LitSource / Citation Generator

APA citation generator

Start with a DOI and open our free converter to create an APA 7 reference from CrossRef metadata. Have a PubMed ID instead? Use the PMID converter below. No signup is required for these tools.

Open the free DOI to APA tool →

The converter returns plain-text APA and AMA references. Review author names, capitalization, missing fields and italics in your document. It does not generate every source type or verify that a paper supports your claim.

From a DOI to your reference list

  1. Copy the DOI from the publisher record, with or without the https://doi.org/ prefix.
  2. Open the converter, paste the DOI and select Get citation. Copy the APA result.
  3. Compare the result with the original article, then apply italics and a hanging indent in your document editor.
Official APA journal article examples ↗

APA citation questions

What is the difference between an in-text citation and a reference?

An APA in-text citation uses the author and year, such as (Surname, 2024). The reference list supplies the full publication details. The DOI tool creates a reference entry; prepare the corresponding in-text citation yourself.

Should an APA reference include the DOI?

For a journal article with a DOI, include it as an https://doi.org/ link. Check that it resolves to the article you used.

What if I have no DOI?

For an indexed biomedical paper, try the PMID converter. Otherwise collect the publication details from the original source and consult the official APA examples. Do not invent a DOI or missing fields.

Which errors should I check before submission?

Check author order, year, article title, journal, volume, issue, pages or article number, and DOI. Formatting and metadata matching do not establish that the study supports your sentence.