How to Cite a Social Media Post in Bluebook (21st Edition)

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a social media post in Bluebook (21st Edition):

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Identify the author

   Write the author's full name followed by their handle in parentheses: Joe Biden (@POTUS). If the real name is unknown, use the handle alone.

2. 2

   Provide a title or description

   Capitalise the first sentence or a brief description of the post as a title. Do not use quotation marks.

3. 3

   Add the platform and date

   In parentheses, write the platform name and the date using Bluebook month abbreviations (e.g., Jan. 15, 2024). Follow with a comma.

4. 4

   Include the URL

   Provide the direct URL to the specific post. End with a period.

5. 5

   Consider a 'last visited' date

   For social media posts that may be deleted, add a 'last visited' parenthetical to document when you accessed the content.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not including the author's handle or username.
• Omitting the platform name from the parenthetical.
• Using the full month name instead of Bluebook abbreviations.
• Quoting the entire post instead of providing a descriptive title.
• Forgetting to include the direct URL to the specific post.

Frequently Asked Questions

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your social media post:

• Author/Username
• Content/Title
• Platform
• Date
• URL