How to Cite a Social Media Post in OSCOLA (4th Edition)

This guide explains how to format a social media post citation in OSCOLA (4th 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 OSCOLA (4th Edition):

Template

Author, 'Content' (Platform, Date) <URL> accessed Date

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

See footnote 14 (superscript in text).

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

UK Supreme Court (@UKSupremeCourt), 'Judgment will be handed down on Tuesday 15 October in the case of ABC' (X, 11 October 2024) <https://x.com/UKSupremeCourt/status/1234567890> accessed 28 March 2026

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Write the author name and handle
Use the author's full name followed by the handle in parentheses. Use first name then surname format.
2
Write the post content
Place the first 20 words of the post in single quotation marks.
3
Add the platform and date
In parentheses, write the platform name and the date in Day Month Year format.
4
Include the URL
Write the direct URL to the post in angle brackets.
5
Add the accessed date
Write 'accessed' followed by the date. No full stop at the end.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using double quotation marks instead of single quotation marks.
Omitting the angle brackets around the URL.
Adding a full stop at the end of the citation.
Forgetting to include the platform name.
Not including the accessed date for online content.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does OSCOLA cite social media posts?

OSCOLA treats social media posts as online sources (para 4.9). Use single quotation marks for the content, include the platform and date in parentheses, and provide the URL in angle brackets with an accessed date.

Should I include the time of the post?

OSCOLA does not specifically require the time, but including it can help identify the exact post, especially if the author posts multiple times per day.

What if only a handle is known?

Use the handle alone without parentheses: @POTUS, 'Content...' (X, 15 January 2024) <URL> accessed Date.

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

Write the author name and handle

Use the author's full name followed by the handle in parentheses. Use first name then surname format.

Write the post content

Place the first 20 words of the post in single quotation marks.

Add the platform and date

In parentheses, write the platform name and the date in Day Month Year format.

Include the URL

Write the direct URL to the post in angle brackets.

Add the accessed date

Write 'accessed' followed by the date. No full stop at the end.