by TeachThought Staff
How do you cite a tweet MLA Style?
First, let’s clarify that while it’s not exactly an Oxford library and therefore may not be the first place you visit for scholarly research, contrary to popular belief there are things on twitter worth citing.
Long an indirect but potent tool of torture in English classrooms and University campuses everywhere, the MLA (and other cohorts, including APA and Chicago) released a format for quoting tweets in formal writing. We’ve excerpted some of the most common questions for citing tweets in MLA style, but you can check out their recommendations for additional guidance and related reading on research, citation, and citing tweets for research purposes.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for citing content from X (formerly known as Twitter) focus on using the post’s text as the title, identifying the author by their handle, and ensuring the URL is accessible.
The Basics: MLA 9th Edition Format
Because the platform has rebranded, the container title is now X, though Twitter is acceptable if referring to a historical post or if the URL still reads ‘twitter.com’.
The Standard Formula: @handle (Real Name). “The full text of the tweet goes here.” X, Day Month Year, URL.
1. Author and Handle
- Handle First: Begin the citation with the user’s handle (including the @ symbol).
- Real Name: If the user’s real name (or display name) is known and different from the handle, include it in parentheses immediately after the handle.
- Example:
@neiltyson (Neil deGrasse Tyson).
2. The “Title” (Tweet Text)
- Full Text: Unlike articles with formal headlines, the “title” of a post on X is the text of the post itself. Enclose the text in quotation marks.
- Capitalization: Do not alter the capitalization of the original post; reproduce it exactly as written.
- Hashtags: Include hashtags as they appear in the text.
3. Handling Long Posts
While the character limit on X has expanded, MLA suggests truncating the text for the citation title if the post is excessively long.
- Ellipsis: Use the first sentence or a meaningful phrase, followed by an ellipsis (
...) at the end of the quote. - Hashtags in Long Posts: If you truncate the text, you do not need to include the hashtags unless they are part of the segment you preserved.
4. Date and URL
- Date: List the day, month (abbreviated), and year.
- Time: MLA 9th edition generally does not require the timestamp for social media unless the post is part of a rapid sequence (like a live thread) where distinction is necessary.
- URL: Copy the direct link to the post. You may usually omit the
https://prefix.
Citation Examples
Standard Post (Short)
@NASA. “It’s a busy week for the station! The crew is preparing for a spacewalk and a cargo mission.” X, 12 Nov. 2024,x.com/NASA/status/example123.
Truncated Post (Long)
@teachthought. “Critical thinking is not just a skill, it is a habit of mind that requires constant cultivation. . . .” X, 24 May 2025,x.com/teachthought/status/example456.
Post with a Known Author Name
@StephenKing (Stephen King). “I have seen the future of horror, and it is named. . . .” X, 10 Oct. 2023,twitter.com/StephenKing/status/example789.
Citing a Thread (Multiple Authors) If a thread involves multiple contributors relevant to your work, cite the specific post you are quoting. If referencing the conversation generally, list the primary author followed by et al.
@edutopia et al. “How do you handle classroom management in a BYOD environment?” X, 15 Aug. 2024,x.com/edutopia/status/example321.
So, there you have it–now you know how to cite tweet in MLA style/format. We’ve also got scores and scores of resources for using social media in the classroom to explore as well.
