Citing Social Media In Research
by TeachThought Staff
Back in 2012, we shared how to cite a tweet.
We followed that up with how to cite an app.
So when we saw the very useful teachbytes graphic above making some noise on pinterest on several different popular #edtech websites, it reminded us of the constant demands changing technologies place on existing ways we do business.
When and in what contexts it makes sense to cite social media content is probably a more relevant post than sharing a graphic that simply shows the format, but they’re both nice to have, yes?
Below, courtesy of Gould Library at Carleton College, are actual examples of how to cite tweets, instagram and facebook posts, YouTube videos, and other social media shares in scholarly writing and research.
MLA 7th or 8th ed.
Lastname, Firstname [or single username]. (handle). “First several words of Instagram post (if any)…” Instagram, Day month year posted, URL.
libechillbro. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week…” Instagram, 18 Apr 2016, instagram.com/p/5pjGjvjTH6/.
APA 6th ed.
handle. (Year, month day posted). First several words of Instagram post (if any)… [Instagram post]. Retrieved from URL
libechillbro. (2016, April 18). Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week… [Instagram post]. Retrieved from https://instagram.com/p/5pjGjvjTH6/
Chicago 17th ed.
Lastname, Firstname (@username). Year. “Full text of Instagram post.” Instagram photo, Month day, year posted. URL.
Penguin, Oscar (@libechillbro). 2016. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week, and we’ll be handing them out from 2:30-4:30 this afternoon.” Instagram photo, April 18, 2016. https://instagram.com/p/5pjGjvjTH6/
@Username. “Full text of tweet.” Twitter, Day month year posted, time posted, URL.
@libechillbro. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week, and we’ll be handing them out from 2:30-4:30 this afternoon.” Twitter, 18 June 2016, 4:39 PM, twitter.com/libechillbro/status/2651151366.
APA 6th ed.
@handle. (Year, month day posted). Full text of tweet. [Twitter post]. Retrieved from URL
@libechillbro. (2016, April 18). Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week, and we’ll be handing them out from 2:30-4:30 this afternoon. [Twitter post]. Retrieved from http://twitter.com/libechillbro/status/2651151366
Chicago 17th ed.
Lastname, Firstname (@username). Year. “Full text of the tweet.” Twitter, Month day, year, time posted. URL.
Penguin, Oscar (@libechillbro). 2016. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week, and we’ll be handing them out from 2:30-4:30 this afternoon.” Twitter, April 18, 2016, 1:28 p.m. http://twitter.com/libechillbro/status/2651151366.
MLA 7th or 8th ed.
Lastname, Firstname [or username or page name]. “first several words of a facebook post…” Facebook, Day month year posted, time posted [if available], URL.
Penguin, Oscar. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week…” Facebook, 18 Apr 2016, facebook.com/openguin/posts/10154065808067067.
APA 6th ed.
Lastname, Firstname. (Year, month day posted). First several words of Facebook post… [Facebook update]. Retrieved from URL
Penguin, Oscar (2016, April 18). Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week… [Facebook post]. Retrieved from http://facebook.com/openguin/posts/10154065808067067
Chicago 17th ed.
Lastname, Firstname. Year. “Full text (or first several words…) of Facebook post.” Facebook, Month day, year posted. URL
Penguin, Oscar. 2016. “Root beer floats are in honor of National Library Week, and we’ll be handing them out from 2:30-4:30 this afternoon.” Facebook, April 18, 2016. http://facebook.com/openguin/posts/10154065808067067
YouTube
MLA 7th or 8th ed.
Lastname, Firstname [or single username]. “Title of YouTube Video.” Publishing Website, Day month year posted, URL.
Penguin, Oscar. “Root Beer Floats.” YouTube, 18 Apr 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ICGujpcO28.
For more detail, see the MLA guide for videos on websites.
APA 6th ed.
Lastname, Firstname [or single username]. (Year, month day posted). Title of YouTube Video. [Video file]. Retrieved from URL
Penguin, Oscar. (2013, April 18). Root Beer Floats. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ICGujpcO28
Chicago 17th ed.
Lastname, Firstname [or single username]. “Title of YouTube Video.” YouTube, Month day, year posted. Video, length of video. URL.
Penguin, Oscar. “Root Beer Floats.” YouTube, April 18, 2013. Video, 0:35. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ICGujpcO28.
Conclusion
As media becomes more nuanced, new modalities emerge, authors use new channels to distribute their thinking–and even as the ‘crowd’ becomes a legitimate source of information (see wikipedia, twitter, etc.), new rules for governing that reality will continue to emerge.
The more general those rules are, the less reactive governing bodies will have to be moment by moment.
How To Cite Social Media In Scholarly Writing