Tools/Writing Tools/Citation Generator

Citation Generator – APA, MLA & Chicago Format References

Generate free APA, MLA, and Chicago citations online - no login required. Enter source details and get a perfectly formatted academic citation to copy or download instantly.

About this tool

Citation format rules are complex and vary significantly between APA, MLA, and Chicago - comma placement, italics, author order, and date formatting all differ. Getting one detail wrong can cost marks in academic submissions. This generator handles the formatting rules so you can focus on sourcing.

Enter a website URL, book title, journal article, or other source and generate a properly formatted citation in APA, MLA, or Chicago style - ready to paste into your reference list or bibliography.

How to use Citation Generator

Step 1: Select Format. Choose APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style.
Step 2: Choose Source Type. Pick the source: website, book, journal, or article.
Step 3: Enter Details. Fill in the author, title, date, and URL or publisher.
Step 4: Copy Citation. Click copy to grab the fully formatted citation.

Where this tool helps

Generate citations for academic essays and research papers, create reference lists for journalism and editorial work, cite sources in blog posts and content marketing, generate bibliography entries for book reports, produce citations for grant applications, and check the correct format for an unfamiliar source type before submitting.

Generates citations in APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, and Chicago 17th edition.
Supports multiple source types: websites, books, journal articles, and news articles.
Produces properly formatted output ready to paste into a reference list - no manual formatting.

The most common question is which citation style to use. APA is standard in social sciences, education, and psychology. MLA is standard in humanities and literature. Chicago is used in history, arts, and some social sciences. When in doubt, check your institution's guidelines.

How to Use Citation Generator Converter

Select Format

Choose APA, MLA, or Chicago citation style.

→

Choose Source Type

Pick the source: website, book, journal, or article.

→

Enter Details

Fill in the author, title, date, and URL or publisher.

→

Copy Citation

Click copy to grab the fully formatted citation.

FAQs

Common questions about this tool and how to use it.

What is the difference between APA, MLA, and Chicago citation styles?

APA (American Psychological Association): Author-date format. Used in social sciences, psychology, education. Example: Smith, J. (2023). Title of work. Publisher. MLA (Modern Language Association): Author-page format. Used in humanities, literature, language. Example: Smith, John. Title of Work. Publisher, 2023. Chicago: Two systems - Notes-Bibliography (history, arts) and Author-Date (sciences). Check your institution's style guide to confirm which is required for your subject.

How do I cite a website in APA format?

APA 7th edition website citation: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Website Name. URL. Example: World Health Organization. (2023, May 1). Global health overview. WHO. https://www.who.int/global-health. If no author: use the website name as the author. If no date: use (n.d.) for 'no date'. Italicize the article/page title, not the website name.

How do I cite a website in MLA format?

MLA 9th edition website citation: Last, First. "Title of Page." Website Name, Day Month Year, URL. Example: Smith, John. "Understanding Climate Change." NASA Science, 15 Mar. 2023, science.nasa.gov/climate-change. The URL should be the most direct link to the page. If no author: start with the article title. Access date is now optional in MLA 9 but recommended for frequently updated sources.

Do I need to cite paraphrased content?

Yes - always. Citation is required for any idea, argument, data, or finding that originated from another source, regardless of whether you quoted it directly or paraphrased it. The only exception is common knowledge: facts that are widely known and can be confirmed in multiple independent sources without attribution (e.g., the year World War II ended). When in doubt, cite.

What is a DOI and when should I include it in a citation?

DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent identifier for academic articles, books, and datasets - a stable link that does not change when URLs do. In APA 7th edition, always include the DOI if one exists. Format: https://doi.org/10.XXXX/XXXXX. DOIs are found on the journal article page, usually labeled 'DOI' or starting with '10.'. For websites without DOIs, use the regular URL.

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