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.
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 tools
You may also want to use the GPA Calculator for academic planning, the Statistics Calculator for data summaries, or the Text Summarizer for notes, articles, and study material.