This paper mainly discusses the preparation and optimization of experimental conditions for citric-acid based carbon dots of high fluorescence intensity. In the study, two different nitrogen sources--diethylenetriamine or dicyandiamide--were used in the microwave-assisted synthesis of the citric-acid based carbon dots. In the experiment, the reaction temperature, the amount of water, the concentration and ratio of the reactants, and the reaction time were adjusted to synthesize the carbon dots of higher fluorescence intensity. It was found that the product of diethylenetriamine and citric acid synthesized in water by the microwave-assisted method had the highest fluorescence intensity. Moreover, the dicyandiamide-citric acid carbon dots of higher fluorescence intensity were successfully synthesized by microwave heating. If used with other biomolecules for surface modification, they are valuable and promising for future applications in bioanalysis.