Five major style systems
Switch between APA 7, MLA 9, Harvard, Chicago Notes and Bibliography, and Chicago Author-Date without re-entering saved source data.
Citation Generator for APA, MLA, Harvard & Chicago
Create references, in-text citations, footnotes and complete bibliographies with manual source forms, optional DOI lookup and student-friendly export formats.
Source details
Enter the information shown on the source.
Only the DOI is sent externally when you choose lookup. You can always enter metadata manually.
Source completeness0%
- Enter a title to begin.
Choose a style and enter source details, or look up a scholarly article by DOI.
An academic citation generator for references, in-text citations and bibliographies
This student citation tool converts structured source details into formatted reference-list entries, works-cited entries, parenthetical citations, narrative citations and Chicago notes. It supports common academic sources and keeps a reusable citation library in the browser.
Optional DOI metadata lookup
Use a DOI to request deposited scholarly metadata, then review and correct the returned details before generating the final citation.
Live reference preview
See hanging indents, italics, punctuation, in-text citations and Chicago notes update while you edit the source.
Multiple source templates
Create citations for journal articles, books, chapters, websites, reports, theses, conference papers, media, posts, images and datasets.
Bibliography management
Save sources, search the library, edit or duplicate entries, change style globally and sort the completed bibliography.
Student-friendly exports
Copy citations or download TXT, RTF, BibTeX, RIS and CSL JSON files with CorrectionCopy-prefixed filenames.
How to generate APA, MLA, Harvard or Chicago citations
Follow the same workflow for a single reference or a complete research-paper bibliography.
- Choose a citation styleSelect APA 7, MLA 9, Harvard, Chicago Notes and Bibliography, or Chicago Author-Date.
- Select the source typeChoose a journal article, book, website, report, thesis, video, dataset or another supported source.
- Enter source detailsAdd authors, title, publication date and source information manually, or use DOI Lookup for supported scholarly records.
- Review and saveCheck the live reference, in-text citation and completeness warnings, then add the source to your bibliography library.
- Copy or exportCopy one citation or the complete bibliography, then download TXT, RTF, BibTeX, RIS or CSL JSON files.
Citation styles and output types explained
| Style | Typical in-text system | Reference-list name | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Author and year, with page for direct quotations. | References | Common in social sciences, education, psychology and business. |
| MLA 9 | Author and page number when available. | Works Cited | Uses a flexible core-elements model for many source formats. |
| Harvard | Author and year. | Reference List | Institutional variants differ; compare your university guide. |
| Chicago Notes and Bibliography | Numbered footnotes or endnotes. | Bibliography | Common in history and other humanities disciplines. |
| Chicago Author-Date | Author, year and optional page. | References | Often used in sciences and social sciences. |
Supported citation source types
Journal articles
Enter article title, journal, volume, issue, pages or article number, year, DOI and URL.
Books and chapters
Add authors or editors, book and chapter titles, edition, publisher, place, year, pages and identifiers.
Websites and online news
Cite page titles, site or publication names, authors, publication dates, URLs and optional access dates.
Reports, theses and conference papers
Include institutions, report numbers, degree types, universities, proceedings, locations and page ranges.
Video, podcast and social media
Record creators, usernames, episode or post titles, platforms, dates, formats and direct URLs.
Images and datasets
Cite creators, titles, years, repositories, versions, formats, DOIs and access locations.
Citation accuracy and responsible academic use
Check source metadata
DOI records can be incomplete or deposited inconsistently. Compare imported details with the article, book, report or official publication page.
Follow assignment instructions
Your instructor or university may require a local Harvard variant, special capitalization, database information or source-specific exceptions.
Review title capitalization
Automatic case changes cannot reliably preserve every acronym, proper noun, chemical term, species name or language-specific convention.
Cite the source you actually used
Do not cite a different edition, translation, version or webpage merely because its metadata is easier to find.
Privacy, browser storage and DOI lookup
Manual citation data stays local
Manual form entries, saved sources and bibliography generation are handled in the browser and are not sent to a page-specific server endpoint.
DOI lookup is optional
When you explicitly choose Lookup DOI, the DOI is sent to an external scholarly metadata service. Other manually entered fields are not included in that request.
Local libraries need backups
Clearing site data or changing browser profiles can remove saved citations. Download a JSON or CSL JSON backup before resetting the browser or moving devices.
No account is required
The tool does not require sign-in, database storage or a public citation library. Imported and exported files remain under your control.
Citation generator limitations and troubleshooting
A DOI returns no record
Confirm the DOI is complete, remove trailing punctuation and try again. Enter the source manually when metadata is unavailable.
