Bibliography Alphabetizer
Paste your bibliography, works cited, or reference list below to sort entries alphabetically. Supports APA, MLA, and Chicago sorting rules.
Sorting Rules by Style
APA 7th Edition
Alphabetize by the first author's last name. For works with the same first author, order by the second author's last name. For identical author groups, order by year (oldest first). Ignore “A,” “An,” and “The” at the beginning of titles.
MLA 9th Edition
Alphabetize by the first element of each works cited entry (usually author last name). Ignore articles at the start of titles when no author is given. Number entries by last name, not first.
Chicago Manual of Style
Alphabetize letter by letter, ignoring spaces and punctuation. Titles beginning with numerals are alphabetized as if the number were spelled out. Ignore “The,” “A,” and “An” when they are the first word of a title.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I alphabetize my bibliography?
- Paste your bibliography entries into the text box, with each reference on a new line. The tool automatically sorts them in alphabetical order by the first word of each entry.
- Does APA require an alphabetized reference list?
- Yes. APA, MLA, and Chicago all require reference lists and works cited pages to be sorted alphabetically by the first author's last name.
- What if two entries start with the same author?
- When entries share the same first author, they are sorted by the second author's name. If the authors are identical, entries are sorted by publication year, with earlier dates first.
- Can I sort numbered citation styles?
- Numbered styles like Vancouver and IEEE order references by their first appearance in the text, not alphabetically. This tool is designed for author-date styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago.