Free citation tool
APA Citation Generator
Create basic APA-style references and in-text citation suggestions for websites, books, journal articles, and reports.
Create an APA-style reference
Fill in the fields you have. The generator creates a basic APA-style reference and an in-text citation suggestion.
What this APA Citation Generator does
This APA Citation Generator helps create a basic APA-style reference from common source details such as author, year, title, website or publisher, journal information, URL, and DOI.
It is designed for quick drafting and checking. It does not replace your instructor, university writing center, publisher guidelines, or the official APA Publication Manual.
How to use this tool
- Select the source type.
- Enter the author or organization name.
- Enter the year, title, and source information.
- Add the URL or DOI when available.
- Click Generate citation.
- Review the result carefully before submitting academic work.
APA 7 source types supported by this generator
This tool is intentionally limited to four common source categories: web page, book, journal article, and report. Choose the source type that describes the work itself. A journal article found online is still a journal article; the URL does not automatically make it a web-page citation.
The generator creates a practical APA 7 draft from the fields you supply. It does not look up or verify the source. Check the author, date, title, journal or site name, publisher, volume, issue, pages, DOI, and URL against the original source before relying on the result.
| Source type | Fields this tool uses | Practical draft pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Web page | Author, year, page title, website name, URL, optional retrieval date | Author. (Year). Page title. Website Name. URL |
| Book | Author, year, book title, publisher, optional URL | Author. (Year). Book title. Publisher. URL |
| Journal article | Author, year, article title, journal name, volume/issue/pages, DOI or URL | Author. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, volume(issue), pages. DOI/URL |
| Report | Author or organization, year, report title, publisher or organization, optional URL | Author/Organization. (Year). Report title. Publisher. URL |
Worked APA 7 examples for the four supported source types
The examples below are fictional and show how the fields map into this generator. They are not sources to cite in real work.
Web page example
Fields: Smith, J. · 2026 · Understanding JSON formatting · Practical Tools Hub · https://example.org/json-formatting
Draft reference: Smith, J. (2026). Understanding JSON formatting. Practical Tools Hub. https://example.org/json-formatting
Basic parenthetical suggestion: (Smith, 2026)
Book example
Fields: Rivera, M. · 2024 · Practical data literacy · Example Press
Draft reference: Rivera, M. (2024). Practical data literacy. Example Press.
Basic parenthetical suggestion: (Rivera, 2024)
Journal article example
Fields: Lee, A. · 2025 · Evaluating interactive learning tools · Journal of Example Research · 12(3), 45-60 · https://doi.org/10.0000/example
Draft reference: Lee, A. (2025). Evaluating interactive learning tools. Journal of Example Research, 12(3), 45-60. https://doi.org/10.0000/example
Basic parenthetical suggestion: (Lee, 2025)
Report example
Fields: City Data Office · 2026 · Annual digital access report · City Data Office · https://example.org/report
Draft reference: City Data Office. (2026). Annual digital access report. City Data Office. https://example.org/report
Basic parenthetical suggestion: (City Data Office, 2026)
Reference entry and in-text citation
The reference-list entry gives readers the fuller source description. The in-text citation connects a statement in your writing to that reference entry.
Important limitation
This tool creates a practical APA-style draft. APA formatting can vary by source type and institution. Always verify punctuation, italics, capitalization, DOI formatting, retrieval-date requirements, and hanging indentation according to your assignment or publication requirements.
FAQ
Is this official APA formatting?
No. It is a basic APA-style generator for practical drafting. Always verify requirements against your instructor, institution, or publisher.
Does APA require a retrieval date?
Many stable sources do not require a retrieval date. A retrieval date may be appropriate for pages designed to change over time. Confirm your requirements.
Should URLs have a period after them?
In most APA web references, the URL is usually left without a final period so the link is not confused with punctuation.
Does this tool upload my citation information?
This MVP version is designed to generate the citation locally in your browser. Avoid entering private, restricted, or confidential information into online tools.
Related citation tools
You may also want to use the MLA Citation Generator for MLA 9 citations, the Chicago Citation Generator for Chicago 18 citations, or the Citation Format Checker to review common citation-format details.
Learn the method behind this tool
Use the related Practical Tools Hub guide for worked examples, limitations, and source-grounded explanation.