How to Cite a Social Media Post in Harvard (Cite Them Right)
Learn how to cite tweets, Instagram posts, Facebook posts, and TikToks in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Harvard Reference List Format
Here is the standard Harvard format for citing a social media post in your reference list:
Author/@Username (Year) Content of post [Platform]. Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Harvard Example for a Social Media Post
A complete Harvard reference for a social media post, formatted by the official Harvard 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. Available at: https://www.example.org/post/12345.
Matching in-text citation: (University Library, 2024)
Harvard In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(@username, 2024)
Narrative
@username (2024) posted...
Key Harvard Formatting Rules
- Use the author or @username, followed by the year in parentheses.
- Give the text of the post, then the platform in square brackets.
- Give the day and month of the post.
- Include 'Available at:' with the URL and the accessed date in parentheses.
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 Harvard (Cite Them Right) 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 reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Harvard 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: harvard.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 Harvard?
- To cite a social media post in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Harvard format for a social media post citation?
- The Harvard format for a social media post is: Author/@Username (Year) Content of post [Platform]. Day Month. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
- What does the in-text citation look like for a social media post in Harvard?
- In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (@username, 2024)
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