Welcome! This text will discuss how to use citation generators and the intended readers are pupils, students, and others who are surfing the web for information about this topic. It can sure be a challenge to produce and hand in quality texts, and teachers and others are quite specific when it comes to citations. In short, you need to cite your sources the correct way when you are writing, for example, an essay. But how do you do it, and where can you find help? It is not within the scope of this article to provide detailed help, but I will discuss a tool that may be of some help when it comes to those pesky but important citations.

What is a citation generator?

A citation generator is a tool that helps writers, such as yourself, properly cite their sources. It is sometimes hard to know exactly how to cite a source. Let us assume that you are citing a book written by a guy named Smith. How do you cite this source in your running text? And how do you write the citation in the reference list at the end of you text? A good citation generator will provide examples and show you how to format and include those references.

Where can I find one?

Citation generators can be found via a simple Google search. Search for 'how to write citations' and 'free citation generator', for example. Many are indeed free to use and the best ones, in my humble opinion, are the ones that do not require registration. Many web surfers do not like to register and hand over their e-mail address for something that is just a quick job, like finishing an essay. I appreciate that and support citation generators that are free to use without having to register.

How to I use it?

Once you have found a citation generator on the web, please read the instructions for that specific tool carefully. In most cases, you enter the bibliographic data, press a button, and read the output. The output will probably be a suggestion about how you may cite your source. A good citation generator will show you how to cite your sources in the running text, and how to cite them in the reference list.

What are the possible pitfalls?

One of the dangers of using automated tools is that you may become lazy and the risk is that you will not concentrate. What I am trying to say here is that you always need to pay attention and make sure the citations that you use are 100% correct. You cannot blame the citation machine afterwards in case a reader finds an error in your text. My suggestion, is that you ask your teacher about a manual or similar written guide. Even if he or she may not have one on hand, you can perhaps borrow one from the library or visit the library to read it. An example of such a manual is the well-known APA Style. You need to know what manual/style is the best for you and your specific essay. This is why you need to ask your teacher about this. Once you know what manual/style to follow, you can use the citation generator of your choice and read the appropriate manual/guide for detailed instructions about how to format and include your citations in your essay. Thanks for reading, and have fun writing your essay!