Build correct inline citations for tweets, podcasts, videos and other unusual sources in APA and MLA style. Free, no sign-up.
What this tool does
Unusual sources cause most citation mistakes. A tweet has a handle, a date and a text; a podcast episode has a host, an episode title and a show title; a video has a channel and an upload date. Each style orders those pieces differently, and students often guess. This builder asks for exactly the pieces each source type needs and assembles a clean inline citation plus a reference-list entry, so odd sources stop being a reason to lose marks.
Why it matters
Good citations do quiet work. They let a reader find every source you used, they show that your argument rests on real evidence rather than memory, and they protect you: a clean reference list is much harder to challenge than a vague one. Most marks lost on referencing are not lost on difficult sources. They are lost on small, repeated slips — a missing year, a swapped initial, a title in the wrong case — that a quick tool pass catches before submission.
How to use it
- Choose the source type: tweet, podcast episode or video.
- Fill in the fields shown for that type.
- Copy the inline citation and the reference entry.
Worked example
Tweet by @WHO, 12 March 2024, text ‘Clean water saves lives.’ APA reference: World Health Organization [@WHO]. (2024, March 12). Clean water saves lives [Tweet]. X. The tool builds that full form from the handle, date and text you paste.
Tips for good results
For tweets, cite the account’s real name plus the handle in brackets. The handle alone is not a full APA author entry.
Work from the source itself, not from another paper’s copy of it. And keep one style for the whole list: a single mixed entry undermines an otherwise perfect bibliography.
Honest limits
It covers tweets, podcast episodes and online videos only, in APA and MLA basics. It does not fetch post text or verify handles, and live social posts can be edited or deleted after you cite them — screenshot important ones for your records.
Common mistakes to avoid
Common mistakes to avoid: copying a reference from another paper without checking it against the original, trusting a PDF filename for the title or year, and mixing two styles in one list. Each of these looks harmless alone and careless together. Run the tool, read its output once, and compare it with the source itself before you paste it into your document.
Before you submit
Run through this short check before you submit: is every author name spelled as it appears on the source, is every year present and correct, and does every in-text citation have a matching entry in your reference list? Read the list once from top to bottom rather than skimming it. Most referencing errors are found in that single slow read, and fixing them there is far cheaper than fixing them after a reviewer finds them. If one entry still looks odd after that read, check it against the original source before you change anything else.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tool really free?
Yes. It runs in your browser on this page, with no account and no payment. Nothing you paste leaves your computer.
Do I still need to check the result?
Yes, once. Tools apply rules; they cannot verify facts about your source. Compare the output with the source itself before submitting.
Can I use the output in my paper?
Yes. The output is a formatted reference or analysis for your own work. Keep the source’s facts accurate and the formatting consistent across your list.
What if the tool’s output differs from my style guide?
Trust the style guide. Tools encode the common rules of a style; your university or journal’s own sheet wins every disagreement. Use the tool to do the routine work, then apply the local rule where it differs.
Also available in Spanish: Generador de Microcitas – Cita Tuits, Podcasts y Vídeos Correctamente, Gratis en Línea.