MLA · 9th Edition
How to Cite a Tweet or X Post in MLA 9th Edition
Learn how to cite tweets and X (formerly Twitter) posts in MLA 9th edition format. Includes template, real example, and common mistakes.
Quick Answer
To cite a tweet or X post in MLA 9th edition, use: Author [@handle]. "Tweet text." X (formerly Twitter), Day Month Year, URL. Put the full tweet text in quotation marks — this serves as the title of the work. Italicize the platform name, X (formerly Twitter), since MLA treats it as the container. Use the day-month-year date format with abbreviated months. The in-text citation uses only the author name, without a page number: (NASA). When sorting alphabetically in the Works Cited, ignore the @ symbol in the handle. Example: NASA [@NASA]. "Today marks 25 years since the launch of the first International Space Station module, Zarya." X (formerly Twitter), 15 Nov. 2024, https://x.com/NASA/status/1857344100000000000. Note that MLA italicizes the platform name while APA does not — this is a common mix-up between the two styles. CiteMe applies the correct formatting conventions for each citation style so you avoid these cross-style mistakes.
Quick answer: To cite a tweet / x post in MLA (9th Edition), use this template: Author [@handle]. "Tweet text." *X (formerly Twitter)*, Day Month Year, URL.
Citation template
Full example
Reference / Bibliography
NASA [@NASA]. "Today marks 25 years since the launch of the first International Space Station module, Zarya." *X (formerly Twitter)*, 15 Nov. 2024, https://x.com/NASA/status/1857344100000000000.
In-text citation
(NASA)
Source breakdown
- author
- NASA [@NASA]
- title
- Today marks 25 years since the launch of the first International Space Station module, Zarya
- site
- X (formerly Twitter)
- year
- 15 Nov. 2024
- url
- https://x.com/NASA/status/1857344100000000000
Tips
- ✓Put the tweet text in quotation marks.
- ✓Italicize the platform name (*X (formerly Twitter)*).
- ✓Use day-month-year format and abbreviate months.
- ✓The in-text citation uses only the author name in MLA.
Common mistakes
- ⚠Italicizing the tweet text instead of the platform name.
- ⚠Using year-only date instead of full day-month-year.
- ⚠Omitting the handle after the real name.
- ⚠Including the @ symbol when sorting alphabetically — ignore it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a Works Cited entry for a tweet in MLA?
Format: Author [@handle]. "Tweet text." Platform, Day Month Year, URL. Treat the tweet text as the title of the work, in quotation marks.
Should I include the full URL or just the domain?
MLA 9 prefers the permalink URL. If very long, you may use a shortened version, but the full URL leaves no ambiguity. Always test that the link works.
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