How to Cite a Social Media Post in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite tweets, Instagram posts, Facebook posts, and TikToks in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a social media post in your bibliography:
Author or @Username. "Content of post (shortened if needed)." Platform, Month Day, Year. URL.
Chicago Example for a Social Media Post
A complete Chicago reference for a social media post, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
University Library. 2024. “Our new open-access policy takes effect today.” Instagram, October 4. https://www.example.org/post/12345.
Matching in-text citation: (University Library 2024)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(@username 2024)
Narrative
@username (2024) states...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Give the author's real name followed by the @username in parentheses.
- Put the post text (up to about 160 characters) in quotation marks.
- Name the platform and give the date as Month Day, Year.
- Include the URL; posts may be cited in notes alone when no bibliography entry is needed.
- Notes-Bibliography: use footnotes; Author-Date: use parenthetical.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your social media post.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Metadata to collect
- account name and handle
- post text or description
- exact date
- platform
- permalink
Common metadata traps
- Cite the specific post rather than the profile page.
- Preserve enough post text to identify content that may later be edited or removed.
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a social media post in Chicago?
- To cite a social media post in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a social media post citation?
- The Chicago format for a social media post is: Author or @Username. "Content of post (shortened if needed)." Platform, Month Day, Year. URL.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a social media post in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (@username 2024)
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