Citation Generator
Generate correctly formatted citations for books, journal articles, and websites in APA 7, MLA 9, and Chicago 17 — bibliography entries plus in-text citations.
Pick a style and source type, enter the details, and get a formatted bibliography entry and in-text citation. The generator implements the real rules of each style: APA's sentence-case titles, author initials, and DOI links; MLA's core elements with vol./no./pp.; and Chicago's bibliography form with place and publisher — including italics where each style requires them.
Authors
Enter at least a title and a year to generate the citation. Tip: after generating, double-check capitalization of names and places — styles lowercase most title words, and proper nouns inside a title may need their capitals restored.
How to use this calculator
- Choose your style: APA 7, MLA 9, or Chicago 17.
- Choose the source type: book, journal article, or website.
- Enter the authors (use '+ add author' for more), title, year, and the fields for that source type — publisher for books; journal, volume, issue, pages, and DOI for articles; site name, URL, and date for websites.
- Read the generated bibliography entry and in-text citation in the results panel; italics are shown exactly where the style requires them.
- Copy the citation as plain text into your paper, then double-check proper nouns in the title, which automatic casing may lowercase.
The formula
APA book pattern: Author, A. A. (Year). Title in sentence case. Publisher. MLA book pattern: Author, Firstname. Title in Title Case. Publisher, Year. Chicago book pattern: Author, Firstname. Title. Place: Publisher, Year.
Worked example
Worked example (APA 7, journal article): McCauley, S. M., & Christiansen, M. H. (2019). Language learning as language use: A cross-linguistic model of child language development. Psychological Review, 126(1), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000126 — journal name and volume in italics, issue in parentheses, DOI as a link. This exact output is locked in by the generator's unit tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which citation styles does this generator support?
APA (7th edition), MLA (9th edition), and Chicago (17th edition), for three source types: books, journal articles, and websites. Chicago output uses the notes-bibliography form for the bibliography entry and Chicago's author-date form for the in-text citation, and the tool labels them so you can tell which is which.
Why do the three styles format the same source so differently?
Each style was built for a different field. APA (social sciences) highlights the date and uses sentence case for titles and author initials. MLA (humanities) highlights the author and page numbers. Chicago offers both a notes system and an author-date system. The facts about the source are the same — only the presentation rules differ.
How should I format a DOI?
APA 7 and Chicago both prefer the link form https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. If you paste a DOI as '10.1037/rev0000126', 'doi:10.1037/...', or an older dx.doi.org link, this generator normalizes it to the current https://doi.org/ form automatically.
Do I still need to check the citation myself?
Yes. Generators are only as good as the details entered, and automatic title casing can stumble on proper nouns inside a title (names, places, organizations), which APA sentence case keeps capitalized. Compare the result against your style guide or your instructor's requirements before submitting.
What if my source has no author?
Leave the author fields blank. APA moves the title to the front of the reference; MLA and Chicago likewise begin with the title. The generator handles author-less sources in all three styles.
Does the generator save my sources?
No. Everything is formatted in your browser the moment you type; nothing is sent to a server or stored. Copy the citation into your document before you close the page.