Free tool
ACS citation generator for chemistry
ACS style, from the American Chemical Society, is used in chemistry and related fields. It allows numbered or author-date citations. WriteOrbit formats your references as you write.
Your list
Sources you add appear here, formatted in your style.
Your list stays in this browser. Copy keeps italics when you paste into Word or Google Docs. Check every citation against the source.
ACS example
The 1953 paper in which Watson and Crick described the structure of DNA (DOI 10.1038/171737a0), cited in ACS.
In the text
- Superscript number
- …as first proposed.¹
- Italic number in parentheses
- …as first proposed (1).
- Author-date
- (Watson and Crick, 1953)
References
(1) Watson, J. D.; Crick, F. H. C. Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid. Nature 1953, 171 (4356), 737–738. https://doi.org/10.1038/171737a0.
ACS format for common sources
- Journal article
- Last, A. A.; Last, B. B. Title of the Article. Abbrev. Journal Year, Volume (Issue), pages. DOI.
- Book
- Last, A. A. Title of the Book, Edition; Publisher: City, Year.
Main ACS rules
- Separate authors with semicolons.
- Make the year bold and the volume italic in journal references.
- Use one citation system (numbered or author-date) throughout a paper.
- Article titles are optional in some ACS journals; include them unless told not to.
Your course, publisher or university may change these rules. When they differ, follow them.
How to use it
Find the source
Paste a DOI or search by title, or enter a website, book or other source by hand.
Pick a style
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, AMA, IEEE or any of over 10,000 styles.
Copy
Copy the reference and the in-text citation. Add more sources to build a list.
Good to know
- A citation is only as good as its record. Check names, dates and capitalisation for unusual sources.
- Your list stays in this browser. Sign in to keep references with your documents.
Questions
More in the help center.
Should I use numbers or author-date?
Follow your course or journal. Most ACS journals use superscript numbers.
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