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Citation Formatters
Database-embedded citation formatters | Free Web-based citation formatters | Premium citation formatters - see EndNote & RefWorks — Personal Bibliographic Management (PBM) tools
Citation formatters are programs that create citations formatted in a specific style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). Some of them are embedded into databases, others require that you export or enter bibliographic information.
Warning: Please use the citation formatters with caution. Be sure to check the results for formatting, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and the required elements for the citation style you are using.
Consult the appropriate official style manual for the definitive answer to your citation questions. You can link to citations examples in various styles and selected style manuals from the UC Libraries Citation & Style Guides page. For additional assistance, please contact the library reference desk in person, by e-mail or chat.
Database-embedded citation formatters
Academic Search Complete (and other databases in the EBSCOhost suite)
Display a citation. Click the "Cite" icon under "Tools" to the right of the citation.
This brings up the Citation Format screen.
Alternatively you can click the "Print", "E-mail" or "Save" icon and select the format from the "Citation format" drop-down menu.
Display a report. Click "Cite Now!" and select the desired format.
Display a citation. Click the "Citation Tools" icon.
Select the desired format and click "Save."
OhioLINK OLinks formatter (in EJC and other OhioLINK databases)
In the OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center (EJC) display a citation, click the drop-down menu under "Format/export as," select the desired style, and click "Go."
In many OhioLINK databases on the results list and citation screens you will see this icon: 
. Click it to display the OLinks screen, click the drop-down menu under "Format citation as," select the desired style, and click "Go."
The nice thing about the OLinks formatter screen is that below the citation it has a form, which allows you to add any missing information. The screen also has links to style manuals and tips for citing electronic sources:
After running a search, click on the word you want. Below the definition, you will see a citation in MLA style.
Research Library and other ProQuest databases
Display a citation and click the "Cite" icon.
Select the desired citation format from the drop-down menu.
NEW! Wikipedia
Note: Before using Wikipedia as a source in your bibliography make sure that your course instructor considers it an acceptable source.
Display the article you want to cite. On the left-hand side expand the "Toolbox," click on "Cite this page." The following citation styles are available: APA, MLA, MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association), Chicago, CSE (Council of Science Editors), Bluebook (the most widely used legal citation system in the US), AMA.
NEW! Wilson OmniFile
Display a citation and click the "Cite icon." Scroll down to the desired style.
Free Web-based citation formatters
These simple tools tend to work best for basic citations of common materials, such as books. If you want to cite something more unusual, such as an interview, class lecture or video, they may not work as well.
Easy Bib
Formats in APA, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian styles.
Son of Citation Machine - Landmark Project
Formats in APA, MLA, Turabian, and Chicago styles.
Zotero - A Firefox extension (Center for History and New Media, George Mason University).
Formats in APA, MLA and Chicago styles.
Based on
the "Citation Formatters" page at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater http://library.uww.edu/guides/citations.html
Page content: Olga Hart
The page was last updated on August 4, 2011.