Citation Generator
Generate APA, MLA, and Chicago style citations for a website or book instantly.
APA (7th ed.)
Doe, J. (2023, June 15). Climate Change Basics. National Geographic. https://example.com/climate
MLA (9th ed.)
Doe, Jane. "Climate Change Basics." National Geographic, 15 June 2023, https://example.com/climate.
Chicago
Doe, Jane. "Climate Change Basics." National Geographic. https://example.com/climate.
What is it?
A citation generator formats a source's author, title, and publication details into the exact punctuation and order required by a citation style, so you don't have to memorize each style's rules.
Formula Explanation
Each style orders and punctuates the same pieces of information differently: APA leads with the author's last name and initial followed by the year in parentheses, MLA spells out the author's full first name and places the date after the title, and Chicago (bibliography style) adds an access date for web sources since online content can change or disappear.
Example Calculation
A website by Jane Doe titled "Climate Change Basics" on National Geographic, published June 15, 2023, becomes three differently formatted citations — one for each style — generated side by side.
How to Use
- Choose Website or Book as the source type.
- Enter the author's first and last name.
- Enter the title, and the site name (or publisher for books).
- Fill in the year, and month/day for websites — all three citation styles update instantly.
Benefits
- Generates APA, MLA, and Chicago citations simultaneously from one set of fields.
- Updates live as you type, with no separate generate button.
- One-click copy for each citation format.
Use Cases
- Building a bibliography or works-cited page for a research paper.
- Quickly citing a single web article without opening a style guide.
- Double-checking the punctuation of a citation formatted by hand.
What Your Result Means
Each box shows a ready-to-paste citation in that style's required format. Always verify against your instructor's specific style guide edition, since citation rules are occasionally revised.
Tips
- Leave the author fields blank if a source has no listed author — the citation will start with the title instead.
- For Chicago, the access date reflects today's date, since that's when you're citing the source.
- Double-check capitalization in titles — this tool uses exactly what you type.
Common Mistakes
- Mixing citation styles within the same paper — confirm which single style your assignment requires.
- Forgetting the access date for web sources in Chicago style, which is expected for online content.
- Using a website's citation format for content that's actually a PDF report or journal article, which may need different fields.
FAQs
Which citation style should I use?
It depends on your field and instructor's requirements — APA is common in social sciences, MLA in humanities and literature, and Chicago in history and some other humanities disciplines.
Can I cite a source with no author?
Yes, leave the author fields blank — the citation will correctly start with the title instead of an author name.
Does this support journal articles or multiple authors?
This tool currently supports single-author websites and books. For journal articles or multiple authors, use these citations as a starting point and adjust the source-specific fields manually.
Why does Chicago style include an access date but APA and MLA don't always?
Chicago's bibliography style traditionally includes an access date for online sources because web content can change after you first viewed it, while APA and MLA rely more on the stated publication date.
Citations are generated for single-author websites and books — always verify against your instructor's specific style guide.
Last updated: July 26, 2026