Comment citation generator
Cite a reader’s comment on an article, blog post, video or post, in any citation style.
or fill in the details below
How to cite a comment
A comment citation names the commenter and the work the comment answers.
Step 1
Say what it’s a comment on
An article, a blog post, a video or a social media post. The choice changes how APA writes the citation.
Step 2
Paste the link
Paste the comment’s own link if it has one, or the page it’s on. We fill in what the comment answers; you add the comment and the commenter’s name.
Step 3
Copy your citation
APA uses the first 20 words of the comment. MLA and Chicago describe it instead, so they don’t need the words.
How to cite a comment in APA
APA gives the commenter’s name or username, the date, up to the first 20 words of the comment and, in square brackets, what it’s a comment on. These are APA’s own examples.
A comment on a blog post
joachimr. (2019, November 19). We are relying on APA as our university style format - the university is located in Germany (Kassel). So I [Comment on the blog post “The transition to seventh edition APA Style”]. APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/transition-seventh-edition#comment-4694866690
A comment on a newspaper article
sidneyf. (2020, October 7). Oh, I don’t know; perhaps the common-sense conclusion that packing people together — for hours — like sardines — may be an [Comment on the article “When will it be safe to travel again?”]. The Washington Post. https://wapo.st/3757UlS
A comment on a Reddit post
haffy-1223. (2018, September 12). What do you think while on the launchpad about to launch? [Comment on the online forum post I’m NASA astronaut Scott Tingle. Ask me anything about adjusting to being back on Earth after my first spaceflight!]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9fagqy/im_nasa_astronaut_scott_tingle_ask_me_anything/e5v0027/
On a video or a forum post, the comment and the title of what it answers are in italics, and the site isn’t.
In-text citation
Parenthetical: (joachimr, 2019)
Narrative: joachimr (2019)
How to cite a comment in MLA
MLA starts with the commenter, then “Comment on” and the title of the work. It adds the time of day when the site shows one.
Format
Commenter. Comment on “Title of Work.” Site Name, Day Month Year, time, URL.
With a time
Doug. Comment on “Apostrophes: One Mark, Three Ways.” The MLA Style Center, 30 Mar. 2018, 1:16 p.m., style.mla.org/apostrophes-three-ways/.
MLA’s own example.
A comment on a news article
sidneyf. Comment on “When Will It Be Safe to Travel Again?” The Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2020, wapo.st/3757UlS.
How to cite a comment in Chicago
Chicago cites comments in a note only, never in the bibliography. The note names the commenter, the date and the work commented on.
Footnote
Doug, March 30, 2018, 1:16 p.m., comment on “Apostrophes: One Mark, Three Ways,” The MLA Style Center, https://style.mla.org/apostrophes-three-ways/.
Comments on videos, posts and forums
The same form covers every kind of comment.
YouTube comments
Choose A video and give the video’s title and channel. Link to the video, or to the comment if YouTube gives you a link to it.
Reddit comments
Choose A social media post and paste the comment’s link. We fill in the post it answers; Reddit doesn’t show comments to automated readers, so add the comment, the username and the date.
A whole thread
Citing the post that started the discussion? Use the forum post citation generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a comment in APA?
Give the commenter’s name or username, the date, up to the first 20 words of the comment, a description in brackets such as Comment on the article and the article’s title, the site and the URL.
How do I cite a YouTube comment?
Choose A video, give the video’s title and channel, and paste the link. APA puts the comment in italics and names YouTube after the brackets.
Can I cite a comment with a username?
Yes. Use the name exactly as the site shows it. APA, MLA and Chicago all accept usernames.
Why does APA cut my comment short?
APA uses up to the first 20 words of a comment as its title. The rest isn’t needed in the citation.
Does Chicago put comments in the bibliography?
No. Chicago cites readers’ comments in notes or in the text only.
Is this comment citation generator free?
Yes. It’s free with no signup, and your citations go into the same list as the main Citation Generator.