How to Use
Select your citation format (APA 7th, MLA 9th, or Chicago 17th) using the tabs at the top.
Choose the source type: website, book, journal article, YouTube video, or newspaper.
Fill in the available fields: author names, title, publication year, URL, and any other relevant details.
Your formatted citation appears instantly in the output box as you type.
Click 'Copy Citation' to copy the formatted reference to your clipboard, ready to paste into your reference list.
What Is This Tool?
A citation generator formats source references according to established academic style guides, automatically and accurately. Citations serve two critical purposes: academic integrity (crediting original authors and preventing plagiarism) and scholarly credibility (enabling readers to verify and trace research evidence).
Why It Matters
Incorrect citations are one of the most common reasons academic papers lose marks or face submission rejections. Citation styles are not interchangeable: submitting an MLA-formatted paper to an APA-required journal signals a lack of attention to detail. This generator handles formatting rules automatically (punctuation, italics, edition style, and access dates), freeing you to focus on your writing.