EssayClerkCitation checker
Check reference metadata for missing fields and possible duplicates, with limited single-author APA reference checks. Your pasted references stay in your browser.
What would you like to review?
You decide which changes to make. Missing author/date details can be legitimate; review prompts do not require invented metadata.
Citation review
Choose your sources or paste references, then check them.
Review details without rewriting your work
Structured checks review missing relevant metadata, DOI syntax, ISBN checksums, HTTP/HTTPS URLs, numeric dates, and possible duplicates. A missing journal DOI is a prompt to check whether one exists. An absent author or date is not proof of an error. Project sources stay intact; check again after editing them.
Limited pasted APA checks
Use one reference per line, beginning with a single personal author such as Jones, A. and a parenthesized year, n.d., or an English month/day date. We check recognized date tokens, detected DOI/URL syntax, identical repeated references, and adjacent family-name order when every line is recognized. Multiple authors, organizations, title-first references, wrapped entries, and pasted MLA prose receive “Could not assess.” No titles or source types are reconstructed from prose.
The checker cannot verify source existence, metadata accuracy, italics, hanging indents, plagiarism, or whether citations match an essay. Check unfamiliar cases against your assignment and the official style guidance.
Open the bibliography formatter to review and add imported records. Open the citation generator to create or edit sources manually. The three citation tools share project sources during navigation; refreshing loses them. Export source records before closing.
Review APA reference examples and MLA guidance for full style requirements.
Check reference details and limited APA citation patterns
Start with structured source records when possible. Separate fields allow checks for missing metadata, identifier syntax, numeric dates and possible duplicates. Review each finding against the source itself before editing; an absent date or author can be legitimate.
For a pasted APA list, put one reference on each line and read the scope message with the findings. This mode recognizes a limited set of single-person-author patterns. Multi-author entries, organizations and other unsupported prose may remain unassessed; the absence of a warning does not establish that they are correct.
Finish with a manual cross-check against your essay. Confirm that cited works appear in the list, that quotations have the required locators, and that the document uses the right layout. Those checks require your essay and assignment instructions, which this tool does not inspect.
Common questions
Can I use this as a full APA citation checker?
Use it as a limited review aid. Structured checks flag missing fields and possible duplicates, while pasted APA diagnostics recognize only the documented single-person-author subset. It does not certify APA compliance, scan your essay or check every in-text citation.
Is citation checking the same as plagiarism checking?
No. These checks review the reference information you provide. They do not compare your draft with other publications or determine whether ideas have been attributed correctly. Review citation placement and quotations in the original essay yourself.
Does a valid DOI mean the source exists?
A syntax check only tests the identifier’s form. The checker does not fetch or authenticate sources. Use an explicit lookup in the generator when available and compare the returned metadata with the work you consulted.
Can it check pasted MLA or Harvard references?
The pasted-reference mode is limited to the documented APA subset. Structured metadata checks can still help review source records used with the other supported styles.
Will checking automatically fix my bibliography?
No. The report explains findings and suggested review steps without rewriting or changing your project. Edit the relevant records yourself and check again.