OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Bibliography Generator
Sorted Reference List in APA 7, MLA 9, Harvard or Chicago 17
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How the Bibliography Generator works
This bibliography generator turns a list of sources into a full reference list in APA 7th, MLA 9th, Harvard or Chicago 17th style. Type each source as a short block of field: value lines, leave a blank line between sources, and the list comes out sorted and headed the way the style expects. For example: author: Smith, Jane title: Small Tools year: 2024 publisher: Example Press
How the bibliography generator works
Each source is a block of lines such as type: book, author: Smith, Jane, title, year and publisher. Add one author line per author, as Surname, Given names. Journal articles take journal, volume, issue and pages; websites take website, url and accessed; chapters take the book title as in, plus editor (as Kim Black) and pages. The type can be book, journal, website or chapter. The generator formats each entry with the same rules as the citation generator, sorts them by author, and adds the heading: References for APA, Works Cited for MLA, Reference list for Harvard and Bibliography for Chicago.
First example. Two sources typed as:
type: book / author: Smith, Jane / title: Learning to learn / year: 2019 / publisher: Penguin
type: journal / author: Brown, Alan / author: Lee, Mary / title: Spaced practice and memory / year: 2021 / journal: Journal of Learning / volume: 12 / issue: 3 / pages: 45-60
each on its own lines, come out in APA as a References list with Brown, A., & Lee, M. (2021) first and Smith, J. (2019) second.
Second example. The same two sources in MLA 9th give a Works Cited list starting "Brown, Alan, and Mary Lee. "Spaced practice and memory." Journal of Learning, vol. 12, no. 3, 2021, pp. 45–60."
Do I still need to check the list? Yes. Titles keep the capitals you type, so follow your style's rules for capitalisation, and add italics for book and journal titles when you paste.
Fields each source type uses
| Field | Book | Journal article | Website | Book chapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | book | journal | website | chapter |
| author (one line each) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| title | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| year | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| publisher | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| journal / website / in | — | journal | website | in (book title) |
| volume, issue | — | Yes | — | — |
| pages | — | Yes | — | Yes |
| editor | — | — | — | Yes |
| url | Optional | Optional (DOI) | Yes | Optional |
| accessed | — | — | Yes | — |
FAQ
What is the difference between a bibliography and a reference list?
A reference list includes only the sources you cite in the text. A bibliography can also list sources you read for background. APA and Harvard use reference lists; Chicago uses a bibliography.
How is a reference list sorted?
Alphabetically by the first author's surname. Sources with no author are sorted by the first word of the title. Works by the same author are listed by year in APA and Harvard.
What is Works Cited?
Works Cited is the MLA name for the reference list at the end of a paper. It lists every source cited in the text in alphabetical order.
Can I mix source types in one list?
Yes. Enter books, articles, websites and chapters in any order. The generator sorts them all into one list. Each entry is formatted for its own source type in the chosen style.
How do I add a DOI?
Put the DOI as a url: line, such as url: https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123. APA 7th places it at the end of the entry. MLA and Chicago also accept a DOI in place of a URL.
See also: all Writing & Editing tools, Lists & Lines, Markdown & HTML, Ciphers & Alphabets.
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