Free Citation Generator: APA, MLA, Chicago & Harvard
Generate accurate citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard format for websites, books, and journals. Instant results, no sign-up required.
Every academic paper needs properly formatted citations. Getting the format wrong — a missing comma, wrong italics, incorrect author order — costs grade points. Paid tools like EasyBib Plus ($10/month) and Citation Machine Premium ($10/month) automate this, but free alternatives produce equally accurate results.
Understanding Citation Styles
APA (American Psychological Association) is standard in social sciences, psychology, and education. MLA (Modern Language Association) is used in humanities, literature, and language arts. Chicago style appears in history, business, and fine arts. Harvard referencing is common in UK and Australian universities. Each has specific rules for punctuation, ordering, and formatting.
What a Citation Generator Does
Enter the source details — author, title, publication date, URL, publisher — and the generator outputs a perfectly formatted citation in your chosen style. It handles the fiddly formatting rules: when to use italics, where to place dates, how to order multiple authors, and when to use 'et al.'
Types of Sources You Can Cite
Websites and web pages, books and ebook chapters, journal articles, newspaper articles, conference papers, government reports, and videos. Each source type has different formatting requirements in each citation style — a generator handles all the variations automatically.
Tips for Better Citations
Always verify the generated citation against the latest style guide — slight format changes happen regularly. Use the same citation style throughout your paper. Keep a running bibliography as you research, not at the end. And remember: the citation generator handles format, but you're responsible for choosing appropriate, credible sources.
Generate Your Citations
The Citation Generator on Zerocosttools supports APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard styles for websites, books, and journal articles. Fill in the source details, get an instant formatted citation, and copy it directly into your paper. Free, no account required.