Citation Generator
How this is calculated
This generator applies the published rules of the selected style. For your current source type and style it uses this template:
With your values plugged in:
A Citation Generator is a tool that turns the details of a source — its author, year, title, publisher, and so on — into a correctly formatted reference. Instead of memorizing the punctuation rules of every style guide, you enter the information once and the generator arranges it in the exact order and format each style requires.
Our free citation generator helps students, researchers, teachers, and academic writers create references and in-text citations quickly. It supports popular referencing styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, AMA, ASA, and ACS, as well as several additional academic and publisher-specific styles.
You can search for a source using its DOI, ISBN, book title, or article title. The tool will automatically find available publication details using services such as Crossref, Open Library, and Google Books. You can also enter or edit the source information manually.
How to Use the Citation Generator
- Select the type of source you want to cite.
- Choose your required citation style.
- Search using a DOI, ISBN, or title, or enter the details manually.
- Review the automatically generated reference.
- Copy the reference and in-text citation.
The citation updates as you enter information, allowing you to see the formatted result immediately.
Supported Citation Styles
The generator supports commonly used citation styles such as:
- APA 7th edition
- MLA 9th edition
- Chicago Notes and Bibliography
- Chicago Author–Date
- Harvard
- Vancouver
- IEEE
- AMA
- ASA
- ACS
Additional styles include APA 6, MLA 8, Turabian, Nature, Science, Cell, ACM, APSA, OSCOLA, Bluebook, BMJ, The Lancet, and other journal or publisher styles.
Always confirm which style and edition your university, instructor, or journal requires.
Sources You Can Cite
This online reference generator can create citations for:
- Books
- Book chapters
- Journal articles
- Magazine articles
- Newspaper articles
- Websites and webpages
- Conference papers
- Theses and dissertations
- Research reports
- Online videos
- Blog posts
- Encyclopedia entries
- Datasets
- Software and applications
- Patents
- Legislation
- Court cases
- Speeches
- Interviews
- Television and radio broadcasts
Each source type requires different publication details. For example, a journal article may need a volume, issue, page range, and DOI, while a website citation normally requires a page title, website name, publication date, and URL.
Automatic and Manual Citation Creation
Paste a DOI to find a journal article or enter an ISBN to locate a book. You can also search by publication title and select the correct result.
When automatic information is unavailable, select the appropriate source type and manually enter the author, year, title, publisher, journal, pages, DOI, URL, or other relevant information.
The tool also displays a reference-completeness score, helping you identify important missing details before copying the citation.
References and In-Text Citations
A complete academic citation generally has two parts:
Reference-list citation: Provides the full publication information at the end of your paper.
In-text citation: Briefly identifies the source within your writing.
For example, an APA in-text citation may appear as:
(Smith, 2024)
A numbered style such as IEEE may use:
[1]
The citation generator produces both formats when they are supported by the selected style.
Why Use Our Citation Generator?
Creating references manually can be time-consuming, especially when a paper contains many different source types. This tool helps you:
- Save time when preparing references
- Use multiple academic citation styles
- Generate in-text citations
- Find books and articles automatically
- Identify missing reference information
- Copy formatted citations instantly
- Reduce common formatting mistakes
Check Your Citation Before Submission
Automatic citation tools depend on the information supplied by databases or entered by the user. Metadata can sometimes be missing or incorrect.
Before submitting your assignment or research paper, check:
- Author names and their order
- Publication date
- Source title
- Journal or publisher name
- Volume, issue, and page numbers
- DOI or URL
- Citation-style requirements
The final citation should always be compared with your university guidelines or the official style manual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this citation generator free?
Yes. You can create, review, and copy citations without paying.
Can I generate citations from a DOI?
Yes. Paste the DOI into the search field, and the tool will attempt to retrieve the article information automatically.
Can I cite a book using its ISBN?
Yes. Enter the ISBN to search for available book information.
Does it create in-text citations?
Yes. The tool displays an in-text citation based on the selected citation style.
Can I edit an automatically generated citation?
Yes. Review and edit the auto-filled fields before copying the final citation.
Which citation style should I use?
Use the style required by your instructor, university, department, publisher, or academic journal.
