Why We Cite?
Popular Citation Generators
A citation generator is a tool that exists to assist you with the creation of a bibliographic citation. Most tools focus on creating the citation for your bibliography (works cited or reference page); fewer tools include help with formatting parenthetical or in-text citations.
Many credible websites and library databases include citation generators for each source.
If the source doesn't include a citation generator, there are many other tools online that you can use for citation assistance. Click on the tabs above to learn more about a few of these tools.
Content adapted from Butler Universities' Citation Management Libguide.
"Helps you build a bibliography instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software. It's brought to you by the team behind Zotero, the powerful open-source research tool recommended by thousands of universities worldwide."
FREE?
- Nothing! ZoteroBib is completely free and ad-free.
CITATION STYLES
- MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian
- Support over 9,000 other citation styles too!
TYPES OF SOURCES
- Just need a URL to create a citation
- Newspaper and magazine articles, library catalogs, journal articles, sites like Amazon and Google Books, and MORE!
OTHER FEATURES
- Can cite almost anything
- Export to a bibliography of Works Cited
- AutoSave feature to local storage on your browser
- Easily share your list of sources with others with the "Link This" feature
Check out the FAQ for more info.
FREE?
- Citation creation can be done for free in the major styles.
- A BibMe Pro plan is available with additional features such as plagiarism checking
CITATION STYLES
- MLA, APA, Chicago
TYPES OF SOURCES
- Book, magazine, newspaper, website, journal, film, other
OTHER FEATURES
- Will look up and generate citation based upon website, book title, etc. using WorldCat
- Includes a parenthetical citation feature
FREE?
- You can create MLA citations without paying. For other citation styles, you'll need a membership.
CITATION STYLES
- MLA is available for free
- APA, Harvard, Chicago, and more require a premium membership
TYPES OF SOURCES
- Website, book, newspaper, journal, database, and more
OTHER FEATURES
- Will look up and generate citation based upon website url, book title, etc.
There are a LOT of options for citation generators:
We'd love to hear which tools you find useful! Email us at referencedesk@tnstate.edu to let us know your preference.