 Jan. 2021, www.instagram.com/p/CKaGReGlmQt/?igshid=12m32sym43h5k. Accessed 1 Feb. 2021.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Caption of video.” TikTok, Date Posted, URL.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
*Note: If there is no caption for the video, create a description to use in place of a title. Write it in plain text (no quotes/no italics), and capitalize only the first word and any proper nouns.
Example 1: Remillard, Lisa [@todaysnews]. “#tax #unemployment #stimulus I asked the IRS, YOUR most most popular questions.” TikTok, 5 Feb. 2021, vm.tiktok.com/ZMedmreM3/.
Example 2: @cbsnews. “How NASA's Mars Perseverance rover will make the most difficult landing ever attempted on the red planet. #news #mars #nasa #edutok #stepbystep.” TikTok, 5 Feb. 2021, vm.tiktok.com/ZMedm1xu8/.
Format: Author [@Username]. “Entire post without changes.” Twitter, Date Posted, URL.
*Note: Include author’s real name if known then their username in brackets unless their username is very similar to their real name.
Example 1: Green, Hank. “The wild thing about Crash Course is that students think everyone knows about it, teachers think it’s their little secret, and administrators have no idea it exists. This is not a great outcome for getting funding, but we’ll figure it out.” Twitter, 8 Feb. 2021, twitter.com/hankgreen/status/1358645423460683776.
Example 2: @ColIegeStudent. “Haven’t gotten enough attention today, think i’ll put my dog on my lap during my zoom lecture.” Twitter, 12 Jan. 2021, twitter.com/ColIegeStudent/status/1349104103708913666.
Giles Campus | 864.592.4764 | Toll Free 866.542.2779 | Contact Us
Copyright © 2024 Spartanburg Community College. All rights reserved.