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How to reference a social media post in Harvard

A post reference in Harvard has 7 parts. See them labelled on an example, then build your own and copy it.

  • In your essay: (Author, year)
  • Checked 23 October 2026

Pip tip: with Peel, click the toolbar button on any page. I fill in most of this for you and flag what’s missing.

The 7 parts

Account (Year) ‘Post’ [Platform] Date. Available at: Web address (Accessed: date accessed).

1 · ACCOUNTCampus Library [@campuslibrary]2 · DATE(2025)3 · POST‘Open until midnight all exam week’4 · PLATFORM[X]5 · DATE12 January. Available at: 6 · WEB ADDRESShttps://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 7 · ACCESSED14 October 2026).

  1. 1 · AccountThe organisation’s name, as it gives it.The account’s name, with its handle in square brackets, like [@campuslibrary].
  2. 2 · DateThe year. In round brackets.The date it was posted.
  3. 3 · PostIn single quotation marks.The post’s first words, as written.
  4. 4 · PlatformIn square brackets.The platform, like X or Instagram.
  5. 5 · DateThe date, written like this: 12 January.The date it was posted.
  6. 6 · Web addressThe full web address. After “Available at:”.Copy the post’s own link from the Share button.
  7. 7 · AccessedThe day you looked at it, written like this: 14 October 2026. After “Accessed:”. All in round brackets.The day you read it.

Two places, one source

IN YOUR ESSAY

The library stays open late in exam weeks (Campus Library [@campuslibrary], 2025).

The author and the year, in brackets.
IN YOUR REFERENCE LIST

Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

The full reference, in A to Z order by surname.

Build your reference

Fill in what you have. Anything still missing is highlighted. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Surname, then first name. Separate people with a semicolon (;).
Like 2025, May 2025 or 5 May 2025.
Like 14 October 2026.
YOUR REFERENCE LIST ENTRYReady to copy

Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

IN YOUR ESSAY

(Campus Library [@campuslibrary], 2025)

Pip tip: the formatting stays when you paste into Word or Google Docs. If it doesn’t, select it and press Ctrl+I.

What if…

  • No date

    Write “no date” where the date goes.

    Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (no date) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X]. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

    In your essay: (Campus Library [@campuslibrary], no date)

  • Two authors

    Give both names, joined with “and”.

    Green, A. and Patel, R. (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

    In your essay: (Green and Patel, 2025)

  • Four or more authors

    Give the first author, then “et al.”, which means “and others”. In your essay, give the first author and “et al.”.

    Green, A. et al. (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

    In your essay: (Green et al., 2025)

Easy to get wrong

  • A web address in your essay

    NOT QUITE

    The library stays open late in exam weeks (x.com).

    RIGHT

    The library stays open late in exam weeks (Campus Library [@campuslibrary], 2025).

  • Leaving out the date you looked at it

    NOT QUITE

    Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1.

    RIGHT

    Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (2025) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X] 12 January. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

Check your university’s version

Harvard isn’t one fixed style. Universities change small things, like brackets, full stops and “Accessed” or “Viewed”. This guide follows Cite Them Right. Your module handbook always wins.

This guide follows Cite Them Right (13th edition, 2025), the Harvard many UK universities teach.

Harvard for your university

The full Harvard guide

Questions

How do I cite a social media post in the text?

Give the author and the year, in brackets: (Campus Library [@campuslibrary], 2025)

What if there’s no date?

Check the page or document again first. If there really is none, here’s how Harvard sets it out: Campus Library [@campuslibrary] (no date) ‘Open until midnight all exam week’ [X]. Available at: https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1 (Accessed: 14 October 2026).

Is Harvard the same at every university?

Harvard isn’t one fixed style. Universities change small things, like brackets, full stops and “Accessed” or “Viewed”. This guide follows Cite Them Right. Your module handbook always wins.

Referencing is easier as you go

KanBananza’s step-by-step guides show how to plan an assignment and keep your sources in order while you research and write, so the reference list is ready when you are.

Let Peel do this as you read

Save a page in one click. Peel fills in the details, flags anything missing, and builds your reference list in any style, free.

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These guides and Peel’s references are here to help, but they don’t replace your course’s own referencing guide: check your references against your handbook, and ask your tutor or library if you’re not sure. You’re responsible for your own work. Style names belong to their owners, who aren’t connected with Peel or KanBananza and don’t endorse them. See our terms.

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