Cite a tweet in MLA 9
Tweets (or X posts) in MLA 9 use the account display name as the author and the full text of the post, up to about 20 words, as the title in quotes. MLA 9 (2021) treats deleted-then-archived posts the same as live ones if you cite an archive URL.
MLA 9 rules for a tweet
- Account display name is the author; include the @handle in square brackets.
- Use the full text of the post, up to about 20 words, as the title in quotes.
- Preserve original spelling, hashtags, and emoji in the title text.
- Add [Tweet] or [Post] in square brackets after the title.
- Include the date and full URL to the individual post, not the profile.
- Use the full tweet text as the title; do not abbreviate.
Worked example
MLA 9 · tweetA real tweet formatted using the MLA 9 rules above.
[@neilhimself], Neil Gaiman "Just finished the manuscript. Twelve years. Worth every minute. [Tweet]." *X*, 4 Oct. 2023, x.com/neilhimself/status/1709123456789012345. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
Build your own MLA 9 reference
Paste a URL, DOI, or ISBN below. The generator is preset to MLA 9.
We’ll detect the type and pull metadata via CrossRef (DOIs), Open Library (ISBNs), or Open Graph tags (URLs). Edit anything before copying.