what is apa and mla format in research

• Spartanburg Community College Library
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• Differences between MLA and APA Format

Which subjects use which style?

Always confirm with your instructor which citation style they prefer for their class. Not every course at SCC uses the same citation style.

In-Text Citations

While both MLA and APA requires in-text citations, the format for those citations will look very different.

Source Pages (Works Cited and References)

One major difference between MLA and APA format is how they label and format their source pages. While there are many small differences in MLA and APA formatting (such as the way page numbers are formatted), the below chart will show some of the major, recognizable differences.

Title Pages

If you are writing a paper in APA format, please confirm with your instructor as to whether they require a title page or not for your essay.

• Differences between MLA and APA Format This handout will explain some of the major differences between MLA and APA format.
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• Citation Styles

What is the difference between APA and MLA format?

APA and MLA are two of the most common citation styles. But, what’s the difference between APA and MLA format? In this post, we discuss the differences between APA and MLA. We cover when to use these styles and provide examples of correct APA and MLA citations.

What is APA?

APA style is a citation style that is most commonly used in the social sciences, but also in education, business, and some science fields. APA stands for  American Psychological Association .

Essentially, APA style is a set of rules for formatting citations, title pages , headers, and other aspects of research papers.

What is MLA?

MLA style is the primary citation style for humanities fields like literature. It was developed by the  Modern Language Association of America, an association of scholars and teachers of language and literature.

Like APA, MLA style includes rules for how to format citations and how to structure research papers.

What are the differences between APA and MLA?

Both APA and MLA style require two distinct types of citations:

• in-text citations
• full bibliographic references in a section at the end of the paper

APA and MLA citations also have similar components:

• Book citations contain the author’s name, the title of the book, the publisher, and the publication date.
• Journal article citations contain the author’s name, the title of the work, and the date, but also include the title of the journal, the volume and issue number of the journal, and the page range. Citations for online journal articles also include a DOI.
• Website citations feature the author’s name (if one is available), the title of the website, the date that is was published or accessed, and the URL.

The main differences between APA and MLA are in how they format and structure these elements.

In-text citations

APA and MLA style both utilize parenthetical citations for in-text citations. However, there are key differences between the two:

• ALA parenthetical citations include the author’s last name and the year of publication (Smith, 2020). When a specific page number is cited, the citation also includes p. and the number (Smith, 2020, p. 4).
• MLA parenthetical citations mainly include the author’s last name and a page number, without a comma between the elements (Smith 25).

Papers in APA style may also utilize narrative citations. Here are a few examples of APA narrative citations:

Rode (2012) claims that productive activities have been part of human civilization since ancient times.

In some cases, author and date might both appear in the narrative. In this case, no parentheses are needed:

In 2012, Rode wrote about the productive activities...

If you cite multiple works parenthetically, place the citations in alphabetical order, separating them with semicolons:

(Adams et al., 2019; Shumway & Shulman, 2015; Westinghouse, 2017)

If multiple sources are cited within a sentence, they can appear in any order:

Suliman (2018), Gutiérrez (2012, 2017), and Medina and Reyes (2019) examined...

Bibliographic references

MLA prefers the label “Works Cited” for the bibliography at the end of the paper. This list includes full bibliographic references for all of the cited texts. APA calls this list “References,” and includes both works that were cited and those that were consulted. Both styles alphabetize entries by the first author’s last name.

Additionally, APA and MLA bibliographies differ in how they structure individual entries. The primary differences occur in:

• Author name : While both styles invert the regular order of names (i.e. put the last name first), APA abbreviates the author’s first name and only uses the first letter, followed by a period (Smith, J.). MLA uses both the last name and first name of an author (Smith, Jane).
• Date placement : APA requires the publication date to be in parentheses, following the author’s name: Smith, J. (2020). In MLA, the publication date goes at the very end for books, or after the volume and issue numbers for journals.
• Capitalization : In APA style, you only need to capitalize the first word of a title, the first word following a colon, and any proper nouns. MLA requires you to capitalize all of the words in a title, except for articles.
• Volume and issue numbers for journal articles : Both APA and MLA place the volume and issue numbers of journals after the journal title; however, they format this information differently. APA italicizes the volume number and places it directly against the issue number, which is put in parentheses: 6 (3). MLA style uses the abbreviations, vol. (volume) and no. (number), and places a comma between them: Journal of Pedagogy , vol. 6, no. 3.

