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APA 7th Referencing Style Guide

Citing social media

Cite only original content from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit etc. If you want to cite content from a social media post or account that is not the original source of the content, cite it directly. For example, if you find a Facebook post that links to a blog, cite the blog not the Facebook post. 

Notes:
  • Social media posts may include text, images and audiovisual content
  • Do not alter the spelling and capitalisation in a social media reference
  • Retain hashtags, links and emojis (if possible)
  • If you cannot create the emoji, provide the name of the emoji in square brackets e.g. [face with tears of joy emoji]. The full list of names can be found on the Unicode Consortium's website

Reference format

Author Date Title

Social media site name

 URL

Twitter and Instagram: 
Author, A. A. [@username].
Name of Group [@username].

Facebook and others:
Author, A. A.
Name of Group.
Name of Group [Username].
[Username].

(n.d.).

(2019, August 8).

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]. 

 Site name.

https://xxxxxx

Retrieved August
27, 2020, from
https://xxxxxx

Twitter

Tweet

Ardern, J. [@jacindaardern]. (2018, October 15). I salute you, @Kereru4PM #BirdOfTheYear [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/jacindaardern/status/1051569120066469889

Cher [@cher]. (2019, October 15). Trump Brags About Serving Up American Troops to Saudi Arabia for Nothing More Than Cash https://t.co/AEDTi8LXzm?amp=1 via @YahooEnt [Thumbnail with link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/cher/status/1216581212828880896

Figure.NZ [@figurenz]. (2019, October 15). Looking forward to resting up over the holidays? [sleeping face emoji] [beach with umbrella emoji] NZ #Health Survey figures show about 70% of adults meet sleep duration... [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter.   https://twitter.com/FigureNZ/status/1207422765986279424
  • If the tweet includes images (including GIFs), videos, thumbnail links to outside sources, links to other tweets (i.e. a retweet with comment) or a poll, indicate that in square brackets
  • For tweet replies, do not include the "replying to" information. If it is important to note, mention it in your writing and provide an in-text citation
  • Replicate emojis if possible. If not, provide the CLDR short name from the Unicode Emoji List in square brackets

Twitter profile

RNZ [@radionz]. (n.d.). Tweets [Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://twitter.com/radionz
  • Provide a retrieval date because the contents of the page can change over time
  • Twitter profiles have several tabs. "Tweets" is the default, so to create a reference to one of the other tabs, substitute that tab name for "Tweets" in the reference

 

Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.

Facebook

Facebook post

New Zealand Geographic. (2020, January 15). Check out all the #NZVR experiences at nzgeo.com/vr/waikato Mike Holmes pulls shortfin eels from a fyke net under the watchful... [Video]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1001823770194342

World Health Organization. (2020, January 15). Urgent health challenges for the next decade: [exclamation mark emoij] Elevating health in the climate debate. The climate crisis is a health crisis... [Image attached] [Facebook post]. Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/WHO/photos/a.167668209945237/2853056008073097/?type=3&theater

Facebook page

New Zealand Fashion Museum. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved January 15, 2020 from https://www.facebook.com/nzfashionmuseum/
  • Use the page title in the reference (e.g., "Home", "Timeline", "About", "Photos")
  • This format can be adapted for references to other social media pages such as Tumblr, LinkedIn, Instagram etc.

 

Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.

Instagram

Instagram photo or video

New Zealand Police [newzealandpolice]. (2019, November 15). Class of 2019 // Wellington dog section [paw prints emoji] #fridayfloof [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B43Cl_-J9pN/

Instagram highlight

AUT Library [aut_library]. (n.d.). Spooky films [Highlight]. Instagram. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17862675271544491/
  • Even though stories within the highlight are dated, the highlight itself is not and contains multiple stories so use n.d. for the date 
  • Include the retrieval date as the highlight may change over time

 

Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn post

Auckland University of Technology. (2020, June 9). #AUTuni will become New Zealand's first university to offer a postgraduate paper on #medicinalcannabis [Thumbnail with link attached] [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/autuni_autuni-medicinalcannabis-research-activity-6675924114429018112-cjqI  
  • Use the name associated with the account as the name in the reference. 
  • LinkedIn does not provide exact dates for posts; rather, it tells users how long ago the post was made. Use the date information provided on the post to infer as specific a date as possible for the reference.
     

 

LinkedIn profile

Auckland University of Technology. (n.d). Home [LinkedIn page]. LinkedIn. Retrieved June 11, 2020, from https://www.linkedin.com/school/autuni/ 
  • Use the page title in the reference (e.g., “Home,” “About,” “Jobs”). 
  • Include the notation “[LinkedIn page]” in square brackets after the title. 
  • Provide a retrieval date because the content is designed to change over time and is not archived

 

 

 

Find Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.

Online forum post

-Endless. (2020, January 15). I think as a country we need to start a dialogue on fresh water ownership [Online forum post]. Reddit.   https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/eowzqq/i_think_as_a_country_we_need_to_start_a_dialogue/  
  • If the real name and username are both known, provide the real name first followed by the username in square brackets, like the Instagram examples. Don't include "u/" at the start of the username

 

Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.