Student and Writing Tool
Chicago Citation Generator
Create basic Chicago 18 citation suggestions for Notes and Bibliography or Author-Date. Generate citations for websites, books, journal articles, and online videos directly in your browser.
Generate a Chicago citation
Select the Chicago documentation system required for your work, then open the appropriate source type below.
Notes & Bibliography
Generate a full note and a bibliography entry for the same source.
Website
Book
Journal Article
Online Video
Author-Date
Generate a reference-list entry and a parenthetical in-text citation.
Website
Book
Journal Article
Online Video
How the Chicago Citation Generator works
Chicago 18 provides two major documentation systems. Notes and Bibliography uses numbered notes and often a bibliography. Author-Date uses brief parenthetical citations linked to a reference list.
Notes & Bibliography vs. Author-Date
The same source is formatted differently depending on which Chicago documentation system you use.
Notes & Bibliography
Note:
Maya Lee, “How Urban Trees Cool Cities,” City Science Review,
May 12, 2026, https://example.org/urban-trees.
Bibliography:
Lee, Maya. “How Urban Trees Cool Cities.” City Science Review.
May 12, 2026. https://example.org/urban-trees.
Author-Date
Reference list:
Lee, Maya. 2026. “How Urban Trees Cool Cities.”
City Science Review, May 12.
https://example.org/urban-trees.
In-text:
(Lee 2026)
Chicago 18 details to remember
- A place of publication is no longer generally required for ordinary book citations.
- Journal articles normally include volume and issue information.
- Bibliography and reference-list entries for journal articles normally include the full article page range.
- Notes and in-text citations normally use the specific page or location being cited when one is relevant.
- Online journal articles normally include a DOI-based URL when available, or another appropriate locator.
- For web pages without a publication or revision date, additional treatment such as an access date may be necessary.
Common Chicago citation mistakes
- Mixing Notes and Bibliography with Author-Date conventions.
- Reversing the author’s name incorrectly between notes and bibliography entries.
- Omitting a specific cited page from a note or parenthetical citation when one is needed.
- Leaving out volume, issue, article page range, DOI, or URL information for journal articles.
- Adding an unnecessary place of publication to ordinary modern book citations simply because an older template included one.
- Assuming plain-text output preserves italics.
- Copying a generated citation without comparing it with the original source.
Assumptions and limitations
This generator supports basic Chicago 18 patterns for websites, books, journal articles, and online videos.
Complex sources can require additional treatment, including multiple authors, editors, translators, editions, chapters in edited books, dissertations, archival material, government documents, datasets, interviews, podcasts, social media, corporate authors, and sources without dates or authors.
The generator does not independently verify that an author, title, publication date, journal, publisher, DOI, URL, or other source detail is factually correct.
Plain-text output also cannot preserve all final typography, including italics and hanging indents. Review the final citation before using it.
Privacy
Citation information entered into this generator is processed by the code running on this page in your browser. No account, student ID, school login, API key, or document upload is required.
Avoid entering confidential manuscripts, unpublished research, private student information, passwords, credentials, or other sensitive information when unnecessary.
For additional information, see the Tool Accuracy and Privacy page.
Frequently asked questions
What version of Chicago does this generator use?
The generator is designed around basic Chicago Manual of Style 18th-edition citation patterns.
What is the difference between Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date?
Notes and Bibliography uses numbered notes and commonly a bibliography. Author-Date uses parenthetical author-year citations linked to a reference list.
Do Chicago book citations still require a city of publication?
For ordinary modern book citations, Chicago 18 no longer generally requires the place of publication.
Why does a journal citation ask for both a page range and a specific page?
The full article page range belongs in the bibliography or reference-list entry, while a note or in-text citation can identify the specific page supporting the statement being cited.
Can this tool verify whether a source actually exists?
No. It formats the information you enter and does not independently search publishers, library catalogs, DOI registries, or academic databases.
Does the copied citation preserve italics?
No. The generated output is plain text. Apply the required italics and final document formatting after copying the citation.
Does this generator guarantee a perfect Chicago citation?
No. It is a formatting aid. Complex sources and institution-specific requirements may require manual changes.