AI Citation Generator
Free citation generator for students. Paste a URL, DOI, ISBN, or details and get a clean citation in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, or IEEE format.
What is AI Citation Generator?
Generate accurate, properly formatted citations in APA 7th Edition, MLA 9th Edition, Chicago (Author-Date and Notes-Bibliography), Harvard, or IEEE style from a URL, DOI, ISBN, or manually entered source details. Returns both the full reference-list entry and the shortened in-text citation so you can paste both directly into your paper. Useful for students, researchers, and content writers who need correct references without memorising each style guide's exact formatting rules. No account needed for the first uses each day.
How It Works
Using AI Citation Generator in 3 Steps
Select a Citation Style and Source Type
Choose your required citation format (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, or IEEE) and the type of source - web page, journal article, book, or manual entry.
Enter the Source Reference
Paste the URL for web pages, the DOI for journal articles, or the ISBN for books. The tool fetches metadata automatically. For other source types, fill in the details manually.
Copy Both Citations
Get the full bibliography entry and the shortened in-text citation in one step - copy each separately and paste into your reference list and body text.
Use Cases
Who Uses AI Citation Generator?
Research and Academic Papers
Generate accurate citations for every web source, journal article, and book in your reference list without manually checking formatting rules for commas, italics, and capitalisation.
Dissertation and Thesis Writing
Maintain consistent citation style across a long document by generating every reference in the same format - especially useful when switching between sources mid-chapter.
Content Writing and Journalism
Quickly cite sources in articles, blog posts, and reports where in-text attribution is required - supports both APA and Chicago's author-date style for non-academic content.
FAQ
AI Citation Generator - Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you start.
Which citation styles are supported?
APA 7th Edition, MLA 9th Edition, Chicago (Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date), Harvard, and IEEE. These cover the vast majority of undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic citation requirements worldwide.
What types of sources can I cite?
Web pages (paste the URL), journal articles (paste the DOI), books (paste the ISBN), and other source types (enter details manually - author, title, publisher, year, etc.).
How accurate are the generated citations?
Very accurate for clean DOIs (journal articles) and ISBNs (books), where metadata is standardised. URL-based citations depend on the page's own metadata markup - some websites have incomplete or incorrect titles and dates, so always verify the key fields before submitting.
Should I always double-check the citation before using it?
Yes. Treat the generated citation as a well-formatted first draft. Verify the author names, publication year, and title against the actual source. For graded academic work, cross-check against your institution's style guide.
What is an in-text citation?
An in-text citation is the shortened reference that appears inside the body of your essay immediately after quoted or paraphrased material - for example, (Smith, 2023) in APA or (Smith 45) in MLA. The tool generates both the full reference-list entry and the in-text version.
Is the AI Citation Generator free?
Yes - free for the first uses each day without an account. Sign in free with Google for higher daily limits.
This tool is free. Need something custom built?
These tools are made and kept free by a full-stack developer who ships production web apps, internal tools, AI features, and SEO for founders and teams worldwide. If you need a custom tool, an automation, or a complete website or web app, get a free quote in 24 hours.