Metadata is incomplete
Add missing issue, page, date, editor, publisher or URL details from the source itself before saving the citation.
The copied citation loses italics
Use rich copy in a supported browser or download RTF. Plain-text destinations cannot preserve typography.
The Harvard format differs
Harvard has many institutional variants. Adjust the source or final text to match your course referencing guide.
Browser storage is unavailable
The citation generator remains usable for the current page session, but saved sources may disappear after closing or reloading the page.
An unusual source needs extra detail
Use the closest source template, add useful container and publication information, then verify the final citation with the official style guidance.
Frequently asked questions about citation generation
Answers about APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, DOI metadata, in-text citations, bibliographies, exports, privacy and browser compatibility.
What citation styles does this generator support?
It supports APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, a general Harvard author-date format, Chicago Notes and Bibliography, and Chicago Author-Date.
Which source types can I cite?
Supported source types include journal articles, books, chapters, websites, reports, theses, conference papers, newspaper and magazine articles, videos, podcasts, social media posts, images and datasets.
Can I generate both a reference and an in-text citation?
Yes. The live preview shows the bibliography or works-cited entry together with an in-text citation. Chicago Notes and Bibliography also provides a full note and a shortened note.
How does DOI lookup work?
Paste a DOI and choose Lookup DOI. The DOI is sent to a scholarly metadata service, which may return title, authors, journal, year, volume, issue, pages, publisher and URL information.
Does DOI lookup always find a source?
No. A DOI may be valid but registered with another agency, missing from the available metadata service, or deposited with incomplete information. Manual entry remains available.
Can I paste a full DOI link?
Yes. The lookup accepts a DOI such as 10.1000/example or a full address beginning with doi.org.
Is Harvard referencing one universal style?
No. Harvard is a family of author-date systems, and institutions publish local variations. The generator uses a clear general Harvard format, but you should compare the result with your university guide.
Which Chicago system should I choose?
Choose Notes and Bibliography when your course uses footnotes or endnotes. Choose Author-Date when brief parenthetical citations are required in the text.
Does the generator automatically fix title capitalization?
You can preserve the entered title or apply a basic sentence-case or title-case helper. Automatic capitalization cannot reliably identify every proper noun, acronym or scientific name, so review the result.
How are multiple authors formatted?
The generator applies style-specific author ordering, initials, conjunctions and et al. rules. Add authors in the same order shown on the source.
Can an organization be the author?
Yes. Enable Organization author and enter the institution, agency, company or group name instead of personal authors.
What should I do when no author is listed?
Leave the author fields empty. The citation will begin with the title or another available source element according to the selected template.
What should I do when there is no publication date?
Leave the year empty. The generator uses the no-date convention appropriate to the selected style where applicable.
Can I add a page number to the in-text citation?
Yes. Enter a locator such as 42, 42–45, chap. 3 or para. 7 in the citation locator field.
Can I create a complete bibliography?
Yes. Add multiple sources to the local citation library, choose alphabetical or added order, and copy or export the complete bibliography.
Where is my citation library saved?
The library is saved in browser storage for this website when storage is available. It stays in the current browser profile until site data is cleared.
Will my citations sync between devices?
No automatic cloud synchronization is provided. Export the library as JSON or CSL JSON and import it on another device.
Does the tool upload manually entered citation data?
Manual citation creation and local library management happen in the browser. Only a DOI is sent externally when you explicitly use DOI Lookup.
Can I export citations to a reference manager?
The tool can export BibTeX, RIS and CSL JSON files. Import compatibility depends on the receiving reference manager and the completeness of the source metadata.
Can I download a bibliography for a word processor?
Yes. TXT provides plain text, while RTF preserves basic italics and hanging indents in many word processors.
Why does a citation show a warning?
Warnings identify missing fields that are commonly needed for the selected source type, such as an author, title, year, journal, publisher or URL.
Can I edit a saved citation?
Yes. Select Edit in the citation library, change the source details and save the updated citation. You can also duplicate or delete entries.
Can I change the style after saving sources?
Yes. Changing the citation style immediately reformats the live preview and every saved bibliography entry without changing the stored source data.
Does the tool guarantee acceptance by my instructor?
No automated generator can account for every institutional variation or unusual source. Review the output against your assignment instructions and official style guide.
Does it work on mobile phones?
Yes. The form, live preview and citation library are designed for touch screens and narrow displays. Long bibliographies remain easier to review on a larger screen.
Which browsers are supported?
Current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari releases are expected to support the core citation, storage, copy and download features. Clipboard behavior can vary by browser.
How do I remove all saved citations?
Choose Reset Library and confirm the warning. Export a JSON backup first when you may need the sources later.
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