by TeachThought Workers
How do you cite a tweet MLA Fashion?
First, let’s make clear that whereas it’s not precisely an Oxford library and subsequently is probably not the primary place you go to for scholarly analysis, opposite to fashionable perception there are issues on twitter price citing.
Lengthy an oblique however potent device of torture in English school rooms and College campuses in all places, the MLA (and different cohorts, together with APA and Chicago) launched a format for quoting tweets in formal writing. We’ve excerpted among the commonest questions for citing tweets in MLA fashion, however you may take a look at their suggestions for extra steerage and associated studying on analysis, quotation, and citing tweets for analysis functions.
The Trendy Language Affiliation (MLA) pointers for citing content material from X (previously often known as Twitter) concentrate on utilizing the submit’s textual content because the title, figuring out the creator by their deal with, and guaranteeing the URL is accessible.
The Fundamentals: MLA ninth Version Format
As a result of the platform has rebranded, the container title is now X, although Twitter is appropriate if referring to a historic submit or if the URL nonetheless reads ‘twitter.com’.
The Commonplace Method: @deal with (Actual Title). “The complete textual content of the tweet goes right here.” X, Day Month Yr, URL.
1. Creator and Deal with
- Deal with First: Start the quotation with the person’s deal with (together with the @ image).
- Actual Title: If the person’s actual identify (or show identify) is thought and completely different from the deal with, embody it in parentheses instantly after the deal with.
- Instance:
@neiltyson (Neil deGrasse Tyson).
2. The “Title” (Tweet Textual content)
- Full Textual content: Not like articles with formal headlines, the “title” of a submit on X is the textual content of the submit itself. Enclose the textual content in citation marks.
- Capitalization: Don’t alter the capitalization of the unique submit; reproduce it precisely as written.
- Hashtags: Embody hashtags as they seem within the textual content.
3. Dealing with Lengthy Posts
Whereas the character restrict on X has expanded, MLA suggests truncating the textual content for the quotation title if the submit is excessively lengthy.
- Ellipsis: Use the primary sentence or a significant phrase, adopted by an ellipsis (
...) on the finish of the quote. - Hashtags in Lengthy Posts: For those who truncate the textual content, you do not want to incorporate the hashtags except they’re a part of the phase you preserved.
4. Date and URL
- Date: Record the day, month (abbreviated), and 12 months.
- Time: MLA ninth version usually doesn’t require the timestamp for social media except the submit is a part of a fast sequence (like a reside thread) the place distinction is critical.
- URL: Copy the direct hyperlink to the submit. Chances are you’ll normally omit the
https://prefix.
Quotation Examples
Commonplace Publish (Quick)
@NASA. “It’s a busy week for the station! The crew is making ready for a spacewalk and a cargo mission.” X, 12 Nov. 2024,x.com/NASA/status/example123.
Truncated Publish (Lengthy)
@teachthought. “Essential pondering isn’t just a talent, it’s a behavior of thoughts that requires fixed cultivation. . . .” X, 24 Might 2025,x.com/teachthought/status/example456.
Publish with a Recognized Creator Title
@StephenKing (Stephen King). “I’ve seen the way forward for horror, and it’s named. . . .” X, 10 Oct. 2023,twitter.com/StephenKing/status/example789.
Citing a Thread (A number of Authors) If a thread entails a number of contributors related to your work, cite the particular submit you’re quoting. If referencing the dialog usually, checklist the first creator adopted by et al.
@edutopia et al. “How do you deal with classroom administration in a BYOD surroundings?” X, 15 Aug. 2024,x.com/edutopia/status/example321.
So, there you’ve gotten it–now you know the way to quote tweet in MLA fashion/format. We’ve additionally bought scores and scores of resources for using social media in the classroom to discover as nicely.
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