Citation Helper β Free APA, MLA & Chicago Generator
Quickly generate perfectly formatted citations for books and websites. Choose a style, fill in the details, and copy or save your citation.
Select your citation style and source type, then fill in the fields. The tool formats your citation in real time following the official APA 7th, MLA 9th, and Chicago 17th style guides.
APA InβText Citations
In APA style, use the authorβdate method: (Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020) found that... For direct quotations, include the page number: (Smith, 2020, p. 45). If you're writing a research paper, our word counter can help you meet length requirements while ensuring proper citation placement.
MLA InβText Citations
MLA uses authorβpage format: (Smith 23) or Smith argues that... (23). If the author is named in the sentence, only the page number is needed. For longer essays, check your readability with our readability analyzer to make sure your writing stays clear and concise.
Chicago Footnotes
Chicago notes style places a superscript number in the text, with a corresponding footnote. First citation: John Smith, The Great Book (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), 45. Subsequent citations can be shortened. Combine this tool with our frequency counter to avoid overusing certain words in your notes.
How to Cite a Book
Gather the author, title, publisher, city, and year. Depending on your style, the order and punctuation change. Use the citation generator above to create the entry instantly. Need to calculate your overall grade? Try our GPA calculator to see how your citations contribute to academic integrity.
How to Cite a Website
You'll need the author, page title, website name, publication date, and URL. If no author, start with the title. For more writing tools, visit our word counter or readability analyzer to polish your references.
Bibliography vs. References
A reference list (APA) includes only sources cited in the text. A bibliography (MLA, Chicago) lists all sources consulted, whether cited or not. Understanding this distinction is crucial for proper academic formatting. For help tracking your word count as you write, try our word counter.
Examples of APA, MLA, and Chicago Citations
| Style | Book | Website |
|---|---|---|
| APA | Smith, J. (2020). The Great Book. Oxford University Press. | Doe, J. (2021). Understanding Citations. Citation Central. https://example.com/page |
| MLA | Smith, John. The Great Book. Oxford University Press, 2020. | Doe, Jane. "Understanding Citations." Citation Central, 15 Mar. 2021, www.example.com/page. |
| Chicago | John Smith, The Great Book (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020). | Jane Doe, "Understanding Citations," Citation Central (accessed March 15, 2021), https://example.com/page. |
Why Proper Citation Matters
Proper citation gives your work credibility, allows readers to trace your sources, and helps you avoid plagiarism. Different fields use different styles; using the correct format shows attention to detail. For additional writing support, explore our word frequency analyzer to strengthen your vocabulary.