Q. Can I use the database citation generators?
Most of our electronic resources (databases, e-books, and streaming videos) contain tools that help you create citations (MLA, APA, and more) directly from the source in the database.
You can learn more about this integrated tool here: Citations from Databases
Are they reliable?
Citations created by research databases are machine generated and may contain errors. They should only serve as a guide and not as a replacement for the latest guidebooks or those required by your instructor. Please consult the style manual for proper formatting or find examples in our Citation Styles guide.
Common Errors Found in Database Citations
Sometimes, you’ll find errors, for example:
- The title of the article is in all caps
- The author's last name might be listed as their first
- Capitalization errors in the article or journal title
If you use the citation generator integrated within a database, make sure you verify that the information is accurate. Additionally, be careful to check citations generated by word-processing programs like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, etc.