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APA Referencing Guide

Guide to APA citation style using the 7th Edition of the APA Style Manual.

X (formerly Twitter)

X 

Format

Author, A. [@username]. (Date). Title – italicised. [Audiovisual description – if applicable] [Type]. Social media site. http://www.xxxxx

NOTES: 

  • If the author's full name is not listed, just use their screen name without brackets
  • If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop between the author's name and the screen name
Examples

APA Databases [@APA_Databases]. (2020, September 2). We have curated a collection of journal articles from APA PsycArticles on #COVID19. View: https://bit.ly/2QrWj76 for recent coverage [Image attached] [Post]. X. https://x.com/APA_Databases/status/1301175576703664128

NOTE: avoid referencing a re-post. Instead, click on the post and reference the original post

Blogs

Blog post

Format

Author, A. [Screen name if applicable]. (Date). Post title – not italicised. Blog name. http://www.xxxxx

NOTES: 

  • If the author's full name is not listed, just use their screen name without brackets
  • If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop between the author's name and the screen name
Examples

Kabiyeva, M. (2024, June 14). Media Spotlight on the 13th Eurasian Academic Libraries Conference at NU. NU Library News. https://nu.kz.libguides.com/blog/Media-Spotlight-on-the-13th-Eurasian-Academic-Libraries-Conference-at-Nazarbayev-University

Blog comment

Format

Author, A. (Date). Title or first sentence – not italicised [Comment “article or post title”]. Blog name. http://www.xxxxx
Examples

Worthington, T. (2019, August 19). The positive aspect of AI in education is that it will force us to be more transparent in what we do, and challenge our own assumptions and biases. [Comment on the post “Artificial intelligence in Schools: An ethical storm is brewing”]. EduResearch Matters. https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=4325

Facebook

Facebook page

Format

Author, A. (n.d.). Title –italicised [Facebook page]. Social media site. Retrieved date, from http://www.xxxxx

NOTES: 

  • If the author's full name is not listed, just use their screen name without brackets
  • If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop between the author's name and the screen name
Examples

Nazarbayev University Library [NU Library]. (n.d.). Official Facebook Account for the Nazarbayev University Library. [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved June 11, 20 24, from https://www.facebook.com/Nazarbayev.University.Library

Facebook post

Format

Author, A. [Screen name if applicable]. (Date). Title – italicised. [Audiovisual description – if applicable] [Type]. Social media site. http://www.xxxxx

NOTES: 

  • If the author's full name is not listed, just use their screen name without brackets
  • If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop between the author's name and the screen name
Examples

Nazarbayev University Library [NU Library]. (2024, June 29). NU LIBRARY NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE 2024: Wishing You a Relaxing Summer Holiday. [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. http://www.xxxxx

Facebook comment

Format

Author, A. (Date). Title – italicised [Comment “article or post title”]. Social media site. Retrieved date, from http://www.xxxxx
Examples

Gordon, C. (2019, October 21). The muddle headed wombat by Ruth Park - the original and the best! [Comment on the post “It’s Wombat Day in Australia. What’s your favourite story?”]. Facebook. Retrieved 2019, October 25, from https://www.facebook.com/JCULibrary/

Instagram and Tik Tok

Visual social media post

Format

Author, A. [Screen name]. (Date). Caption – italicised [Audiovisual description]. Social media site. http://www.xxxxx

NOTES: 

  • The author is whoever posted the image/video (not the original creator)
  • If the author's full name is not listed, just use their screen name without brackets
  • If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop between the author's name and the screen name
  • Use the caption of the post as the title of the image or video – up to the first 20 words (including tags and emojis)
Examples

James Cook University Library [@jcu_libraryinthetropics]. (2019, May 22). Put children together with alpacas and maracas and you’ve got FUN! [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/BxvyuWPJW37/

Penderlith, B. [@ferretmum]. (2022, January 10). Definitely nothing in that brain #fyp #ferret #ferrets #ferretsoftiktok #fypシ [Video file]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@ferretmum/video/7051311785785183493

Instagram comment

Format

Author, A. (Date). Title – italicised [Comment “article or post title”]. Social media site. Retrieved date, from http://www.
Examples

Hoopsby4. (2019, May 22). Awesome! [Comment on post “Put children together with alpacas and maracas and you’ve got FUN!]. Instagram. Retrieved January 3, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/p/BxvyuWPJW37

Social media posts: spelling and emoji

Many social media posts can contain nonstandard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Reference the post exactly as is and include hashtags and links (but ignore returns - run the entire post as if in a continuous line).

Replicate emojis. If you are unable to replicate the emoji, provide the CLDR Short Name (from the Unicode Website) in square brackets e.g. Image of lock and key emoji  is noted in-text as [Locked with key emoji] in the text where the emoji is located. Note that sometimes people use emojis for their appearance, not for their "intended" meaning, but when rendering a message in text you should give the name of the actual emoji used, wherever possible, just as you should retain their spelling when replicating their text.

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