APA examples and resources

Here are some examples of full bibliographic citations in APA style:

Atske, S. (2021, April 7).  Social media use in 2021 . Pewresearch.Org. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/

Eskritt, M., Fraser, B., & Bosacki, S. (2021). Did you just lie to me? Deception detection in face to face versus computer mediated communication.  The Journal of Social Psychology , 1–14.

Fuchs, C. (2021).  Social Media: A Critical Introduction  (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Visit these resources to learn more about APA citations and formatting:

APA citation guide (7th edition)

The ultimate guide to citing in APA

Citation styles by discipline

Comprehensive APA guides

APA title page: format and templates

MLA examples and resources

Here are some examples of full bibliographic citations in MLA style:

Works Cited

Edwards, Michael. “The Lost Library of Anne Conway.”  The Seventeenth Century , vol. 36, no. 1, 2021, pp. 119–147.

Farr, Jason S.  Novel Bodies: Disability and Sexuality in Eighteenth-Century British Literature . Rutgers University Press, 2019.

Wall, Wendy. “The Pulter Project.”  Northwestern.Edu , https://pulterproject.northwestern.edu/. Accessed 18 Aug. 2021.

Visit these resources to learn more about MLA citations and formatting:

MLA citation guide (9th edition)

The ultimate guide to citing in MLA

Comprehensive MLA guides

MLA title page: format and templates

Frequently Asked Questions about what is the difference between APA and MLA format

The main differences between APA and MLA format are found in the bibliography. APA style uses a reference list that includes any works cited or consulted; MLA uses a works cited list that only contains texts that were cited in the paper. Also, there are differences in how each style handles key pieces of bibliographic information like titles and names.

If you need to create citations for an assignment, you can ask your instructor which style to use. APA is most commonly used in the social sciences, while MLA is preferred in humanities disciplines.

APA style is used to create in-text citations and bibliographic references for the social sciences and other disciplines.

MLA style is used to create in-text citations and works cited entries for some humanities fields.

Both APA and MLA aim to provide guidance on how to create accurate citations and bibliographies. Using these styles correctly lends credibility to your research and helps you to avoid plagiarism .

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When we talk about style at EasyBib.com, we’re not talking about the clothes, shoes, or accessories we’re rocking. We’re talking about the best type of style there is — citation styles!

Even though there are thousands of citation styles in existence (yes, thousands!), the world generally revolves around the two most commonly used citation styles: MLA and APA . Both have been around for quite a long time and most students and researchers use one or the other to cite their sources. Even though MLA and APA are popular citation styles that are taught in thousands of schools each year, there are always tons of questions about the differences between the two. That’s why we’ve put together a handy visual infographic showing the main differences between MLA and APA.

If you’ve been wondering what MLA and APA stands for, which disciplines use the styles, how the names of authors and titles are displayed, or how to format MLA in-text citations or APA citations , look no further! Our colorful infographic has the main differences highlighted just for you. It’s easy to read, easy to understand, and will give you the lowdown on the main points you need to know about MLA vs. APA. If that wasn’t enough, we even have examples thrown in to help you make sense of everything. #winning!

After you’ve read through our infographic, head to our homepage, and give our citation generator and grammar checker a whirl. Both are innovative, easy-to-use tools to help rock any and all research projects and written assignments. Head on over and try them out now!

Written by Michele Kirschenbaum. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist.

Do you like Dr. Seuss quotes ? Do you have writing assignments about historical figures like Winston Churchill ? Do you do reports on authors like Mark Twain ? If you said yes to any of these, checkout the EasyBib topic guides for fun history facts and quotes you can use in your next paper.

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• Research paper
• Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates

Published on November 19, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on January 20, 2023.

The formatting of a research paper is different depending on which style guide you’re following. In addition to citations , APA, MLA, and Chicago provide format guidelines for things like font choices, page layout, format of headings and the format of the reference page.

Scribbr offers free Microsoft Word templates for the most common formats. Simply download and get started on your paper.

APA |  MLA | Chicago author-date | Chicago notes & bibliography

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Table of contents

Formatting an apa paper, formatting an mla paper, formatting a chicago paper, frequently asked questions about research paper formatting.

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in APA Style are as follows:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial.
• Set 1 inch page margins.
• Apply double line spacing.
• If submitting for publication, insert a APA running head on every page.
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch.

Watch the video below for a quick guide to setting up the format in Google Docs.

The image below shows how to format an APA Style title page for a student paper.

Running head

If you are submitting a paper for publication, APA requires you to include a running head on each page. The image below shows you how this should be formatted.

For student papers, no running head is required unless you have been instructed to include one.

