Free citation generator
Bluebook Citation Generator
Paste a DOI or link and get a correct Bluebook reference plus the in-text citation in seconds. Free for students — no sign-up needed to try it.
What a Bluebook reference looks like
The Bluebook is the citation bible of American law, compiled by the law reviews of Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Penn. Journal names compress into heavily abbreviated small caps, and the year moves to the very end in parentheses.
Reference list entry
Lena Berg, Climate Adaptation in Coastal Cities, 18 J. URB. STUD. 101 (2023).
In-text citation
superscript ¹ → footnote with the full reference
Key Bluebook rules
- Cite in footnotes; article titles are italicized rather than quoted.
- Journal names abbreviate into small caps: Journal of Urban Studies → J. URB. STUD.
- Give the volume before the journal and only the first page after it: 18 J. URB. STUD. 101.
- The year closes the citation in parentheses: (2023).
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an in-text citation in Bluebook?
Bluebook is a footnote style: instead of a parenthetical reference in the sentence, you place a superscript number pointing to a note. The note looks like this: superscript ¹ → footnote with the full reference
What does a Bluebook reference look like?
A journal article in Bluebook style is formatted like this: Lena Berg, Climate Adaptation in Coastal Cities, 18 J. URB. STUD. 101 (2023).
What are the main formatting rules in Bluebook?
Cite in footnotes; article titles are italicized rather than quoted. Journal names abbreviate into small caps: Journal of Urban Studies → J. URB. STUD. Give the volume before the journal and only the first page after it: 18 J. URB. STUD. 101. The year closes the citation in parentheses: (2023).
Which subjects use Bluebook style?
Bluebook is most common in law (United States). Always check your course guide, since departments sometimes use their own variant.
Which Bluebook edition does CitApp follow?
CitApp follows the 21st edition (2020).
Is the Bluebook citation generator free?
Yes. You can generate Bluebook citations free of charge — paste a DOI or URL above and copy the result. A free account saves unlimited sources to projects, and the full reference list is free for everyone.
Keep every source organized
Save sources to projects, drag them into chapters and export a finished reference list. Free to start, no credit card.