How to Cite Instagram in MLA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 02/06/2024

Citing Instagram posts, photographs, videos, and profiles in academic work is becoming more common, and it’s important to follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines to give proper credit. Here’s a simple guide on how to cite various types of Instagram content using MLA format, along with examples for each.

CITATION ELEMENTS FOR INSTAGRAM IN MLA FORMAT

• Contributor Detail: Use the real name for individual users. For organizations or pages, use the official name without the handle. If the online handle differs, add it in brackets after the name.
• Title Element: If the post has a title, put it in quotation marks. If there’s no title (image and video posts only), describe the content.
• Social Media Platform: Clearly state the social media platform’s name in italics (e.g., Instagram).
• Date of the Post: Include the day, month, and year (in that order) for the publication date, or solely the year. In cases where the date is unavailable, specify the access date at the end of the citation.
• URL: Excluding http:// or https://.

CITING AN INSTAGRAM POST

CITING AN INSTAGRAM PHOTOGRAPH

Use Descriptive Titles: When citing Instagram, if the content lacks a specific title, provide a descriptive summary. Ensure clarity and accuracy in conveying the essence of the within the citation. Prioritize Accessibility of URLs: When providing URLs, prioritize public accessibility. Ensure that readers can directly access the cited Instagram content without encountering privacy restrictions. For private posts, use the URL of the user’s profile or the page where the content was originally published. Mindful Italicization: Italicize the name of the social media platform (Instagram) in the citation to adhere to MLA style. Consistent italicization helps distinguish the platform name from other elements in the citation.

CITING AN INSTAGRAM VIDEO

CITING AN INSTAGRAM PROFILE