APA provides guidelines for formatting up to five levels of heading within your paper. Level 1 headings are the most general, level 5 the most specific.

Reference page

APA Style citation requires (author-date) APA in-text citations throughout the text and an APA Style reference page at the end. The image below shows how the reference page should be formatted.

Note that the format of reference entries is different depending on the source type. You can easily create your citations and reference list using the free APA Citation Generator.

Generate APA citations for free

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

The main guidelines for writing an MLA style paper are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use title case capitalization for headings .

Check out the video below to see how to set up the format in Google Docs.

On the first page of an MLA paper, a heading appears above your title, featuring some key information:

• Your full name
• Your instructor’s or supervisor’s name
• The course name or number
• The due date of the assignment

Page header

A header appears at the top of each page in your paper, including your surname and the page number.

Works Cited page

MLA in-text citations appear wherever you refer to a source in your text. The MLA Works Cited page appears at the end of your text, listing all the sources used. It is formatted as shown below.

You can easily create your MLA citations and save your Works Cited list with the free MLA Citation Generator.

Generate MLA citations for free

The main guidelines for writing a paper in Chicago style (also known as Turabian style) are:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman.
• Use 1 inch margins or larger.
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center.

Chicago doesn’t require a title page , but if you want to include one, Turabian (based on Chicago) presents some guidelines. Lay out the title page as shown below.

Bibliography or reference list

Chicago offers two citation styles : author-date citations plus a reference list, or footnote citations plus a bibliography. Choose one style or the other and use it consistently.

The reference list or bibliography appears at the end of the paper. Both styles present this page similarly in terms of formatting, as shown below.

To format a paper in APA Style , follow these guidelines:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman or 11 pt Arial
• Set 1 inch page margins
• Apply double line spacing
• Include a title page
• If submitting for publication, insert a running head on every page
• Indent every new paragraph ½ inch
• Apply APA heading styles
• Cite your sources with APA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a reference page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in MLA style are as follows:

• Use an easily readable font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Include a four-line MLA heading on the first page
• Center the paper’s title
• Use title case capitalization for headings
• Cite your sources with MLA in-text citations
• List all sources cited on a Works Cited page at the end

The main guidelines for formatting a paper in Chicago style are to:

• Use a standard font like 12 pt Times New Roman
• Use 1 inch margins or larger
• Place page numbers in the top right or bottom center
• Cite your sources with author-date citations or Chicago footnotes
• Include a bibliography or reference list

To automatically generate accurate Chicago references, you can use Scribbr’s free Chicago reference generator .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, January 20). Research Paper Format | APA, MLA, & Chicago Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-paper/research-paper-format/

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When To Use MLA Vs APA

Two predominant citation styles in academic writing, like thesis or dissertation stand out: the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Each style is a set of guidelines designed to standardize the citation and formatting of sources, ensuring consistency and clarity in scholarly communication.

Table of Contents

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is widely used in the humanities and liberal arts, providing a structured approach to citing sources in research papers, essays, and other scholarly works. Initially developed by the Modern Language Association, this style emphasizes the author’s name and page number in in-text citations, with a detailed Works Cited page listing all sources.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style, on the other hand, is a prominent citation guide used in the social sciences and natural sciences. Created by the American Psychological Association, this style emphasizes clarity, conciseness, and objectivity. APA uses a parenthetical author-date citation system and compiles all sources on a References page.

Importance Of Proper Citation Styles In Academic Writing

Accurate and consistent citation is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of academic writing. Proper citation serves multiple purposes:

Acknowledging Sources

• Citations give credit to the original authors for their ideas, theories, or findings.
• They acknowledge the intellectual contributions that form the foundation of a writer’s work.

Avoiding Plagiarism

• Citation styles provide a framework to cite sources appropriately, helping writers avoid plagiarism.
• Plagiarism, the uncredited use of someone else’s work, is a serious ethical breach in academic writing.

Ensuring Credibility

• Proper citations enhance the credibility of the author’s work by allowing readers to verify and trace the sources referenced.
• Credible sources contribute to the strength and validity of an academic argument.

Facilitating Communication

• Standardized citation styles promote clear communication within the academic community.
• They enable researchers to share and build upon each other’s work by providing a common language for citation.

Meeting Academic Standards

• Adhering to specific citation styles aligns with academic conventions and standards.
• Different disciplines in universities in Canada may have preferences for particular citation styles, and adherence reflects a commitment to scholarly norms.

