Subject guides: MLA 9th: Online communication / social media

Online communication / social media

In-text citation

One author

Format

(Author's surname OR Screen name)

Example

(indigiTUBE)

indigiTUBE's Instagram post...

Tips

Go to Getting started > In-text citation to view detailed information on in-text citation using MLA.

Email / Text message

Works cited

Format

Email

Last Name, First Name (of sender). "Subject Line of Email". E- mail to Recipient’s First Name Last Name. Day Month Year.

Text message

Last Name, First Name (of sender). Text message to Recipient’s First Name Last Name. Day Month Year.

Example

Email

Gruen, Mandy. "Re: Academic Integrity." E-mail to Adele Morrow. 31 Aug. 2017.

Text message

Clark, Emily. Text message to Tom Griss. 3 May 2022.

Tips

To provide clarity on the subject of the communication, use text from the work if self- such as an email’s subject line-in the reference. Place this text in double quotation marks - see p.124 of the MLA Handbook.

Blog post

Works cited

Format

Last Name, First Name. "Post Title." Title of website, date of post, URL.

Example

Farkas, Dora. "How to Finish Your Literature Review When You Can’t Stop Reading Articles." Finish Your Thesis, 16 April, 2022. finishyourthesis.com/write-literature-review/.

Tips

The title of the post should be in quotation marks, and the name of the website should be in italics.
Use the screen name as the author name if the author name is unknown.

Comment on a blog post or article

Works cited

Format

Commenter’s Screen Name. Comment on "Post Title". Title of Website, date of comment, time of comment post, name of affiliated organisation (if given), URL.

Example

Janice Wymore. Comment on "How to finish your literature review when you can’t stop reading articles." Finish Your Thesis, 28 Aug. 2017,1:33 p.m., finishyourthesis.com/write-literature-review/#disqus_thread.

Tips

Use screen name as author name if author name is unknown.
Include the date and time the comment was posted.

Tweet (or other short, untitled message)

Works cited

Last Name, First Name [@Account Handle]. "Post title." Title of website, date of comment, name of affiliated organisation (if given), URL.

Example

@monashunilib. "Writing is a great tool to clarify your ideas. Join us tomorrow for SUAW and work on your writing in a motivating environment #AcWri #PhD." Twitter, 29 Aug. 2017, twitter.com/monashunilib/status/902750997382139904.

Smith, Michelle [@DrMichelleSmith]. "Have just finished reading Jack Zipes’ translation of Bambi by Felix Salten. It’s one of the grimmest novels I’ve ever read and bears so little resemblance to the Disney animated film." X, 30 May 2023, https://twitter.com/DrMichelleSmith/status/1663450842543054849.

The Museum of Modern Art. Image of Fernand Léger’s The Three Musicians. Instagram, 14 July 2020, instagram.com/stories/themuseumofmodernart/23532461259540.

indigiTUBE [@indigitubeaustralia]. Image of BLAKSOUND is a self-determined Indigenous music conference and festival presented by Digi Youth Arts (DYA). Instagram, 16 Nov. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck_sMihBVEQ/.

Monash University. “Are we ready for the age of AI?” LinkedIn, 2023, www.linkedin.com/posts/monash-university_changeit-activity-7125677977710792704-0Xve?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop.

Lapwood, A. [@annalapwoodorgan]. “The Journey from Bach to Bonobo 😍@royal_albert_hall @bonoboofficial #electronicmusic #classicalmusic #bach #toccata #organtok #bonobo #bestday. TikTok, 10 Jan. 2020, www.tiktok.com/@annalapwoodorgan/video/7101969236217564422?lang=en.

Tips

Reproduce the full text of the tweet (including hashtags) in place of a title, and enclose in quotation marks.
If an author's online handle differs from the author’s account name, put the handle in square brackets after the name - see second example.
If the post does not have a title or any other text, as might be the case for a post containing only an image, provide a description - see third example.
If you are citing an image from a post that also contains text, you can provide a description of the image in the Title of Source element if you wish to emphasise the image - see 4th example.
Some social media sites do not provide precise dates for posts. They may indicate only that the content was posted one week ago, one month ago, and so on. If you can determine the post date, provide it. Otherwise, list the copyright date of the page in the publication date element - see 5th example.
For further advice on citing material posted on social media platforms refer to the MLA Style Center.

Online video (YouTube video)

Works cited

Format

Last Name, First Name. "Video title." Title of website, uploaded by First Name Last Name, date uploaded, URL.

Example

Behlendorf, Brian. "What If the Internet Could Not Tell a Lie? Blockchain, Fake News, Rumor Mills." YouTube, uploaded by Big Think, 29 Aug. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmWFrrOHECg.

“Why choose Monash University?” YouTube, uploaded by Monash University, 10 May 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVoXVLin7o.

Tips

If the author is the same as the uploader, only cite them once - see 2nd example.
Use the screen name as the author name.