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Citation & reference generator

Create references and in-text citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard formats. Your references stay on your device.

Citation style
Source type

Enter each author. First name, middle initial, and last name.

For example: Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship

For example: 2008

For example: Prentice Hall, MIT Press, O'Reilly

Martin, R. C. (2008). Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship. Prentice Hall.

In-text citation: (Martin, 2008)

About this tool

Citation & reference generator creates formatted bibliography entries and in-text citations for books, journal articles, and websites. It formats references according to APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago 17th, and Harvard standards. Everything runs directly in your browser, so your references are never uploaded to a server.

When to use it

  • Format reference list entries for essays, dissertations, and research papers
  • Generate accurate in-text parenthetical citations
  • Switch between APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard styles without retyping information
  • Build and copy an alphabetized Works Cited or Reference list

How to use it

To create a citation

  1. Select a Citation style (APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago 17th, or Harvard).
  2. Select a Source type (Book, Journal article, or Website).
  3. Enter the authors, publication year, title, and publisher or periodical details.
  4. Press Copy citation or Copy in-text citation.
  5. Press Save to bibliography to collect entries into a sorted reference list.

To copy your full bibliography

  1. Add sources to your bibliography as you work.
  2. Review the alphabetized list under Bibliography.
  3. Press Copy all references to paste directly into your document.

Questions

Are my references uploaded to a server?

No. Citations and bibliography entries are created and stored only in your browser memory. Nothing is sent to an external server.

Which edition guidelines are applied?

The tool follows APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, Chicago 17th edition (Author-Date system), and standard Harvard author-date rules.

How do I format a hanging indent in Word or Google Docs?

In Microsoft Word, highlight your bibliography entries and press Ctrl+T (Windows) or Cmd+T (Mac). In Google Docs, select your references, then choose Format › Align & indent › Indentation options, select Hanging under Special indent, and set it to 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

Can I include multiple authors?

Yes. Select + Add another author to add additional authors. The tool handles first names, middle initials, ampersands, and et al. rules automatically based on the selected style guide.