Citation Generator

About the Citation Generator

Pick a citation style — APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 17 (notes & bibliography), Harvard, or IEEE — choose the source type, fill in the fields, and get both the in-text citation and the formatted reference-list entry. The tool follows the latest official manual rules including hanging indent rendering, italic titles, author-list truncation (et al. thresholds differ by style: MLA 3+, Harvard 4+, APA 21+, IEEE 7+, Chicago 11+), DOI/URL placement, and edition formatting.

Which citation style should I use?

It depends on your field. APA (American Psychological Association) is used in psychology, education, nursing, and most social sciences. MLA (Modern Language Association) dominates the humanities — English, literature, languages, philosophy. Chicago is common in history, theology, and some humanities; the Notes & Bibliography variant (used here) is the most common form. Harvard is a generic author-date style widely used in UK universities and the sciences worldwide. IEEE is the standard for engineering, computer science, and electronics. Check your course syllabus or journal submission guidelines before deciding.

How do I enter author names?

Use "Last, First" format (e.g. "Smith, John A.") and separate multiple authors with a semicolon or a new line. The generator also accepts "First Last" if it's simpler — it splits on the last space to find the surname. For initials use spaces or periods: "J. A. Smith" works. The tool will then format them according to the chosen style: APA uses spaced initials with commas, Harvard uses tight initials without spaces, MLA keeps the first author's first name spelled out, and IEEE puts initials before surname.

When should I use et al.?

Each style has its own threshold. MLA: 3 or more authors → first author's name + "et al." APA 7: 1–20 authors all listed; for 21+ list first 19, then ellipsis, then last author. Chicago Bibliography: 1–10 authors all listed; 11+ uses "et al." Harvard: 4 or more → first author + "et al." IEEE: 7 or more → first author + "et al." The generator applies the right rule automatically based on the style you pick.

Why are some words shown in italics or with asterisks?

Citation styles italicize certain elements — book titles, journal names, newspaper names, conference proceedings. The on-screen preview shows them as actual italics; the plain-text copy wraps them in *asterisks* so you can paste into any editor and apply italics manually. In Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Pages, paste with formatting (Cmd/Ctrl+V) and the italics carry over automatically from the rendered HTML.

What is a hanging indent and do I need one?

A hanging indent indents every line of a reference except the first one. Most citation styles require it for the reference list / bibliography because it helps readers scan author names. The on-screen preview shows the hanging indent so you can see how the entry will look when printed. In Word and Google Docs, you can apply a hanging indent to a paragraph via Format → Paragraph → Special → Hanging.

Do I need a DOI or URL?

Modern style guides require a DOI (digital object identifier) when one is available — it's a stable link that won't break. APA 7 wants DOIs rendered as https://doi.org/10.xxxx URLs. If no DOI exists, use the article URL. For websites without a DOI, always include the URL. MLA 9 prefers DOIs; if absent, include the URL but omit "https://" if your instructor's guide says so. The generator emits DOI/URL formatting per the style's rules.

What if a field is missing — no author, no date?

Style guides have conventions for missing data. No author: APA/Harvard use the title in the author position. No date: APA uses "(n.d.)"; Harvard uses "(no date)" or "n.d."; MLA omits the date. The generator falls back to "n.d." automatically when the year is blank. For undated websites, also include the access date so a reader can check what version of the page you saw.

Will Google Docs, Word, or Zotero accept the output?

Yes — the copied text is plain text and pastes into any editor. Apply italics manually to the words shown in italics. If you're using a reference manager (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote), prefer importing via DOI when possible — the manager will fetch the structured metadata and format it for you. This generator is best for one-off citations or when you don't have a reference manager.

Features

• 5 citation styles: APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, Chicago 17th (Notes & Bibliography), Harvard, IEEE
• 6 source types: book, journal article, website, newspaper article, online video, conference paper
• Generates both in-text citation and reference list entry simultaneously
• Style-aware author truncation (APA caps at 20, ellipsis at 21+; MLA et al. from 3+; Chicago et al. from 11+; Harvard et al. from 4+; IEEE et al. from 7+)
• Smart author parsing: "Last, First" or "First Last" or initials (J. A. Smith), one per line or separated by ;
• Initials formatting per style (APA spaced 'J. A.'; Harvard tight 'J.A.'; IEEE leading 'J. A. Smith')
• DOI links rendered as https://doi.org/… per APA 7 rules
• Hanging-indent preview matches what your printed bibliography will look like
• Plain-text copy with *asterisks* marking italic words for safe paste anywhere
• Ordinal edition helper (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th…) generated automatically
• 100% client-side — your reference data never leaves the browser
• Available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Portuguese and French