Bibliography Generator

Free bibliography generator: choose APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago, add your sources, and copy a sorted reference list, Works Cited or bibliography. No signup.

Free, with no account and no limit. It runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere, and your list is saved in this browser only.

How it works

Choose the style your assignment asks for: APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago (notes and bibliography).
Pick the source type, type the details from the source, and press Add to bibliography. Repeat for each source.
Copy all pastes the whole list, sorted A to Z, into Word or Google Docs with the italics kept. Switch style at any time and the list is reformatted.

The same sources in each style

Journal article in APA 7 (References): Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581 In text: (Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014), or in a sentence: Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014).
Journal article in MLA 9 (Works Cited): Mueller, Pam A., and Daniel M. Oppenheimer. “The Pen Is Mightier than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking.” Psychological Science, vol. 25, no. 6, 2014, pp. 1159-1168, https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581. In text: (Mueller and Oppenheimer).
Journal article in Chicago (Bibliography): Mueller, Pam A., and Daniel M. Oppenheimer. “The Pen Is Mightier than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking.” Psychological Science 25, no. 6 (2014): 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581. Footnote: 1. Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, “The Pen Is Mightier than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand over Laptop Note Taking,” Psychological Science 25, no. 6 (2014): 1159–1168, https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581. Short note: 1. Mueller and Oppenheimer, “Pen Is Mightier.”
Book in APA 7 (References): Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants. Milkweed Editions. In text: (Kimmerer, 2013), or in a sentence: Kimmerer (2013).
Book in MLA 9 (Works Cited): Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2013. In text: (Kimmerer).
Book in Chicago (Bibliography): Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2013. Footnote: 1. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants (Milkweed Editions, 2013). Short note: 1. Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass.

What each style calls the list

APA 7: References. Sorted by the first author’s last name, double-spaced, 0.5-inch hanging indent, the year right after the authors.
MLA 9: Works Cited. Sorted A to Z by the first word of the entry, double-spaced, 0.5-inch hanging indent, the date near the end.
Chicago notes and bibliography: Bibliography. Sorted by the first author’s last name, with a hanging indent; each source is also cited in a numbered footnote. The generator gives the full footnote and the short form for later notes.
Some instructors say bibliography for any list of sources. If the assignment does not name a style, ask which one to use; the three are not interchangeable.

How to format a bibliography

Put the list on a new page at the end of the paper, with the list title (References, Works Cited or Bibliography) centered at the top.
Sort the entries A to Z and give each a 0.5-inch hanging indent. The generator sorts for you; set the hanging indent and line spacing in your word processor after you paste.
Include every source you cite in the text, and in APA and MLA only those. A Chicago bibliography may also list works you consulted, if your instructor allows it.
Check each entry against the source itself: names, the exact title and the date. A generator formats what you type; it cannot spot a wrong year.

Annotated bibliographies

An annotated bibliography adds a short paragraph under each entry that summarises the source and says how you will use it. This generator formats the entries; write each annotation yourself and paste it under its entry.
Keep the citation format exactly as it is for an ordinary list, and indent the annotation as a block under the entry unless your instructor gives other instructions.

Other styles and tools

Style-specific pages with rules and more examples: the APA citation generator, the MLA citation generator, the works cited generator and the Chicago citation generator.
Finding sources: the research workbench searches OpenAlex, Crossref and arXiv and exports citations. Starting the paper: the thesis statement generator and the essay outline template.

Frequently asked questions

Which styles does the bibliography generator support?

APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, and Chicago 18th edition in the notes and bibliography system. Chicago author-date is not offered.

Can I switch styles after adding my sources?

Yes. The sources are saved, not the formatted text, so choosing another style reformats the whole list at once.

Is the bibliography sorted automatically?

Yes, A to Z by the first word of each entry, which is usually the author’s last name. You can also show the list in the order you added the sources.

What source types can I cite?

Websites, books, journal articles and YouTube videos. For other kinds of source, pick the closest type and check the result against your style guide.

Does it make annotated bibliographies?

It formats the entries. Write your annotation under each entry yourself after you paste the list.

Is it free?

Yes, with no account and no limit. Your list is saved in this browser only, so copy it into your paper when you are done.

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