Citation Builder: References from a DOI in Six Styles
Paste a DOI to get a checked reference in APA 7, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver, or type in the details of a book, web page or article without a DOI. We never invent a reference: if a DOI doesn't exist, we tell you.
From a DOI Recommended
No DOI? Enter the details
How to build a correct reference from a DOI
Why build references from the DOI?
Typing references by hand is where most errors start: a misspelt author, the wrong year, a missing issue number. A DOI points to the official record of an article, so building the reference from that record gives you the details exactly as the publisher registered them.
Paste a DOI (with or without the https://doi.org/ prefix). The tool fetches the record from CrossRef and formats it in APA 7, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver, plus a BibTeX entry for LaTeX and reference managers. Copy the one your journal uses.
Sources without a DOI
For books, reports, web pages and articles without a DOI, open “No DOI? Enter the details”, choose the source type and fill in the authors (one per line), title, year and source. The builder formats them in every style.
Each style follows its own author rules: APA 7 lists up to 20 authors, MLA uses “et al.” from three authors, Harvard (Cite Them Right) from four, IEEE and Vancouver after six, and Chicago after ten. The Copy button keeps italics when you paste into Word or Google Docs.
Check before you paste
Publisher records are not always perfect. Titles registered in capitals, unusual author names and missing page numbers do occur. Read each reference once, and check your journal’s author guidelines for house variations: many journals use a named style with small changes of their own. Our APA 7, IEEE and Vancouver guides cover the rules people get wrong most often.
Already have a full reference list? Run it through the Reference Verifier first to catch DOIs that don’t exist.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a DOI to an APA citation?
Paste the DOI into the Citation Builder and press the button. The APA 7 reference appears with the other styles; copy it into your reference list and check it against your journal’s guidelines.
Which citation styles are supported?
APA 7, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE and Vancouver, plus BibTeX for LaTeX and reference managers such as Zotero, Mendeley and EndNote.
What if my source has no DOI?
Use the manual entry form: choose journal article, book or web page, type the authors, title, year and source details, and the builder formats them in every style.
Is the Citation Builder free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no limit on the number of references.