Updated November 2026 · free, works in your browser
Formula patterns
APA 7 book: Last, F. M. (Year). Title. Publisher.
APA 7 web page: Last, F. M. (Year). Title. Website name. Address
MLA 9 book: Last, First. Title. Publisher, Year.
MLA 9 web page: Last, First. “Title.” Website name, Year, address.
Chicago 17 book: Last, First. Title. City: Publisher, Year.
Chicago 17 web page: Last, First. “Title.” Website name. Year. Address.
A citation generator turns the details of a source into a correctly ordered reference. Enter the author, title, publisher and year of a book or web page, choose APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago 17, and the tool gives you the reference list entry and the matching in-text citation. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere.
How to use
- Pick the citation style your instructor or publisher asks for.
- Choose whether the source is a book or a website.
- Type the author's last and first name, the title, and the publisher (or website name).
- Add the year. For a website you can also paste the page address. For Chicago books, add the city of publication if you want it included.
- Copy the reference with the button, paste it into your bibliography, and use the in-text citation inside your paper.
How it is calculated
Nothing is calculated numerically. The tool arranges your details according to the pattern each style guide prescribes, and handles punctuation, italics and quotation marks. In APA the first name is shortened to initials; MLA and Chicago keep the full first name. If a title already ends with a question mark or full stop, no second full stop is added.
The patterns follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition), the MLA Handbook (9th edition) and The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition, notes and bibliography system).
| Style | Book pattern | In-text form |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | Last, F. (Year). Title. Publisher. | (Last, Year) |
| MLA 9 | Last, First. Title. Publisher, Year. | (Last) |
| Chicago 17 | Last, First. Title. City: Publisher, Year. | Short note: Last, Short Title. |
This generator covers one author and two source types. For several authors, editors, journal articles or translated works, check the full rules of your style guide and adjust the result by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Which citation style should I use?
Use the one your teacher, department or publisher requires. As a rule of thumb, APA is common in the social sciences, MLA in literature and the humanities, and Chicago in history and publishing.
What if the source has no author?
Leave the author fields empty. The title then moves to the author position, and the in-text citation uses a shortened title instead of a name.
Do I need to add the date I visited a website?
APA 7 generally does not require an access date unless the page is designed to change over time. MLA treats it as optional. Follow any local rule your instructor gives.
How should I format the whole bibliography?
Entries are normally listed in alphabetical order by the first word, with a hanging indent so that lines after the first are indented. Your word processor can apply the indent to the pasted entries.
Why does my reference look different from an example I found?
Style guides are revised, and some instructors allow small variations. Compare the output with the current edition of your guide and with your course instructions.
From sources to journeys
Careful referencing is just as useful outside the classroom. If you are researching a destination for a travel article, a school project or a trip of your own, keeping a clean list of the guidebooks and web pages you read makes it easy to check a fact later. The same research habit helps when you compare neighbourhoods and plan where to stay before you book.
Citation formats are changed from time to time by their publishers, so always confirm the final format with your instructor or the current guide.
Other tools
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- Information Literacy Skills ChecklistPick a grade band, tick the information literacy skills already taught and see progress with the gaps highlighted.
This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Washington Library Media Association.