On this page you will find information on how best to cite in the MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.
As a general rule, you will have to cite your information when you use: ♦ Someone else’s idea(s) / ♦ Someone else’s work / ♦ Someone else’s words / ♦ Direct quotations.
As a general rule, you will not have to cite your information when you use: ♦ Undisputed facts or matters of public record / ♦ Common knowledge in your discipline / ♦ Your own ideas, experiences, or thoughts.
If you're having any problems, please don't hesitate to get in touch with one of the librarians listed in the righthand menu.
Service | MLA 9th | APA 7th | Chicago 17th | Cite Websites? | Ads? |
BibGuru | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | No |
MyBib | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | No |
Google Scholar | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | No | No |
Cite This For Me | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Yes |
Zotero Bib | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Yes |
BibMe | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Yes |
EasyBib | ✔ | No (not free) | No (not free) | ✔ | Yes |
The above websites will help you to build an individual citation from scratch or just a URL. For citation machines that allow you to not only cite sources but also organize them, we recommend Zotero or Mendeley. Both work for PC or Mac, phone or computer, and can be downloaded into your search engines as plugins or be web-based through a website.
You are welcome to contact us individually at:
Jaeda Calaway - Information Literacy Instructor and Student Research Support Specialist
217.245.3207
McKenna Jacquemet - Research Services and Information Literacy Librarian
217.245.3117
Bree Kirsch - Director of the Library
217.245.3573