AnyTool
Your files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.

How do I generate a citation in APA, MLA or another style?

Pick a citation style and source type in AnyTool Citation Generator, type the source details (authors, title, journal or publisher, year, volume, pages, DOI or URL) and it formats both the reference-list entry and the in-text citation instantly. Add sources to a reference list, auto-sort it, then copy or export to plain text, BibTeX or RIS. Everything is formatted in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.

  • Six styles: APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago (notes-bibliography and author-date), Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver
  • Seven source types: book, journal article, website, newspaper or magazine, online video, report and conference paper
  • Produces both the reference-list entry and the matching in-text citation
  • Build a reference list, reorder it, auto-sort alphabetically and edit any entry
  • Export the list as plain text, BibTeX (.bib) or RIS (.ris) — 100% client-side

What is

Citation Generator

A citation generator is a tool that turns the details of a source — authors, title, publication, date and identifiers — into a correctly formatted reference and in-text citation for a chosen academic style such as APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE or Vancouver, and collects those references into a bibliography.

Text Tools

Related terms

BibliographyIn-Text CitationBibTeXRISReference List

Frequently Asked Questions

Nothing is uploaded. Every citation is formatted in your browser and the reference list is saved only in local storage.

All formatting runs locally in your browser with JavaScript, there is no server and no tracking, and the tool works offline after the first load. Your reference list is kept in your browser local storage, so it stays between visits but never leaves your device.

It supports APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago in both notes-bibliography and author-date, Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver.

AnyTool Citation Generator formats sources in six widely used styles: APA 7th edition, MLA 9th edition, Chicago 17th in both its notes-bibliography and author-date systems, Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver. Switching the style re-formats every citation and reference instantly, including the in-text form, which differs from author-date to numbered styles.

Yes. Export the whole list as BibTeX (.bib) for LaTeX or as RIS (.ris) for Zotero, Mendeley and EndNote, or as plain text.

Once you have added sources, you can copy the formatted list or download it as plain text, as a BibTeX .bib file for LaTeX and BibLaTeX, or as a RIS .ris file that imports into reference managers such as Zotero, Mendeley and EndNote. The export is generated in your browser from the same structured fields you entered.

No. Automatic DOI or ISBN lookup needs a network request, so this tool uses manual entry to stay fully private and offline.

Auto-lookup by DOI, ISBN or URL requires calling an external database, which would send data off your device. To keep everything client-side and private, the citation generator uses manual entry: you type the source fields and it formats them. You can still paste a DOI or URL into the relevant field so it appears in the finished citation.

Detailed Explanation

Methodology

How the Citation Generator Works

AnyTool Citation Generator formats citations entirely in the browser from structured fields rather than parsing free text. For each source type it assembles the author string, title, container, date, volume, issue, pages and identifiers according to the selected style rule set, applying that style author convention — for example initials-after-surname in APA and Harvard, full first-author inversion in MLA and Chicago, and initials-first numbered authors in IEEE and Vancouver. It returns both the reference-list entry and the matching in-text citation.

  • Six styles: APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago notes-bibliography and author-date, Harvard, IEEE, Vancouver
  • Seven source types: book, journal article, website, newspaper or magazine, online video, report, conference paper
  • Author rules differ per style, including et al. thresholds and 21-plus-author handling in APA
  • Numbered styles (IEEE, Vancouver) assign reference numbers from the list order
  • All formatting is client-side JavaScript — no server round-trip
How It Works

Reference List and Export Formats

Sources are collected into a reference list that can be edited, reordered, auto-sorted alphabetically by first author or title, and cleared. The list is persisted in browser local storage. Beyond copying individual citations or the whole list as styled plain text, the tool serialises the same structured data into BibTeX and RIS, mapping each source type to the correct entry type or reference code so it imports into LaTeX workflows and reference managers.

  • Reference list with add, edit, reorder, alphabetical auto-sort and per-item copy
  • List saved in local storage so it survives page reloads
  • BibTeX export maps types to article, book, inproceedings, techreport and misc
  • RIS export maps types to JOUR, BOOK, CONF, RPRT, NEWS, VIDEO and ELEC with TY/AU/TI/ER tags
  • Plain-text export renders the list in the currently selected style
Privacy & Security

Privacy, Scope and Accuracy

Because all formatting runs in the browser, source details never reach a server, there is no account or tracking, and the page works offline after first load. Automatic lookup by DOI, ISBN or URL is deliberately out of scope, since it would require a network request; entry is manual so the tool stays fully private. Formatting is a best-effort implementation of each published style, and unusual sources should be verified against the official style guide.

Citation building: in-browser (AnyTool) vs typical online citation generators
CapabilityAnyToolTypical online generators
Data handlingFormatted in your browserOften posted to a server
PrivacyDetails never leave deviceMay store entries behind an account
StylesAPA, MLA, Chicago x2, Harvard, IEEE, VancouverVaries; some gate extra styles
In-text citationShown alongside every referenceSometimes separate or omitted
ExportPlain text, BibTeX, RISOften signup-gated
DOI/ISBN auto-lookupNot offered (manual, by design)Common, but sends data off device
Cost / signupFree, no signupOften ad-heavy or account-gated

Many web citation tools fetch metadata from a remote database; AnyTool keeps every field local and uploads nothing, trading auto-lookup for privacy.