How to use the in-text citation helper
- In Author surnames (one per line), type each author’s family name. If you paste “Grazer, Brian”, the given name after the comma is dropped.
- Enter the Year and, if you quote or point to a passage, the Page(s): 12, or a range such as 18–21.
- For IEEE, set the IEEE reference number, the number the source has in your reference list.
- For Chicago short notes, enter the Title. The short form drops the subtitle after a colon and a leading “A”, “An” or “The”, then keeps up to four words.
- Pick a Style, or leave All styles to compare them in one table.
What it does and when to use it
The in-text citation tells the reader which reference-list entry backs up each sentence. Small details matter: APA uses “&” inside brackets but “and” in the sentence, MLA has no comma and no “p.”, and IEEE uses a bracketed number instead of a name. The helper writes each form for you, with the rule it followed.
For the full entry in your reference list, use the citation generator for one source or the bibliography builder for a whole list. If you are near a word limit, check whether your course counts citations with the essay word counter.
How it works
Names are split at new lines or semicolons. The helper counts the authors and applies each style’s rule:
| Style | One author | Two | Three | Four or more | Page marker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | name | A & B | et al. | et al. | p. / pp. |
| MLA 9 | name | A and B | et al. | et al. | none |
| Chicago 17 author-date | name | A and B | A, B, and C | et al. | none |
| Harvard (Cite Them Right) | name | A and B | A, B and C | et al. | p. / pp. |
| IEEE | number | number | number | number | p. / pp. |
A page range gets “pp.” in APA, Harvard and IEEE. Everything runs in your browser.
Worked examples
Two authors, page 12, year 2015 (the default). APA gives (Grazer & Fishman, 2015, p. 12), MLA gives (Grazer and Fishman 12), Chicago author-date gives (Grazer and Fishman 2015, 12) and the Chicago short note is “Grazer and Fishman, Curious Mind, 12.”
Four authors, pages 18–21, IEEE number 4. Every style shortens to Okafor et al. APA gives (Okafor et al., 2022, pp. 18–21) and IEEE gives [4, pp. 18–21].
One author in MLA. Jackson, page 7: (Jackson 7), or “Jackson … (7)” in the sentence.
Limits and tips
- Two authors with the same surname, or two works by one author in the same year (2019a, 2019b), are not handled; add the letters or initials yourself.
- Sources with no author or no date need special forms in each style; check your style guide.
- Rules differ between universities, especially for Harvard. Your course handbook comes first.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use "et al."?
What is the difference between parenthetical and narrative?
Which editions does it follow?
How do I cite an organisation as the author?
Why does Chicago notes-bibliography show a footnote?
Sources
- APA Style — American Psychological Association, accessed 2026-10-08
- Citations by Format — MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association, accessed 2026-10-08
- Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide — The University of Chicago Press, accessed 2026-10-08
- IEEE Editorial Style Manual — IEEE Author Center, accessed 2026-10-08
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