Citing references can be confusing, especially when citing social media platforms like Facebook. If you are finding a way of citing a Facebook post, this post has presented the guide you can follow. Moreover, it has explained the importance of giving citations and the best practices when citing social media. Let’s get started!
Why Is It Important To Give Citations?
Citing references is a big area in the academic world that cannot be avoided. If you want to prosper in doing academic papers, citing is an area you must be well conversant with. One may wonder why it is important to cite references, but let us look at it from this perspective. What if someone uses your exact words without recognizing you? How will you feel about it? The following are the main reasons why you must cite your work.
Build Credibility
When you give your views and support them with ideas that other experts support, it shows your ideas are credible, not rumors. Moreover, it illustrates that you have done thorough research and come up with facts that others can reference.
Avoid Plagiarism
Suppose you use someone’s words without giving credit to that person; that is considered plagiarism. As a scholar, you can tell how bad an offense like plagiarism can be because it could lead to your paper being canceled.
Makes It Easier To Locate a Book Used
Professors have made it mandatory to include the references used so they can easily find the book or resource material you used in case they need to confirm your views.
The Best Practices When Citing Social Media
Citing social media sources has rules that ensure you correctly referenced your work. The following are the best practices when citing social media references.
Provide All Information
When citing any social media content, you must provide your reader with all the information he will require to locate the reference you used. Ensure you cite the name, date, title, and other details correctly.
Reference a Blog Post if Possible
If you want to cite something like a Facebook post, it is good to find out if there is a blog associated with the post. If there is a blog, reference it instead of a Facebook post.
How To Cite a Facebook Post
Scholars can reference Facebook pages and posts. If you cite a Facebook post in APA style, include the following details in your citation.
Name
A name is a major requirement when citing references. For a Facebook post, you will include the name associated with the account as the reference name.
Date
You must also include the date when the account owner made the post.
Title
Because all references require a title, you will use the first twenty words associated with the post as the title.
Images and Videos
If the Facebook post you want to reference includes thumbnail links to other sources, videos, and images, indicate so in square brackets.
Post Type
Indicate what type of Facebook post you are referencing in square brackets. Post type can be a status update or a video.
Site Name
Use Facebook as the site name and provide the link to the Facebook post in the URL section. The above details include the important details you must include when citing a Facebook post in APA style. Moreover, to see an example of how your cited reference should look, click on this link for more information.
Conclusion
The introduction of online sources and social media has changed how scholars cite references. Referencing is an important aspect that indicates your ideas can be trusted and if you do it wrongly, you may be deducted marks. If you are wondering how to cite a Facebook post, this guide has explained how you can do it.
