A citation generator builds properly formatted references for any source — books, journal articles, websites, videos — in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, or any major style. Saves hours and prevents the format mistakes that lose marks.
This guide covers what each style is used for, the parts of a citation, and how to handle awkward sources like tweets and AI-generated content.
Generate Citations — Free
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard. Auto-fill from URL, ISBN, or DOI.
Major Citation Styles
| Style | Used By | Example In-Text |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Psychology, social sciences, education | (Smith, 2024) |
| MLA 9 | Humanities, English, literature | (Smith 14) |
| Chicago (Notes) | History, arts | Footnote¹ |
| Chicago (Author-Date) | Sciences | (Smith 2024, 14) |
| Harvard | UK universities, business | (Smith, 2024) |
| Vancouver | Medicine, biomedical | [1] |
| IEEE | Engineering, computer science | [1] |
Parts of a Citation
Every citation, regardless of style, contains some combination of:
- Author(s) — Last name, first initial(s).
- Year — Publication date.
- Title — Book, article, or page title.
- Source — Journal, publisher, website name.
- Locator — Page numbers, DOI, URL.
- Access date — For online sources (some styles).
The differences between styles are mostly about ordering, capitalization, italics, and punctuation.
Website vs. Book Examples (APA 7)
Website
Smith, J. (2024, March 15). The future of AI. Tech Review.
https://example.com/ai-futureBook
Smith, J. (2024). The future of AI. Penguin Press.Journal Article
Smith, J. (2024). Machine learning advances. Journal of AI Research, 12(3), 45-67.
https://doi.org/10.1234/jair.2024.001YouTube Video
Smith, J. [@jsmith]. (2024, March 15). How LLMs work [Video]. YouTube.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=abc123Tricky Sources
- Social media posts — Most styles now have explicit rules. Cite the handle, post date, post text (or first 20 words), and platform.
- AI-generated content (ChatGPT, Claude) — APA 7 treats it as personal communication or software output. Include the model name, version, prompt date, and your prompt.
- No author — Use the title as first element, or "Anonymous" only if the source explicitly says so.
- No date — Use "n.d." (no date).
- Multiple authors — APA: list up to 20; MLA: list up to 2, then "et al."
- Re-issued books — Cite both original and current publication years.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing styles within one paper.
- Forgetting to italicize book/journal titles.
- Wrong capitalization — APA uses sentence case, MLA uses title case for titles.
- Missing DOI when one exists.
- Using URL when DOI is available (DOI is preferred).
- Not alphabetizing the bibliography.
- Inconsistent author formatting (J. Smith vs. Smith J.).
How to Use the Tool (Step by Step)
- 1
Pick Style
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, etc.
- 2
Pick Source Type
Book, website, journal, video, etc.
- 3
Enter Source Details
Or paste URL/ISBN/DOI for auto-fill.
- 4
Generate Citation
Get formatted in-text and bibliography entries.
- 5
Copy to Bibliography
Add to your reference list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which style should I use?+−
Check your assignment brief. APA for psychology/social sciences, MLA for English/humanities, Chicago for history, Harvard for UK business.
Can I cite an AI like ChatGPT?+−
Yes. APA 7 recommends listing the AI model, version, date, and the prompt as a software/personal-communication citation.
Do I need to cite paraphrased content?+−
Yes — any idea or fact that's not common knowledge needs a citation, even if you reword it.
How do I cite a source with no author?+−
Use the title in place of the author. For websites, use the organization name if available.
What's the difference between bibliography and works cited?+−
MLA uses "Works Cited" (only sources cited). Chicago/APA "Bibliography" can include sources consulted but not cited.
Generate Citations — Free
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard. Auto-fill from URL, ISBN, or DOI.
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