Citing Sources | APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on September 8, 2025 by Tanisha Kavalakkat

Citing sources is one of the best ways to make your writing more convincing. It shows your readers that you researched your topic and that you’re conscientious about giving credit where credit is due.

To cite sources, include two types of information:

  • In-text citations or footnotes for each sentence that has details from an outside source
  • A bibliography at the end of the document with an alphabetized list of all the sources you used

The information that in-text citations and bibliographies should include is determined by the citation style that you’re using. Three of the most common citation styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

The details and explanations below show how to cite sources in these three common formats. QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can also help you create citations in virtually any citation format that you’re required to use.

Citing sources examples
APA MLA
In-text citation According to Ackerman (2023), barn owls probably originated in Australia or Africa. According to Ackerman, barn owls probably originated in Australia or Africa (4).
Bibliography 
Ackerman, J. (2023). What an owl knows: The new science of the world’s most enigmatic birds. Penguin Books.
Ackerman, Jennifer. What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds. Penguin Books, 2024.

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