Free Citation Generator | APA, MLA, Chicago | Scribbr
Generate accurate citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard style with Scribbr's free Citation Generator. Trusted by students worldwide.
Features You'll Love
Autocite
Look up your source by its title, URL, ISBN, or DOI, and let Scribbr find and fill in all the relevant information automatically.
APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard
Generate flawless citations according to the official APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard style, or many other rules.
Export to Word
When your reference list is complete, export it to Word. We'll apply the official formatting guidelines automatically.
Lists and Folders
Create separate reference lists for each of your assignments to stay organized. You can also group related lists into folders.
Export to Bib(La)TeX
Are you using a LaTex editor like Overleaf? If so, you can easily export your references in Bib(La)TeX format with a single click.
Custom Fonts
Change the typeface used for your reference list to match the rest of your document. Options include Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri.
How to Work with Sources
Sources commonly used in academic writing include academic journals, scholarly books, websites, newspapers, and encyclopedias. There are three main places to look for such sources:
- Research databases
- Your institution's library
- Other online resources
When using academic databases or search engines, you can use Boolean operators to refine your results.
Evaluating Sources
In academic writing, your sources should be credible, up to date, and relevant to your research topic. Useful approaches to evaluating sources include the CRAAP test and lateral reading.
CRAAP Test
CRAAP is an abbreviation that reminds you of a set of questions to ask yourself when evaluating information:
- Currency
- Relevance
- Authority
- Accuracy
- Purpose
Lateral Reading
Lateral reading means comparing your source to other sources. This allows you to:
- Verify evidence
- Contextualize information
- Find potential weaknesses
Integrating Sources into Your Work
Once you have found information that you want to include in your paper, you can use signal phrases to introduce it. Here are a few examples:
- Function: Quote, paraphrase, or summarize the source
- Signal words and phrases: According to, analyzes, asks, describes, discusses, explains, in the words of, notes, observes, points out, reports, writes
Citing Sources
Whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source, you must include a citation crediting the original author. Citing your sources is important because it:
- Allows you to avoid plagiarism
- Establishes the credentials of your sources
- Backs up your arguments with evidence
- Allows your reader to verify the legitimacy of your conclusions
The most common citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago style. Each citation style has specific rules for formatting citations. Scribbr's Citation Generator helps you to generate accurate references and in-text citations using APA Citation Generator, MLA Citation Generator, Harvard Referencing Generator, and Chicago Citation Generator.
Tools and Resources
Scribbr offers tons of tools and resources to make working with sources easier and faster. Take a look at our top picks:
- Citation Generator: Automatically generate accurate references and in-text citations using Scribbr's APA Citation Generator, MLA Citation Generator, Harvard Referencing Generator, and Chicago Citation Generator.
- Plagiarism Checker: Detect plagiarism in your paper using the most accurate Scribbr plagiarism software available to students.
- AI Proofreader: Upload and improve unlimited documents and earn higher grades on your assignments.
- Paraphrasing tool: Avoid accidental plagiarism and make your text sound better.
- Grammar checker: Eliminate pesky spelling and grammar mistakes.
- Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex information.