Understanding MLA

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is a widely recognized and used set of guidelines for academic writing, specifically tailored to the fields of literature, language, and the humanities. Developed by the Modern Language Association, this citation style provides a systematic approach to citing sources, formatting papers, and acknowledging the intellectual contributions of others.

The primary purpose of MLA is to establish a standardized method for scholars and students to present their research and ideas clearly and consistently. By prescribing citation and document formatting rules, MLA ensures that academic writing is accessible, organized, and ethically grounded.

Common Usage In Humanities And Liberal Arts

MLA finds its common usage in disciplines such as literature, philosophy, history, art, and other areas within the humanities and liberal arts. The style’s adaptability to various forms of humanistic expression makes it a preferred choice for scholars and students in these fields. Whether crafting essays, research papers , or literary analyses, humanities students often turn to MLA to structure their academic work.

The key elements of MLA citation are:

In-text citations

In MLA, in-text citations serve to provide brief yet crucial information about the source of a particular idea or quotation within the body of the text. Typically, these citations include the author’s last name and the page number from which the information is drawn. For instance: (Khan 45). This practice allows readers to easily locate the source on the Works Cited page.

Works Cited page

The Works Cited page is a comprehensive list of all the sources referenced in a paper. It is placed at the end of the document and provides detailed bibliographic information for each source, allowing readers to verify and explore the referenced materials. 

The Works Cited page follows specific formatting guidelines, including the author’s name, source title, publication information, and other relevant details.

Understanding APA

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a widely adopted set of guidelines for academic writing, particularly within the social sciences and natural sciences. Developed by the American Psychological Association, APA provides a systematic framework for citing sources, formatting papers, and organizing research that promotes clarity, objectivity, and precision.

The primary purpose of APA is to establish a standardized approach to writing and documentation within the scientific community. By emphasizing clarity and conciseness, APA allows researchers, psychologists, and social and natural sciences scholars to communicate their ideas precisely and ensure that their work can be easily understood and verified.

Common Usage In Social Sciences And Sciences

APA is commonly used in finance thesis , psychology, sociology, education, business, botany papers , and various natural and social sciences. Its structured approach to citation and formatting aligns with the demands of scientific communication, where precision and clarity are paramount. Researchers and scholars in these fields turn to APA to ensure that their work adheres to the established conventions of their disciplines.

The key elements of APA citation include the following:

In APA style, in-text citations follow a parenthetical author-date format, where the author’s last name and the publication year are included. For example (Khan, 2019). This method allows readers to quickly identify the source of information and cross-reference it with the detailed information provided on the References page.

References page

The References page is a thorough list of all sources cited within a paper. It is positioned at the end of the document and provides detailed bibliographic information for each source. The information typically includes the author’s name, publication date, title of the source, and other relevant details. The References page in APA style is organized alphabetically and follows specific formatting guidelines to ensure consistency.

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When To Use MLA

MLA is the preferred citation style in several academic disciplines within the humanities and liberal arts. Common disciplines include literature, philosophy, history, art, and languages. Scholars and students in these fields often adhere to MLA guidelines to maintain consistency and convey information in a manner suitable for their respective subjects.

MLA is well-suited for citing a wide range of sources commonly found in the humanities. These sources include:

• Books: MLA is particularly effective in citing books, whether they are novels, manuscripts , anthologies, or scholarly monographs.
• Journal Articles: Academic journals in humanities and liberal arts fields are often cited using MLA format.
• Poems and Short Stories: MLA is ideal for citing individual poems or short stories frequently encountered in literature studies.
• Artistic Works: MLA can be used to reference paintings, sculptures, or other forms of artistic expression.

MLA Examples

• Literary Analysis Essays: When writing an essay analyzing a piece of literature, such as a novel or poem, MLA is commonly used to cite textual evidence and provide in-depth analysis.
• History Research Papers: Historical research papers format often adopt MLA citation, emphasizing the proper acknowledgment of historical sources and texts.
• Philosophy Papers: Papers in philosophy that involve the analysis of philosophical texts or arguments often use MLA for citation.

When To Use APA

APA is the preferred citation style in various academic disciplines and preliminary literature reviews , especially those in the social sciences and natural sciences. Disciplines that commonly use APA include psychology, sociology, education, business, and health sciences. The style’s emphasis on clarity, objectivity, and precision aligns with the requirements of these scientific fields.

