How it works
The Citation Generator formats references in your browser. Choose a style and a source type, then fill in the details or paste a URL to auto-fill them. A correctly formatted reference-list entry and in-text citation build live.
- Six styles: APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago (author-date), Harvard, IEEE, and Vancouver.
- Five source types: website, book, journal article, newspaper or magazine, and online video.
- Auto-fill from a URL fetches the page and reads its citation metadata (title, author, date, publication, DOI) to fill in the form. This is the only step that contacts our server.
- Build a bibliography by adding several citations and copying them all at once.
Double-check graded work. The citations follow the common rules for each style and are right for most sources. Styles have many edge cases, though, so check capitalisation, italics, and punctuation against your official style guide.
What you will see
- Citation style
- The format your reference and in-text citation follow.
- Source type
- What you are citing. It changes which fields you fill in.
- Auto-fill from a URL
- Reads a page's citation metadata to fill in the form. Review the result, since not every page has complete data.
- Reference list entry
- The full citation for your reference list, works cited, or bibliography.
- In-text citation
- The short pointer to drop in your text. IEEE and Vancouver use numbers.
- Saved bibliography
- Citations you have added, kept in your browser, which you can copy as one block.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a citation?
Pick a citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, or Vancouver) and a source type (website, book, journal article, newspaper, or video), then fill in the fields. Your reference and matching in-text citation build live as you type. Click Copy on either one, or Add to bibliography to collect several and copy them all at once.
Can it cite a URL automatically?
Yes. Paste a link into the "Auto-fill from a URL" box. We fetch the page and read its citation metadata: the title, author, publication date, site or journal name, and, for journal articles, the volume, issue, pages, and DOI. Then we fill in the form for you. Always review the result. Not every page exposes complete or accurate metadata, so you may need to correct a field or two.
Which citation styles are supported?
Six of the most widely required styles: APA (7th edition), MLA (9th edition), Chicago (author-date), Harvard, IEEE, and Vancouver. Each produces both a reference-list entry and the correct in-text citation. IEEE and Vancouver use numbered references, shown as [1] or (1).
Are the citations 100% accurate?
They follow the common, widely taught rules for each style and are correct for the vast majority of sources. Citation styles have many fine-grained rules and edition-specific quirks, though. For graded work, always check the result against your institution's or publisher's official style guide, above all the capitalisation, italics, and punctuation.
Is it free, and is my data private?
It is free, with no signup. The formatting happens in your browser. The only time anything is sent to our server is when you use "Auto-fill from a URL", which fetches that one page to read its metadata. The fields you type are never uploaded, and your saved bibliography is stored only in your own browser.
What is the difference between a reference and an in-text citation?
The reference, also called the works-cited or bibliography entry, is the full description of the source that goes in your reference list. The in-text citation is the short pointer you place in the body of your writing, such as (Smith, 2023) in APA or [1] in IEEE. It links back to the full reference. This tool gives you both.
How do I enter multiple authors?
Put each author on its own line in the Author(s) box, in either "Last, First" or "First Last" order. The tool formats and orders them for the chosen style and applies the right "et al." rule when there are many authors.
What if a source has no author or no date?
Leave the field blank. Each style has a rule for missing details, and the tool applies it. APA moves the title into the author position and uses "n.d." for no date. MLA starts the entry with the title. Check the result, because a missing author is often a sign that the page names an organisation as the author instead.