How do I cite a pdf in BibTeX?

To cite a pdf in BibTeX (standard), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

How to Cite a PDF in BibTeX (standard)

Learn how to cite PDF documents and reports in BibTeX format (standard). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

BibTeX Reference List Format

Here is the standard BibTeX format for citing a pdf in your reference list:

BibTeX Example for a PDF

A complete BibTeX reference for a pdf, formatted by the official BibTeX CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

@techreport{Open2023Annual, address = {Geneva}, author = {{Open Scholarship Council}}, year = {2023}, institution = {Open Scholarship Council}, title = {Annual review of open scholarship}, url = {https://www.example.org/reports/2023.pdf}, }

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your pdf.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the BibTeX (standard) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match BibTeX requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: bibtex.csl

Metadata to collect

actual source type
author
title
publisher or journal
date
DOI or stable URL

Common metadata traps

PDF is a file format, not usually the source type.
Prefer publisher metadata or a DOI over text scraped from a PDF.

Read the detailed source guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a pdf in BibTeX?: To cite a pdf in BibTeX (standard), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the BibTeX format for a pdf citation?: The BibTeX format for a pdf is: @techreport{Open2023Annual, address = {Geneva}, author = {{Open Scholarship Council}}, year = {2023}, institution = {Open Scholarship Council}, title = {Annual review of open scholarship}, url = {https://www.example.org/reports/2023.pdf}, }