Podcast Summary: Family Tree Magazine Podcast
Episode: Generating Citations with Cite-Builder.com – An Interview with Jenny Joyce
Host: Lisa Louise Cook
Guest: Jenny Joyce, Creator of Cite-Builder
Date: August 15, 2025
Overview
In this episode, host Lisa Louise Cook interviews Jenny Joyce, the creator of Cite-Builder.com, an online citation generator designed specifically for genealogists. The discussion centers on the importance of source citation in genealogy, the practical features and strengths of Cite-Builder, and how both beginners and professionals can streamline proper citation workflows using this tool. Throughout the episode, Jenny shares insights on the evolution of the site, supported citation styles, user experience, and premium features—all with the mission of making accurate citation both easy and accessible.
Key Discussion Points
The Importance of Source Citation in Genealogy
- Why cite sources?
- Citations allow both oneself and others to retrace research, verify data, and assess reliability.
- "Only by having proper source citations can you go back and find it and work out for yourself which is correct and so on." — Jenny Joyce [01:32]
- Proper citation is mandatory in academic courses (e.g., University of Strathclyde), but remains equally valuable for personal and familial genealogical research.
How Cite-Builder.com Works
- Template-Based Citation Generation:
- Users select from over 800 templates, a number that continues to grow.
- Templates are organized by record type (e.g., censuses) and source location (e.g., U.S., UK, Australia).
- After choosing the record type (e.g., U.S. 1910 Census), users pick a preferred citation style (Evidence Explained, Chicago, University of Strathclyde, etc.).
- Cite-Builder prompts only for the necessary information, autofilling known details where possible.
- Generated citations include first footnote, subsequent footnote, and bibliography entry.
- One-click copy/paste functionality enables integration into various genealogy platforms and documents.
- Styling such as italics is preserved where supported by the destination platform.
- "You click Build Citation. It pops up a first footnote, a subsequent footnote, and a source list or bibliography entry." — Jenny Joyce [03:40]
Ease-of-Use and Error Reduction
- Template Structure:
- Templates prevent users from skipping vital citation details (e.g., page or line numbers).
- For difficult-to-find data, such as Australian government creating agency fields, Jenny has researched and pre-filled information.
- "My hope is that by making it easy for people to cite their sources, more people will do so." — Jenny Joyce [05:40]
Compatibility with Genealogy Software and Sites
- Copy-and-paste Method:
- Works with any program or website where text can be pasted, including Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast.
- Cite-Builder is developing guides for Legacy, Family Tree Maker, RootsMagic, and others for seamless integration.
- "We're writing guides... to help people know how to do that." — Jenny Joyce [06:47]
- FAQs on the Cite-Builder website provide instructions for major genealogy sites.
Supported Citation Styles
- Variety of Citation Styles:
- Main focus is on Evidence Explained, Chicago, University of Strathclyde, University of Tasmania, and MHRA.
- Styles for specific archives are included per their individual guides.
- MLA is not emphasized, as it is considered less helpful for genealogy.
- "There's no limit to how many styles we can code up for each individual template." — Jenny Joyce [09:13]
Origins and Development of Cite-Builder
- Family Effort:
- Conceptualized by Jenny due to the tediousness of crafting proper citations.
- Developed with her husband Andy; launched in September 2021.
- Continuous development and adaptation to international records.
- "It's been an interesting challenge for me learning some of the things I didn't know about American Records." — Jenny Joyce [10:24]
Pricing: Free vs. Premium
- Free Access:
- About 40% of templates available.
- Premium Subscription (A$35/year; approx. US$20):
- Full template access, usability enhancements, ability to create and reuse personal templates, save favorites, advanced search, and pin frequently used templates.
- "Every so often we think of something else to add." — Jenny Joyce [12:25]
- Special Offer: Listeners can use coupon code FTM20 for a 20% discount on the first year. [12:31]
Getting Started
- Learning Resources:
- Plenty of tutorial videos and guides are available on the website to assist new users.
- "We've got a lot of videos... showing you how to use the tool, sort of tutorial, kinds of things." — Jenny Joyce [13:31]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"Only by having proper source citations can you go back and find it and work out for yourself which is correct and so on."
— Jenny Joyce [01:32] -
"My hope is that by making it easy for people to cite their sources, more people will do so."
— Jenny Joyce [05:40] -
"Wherever you can paste something, you can paste one of these citations that we've crafted for you."
— Jenny Joyce [03:53] -
"Templates prevent users from skipping vital citation details ... the templates take care of that for us, doesn’t it?"
— Lisa Louise Cook [05:11] -
"I had the idea for a long time because I realized how time consuming and tedious it was to properly craft the citations."
— Jenny Joyce [09:49] -
"It is. And we've got a lot of videos... showing you how to use the tool, sort of tutorial, kinds of things. So that makes it easier for people to get started to see how they use it."
— Jenny Joyce [13:31]
Segment Timestamps
- 00:43 — Introduction to Jenny Joyce and rationale for citation
- 01:04 — Why citations matter (personal and communal value)
- 03:03 — How Cite-Builder templates work
- 05:11 — Preventing errors and the value of template completeness
- 06:20 — Website compatibility and practical user guidance
- 07:43 — Citation styles supported and their relevance
- 09:43 — How Cite-Builder started and its ongoing evolution
- 10:49 — Cost, premium features, and special discount code
- 13:31 — Getting started: tutorials and user support
How to Find and Use Cite-Builder
- Website: cite-builder.com
- Use coupon FTM20 for 20% off your first year's premium membership
Cite-Builder.com makes the complex task of genealogy citation both approachable and accurate for hobbyists and professionals alike, lowering barriers to best practices and helping researchers leave reliable, revisitable trails for generations to come.