liminfoCitation Generator
Free web tool: Citation Generator
About Citation Generator
The Citation Generator is a free online tool that formats academic citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles simultaneously. Enter the source details — author names, title, year, publisher, journal name, volume, issue, pages, URL, or DOI — and the tool generates all three citation formats at once, ready to copy into your paper or bibliography.
Students, researchers, librarians, and academics use this tool to save time and avoid formatting mistakes. It supports four source types: books, peer-reviewed journal articles, websites, and dissertations or theses. For journal articles, it handles volume, issue, and page ranges. For websites, it formats the site name and URL. For theses, it distinguishes between doctoral dissertations and master's theses.
All citation formatting happens entirely in your browser using standard citation rules. Author names are automatically reformatted — APA uses "Last, F." with "&" for the final author, MLA uses "Last, First" with "et al." for three or more authors, and Chicago lists all authors with "and" before the last. DOI links are appended where applicable. No server, no account, and no data leaves your device.
Key Features
- Simultaneous APA, MLA, and Chicago citation output for every source
- Supports four source types: book, journal article, website, and thesis/dissertation
- Automatic author name reformatting per style guide rules (APA initials, MLA "et al.", Chicago full names)
- DOI support — appends a formatted https://doi.org/ link to APA and journal citations
- Volume, issue, and page range fields for journal articles
- Doctoral dissertation vs. master's thesis distinction for correct citation formatting
- One-click copy button for each citation format independently
- 100% client-side processing — all formatting runs in the browser with no server calls
Frequently Asked Questions
What citation styles does this tool support?
The Citation Generator supports three major academic citation styles: APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago. All three formats are generated simultaneously from a single set of inputs.
What types of sources can I cite?
You can cite books, peer-reviewed journal articles, websites, and academic theses or dissertations. Each source type reveals the relevant fields — for example, journal articles show volume, issue, and page number fields, while theses show university name and degree type.
How do I format author names with multiple authors?
Enter all author names separated by commas in "First Last" order, for example: "John Doe, Jane Smith, Robert Brown". The tool automatically reformats them for each citation style — APA uses initials and "&", MLA uses "et al." for three or more authors, and Chicago lists all names.
Does this tool support DOI links?
Yes. There is an optional DOI field where you can enter the DOI number (e.g., 10.1234/example). The tool automatically prepends "https://doi.org/" in the formatted output for APA style and journal article citations.
How does APA author formatting work?
APA style reformats each author as "Last, F." (last name followed by first initial with a period). Two authors are joined with ", &" and three or more authors use ", & " before the final author. This matches APA 7th edition guidelines.
What is the difference between a doctoral dissertation and a master's thesis in citations?
For thesis citations, you can select "Doctoral dissertation" or "Master's thesis" from the degree type dropdown. This label appears in brackets after the title in APA style (e.g., [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]) and is included in MLA and Chicago formats as well.
Can I cite a website with no author?
Yes. If there is no author, simply leave the author field blank. The citation will begin with the title of the article or page instead, following standard citation rules for anonymous web sources.
Is this citation generator free to use?
Yes, completely free. There are no usage limits, no required sign-up, and no premium features. All citation formatting runs locally in your browser with no data sent to any server.