How to Cite a Social Media in IEEE Citation Style
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
[#] Creator, "Post text [First 20 words], Account [@username]," Platform, Month Date, Year, Accessed: Month Date, Year, [Online]. Available: URL
Citation Components
Reference Number
Numbered [1], [2], etc.
Creator/Account
Full name or organization.
Post Text
First 20 words in quotation marks. Title Case.
Username
[@username] format
Platform
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Date/Access
Month Date, Year, Accessed: Month Date, Year, [Online]. Available: URL
Real-World Example
Example Source
1
NASA
The James Webb Space Telescope reveals the oldest galaxies ever observed [...]
@NASA
July
12
2023
July
13
2023
https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234567890
Formatted Citation
[1] NASA, "The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Oldest Galaxies Ever Observed [...]," [@NASA], Twitter, July 12, 2023, Accessed: July 13, 2023, [Online]. Available: https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234567890
In-Text Citation
[1]
[1], [2]
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
[1] @NASA (July 12, 2023). Space telescope post. Twitter. [Online]. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234567890
Right:
[1] NASA, "The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Oldest Galaxies Ever Observed [...]," [@NASA], Twitter, July 12, 2023, Accessed: July 13, 2023, [Online]. Available: https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234567890
Why: Use creator name (not @handle), post text in quotation marks with first 20 words, [@username] format, and complete access information.
Wrong:
[1]. NASA post on July 12. Twitter. Accessed 7/13/23.
Right:
[1] NASA, "The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Oldest Galaxies Ever Observed [...]," [@NASA], Twitter, July 12, 2023, Accessed: July 13, 2023, [Online]. Available: URL
Why: Include full post text in quotation marks, month/date format (not numerical), both post date and access date, and URL.
Wrong:
[1] NASA. Space Telescope. Twitter. 2023. https://twitter.com/NASA
Right:
[1] NASA, "The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Oldest Galaxies Ever Observed [...]," [@NASA], Twitter, July 12, 2023, Accessed: July 13, 2023, [Online]. Available: https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234567890
Why: Include specific post date, full post text in quotation marks, username, and direct link to specific post (not just profile).
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include both post date and access date? ▼
Yes, both are important for verification: Month Date, Year for post, then Accessed: Month Date, Year for access.
What if the post is very long? ▼
Use the first 20 words or first complete sentence, followed by [...] to indicate truncation.
Do I need the @username in the citation? ▼
Yes, [@username] helps readers locate the specific account that posted.
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