Research Guides: Citing Sources: Citation help

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Subjects: Education, English & Literature, Health Sciences, History, Information Literacy, Psychology, Sociology

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Important Reminders

Always check with your instructor on what format specifications to use for a particular class or assignment, especially when citing electronic resources including material found in library databases.

The automatic citation generators noted on this page are NOT FOOLPROOF. These tools will save you time, but you should always double-check by:

reviewing the examples given on the Reynolds Libraries Citation Style: APA and MLA online guides
consulting with a Reynolds librarian
consulting with your instructor

Library Database Citation Generators

Automatic citation generators are also available via many of the library databases.

Free citation generators

Below are links to several free citation generators. Please keep in mind that -

citation generators are NOT foolproof!

It is strongly recommend that you check your citations generated by these tools by reviewing the online APA or MLA style guides, our print citation style handbooks/manuals kept at the Reynolds Libraries reference desk at any campus, or ask a Reynolds Librarian for help. For more tips on how to use citation generators responsibly, check out this Purdue OWL webpage.

ZoteroBib

ZoteroBib
Build a bibliography from any computer without creating an account or installing any software. Use the Link to this version option to generate a URL to save and retrieve your bibliography later on from anywhere and any computer. Supports APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Automatic lookup of articles, books and websites using DOI #s, ISBN #s, titles and URLs. Export bibliographies to MS Word.

ZoteroBib Tips

Other free citation generators:

BibGuru
Login with your Google or Facebook account or create a free account. Includes APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Create and save multiple bibliographies. Includes field to enter annotations. Automatic lookup of articles, books and websites using DOI #s, ISBN #s, titles and URLs. Export bibliographies to MS Word.
MyBib
Login with your Google account or create a free account. Includes APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Create and save multiple bibliographies. Includes fields to enter annotations and notes. Automatic lookup of articles, books and websites using DOI #s, ISBN #s, titles and URLs. Export bibliographies to your Google Drive account or MS Word.
Scribbr Citation Generator
Login with your Google or Facebook account or create a free account. Includes APA, MLA and Chicago styles. Create and save multiple bibliographies. Includes field to enter annotations. Automatic lookup of articles, books and websites using DOI #s, ISBN #s, titles and URLs. Export bibliographies to MS Word.

Library database citation generators:

Citation generators for APA & MLA are also available via the library catalog and many library databases. Ask a Reynolds librarian about specific databases that provide a citation generator. When you select a book or article you are interested in, use the citation tool to automatically generate a citation in APA or MLA format.

Online Citation Guides

Reynolds Libraries' online citation guides include:

examples for citing a wide variety of resources
in-text citation examples
Links to printable handouts
Links to other helpful citation guides

Cite It Right Workshops

Cite It Right Workshops via Zoom
Not sure what a citation is or how to format your research papers in APA or MLA style? Let the Reynolds Librarians show you how! Here’s what we’ll cover: Learn what a citation is and how to identify its parts; learn how to cite a variety of print and online sources in a particular style using various citation tools, learn how to format your paper in MS Word using APA or MLA style. The Zoom link to the workshop will be sent to you approximately 15 minutes before the session begins.

Personal assistance from an academic librarian

Librarians are more than happy to assist you with citing your sources in a particular style:

Use our 24/7 library chat service to chat and Zoom with an academic librarian. Click on the Chat Now button located near the top left of this guide. The Chat Now button is available on nearly every Reynolds Libraries guide or page.
During library hours, come visit us at the Reference Desk at the Downtown or Parham Road campus libraries.
Schedule a research consultation with a Reynolds Librarian in person or via Zoom using our Research Consultation Request Form.

Citation Guides at the Reference Desk

The most recent copies of the MLA Handbook and the APA Publication Manual are kept at the Reference Desk at each campus library and are available for your use within the library.