Encyclopedia Citation Generator
Cite an encyclopedia entry: Wikipedia, Britannica or a printed subject encyclopedia. Enter the entry title, the encyclopedia, the author or editors if the entry is signed, the date and the URL, and get the reference and in-text citation in APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18 and 10,834 other styles. Free, no sign-up.
How to Use the Encyclopedia Citation Generator
- 1. Check whether the entry is signed. A signed entry names its author, usually under the title or at the end. Wikipedia entries are not signed, and neither are many short entries in general encyclopedias. Leave Author empty when there is none.
- 2. Fill in the entry and the encyclopedia. Type the entry title in the Title box and the encyclopedia's name in Journal / Publication. For a printed set, add the editors, the pages and the publisher.
- 3. Add the date and the URL. For Wikipedia use the date of the version you read and the permalink from the page's View history tab; for other online entries use the page address and the date shown on it.
- 4. Pick a style. Choose APA, MLA, Chicago or any of the 10,834 styles, then copy the reference and the in-text citation. Click Complete to add an access date if you need one.
Online vs Printed Encyclopedias
| Wikipedia | Britannica and other online | Printed set | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | None | The signed author, if any | The entry's author |
| Date | The version's date | The page's date, or n.d. | Year of the edition |
| Link | Permalink to the version | Entry page | None |
| Editors | None | Rarely needed | In APA and MLA |
| Access date | Optional in MLA | If the entry has no date | Never |
An encyclopedia entry is cited by its title, not by the encyclopedia's title, and the entry stands in the author's place when nobody signed it.
Encyclopedia Citation Examples
A Wikipedia entry, with a version date that is illustrative. Always use the date and permalink of the version you actually read.
APA 7th edition
Reference list:
Photosynthesis. (2024, May 2). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis
In-text:
("Photosynthesis," 2024)
MLA 9th edition
Works Cited:
“Photosynthesis.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
In-text:
(“Photosynthesis”)
Chicago 18th edition (note)
Footnote:
Wikipedia, “Photosynthesis,” last modified May 2, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis.
A signed entry in a printed subject encyclopedia (illustrative data):
Signed print entry
APA 7:
Aronson, E. (2010). Cognitive dissonance. In I. B. Weiner & W. E. Craighead (Eds.), The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology (4th ed., pp. 1–2). Wiley.
APA in-text:
(Aronson, 2010)
MLA 9:
Aronson, Elliot. “Cognitive Dissonance.” The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology, edited by Irving B. Weiner and W. Edward Craighead, 4th ed., Wiley, 2010, pp. 1–2.
Chicago treats well-known encyclopedias and dictionaries as reference works that go in notes rather than in the bibliography, so the generator may leave its bibliography line empty for an entry like this. Lesser-known or specialist reference works can still be listed with full publication details.
Wikipedia, Britannica and Which Tool
- Wikipedia. Cite the version you read. The permalink in View history fixes it, because the page itself keeps changing. Some instructors do not accept it; ask before relying on it.
- Britannica. Signed entries name the author, and the page shows a last-updated date. Use both.
- A chapter in an edited book. A chapter has its own author and sits in a book with editors: use the Book Chapter Citation Generator.
- A word and its meaning. Use the Dictionary Citation Generator.
- A page on a website. Use the Website Citation Generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite Wikipedia in APA 7?
- Use the entry title where the author would be, then the date of the version, then In Wikipedia and the permalink: Photosynthesis. (2024, May 2). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis. In text: ("Photosynthesis," 2024). Always link the dated version rather than the live page.
- How do I cite Wikipedia in MLA 9?
- Title in quotation marks, then Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia in italics, the publisher Wikimedia Foundation, the date of the last edit, the URL without https://, and Accessed with your date: “Photosynthesis.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
- How do I cite an encyclopedia entry with no author?
- Start with the entry title. APA puts it in the author position and shortens it in text, in quotation marks: ("Photosynthesis," 2024). MLA starts with the title in quotation marks. Chicago starts the note with the encyclopedia's name and the title.
- What is the difference between citing a print and an online encyclopedia?
- A printed set has an edition, a year, a publisher and a page range, and needs no URL. An online entry has a URL and often a date of the last update, and may need an access date if it has none.
- Do I need an access date for an encyclopedia citation?
- Only when the entry changes and has no date or permalink. APA asks for one with n.d.; MLA treats it as optional but recommended for web pages; Chicago uses accessed in notes when no date is shown.
- Is it acceptable to cite Wikipedia or Britannica?
- That is up to your instructor or publication. Most academic work should cite the primary or scholarly sources an encyclopedia points to. When you do cite one, follow the format above.
- Which citation styles does the encyclopedia generator support?
- APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago 18 at the top of the list, plus any of the other 10,834 styles. Switch the style and the same entry is reformatted.
Related Tools
How to cite a Encyclopedia Entry in each style
Format rules, templates, and worked examples for the styles most often required.