EasyBib Tutorial for College Students

Overview of EasyBib

  • EasyBib is an online resource widely used by college students to create their works cited pages or reference pages.

Features of EasyBib

  • Default Format: The default citation format is MLA (Modern Language Association).

  • Additional Formats:

    • Offers APA (American Psychological Association) and Chicago formats, which are available through a paid subscription (Pro Subscription).

    • The free version supports only the MLA format.

Using EasyBib to Create Citations

  • Step-by-Step Process:

    1. Access the Website: Navigate to the EasyBib website to start.

    2. Enter URL: The user needs to paste the URL of the source they want to cite.

    • Example: User pastes a link and clicks Cite It.

    1. Information Retrieval: EasyBib attempts to retrieve citation information automatically, such as:

    • Website Title

    • Publisher

    • Article Title

    • Publication Date

    1. Manual Input: If any information is missing (e.g., the author's name), the user must manually enter it:

    • Example: Author's name obtained from the article is Joy Resmovitz.

    1. Citation Creation: Once all required information is filled out, click on Create.

    • A confirmation message appears: Hooray! Here's your citation.

    1. Copy and Paste Citation: Users can copy the citation to their clipboard.

Formatting the Citation

  • Verification: After generation, always check the citation for correctness.

  • Formatting in Final Document:

    • Ensure the citation is formatted according to the following guidelines:

    • Font: Set to 12-point size, preferably in Times New Roman or a similar font.

    • Spacing: The entire Works Cited page should be double spaced.

      • To format, right-click, choose Paragraph, and select Double Space.

    • Indentation: Each line after the first line of each citation should have a hanging indent.

      • To implement, place the cursor at the start of the second line, hit return, then hit tab to indent.

    • URL Formatting: If the URL is overly long, ensure it is separated properly:

    • Break after a period (.) or a slash (/).

    • If spaces need to be avoided, separate after a word if no other break point is available.

Additional Tips for Using EasyBib

  • Multiple Citations: Users can continue to paste new links and create additional citations.

  • Completeness of Information: It is essential to always have access to the source material, as sometimes EasyBib might not retrieve every piece of information (such as website titles).

  • Reliability: Being aware of what information may be missing and filling it in accurately is critical to creating reliable citations that are correctly ordered.

  • Usage Reminder: While EasyBib is a helpful tool, understanding how to use it correctly ensures accurate citations.