How to Cite a Source Correctly

By the Super Simple Digital Tools Team · Updated June 2026 · Easy · 15 minutes

Citing sources gives credit, lets readers verify your claims and protects you from plagiarism. The exact format depends on the style your teacher requires — most commonly APA, MLA or Chicago — but they all capture the same core information.

Steps

1. Confirm the required style. Check your assignment brief for APA, MLA, Chicago or Harvard — never mix styles in one paper.
2. Gather the details. Collect the author, title, publication or website name, date, publisher and page numbers or URL for each source.
3. Build the reference. Arrange those details in the order your style dictates. For APA: Author, A. (Year). Title. Publisher/URL.
4. Add in-text citations. Every time you quote or paraphrase, add a short in-text marker (e.g. (Smith, 2024)) that points to the full reference.
5. List references alphabetically. Compile all full references on a final page, alphabetised by author surname and formatted to the style's spacing rules.

Tips

• Save each source's details as you research — chasing them down later wastes hours.
• A free citation generator can format references, but always proofread the output.