Citations follow APA and MLA conventions and assume the details you provide. Always check against your institution's style guide and the source itself.
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Calculation details
Planning estimate only, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify assumptions and current rules before making decisions.
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What does this calculator estimate?
Citation formatter: generate APA and MLA citations and bibliographies from your source details in seconds. Free, private, runs in your browser, no signup.
When do I cite the same source twice in a bibliography?
APA and MLA both list each unique source once, alphabetized; repeat references in the text, not in the bibliography. What looks like a duplicate is often two editions, two URLs, or a source and a chapter within it, which are distinct entries. Match author, title, and year carefully before deciding two citations are the same work.
What is the difference between APA and MLA ordering?
MLA alphabetizes by author and uses container titles for works inside larger works; APA alphabetizes by author but sorts multiple works by the same author by year, adding letter suffixes. The two styles also place dates differently, MLA near the end of the entry and APA right after the author. Pick the style your assignment names and let the formatter handle ordering details.
How this calculator works
Formula
MLA: Author. Title. Publisher, Year. APA: Author (Year). Title. Publisher. URL.
Worked example
Smith, Jane: "Smith, Jane. The Art of Focus. Crown Publishing, 2024." appears in MLA; the detail table shows the APA form.
Assumptions to verify
- Author is entered as 'Last, First' and converted to APA initials (Last, F.) and MLA full names (Last, First).
- A missing year is rendered as 'n.d.' in APA.
- Book titles are italicized in MLA and presented in sentence case in APA.
- Website and article titles are placed in quotation marks in MLA.
- Details should be double-checked against the source and your institution's style guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why does APA use initials but MLA use full first names?
APA style abbreviates given names to initials; MLA uses the full name as printed on the source.
What if there is no publication year?
APA renders the year as 'n.d.' (no date); MLA omits it or uses an access date for web sources.
Is this generator authoritative for my paper?
No. It follows common APA/MLA conventions but you should confirm against your assignment's edition and your instructor's rules.
Can I use it for a book, website, and article?
Yes. Pick the source type and the tool formats both APA and MLA for that type.
Cite this tool
BoringToolsKit. “Citation Formatter.” boringtoolskit.com/citation-formatter/. Free to reference in articles, syllabi, and answer posts with a link.
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