Social Media Posts

Social media platforms (like Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.) are increasingly important sources of real-time information, public opinion, cultural expression, and community engagement. Content from these platforms, especially as it pertains to specific topics like aspects of "Chicago," can be valuable for research. Citing social media in the Chicago/Turabian Notes and Bibliography (NB) system involves capturing key information to allow a reader to locate the source, understanding that content can be dynamic or ephemeral.

This section will provide guidelines on how to format citations for various types of social media posts, including examples for full notes, shortened notes, and bibliography entries.

Core Elements for Citing Social Media Posts:
  • Author/Creator: The name or username of the person or organization that posted the content. Use the real name if known and publicly associated with the account; otherwise, the username is standard.
  • Text of the Post (or Description): For posts without a formal title (most social media), the first part of the post's text (up to 160 characters, or a descriptive phrase) is used in place of a title. This is not typically put in quotation marks in the bibliography but may be in notes for clarity if it's a direct quote of the beginning of the post. Some prefer to simply describe the post (e.g., "Instagram photo"). The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) often suggests using the text of the post itself.
  • Name of Social Media Platform: E.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok.
  • Publication Date: The date (and sometimes time, if relevant and available) the content was posted.
  • URL: The direct permanent link (permalink) to the post.
  • Access Date: CMOS recommends including an access date for content that might be altered, removed, or is time-sensitive, which is common for social media. (e.g., accessed May 28, 2025).

1. Twitter (X) Posts

Full Note (N):
Author First Name Last Name (or Username), "Full text of the tweet if it's reasonably short, otherwise a description of it," X (or Twitter), Month Day, Year, Time (if available), URL, accessed Month Day, Year (if desired). Example (Known Author): Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot), "Great to see so many Chicagoans out enjoying the lakefront path today! Let's continue to keep our public spaces vibrant and safe. #Chicago #Lakefront," X, May 27, 2025, 2:15 p.m., https://twitter.com/LoriLightfoot/status/yourtweetid123, accessed May 28, 2025. Example (Username as primary identifier): ChicagoHistoryPic (@ChicagoHistoryPic), "Aerial view of the Chicago Loop, circa 1955. Notice the bustling activity around State Street! [image attached]," X, May 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m., https://twitter.com/ChicagoHistoryPic/status/yourpostid456, accessed May 28, 2025.
Shortened Note (SN):
2. Author Last Name (or Username), "Shortened version of tweet text or description." Example: 2. Lightfoot, "Great to see so many Chicagoans." 2. ChicagoHistoryPic, "Aerial view of the Chicago Loop."
Bibliography Entry (B):
Author Last Name, First Name (or Username). "Full text of the tweet or description if too long." X (or Twitter), Month Day, Year, Time (optional in bib). URL. Accessed Month Day, Year (optional but good practice). Example (Known Author): Lightfoot, Lori (@LoriLightfoot). "Great to see so many Chicagoans out enjoying the lakefront path today! Let's continue to keep our public spaces vibrant and safe. #Chicago #Lakefront." X, May 27, 2025, 2:15 p.m. https://twitter.com/LoriLightfoot/status/yourtweetid123. Accessed May 28, 2025. Example (Username as primary identifier): ChicagoHistoryPic (@ChicagoHistoryPic). "Aerial view of the Chicago Loop, circa 1955. Notice the bustling activity around State Street! [image attached]." X, May 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m. https://twitter.com/ChicagoHistoryPic/status/yourpostid456. Accessed May 28, 2025.

Important Notes:

  • Accuracy: Copy the text of the post exactly as it appears, including any typos or abbreviations.
  • Complete URLs: Provide the full and direct URL to the specific post.
  • Media Description: Be specific in describing the media included in the post (e.g., "[Tweet]", "[Facebook video]", "[Instagram photo]", "[LinkedIn post]").
  • Username: Include the username in square brackets after the author's name to help readers locate the post.
  • Emoji: You can include emojis from the post in your citation.
  • Retrieved from: Do not include "Retrieved from" before the URL.
  • Archived Posts: If you are citing an archived version of a social media post (e.g., from the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine), include the retrieval date and the URL of the archived version.
  • Private Accounts: Do not cite posts from private social media accounts, as they are not publicly accessible.
  • Edited Posts: If a post has been edited, cite the most recent version. There is no need to note that it has been edited.