By dissecting the tweet into its constituent parts and showing students what each part is about, they will not only make a head start in tweeting but will also transform their tweeting experience.

Anatomy of a tweet is a phrase I learned from SandyK’s blog. Sandy took the following tweet and decoded it in such a way that it becomes easier for students to know what each part represent.

1- Avatar
This can be a photo or any other graphic that a user is known by. The importance of an avatar is that it leads you when you click on it to a shortened version of that person’s profile where you can learn more about him\her.

2- Tweeter’s name
This is the name of the person sending the Tweet. It might be their real name but several people prefer to use pseudo names.

3- Twitter username or handle
This is a name by which a tweeter is known in the twitter community. For instance my Twitter handle is @medkh9

4- Shortened URL
These are links that lead to external websites that Tweeters share in their tweets. By default, Twitter uses a number of shortening services to shorten the URL of a website to fit in within the 140 character limit, Bitly is one of these tools.

Related: 7 Step to Grow professionally Using Twitter

5- Tweet Text
This is the substance of the tweet or the message the tweeter is sending to his\her followers

6- Hashtags
Hashtags are used to create a community around a topic. I have already posted here a detailed guide on what a hashtag is and how teachers can use them to create PLNs, check out the guide HERE.

7- Time\ Date
This indicates the time and date of the tweet, when it was sent.

8- RT
Indicates a “Re-Tweet”, or re-posting of someone else’s Tweet.

9- Mention of Another Twitter User
To mention another tweeter in your tweet all you have to do is incude @ followed by that person’s handle or twitter name.