How to Cite a Social Media Post in Vancouver

This guide explains how to format a social media post citation in Vancouver. 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 Vancouver:

Template

Author. Title of post [Internet]. Platform; Year Mon Day [cited Year Mon Day]. Available from: URL

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(1)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

National Institutes of Health. New study shows promising results for Alzheimer's immunotherapy [Internet]. X (Twitter); 2025 Sep 12 [cited 2026 Mar 28]. Available from: https://x.com/NIH/status/1234567890

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Identify the author
Use the author's real name or the organisation's full name. If only a handle is available, use the handle as the author.
2
Write the post title or description
Use the first meaningful words of the post as the title (up to about 20 words). Write in sentence case. Follow with '[Internet]'.
3
Add the platform name
Write the name of the social media platform (e.g., X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook). Follow with a semicolon.
4
Include dates
Write the posting date in Year Mon Day format, followed by '[cited Year Mon Day]' for your access date.
5
Add the URL
Write 'Available from:' followed by the direct URL to the post.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not including '[Internet]' after the post title or description.
Omitting the '[cited ...]' date — required for all online resources in Vancouver.
Failing to name the platform (e.g., X, Instagram, Facebook) as the publisher.
Using the user handle alone instead of the author's real name or organisation name.
Italicising the post title — Vancouver does not use italics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a social media post with no title in Vancouver?

Use the first 20 or so words of the post as the title. Write them in sentence case and follow with '[Internet]'.

Should I include the author's social media handle?

If the author's real name is known, use the real name. You may include the handle in square brackets after the name for clarity, e.g., 'National Institutes of Health [@NIH]'.

Do I need a cited date for social media posts in Vancouver?

Yes. Vancouver requires a '[cited ...]' date for all internet resources. Social media content can be edited or deleted, so recording the access date is essential.

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 the author's real name or the organisation's full name. If only a handle is available, use the handle as the author.

Write the post title or description

Use the first meaningful words of the post as the title (up to about 20 words). Write in sentence case. Follow with '[Internet]'.

Add the platform name

Write the name of the social media platform (e.g., X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook). Follow with a semicolon.

Include dates

Write the posting date in Year Mon Day format, followed by '[cited Year Mon Day]' for your access date.

Add the URL

Write 'Available from:' followed by the direct URL to the post.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not including '[Internet]' after the post title or description.

Omitting the '[cited ...]' date — required for all online resources in Vancouver.

Failing to name the platform (e.g., X, Instagram, Facebook) as the publisher.

Using the user handle alone instead of the author's real name or organisation name.

Italicising the post title — Vancouver does not use italics.