Citation Generator
Generate APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard citations instantly. Lookup by DOI or enter details manually.
The citation generator creates formatted bibliographic citations in APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, Chicago 17th edition, and Harvard format. Entering a DOI automatically retrieves accurate metadata from CrossRef — the official DOI registry used by over 15,000 academic publishers. Manual entry mode supports citation of books, websites, and sources without a DOI.
Or fill in the fields manually below
(n.d.). .
How to Use the Citation Generator
- 1Enter a DOI (e.g. 10.1038/nature12373) and click Look Up to automatically fill in all citation fields.
- 2Or manually enter the author name, article title, journal/website name, publication year, and other details.
- 3Select your required citation format: APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago, or Harvard.
- 4Click Generate Citation to create the formatted reference.
- 5Click Copy to copy the citation to your clipboard and paste it into your reference list.
Worked Example: The Same Article in APA vs. MLA
Take a single journal article — author Michael Berman, published 2021 in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, volume 45, issue 2, pages 112–130, with DOI 10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101532. Run the exact same source data through the APA and MLA tabs and the citations come out structurally different, not just reformatted:
| Style | Generated Citation |
|---|---|
| APA 7 | Berman, M. (2021). Attention restoration theory and cognitive performance in urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 45(2), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101532 |
| MLA 9 | Berman, Michael. "Attention Restoration Theory and Cognitive Performance in Urban Environments." Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 45, no. 2, 2021, pp. 112-130. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101532. |
Same author, same article, same numbers — but the year moves from right after the author (APA) to right before the page range (MLA), the author's first name is abbreviated in APA but spelled out in MLA, and the title is quoted in both but capitalized differently. That last difference is the one people miss.
Why Titles Look Different Across Styles — and It's Not the Tool's Fault
Notice in the example above that the APA title ("Attention restoration theory and cognitive performance in urban environments") uses sentence case — only the first word and proper nouns capitalized — while the MLA title ("Attention Restoration Theory and Cognitive Performance in Urban Environments") uses title case, with every major word capitalized. The generator doesn't auto-convert this for you — it prints the title field exactly as you typed it. That means if you're switching between the APA and MLA tabs for the same source, you need to re-type (or re-case) the title field to match the convention of whichever style you're currently generating, or your citation will look correct in structure but wrong in capitalization to anyone grading against a style guide.
DOI vs. URL: Why the Tool Prefers One Over the Other
If you fill in both a DOI and a URL, every style in this generator will cite the DOI and silently ignore the URL — it only falls back to the URL field when the DOI field is empty. That's intentional: a DOI resolves permanently through doi.org even if the publisher later moves or redesigns their site, while a plain URL can break the moment a journal migrates platforms (something that happens often enough that "link rot" is a recognized problem in academic referencing). Practical takeaway: if CrossRef lookup or the source page gives you a DOI, always enter it — it's the more durable citation even when a working URL is sitting right next to it.
You might also need
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DOI and how do I find it?
A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent unique identifier for academic articles, like 10.1000/xyz123. Find it on the article abstract page, in Google Scholar, PubMed, or at the top of the PDF.
What is the difference between APA and MLA?
APA (American Psychological Association) is used in psychology, social sciences, nursing, and education. MLA (Modern Language Association) is standard in humanities and literature. The main difference is how in-text citations and reference lists are formatted.
Is this citation generator accurate?
DOI lookups pull metadata directly from CrossRef, the authoritative DOI registry used by over 15,000 publishers worldwide. Manual entries follow APA 7th Edition (2020), MLA 9th Edition (2021), Chicago 17th Edition (2017), and Harvard style. Always review citations against your institution's specific style guide.
Can I cite websites with this tool?
Yes — enter the website name in the Journal/Website field and add the URL. Leave the DOI field blank. Fill in the author, title, and publication year as available from the webpage.
What is CrossRef?
CrossRef is the official DOI Registration Agency for scholarly content. It maintains the database that links DOIs to publication metadata. When you enter a DOI, this tool queries CrossRef to automatically retrieve the title, authors, journal, year, and volume.