Free Citation Generator
Cite websites, books, chapters, journal articles, news and videos in APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 17 or Harvard — reference, in-text citation and an alphabetized list you can copy with italics intact.
Results
The 7ESL Citation Generator builds correct references and in-text citations in the four styles students are actually asked for: APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 17 and Harvard. It covers six source types — websites, books, book chapters, journal articles, newspapers and magazines, and online videos — and it runs entirely in your browser: nothing is uploaded, nothing needs an account, and there is no limit on how many citations you create.
How to use the Citation Generator
Pick the style and the source type, then fill in what you know — the form changes to show only the fields that style needs. Add as many authors as the source has (there is a switch for organisations such as WHO or BBC), set the publication date, and press Create citation. You get the full reference with real italics, the matching in-text citation, and for Chicago a sample footnote. Fields you leave empty are skipped automatically, following each style's rules for missing information.
Building a reference list
Press Add to list after each citation and the tool keeps an alphabetized reference list for you, sorted the way the style manuals require (ignoring "A", "An" and "The"). When you are done, copy the whole list with italics intact — it pastes correctly into Word and Google Docs — or download it as a plain-text file. The list lives only on your device and clears when you leave the page, so copy it before closing the tab.
Why correct citations matter
Citation is not decoration: it is how academic writing shows which ideas are yours and which are borrowed, and inconsistent references are one of the quickest ways to lose easy marks. The generator applies the fiddly rules people get wrong — author initials versus full names, sentence case versus title case, when to write "et al.", how each style prints dates — so you can focus on the writing itself. If you are not sure which style you need, check your assignment brief first; when no style is given, APA 7 is the safest default for most subjects. For style-specific guidance, see the dedicated APA, MLA, Chicago and Harvard pages.
Frequently asked questions
Which citation styles does it support?
APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, Chicago 17th edition (bibliography entry plus a sample footnote), and Harvard. Each style applies its own rules for author names, titles, dates and et al.
Which source types can I cite?
Websites and web pages, books, chapters in edited books, journal articles, newspaper and magazine articles, and online videos. The form shows only the fields the chosen type needs.
Does the copied citation keep the italics?
Yes. The Copy button copies rich text, so italic titles paste correctly into Word and Google Docs. If your browser blocks rich copy, the tool falls back to plain text.
Can I build a full reference list?
Yes. Add each citation to the list and the tool keeps it alphabetized, ignoring "A", "An" and "The" as the style manuals require. You can copy the whole list or download it as a .txt file.
Is it free, and where does my data go?
It is completely free with no sign-up. Everything runs in your browser — the sources you type are never uploaded, and the list clears when you leave the page.