Which Citation Styles Does Citation Machine Support?

Updated

Citation Machine supports APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, and Harvard citation styles. According to the site, you can "generate citations for any assignment in thousands of styles, including MLA, APA, Chicago and Harvard," and the platform also offers dedicated guides for MLA, APA, and Chicago. If your assignment specifies one of these styles, you can generate citations and export a bibliography directly; if your instructor requires a less common style, check the specific style guide before relying on the generator.

Supported Citation Styles at a Glance

Style Commonly Used In Citation Machine Resource
APA Social sciences, psychology, education APA Citation Generator + Comprehensive Guide to APA Format
MLA Humanities, literature, language arts MLA Citation Generator + MLA Format guide
Chicago History, some humanities and social sciences Chicago Citation Generator + Chicago Style guide
Turabian Academic papers based on Chicago style Listed among supported styles
Harvard Some social sciences and UK-based institutions Listed among supported styles

The site states that citations can be generated in "thousands of styles," with MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard named explicitly. Turabian is also listed in the source description as a supported format.

What Each Style Generator Covers

For MLA, APA, and Chicago, Citation Machine provides both a citation generator and a companion guide. The generators support multiple source types, including:

  • Websites
  • Books
  • Journal articles
  • YouTube videos
  • Images
  • Movies
  • Interviews
  • PDFs

Each style guide includes examples and steps for formatting your paper, annotated bibliographies, works cited pages, and full or in-text citations. This means you can use the same platform to both generate a citation and check how it should look in your paper.

How to Choose the Right Style

The style you use depends on your assignment, not personal preference. Use these conditions to decide:

  • If your instructor or syllabus names a style, use that one. For example, a psychology paper typically requires APA, while an English literature essay usually requires MLA.
  • If your discipline is history, Chicago or Turabian is often expected.
  • If you are submitting to a journal or publisher, check their author guidelines — they may require Harvard or another style not covered by the main guides.
  • If no style is specified, ask your instructor before generating citations, since switching styles later means reformatting every entry.

Citation Machine's guides for MLA, APA, and Chicago are the most detailed, so if your assignment falls under one of those styles, you have the most supporting resources available.

Exporting Your Bibliography

Once you have generated citations in your chosen style, Citation Machine lets you "create the perfect bibliography or works cited page and export to your Google Drive or Microsoft Word." This works across the supported styles, so you can build a reference list in APA, MLA, Chicago, or another style and move it into your document without retyping.

Common Points to Check

  • Style editions change. APA, MLA, and Chicago all update their manuals periodically. Verify that the generator is using the edition your instructor requires.
  • Not every source type is equally supported. The site lists many source types, but unusual sources (e.g., unpublished manuscripts or certain government documents) may need manual formatting.
  • The "thousands of styles" claim is broad. The most fully supported styles with dedicated guides are MLA, APA, and Chicago. For Turabian, Harvard, or other styles, confirm the output matches your requirements.
  • Free vs. paid features. The site references a subscription and an "Upgrade" option, so some tools may require an account or paid plan. Check what is included before relying on a feature for a deadline.