Citation Generator (APA/MLA/Chicago)

This free Citation Generator formats accurate references in APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition and Chicago 17th edition (notes-bibliography) from the details of your source. Choose a style, pick whether you are citing a website, book, journal article or newspaper article, fill in the fields, and your fully formatted reference appears instantly — along with the matching in-text citation or footnote and a colour-coded citation anatomy that shows exactly how each part of the source maps into the finished citation. Add sources to build a complete bibliography or works-cited list, then copy it with a single click. Everything runs privately in your browser, so the details you type are never sent to a server.

How to Use the Citation Generator

1. Choose a citation style: Select APA, MLA or Chicago depending on what your assignment or publisher requires.
2. Pick the source type: Choose Website, Book, Journal or Newspaper so the right fields appear.
3. Enter the details: Type the author(s), title, year, publisher or container name and URL. Each input is colour-coded to match where it lands in the citation.
4. Copy your citation: Copy the reference entry and the matching in-text citation or footnote straight into your document.
5. Build a bibliography: Click Add this source to collect references; they are sorted alphabetically and can be copied as a complete list.

What Makes This Citation Generator Different

• Colour-coded citation anatomy: Every part — author, date, title, source, publisher, volume and pages, and URL — is tinted to match its input field. Hover a field or a colour key to see exactly which piece of the citation it controls.
• Reference and in-text together: You get the full reference entry and the matching parenthetical in-text citation (APA, MLA) or footnote (Chicago) at the same time — most generators only give you one.
• Compare all three styles: Turn on the compare view to see the same source formatted in APA, MLA and Chicago side by side and learn how the rules differ.
• Private by design: All formatting happens in your browser, and your bibliography is stored only in your own browser's local storage.

Which Citation Style Should You Use?

Different fields prefer different styles. When in doubt, follow your instructor's or publisher's guidelines.

Understanding the Anatomy of a Citation

Although APA, MLA and Chicago look different, they describe the same handful of building blocks. Knowing each block makes any style easier to read and write:

• Author — who created the source. APA uses initials (Smith, J.), while MLA and Chicago spell out the first name (Smith, John).
• Date — APA puts the year right after the author in parentheses; MLA and Chicago place it later in the entry.
• Title — book and standalone-website titles are italicised; article titles sit in "quotation marks".
• Source / container — the larger work that holds the piece, such as a journal, newspaper or website name.
• Publisher — for books, the company (and, in Chicago, the city) that published the work.
• Volume, issue & pages — the locating details for journal and newspaper articles.
• URL or DOI — where an online source can be found; a DOI is preferred when one exists.

Source Types Supported

• Website: online articles and pages — author, page title, site name, publication date and URL.
• Book: printed and e-books — author, title, edition, publisher (and city for Chicago) and year.
• Journal article: scholarly articles — author, article title, journal, volume, issue, pages, year and DOI.
• Newspaper article: news pieces — author, headline, newspaper, full date, page and URL.

Tips for Error-Free Citations

• Capitalise correctly: APA uses sentence case for titles (only the first word and proper nouns), while MLA and Chicago use title case. Type your titles the way your style needs them.
• Multiple authors: Enter each author on a new line or separated by a semicolon; the generator applies each style's rules, including et al. for long author lists.
• No author? Leave the field blank and the title automatically moves to the front, which is the correct rule in all three styles.
• Always proofread: A generator handles formatting, but you should still check spelling, capitalisation and that every detail matches your source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which citation style should I use — APA, MLA or Chicago?
APA is standard in psychology, education, nursing and the social and health sciences. MLA is used in English, languages, literature and the humanities. Chicago is common in history and the arts and uses footnotes alongside a bibliography. Always follow what your instructor or publisher requires.

What is the difference between a reference list entry and an in-text citation?
The reference list entry is the full citation in your bibliography at the end of the paper. The in-text citation is the short pointer inside your text — such as (Smith, 2024) in APA or (Smith 23) in MLA — that links back to the full entry. Chicago uses a numbered footnote instead. This tool gives you both at once.

Is this citation generator free and private?
Yes. It is completely free with no sign-up, every citation is built in your browser, and your bibliography is saved only in your browser's local storage, so nothing you type is sent to a server.

How do I cite a source with no author?
Leave the author field blank. The generator moves the title into the author position automatically, which is the correct rule in APA, MLA and Chicago, and the in-text citation will then use a shortened title.

Does it handle multiple authors?
Yes. Enter each author on its own line or separated by a semicolon, using First Last or Last, First. The generator applies the ampersand and serial comma in APA, et al. for three or more authors in MLA, and the correct order and punctuation in Chicago.