Website
Website Example
American Chemical Society. ACS Style Guide; ACS Publications: Washington, DC, 2024. https://pubs.acs.org/styleguide (accessed March 15, 2024).
ACS Citation Generator
ACS style is published by the American Chemical Society and is used primarily in chemistry and related sciences. This citation generator follows the official ACS Style Guide.
Chemistry
What sources can you cite in ACS format?
- Journal articles
- Books and book chapters
- Websites and online sources
- Patents
- Theses and dissertations
- Conference papers
- Reports and technical documents
How to create ACS citations
Reference list citations
ACS citations follow a specific structure: Author(s), Article Title, Journal Abbreviation (italicized), Year, Volume (bold), Page Range. For books, use: Author(s), Book Title (italicized), Edition; Publisher: Location, Year. Authors are listed as Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial., with semicolons separating multiple authors. Journal names must be abbreviated according to CAS source index conventions. Italicize journal and book titles, and use bold for volume numbers.
In-text citations
ACS offers two in-text citation formats: superscript numbers (¹, ², ³) or numbers in parentheses (1), (2), (3). Choose one format and use it consistently throughout your document. Citations are numbered in the order they first appear in the text. When citing multiple sources at once, list them in numerical order: (1-3) or ¹⁻³. The reference list is then ordered numerically, matching your in-text citations.
ACS Citation Examples
See how to format different source types in ACS.
Journal Article
Journal Article Example
Smith, J. A.; Doe, M. B. Chemical Analysis Methods. J. Chem. Educ. 2024, 45, 123-145.
Book
Book Example
Brown, C. D. Introduction to Chemistry, 3rd ed.; Academic Press: New York, 2023.
Quick ACS Rules
Author Format
Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Use semicolons between authors. List all authors or use 'et al.' for 10+ authors.
Title Format
Sentence case for article titles. Journal names are abbreviated.
Date Format
Year in bold or parentheses. Include month and day for web sources.
Journal/Source
Abbreviated journal name (italicized), year, volume, page range. Volume number in bold.
In-text Citations
Use numbered citations in superscript or parentheses: ¹ or (1). Citations numbered in order of appearance.
About this ACS citation generator
This citation generator formats references according to the ACS Style Guide published by the American Chemical Society. It supports all major source types used in chemistry and related sciences. Citations are generated using structured templates that follow official ACS formatting rules. While this tool strives for accuracy, we recommend reviewing generated citations against the official ACS Style Guide for critical submissions.
Expert-Verified ACS Citations You Can Trust
Incorrect citations cost you grades. Our ACS citation generator is built by formatting experts who've refined every algorithm for precision. Trusted by educators and students worldwide, we help you cite sources correctly the first time.
Tom Atkinson
Citation Expert
Garrett Becker
Style Specialist
Briggs Knight
Citation Developer
Common ACS citation mistakes
- Using incorrect journal abbreviations — always check the CAS source index
- Forgetting to italicize journal names and book titles
- Not using bold for volume numbers in journal citations
- Mixing superscript and parenthetical citation formats in the same document
- Omitting the accessed date for online sources
- Using periods instead of semicolons between authors
ACS Frequently Asked Questions
What is ACS citation style?
ACS (American Chemical Society) style is used primarily in chemistry and related sciences. It uses numbered citations in superscript or parentheses.
How do I cite a website in ACS?
Include author/organization, page title, website name italicized, location, year, URL, and accessed date in parentheses.
How do I format in-text citations in ACS?
Use numbered citations in superscript (¹) or parentheses (1). Citations are numbered sequentially as they appear.
Does ACS require DOIs?
Yes, ACS style recommends including DOIs for journal articles when available, placed after page numbers.
Other Citation Styles
Last updated: December 2025 — ACS formatting rules.