How to Cite a Tweet (X Post) in MLA 9
To cite a tweet in MLA 9, use the poster's handle as the author, the full text of the post (in quotes) as the title, and X (formerly Twitter) as the container. Add the date, time, and URL at the end.
The MLA 9 Format for Tweets
Here's the basic structure on your Works Cited page:
@Handle. "Full text of the tweet, copied exactly, with original capitalization and spelling." X, Day Month Year, Time, URL.
A few things to notice:
- The handle goes first, including the @ symbol. No real name, even if you know it.
- The entire post text becomes the title, wrapped in quotation marks. Copy it verbatim, including typos, hashtags, and emoji descriptions if you're transcribing them.
- The platform name is X, italicized. MLA updated its guidance after the rebrand from Twitter in 2023. If your professor still prefers Twitter, ask.
- Date uses day-month-year order (no commas between).
- Time uses the timestamp shown on the post (usually in your local zone).
- The URL is the direct permalink to that post, not the user's profile.
Worked Example
Say you're citing this post by @AOC from March 4, 2024 at 9:15 AM, which reads: "Reminder that student loan payments resume this month. Check your servicer."
Works Cited entry:
@AOC. "Reminder that student loan payments resume this month. Check your servicer." X, 4 Mar. 2024, 9:15 a.m., x.com/AOC/status/1764528374659182592.
In-text citation:
(@AOC)
That's it. No page number, no year in parentheses. Just the handle.
What If the Post Is Long?
MLA 9 dropped the old 140-character rule. You quote the whole post regardless of length. If the post is a thread, cite each tweet you reference separately, or cite the first post and note "thread" in your prose.
For very long posts (X now allows up to 25,000 characters for Premium users), still transcribe the entire thing. Yes, all of it. Your Works Cited entry might run several lines. That's fine.
What About the Real Name?
You don't include it. MLA treats the handle as the author because that's how the post is signed on the platform. If identifying the person matters for your argument, name them in your sentence ("Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted..."), then use the handle in the parenthetical.
Pseudonymous and anonymous accounts work the same way. The handle is the author.
Handling Replies, Quote Posts, and Reposts
Replies: Cite the reply itself with its own URL and timestamp. If the reply only makes sense in context, mention the original poster in your sentence.
Quote posts: Cite the quote post (the one with added commentary) as your source. If you also need the original, add it as a separate Works Cited entry.
Reposts (retweets): Don't cite reposts. Find the original post and cite that. A repost isn't a publication by the reposter.
Deleted Tweets
If the post has been deleted, you can still cite it, but add an access note. Use this format:
@Handle. "Full text of the tweet." X, 4 Mar. 2024, 9:15 a.m. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.
Drop the URL since it no longer resolves. If you have a screenshot or archive link (Wayback Machine, archive.today), include that URL instead and note "archived at" in your prose.
Images, Videos, and Polls in Posts
If the post contains media you're actually analyzing (not just decoration), describe it in your prose. The citation itself stays the same. For a video embedded in a post, you cite the post, not the video file separately, unless the video lives elsewhere too.
A Few Common Mistakes
- Don't italicize the handle. Handles are plain text.
- Don't drop the @. It's part of the author name in MLA.
- Don't shorten the post text with an ellipsis. Quote it in full.
- Don't use "Twitter" if you're following current MLA 9 guidance. Use X.
- Don't cite a screenshot you found elsewhere. Track down the original post.
In-Text Citations
Keep them light. The handle in parentheses is usually enough: (@AOC). If you've already named the handle in your sentence, you don't need the parenthetical at all. MLA in-text rules favor the lightest citation that still points the reader to the right Works Cited entry.
If you're citing multiple posts from the same handle in one paragraph, add a short identifier (the first few words of each post in quotes) to keep them distinct: (@AOC, "Reminder that student"), (@AOC, "Floor vote tonight").