APA 7th Edition is the most commonly used referencing style here at the University of Portsmouth. Below you will find general guidance on how to reference and cite using APA 7th Edition, as well as examples for the specific sources you are likely to use in your assignments. 

Your department or lecturer may prefer you to reference sources differently from the guidance given here. Always follow the requirements of your department or lecturer. 

Need More Help?

If, after looking at this guidance, you are still stuck, then we can help. If you have a quick question then chat to us online, and if you need more help then you can book an online appointment by emailing library@port.ac.uk

Facebook

Facebook posts may contain non-standard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Do not alter spelling or capitalisation and retain hashtags and emojis (links and emojis count as one word).

If the post includes images, videos, thumbnails with links or shared content from another Facebook post indicate that in square brackets. 

Tip: To retrieve the URL of a Facebook post click on the timestamp.

 

Facebook post from a personal timeline  

Reference 

Author, Initials. (Year, Month Date of posting). Text of post up to twenty words [Description of audiovisuals, if present] [Status update]. Name of Site. URL 

Gaiman, N. (2021, May 20). We did it! You, me, UNHCR, Twitter, and many others – all together – we won the Public Service and Activism Social [Video attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/neilgaiman/posts/323143845847219

 

In-text Citation 

It was announced that... (Gaiman, 2021)

Gaiman (2021) announced that... 

 

Facebook post from an organisation's page or group

Reference

Author. (Year, Month Date of posting). Text of post up to twenty words [Description of audiovisuals, if present]. Name of Site. URL 

Design Museum. (2020, June 7). If you could live anywhere, where would it be? What would it look like? [Image attached]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/designmuseum/photos/a.91537539168/10158472662469169

 

In-text Citation

It was reported... (Design Museum, 2020)

The Design Museum (2020) reported that...  

 

Provide a retrieval date as the contents of the page can change over time. 

Title of section refers to the sections such as "Home", "About", "Photos" etc.

 

Reference 

Author, Initials. (n.d). Title of section [Facebook page]. Name of Site. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL 

The British Library. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved June 9, 2020, from
https://www.facebook.com/britishlibrary/

 

In-text Citation 

It was announced... (The British Library, n.d.)

The British Library (2021) announced that...

 

X (Twitter)

Posts on X (tweets) may contain non-standard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Do not alter spelling or capitalisation and retain hashtags and emojis (links and emojis count as one word).

If the post includes images, videos, polls, etc. indicate that in square brackets. 

 

Reference 

Author, Initials. [@username]. (Year, Month Date of posting). Text of post up to twenty words [Description of audiovisuals, if present] [X post/Tweet]. Name of Site. URL 

Olusoga, D. [@DavidOlusoga]. (2020, June 8). Been asked to tweet this again - The toppling of Edward Colston's statue is not an attack on history. It is history [Thumbnail with link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/DavidOlusoga/status/1270034773176725506

 

In-text Citation 

It was suggested... (Olusoga, 2020) 

Olusoga (2020) suggested that...

 

Provide a retrieval date as the contents of the profile can change over time. 

Title of section refers to the sections such as "Tweets", "Tweets and replies", "Media" etc.

 

Reference 

Author, Initials. [@username]. (n.d.). Title of section [X/Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL 

Beard, M. [@wmarybeard]. (n.d.). Tweets and replies [X/Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved June 9, 2020, from https://twitter.com/wmarybeard

 

In-text Citation 

On Twitter... (Beard, n.d.) 

Mary Beard (n.d) posts that... 

 

Instagram

Instagram posts may contain non-standard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Do not alter spelling or capitalisation and retain hashtags and emojis (links and emojis count as one word).

 

Reference 

Author, Initials. [username]. (Year, Month Date of posting). Text of post up to twenty words [Description]. Name of Site. URL 

Bickford-Smith, C. [coraliebickfordsmith]. (2020, May 14). Spot the newbie! There's a new cloth colour in town! It's bright and I love it! [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAKR8FgAbY8/

 

In-text Citation 

In a photograph... (Bickford-Smith, 2020) 

Bickford-Smith (2020) revealed... 

 

Provide a retrieval date as the contents of the profile can change over time. 

Title of section refers to the sections such as "Posts", "Mentions" etc. 

 

Reference 

Author. [username]. (n.d.). Title of section [Instagram profile]. Name of Site. Retrieved Month Date, year, from URL 

Elba, I. [idriselba]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved June 9, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/idriselba/

 

In-text Citation 

This profile demonstrates... (Elba, n.d.)

Elba (n.d.) uses his profile...

 

TikTok

TikTok captions may contain non-standard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Do not alter spelling or capitalisation and retain hashtags and emojis (links and emojis count as one word).

 

Reference 

Author. [@username]. (Year, Month Date of posting). Caption of video up to twenty words including hashtags [Video]. Name of Site. URL 

Cook, P. [@chemteacherphil]. (2019, November 19). Alkali salts get lit. #chemistry #chemteacherphil #scienceexperiments #foryou #jobforme #trend #featurethis #science #vibecheck [Video]. TikTok. https://vm.tiktok.com/xP1r1m

 

In-text Citation 

This video... (Cook, 2019)

Cook (2019) demonstrates how...

 

Unlike other social media profile pages, the TikTok page does not have a “Home” or other tabs. For the title in the reference, use the first 20 words of the description (in the example, “vsco mom”).

Provide a retrieval date as the contents of the profile can change over time. 

 

Reference 

Author. [@username]. (n.d.). First 20 words of the description [TikTok profile]. Name of Site. Retrieved Month Date, year, from URL 

Witherspoon, R. [@officialreesetiktok]. (n.d.). vsco mom [TikTok profile]. TikTok. Retrieved January 12, 2020, from https://vm.tiktok.com/xS3B86

 

In-text Citation 

This TikTok profile... (Witherspoon, n.d.)

Witherspoon (n.d.) uses her TikTok profile to highlight...

 

Online forum post (e.g. Reddit)

Online forum posts may contain non-standard spelling, capitalisation, hashtags, links and emojis. Do not alter spelling or capitalisation and retain hashtags and emojis (links and emojis count as one word).

If the forum post includes images, videos, or thumbnails with links indicate that in square brackets.

When the real name of the author is not known, provide only the user name without brackets.

 

Reference 

Author. [user name]. (Year, Month Date of posting). Text of post up to twenty words [Online forum post; Description of audiovisuals if present]. Name of Site. URL 

Little, J. [j450n_l]. (2018, December 12). I'm the first person in the world with a neural-enabled prosthetic hand. Using an specialized prosthetic and a device implanted [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/a5jxbe/im_the_first_person_in_the_world_with_a/

 

In-text Citation 

In a forum post... (Little, 2018)

Little (2018) announced on Reddit...