Citation Generator
Build a works cited or bibliography in MLA, APA, or Chicago. Add websites, books, and journal articles, then copy or download the whole list.
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MLA Works Cited(0)
Your formatted citations will appear here. Add a source above to start your bibliography.
Quick Answer
Why Use a Citation Generator?
Formatting citations by hand is slow and error-prone. Every style has its own rules for author order, punctuation, italics, and dates, and a single misplaced comma can cost you marks. A citation generator applies the current MLA, APA, or Chicago rules consistently so your works cited page is correct and uniform.
This tool is a full bibliography manager, not just a one-off formatter. Add every source for your paper, and the list builds as you go. Need the same paper in a different style for another class? Switch the style tab and the entire bibliography reformats instantly, because the tool remembers the underlying source details rather than just the formatted string.
Unlike most citation sites, there is no paywall, no account, and no ads interrupting your work. Everything runs in your browser, and your sources are stored only on your device.
How to Use the Citation Generator
- 1Choose your styleSelect MLA, APA, or Chicago. You can switch at any time and the whole bibliography reformats.
- 2Pick the source typeWebsite, book, or journal article. The form shows only the fields that source needs.
- 3Fill in the detailsAdd the author(s) and title plus any other fields you have. Unknown fields can be left blank.
- 4Build and exportClick Add to bibliography. Repeat for each source, sort A-Z if needed, then copy all or download a .txt file.
MLA vs APA vs Chicago: Which Should You Use?
| Style | Used in | Emphasizes | List title |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLA 9 | English, humanities, languages | Author and page | Works Cited |
| APA 7 | Psychology, education, social sciences, nursing | Author and year | References |
| Chicago 17 | History, art, publishing | Notes and full detail | Bibliography |
Not sure how long your paper should be? See our college essay word count guide and thesis word count guide.
Who Uses the Citation Generator?
🎓 Students
Build a works cited or reference page for essays, lab reports, and term papers in the exact style your instructor requires.
📚 Researchers
Assemble bibliographies for theses, dissertations, and journal submissions, then switch styles to match each journal.
✍️ Writers & Bloggers
Credit sources properly in articles and reports without memorizing every punctuation rule.
👨🏫 Teachers
Demonstrate correct formatting to a class or check a handful of references quickly without paid software.
In MLA 9, cite a website as: Author Last, First. "Page Title." Website Name, Publisher, Day Month Year, URL. Accessed Day Month Year. For example: Smith, John. "How to Write a Thesis." Purdue OWL, Purdue University, 12 Mar. 2025, owl.purdue.edu/example. Accessed 1 June 2026. Enter the fields above and our generator builds it for you.
MLA (Modern Language Association) is used in the humanities and English; it emphasizes the author and page. APA (American Psychological Association) is used in the social sciences and education; it emphasizes the author and year. Chicago is common in history and publishing and comes in two systems (Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date). Our tool uses MLA 9, APA 7, and Chicago 17 bibliography style.
Yes. Unlike EasyBib or Scribbr, there is no paywall, no signup, and no limit on the number of citations. Everything runs in your browser and your sources are saved only on your device. Build a full bibliography, copy it, or download it as a .txt file at no cost.
A hanging indent means the first line of each citation is flush left and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches. In Google Docs or Word, select your citations, open the paragraph settings, and set Indentation Special to Hanging by 0.5 inch. Our preview shows the hanging indent so you can see the correct formatting.
In APA 7: Author, A. A. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), pages. https://doi.org/xxxxx. The journal name and volume number are italicized. Enter the article title, journal, volume, issue, year, pages, and DOI in the form above and switch the style to APA.
Yes. Your sources are saved automatically in your browser's local storage, so they persist if you close the tab and come back. They never leave your device. Use the Clear button to remove all sources, or delete individual entries.
Yes. Add all your sources once, then switch between MLA, APA, and Chicago using the style tabs. The entire bibliography reformats instantly because the tool stores the raw source details, not just the formatted text.
Related Guides
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MLA, APA, and Chicago formats for citing AI tools like ChatGPT.
AcademicCollege Essay Word Count Guide
Common App 650, UC 350, supplementals. Word count by section.
AcademicThesis Word Count Guide
Undergraduate 8-15K, master's 15-50K, PhD 70-100K. Word count by degree.
AcademicWhat Is a Good GPA?
3.5+ for selective colleges, 3.0+ for grad school. Cutoffs by tier.
AcademicIELTS Essay Word Count Requirements
Task 1 minimum 150 words, Task 2 minimum 250. Penalty rules.
AcademicAbstract Word Count Guide
Most abstracts are 150-300 words. Limits by publication type.
Sources & References
- Modern Language Association. (2021). MLA Handbook (9th ed.). Modern Language Association of America.
- American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).
- University of Chicago Press. (2017). The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.).
- Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). MLA, APA, and Chicago Formatting and Style Guides. Purdue University.