Free academic tool
Bibliography Alphabetizer
Sort APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard references without reformatting them. Your bibliography runs in your browser and disappears when the page reloads.
Source bibliography
Paste every entry unchanged
Numbered lists and bullets are accepted. The sorter removes only the leading marker and preserves the remaining text.
Your sorted list appears here
Choose a style, then select Alphabetize. Nothing is sent to a server.
How to use it
Three deliberate steps
- 01
Paste
Use one entry per line. Add blank lines around entries that wrap.
- 02
Choose
Select the citation style used by the bibliography.
- 03
Review
Alphabetize, inspect warnings, then copy the complete list.
How the sorting method works
The alphabetizer identifies likely creator, year, and title fields in each formatted entry. It applies the selected style's ordering rules and uses stable input order when a tie cannot be resolved. It never sends the bibliography to a server, and it does not rewrite punctuation or capitalization.
Supported styles
- APA and Harvard: creator, year, then title.
- MLA and Chicago: creator, title, then year.
IEEE and Vancouver references follow first-citation order. They are not available because alphabetizing would break their numbered citations.
Warnings keep every entry visible
The result flags exact duplicates, uncertain creators, unresolved same-author ties, and blocks with multiple year markers. It never deletes a duplicate or guesses a new citation. Review warned entries against your style guide before submitting your work.
Limits and privacy
Each run accepts up to 100 entries, 1,500 characters per entry, and 150,000 characters total. Processing runs in your browser. CiteTools does not receive or store the pasted bibliography. Read the privacy policy and the tool methodology for the full boundaries.
Input example
Pasted order
Smith, J. (2020). One. Doe, A. (2021). Two.
Alphabetized order
Doe, A. (2021). Two. Smith, J. (2020). One.
Frequently asked questions
Does the alphabetizer change citation formatting?
It removes an optional leading list marker, trims outer whitespace, and normalizes line endings. It preserves the remaining citation text while changing entry order.
Why are some entries marked for review?
A warning means the sorter found a duplicate, an uncertain creator, an unresolved same-author tie, or a block that may contain two references.
Can I alphabetize IEEE or Vancouver references?
No. IEEE and Vancouver reference lists follow first-citation order, so alphabetizing them would break their numbering.