Skip to content
TextArray1.41.0
100% local

Citation generator

Turn source details into a formatted APA, MLA or Chicago citation.

Input
Output
Related tools
Markdown inline and reference linksnewDeveloper tools
URLs to HTML linksDeveloper tools
Slug generatorDeveloper tools
LRC lyrics generatorRandom generators
Test IBAN generatorRandom generators
Random name generatorRandom generators
Citation generator
Paste the details of a source and this tool assembles a properly formatted citation in APA, MLA or Chicago style. It works for a single source or a whole reading list at once: enter one source per line as author, title, year, publisher, URL and access date, separated by the delimiter you choose, and every line becomes its own citation.
Pick the source type — book, journal article, website, video or conference paper — because each one follows a different citation shape (a website citation needs a retrieval note and access date, a video gets a bracketed [Video] tag, a conference paper credits where it was presented). Turn on "Add short in-text citation" to get the parenthetical form, such as (Author, Year) for APA or (Author) for MLA, appended after each full citation for pasting straight into your draft. "Sort alphabetically by author" orders the list the way a works-cited or references page expects. "Hanging indent" wraps long citations and indents the continuation lines with a tab, matching the standard bibliography layout.
Enable "Flag missing required fields" and the tool checks each entry against what its source type actually needs — a book without a publisher, a website without a URL — and marks the line with what's missing so you can fix it before submitting. Author names should be entered as "Last, First" without extra punctuation; the tool adds all the periods and commas the style requires. Blank lines are skipped, and both Windows and Unix line endings work interchangeably.
Everything runs locally in your browser — none of your sources, reading lists or drafts are ever uploaded. Copy the result, download it as a .txt file, or send the output straight back into the input to adjust the style or fix a flagged entry.
FAQ
What format should I paste sources in?
One source per line, with fields in the order author, title, year, publisher, URL, access date, separated by the delimiter you pick (pipe, semicolon, comma or tab). Trailing fields can be left out.
How should I write the author field?
As "Last, First" with no trailing period, for example "Poe, Edgar" — the tool adds the punctuation the chosen style requires, so extra periods would end up doubled.
Does the short in-text citation work the same for every style?
No. APA and Chicago both use author and year, though Chicago drops the comma; MLA uses the author's surname alone, since MLA in-text citations are normally paired with a page number you'd add by hand.
What happens if a required field is missing?
With "Flag missing required fields" on, the tool still generates the citation from what you gave it and appends a note listing exactly which fields are missing for that source type.
Is my source list uploaded anywhere?
No. Citations are generated entirely in your browser — your reading list and drafts never leave your device.