Citation generators, or citation machines can help guide the construction of a citation. However, they are not fool-proof, so be certain to check the suggested citation against the formatting guidelines for the citation style you are using.

It is a good idea to build your reference list as you go, rather than trying to reconstruct it after you have written your paper! Keep careful notes on all of your references, including:

• author(s)
• place of publication
• publisher
• year/date published

For journal articles, you will also need:

• the year, volume, and issue
• page numbers

For an individually authored book chapter, remember to have:

• the author's name
• the editor's name
• page numbers
• title of the book in which the chapter appears
• chapter title