Citation Generator
APA, MLA, and Chicago citations from a few details.
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Generate a formatted citation in APA, MLA, or Chicago style for a website or book, from author, title, year, and publisher/URL details.
New to MLA format? Read how to cite in MLA format, with worked examples for websites and books.
The same source in three styles
A website — author Jane Smith, "How Browser Tools Work", on Everyday Tools Blog, 2024:
- APA: Smith, J. (2024). How browser tools work. Everyday Tools Blog. https://everydaytoolz.com/example
- MLA: Smith, Jane. "How Browser Tools Work." Everyday Tools Blog, 2024, https://everydaytoolz.com/example.
- Chicago: Smith, Jane. "How Browser Tools Work." Everyday Tools Blog. 2024. https://everydaytoolz.com/example.
A book — George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Secker & Warburg, London, 1949:
- APA: Orwell, G. (1949). Nineteen eighty-four. Secker & Warburg.
- MLA: Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949.
- Chicago: Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949.
The examples above show the finished form, with initials for APA and italics added. The generator gives you the text and punctuation in the right order; type APA authors as "Last, F." and add italics after pasting.
Which style should I use?
| Style | Common in | Date placement |
|---|---|---|
| APA | Psychology, education, social sciences, nursing | Right after the author |
| MLA | English, literature, languages, humanities | Near the end |
| Chicago | History, some business and publishing | Near the end |
Your instructor's requirement always comes first; if none is given, use the style most common in your subject.
Frequently asked questions
What source types does this cover?
Websites and books — the two most common source types for school and general writing. It doesn't yet cover journal articles, interviews, or other specialized source types.
Which citation style should I use?
It depends on your field or your instructor's requirement — APA is common in social sciences, MLA in humanities and English classes, and Chicago in history and some publishing contexts. Check your assignment guidelines if you're not sure.
Should I double-check the citation before submitting?
Yes — style guides have many edge cases (multiple authors, no listed author, organizational authors, etc.) that a simple generator like this doesn't fully cover, so treat this as a solid starting draft.
Why does my APA citation show my full first name?
The generator uses the author exactly as you type it. APA style uses initials for first and middle names, so for APA type the author as "Smith, J." instead of "Smith, Jane".
Why aren't book titles italicized?
The citations are plain text so they paste cleanly anywhere. After pasting into your document, italicize the titles of standalone works — book titles, and website or journal names — as your style guide requires.
Do I need an access date for websites?
MLA recommends adding the date you accessed a web page when it has no publication date, and many instructors ask for it anyway. APA and Chicago generally include it only for pages that are likely to change. Check your assignment guidelines.