How to Cite a Social Media Post in CSE (8th Edition)

This guide explains how to format a social media post citation in CSE (8th Edition). Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a social media post in CSE (8th Edition):

Template

Author or handle. Year. Content up to 20 words. [post on Platform]. [accessed Year Mon Day]. URL.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Biden 2024)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Biden JR [@POTUS]. 2024. Today we are announcing new investments in clean energy that will create thousands of good-paying jobs. [post on X]. [accessed 2026 Mar 28]. https://x.com/POTUS/status/1234567890.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
Use Last Name plus initials, followed by the handle in square brackets: Biden JR [@POTUS].
2
Add the year
Place the year of the post, followed by a period.
3
Write the post content
Use the first 20 words of the post in sentence case. Do not use quotation marks.
4
Add the content designator
Write '[post on Platform]' in square brackets (e.g., [post on X]).
5
Include access date and URL
Add the access date in square brackets and the direct URL to the post.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Italicizing any element (CSE does not use italics).
Using headline-style capitalization instead of sentence case.
Omitting the [post on Platform] content designator.
Forgetting the access date.
Not formatting the access date in CSE's Year Mon Day format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CSE use quotation marks for social media content?

No. CSE does not use quotation marks for titles or content. The post content serves as the title in sentence case.

How do I format the platform designation?

Use a content designator in square brackets: [post on X], [post on Facebook], etc.

Is the access date required for social media in CSE?

Yes. All online sources in CSE require an access date because web content can change or be deleted.

Information You Will Need

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

Author/Username
Content/Title
Platform
Date
URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

Identify the author

Use Last Name plus initials, followed by the handle in square brackets: Biden JR [@POTUS].

Add the year

Place the year of the post, followed by a period.

Write the post content

Use the first 20 words of the post in sentence case. Do not use quotation marks.

Add the content designator

Write '[post on Platform]' in square brackets (e.g., [post on X]).

Include access date and URL

Add the access date in square brackets and the direct URL to the post.