APA is well-suited for citing various sources commonly found in the social and natural sciences. These sources include:

• Research Articles: APA is extensively used for citing research articles published in academic journals.
• Empirical Studies: Studies conducted in psychology, sociology, and related fields often cite APA.
• Academic Papers in Education: APA is preferred for citing educational research and academic papers.
• Scientific Reports: APA is commonly used for citing scientific reports in the natural sciences, such as biology or chemistry.

APA Examples

• Psychology Research Papers: When conducting and presenting research in psychology, APA is the preferred style for ensuring clarity and precision in communication.
• Sociology Literature Reviews: Literature reviews in sociology often adopt APA citation to organize and present a synthesis of existing research.
• Business Reports: Business and management reports, including those in marketing or organizational behaviour, frequently cite APA.

Key Differences Between MLA And APA

Some of the key differences between MLA and APA are discussed below.

Differences In Formatting And Layout 

• MLA typically features a header on the left side of the paper with the author’s name and page number.
• APA uses a running head on the right side, which includes a shortened title and page number.
• APA often requires a title page with specific information like the title, author’s name, institutional affiliation, and an author note.
• MLA generally does not mandate a title page unless specified by the instructor.
• MLA typically recommends using a legible font like Times New Roman in 12-point size.
• APA generally prefers a sans-serif font like Arial or Calibri in 12-point size.

Citations And Referencing Variations

• MLA employs parenthetical in-text citations with the author’s last name and page number (Khan 45).
• APA uses parenthetical author-date citations with the author’s last name and the publication year (Khan, 2019).
• MLA uses a “Works Cited” page that lists sources alphabetically with specific formatting.
• APA uses a “References” page, also alphabetized, with distinct formatting guidelines for each source type.
• In MLA, titles of larger works (books, movies) are italicized, while titles of shorter works (articles, poems) are in quotation marks.
• In APA, italics are used for titles of longer works, and shorter works are in title case and not enclosed in quotation marks.

Peculiar Rules Unique To Each Style

Medium in MLA:

• MLA may require the inclusion of the medium (print, web, etc.) in bibliographic entries.

DOI in APA:

• APA may involve the use of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for online sources when available.

Publication Information Order:

• MLA typically lists the author’s name, title, publisher, and date in that order.
• APA follows the order of author, date, title, and publisher.

How To Choose Between MLA And APA

• Consider your academic discipline.
• Preferred in humanities and liberal arts disciplines.
• Commonly used for literature, philosophy, history, and related fields.
• Preferred in social sciences and natural sciences.
• Commonly used for psychology, sociology, education, business, and scientific research.
• Understand assignment requirements
• Learn about instructor preferences and guidelines

Tips For Proper Implementation

Here are some final tips and tricks to help you properly implement MLA and APA.

Tip 1: Familiarizing Oneself With Style Guides

• Thorough Review: Take the time to thoroughly review the official style guides for both MLA and APA. These guides provide complete information on formatting, in-text citations, and references.
• Style Guide Accessibility: Make a copy of the MLA Handbook (for MLA) or the American Psychological Association Publication Manual (for APA) readily accessible for quick reference.
• Online Resources: Explore online resources provided by reputable institutions and libraries to supplement your understanding of each style.

Tip 2: Using Citation Tools And Resources

• Citation Generators: Use online citation generators to automate the process of creating citations. Tools like Zotero , EndNote , or online generators provided by academic institutions can save time and reduce the chance of errors.
• Online Style Guides: Many universities and academic institutions provide online style guides with examples and tutorials. Refer to these resources to clarify specific citation rules.
• Library Support: Take advantage of library resources and support services, which often include workshops or consultations on proper citation practices.

Tip 3: Seeking Guidance From Instructors Or Writing Centers

• Instructor Clarification: When in doubt, seek clarification from your instructor regarding citation preferences and any specific guidelines for the assignment.
• Writing Centers: Use campus writing centers that offer guidance on citation styles. Writing tutors can provide valuable insights and assistance in mastering MLA or APA.
• Peer Review: Consider engaging in peer review sessions where you can exchange insights and tips on proper citation with fellow students.

Frequently Asked Questions

When to use apa vs mla.

Use APA for social and natural sciences, psychology, education, and research studies. Choose MLA for humanities, literature, philosophy, and arts. Consider assignment requirements, academic discipline, and instructor preferences to determine the appropriate citation style for academic writing.

What is APA vs MLA?

APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association) are distinct citation styles. APA is common in social sciences, emphasizing clarity. MLA is prevalent in humanities, emphasizing authorship. They differ in formatting citations and are chosen based on academic discipline and assignment requirements.

Is MLA or APA used for English?

MLA (Modern Language Association) is commonly used for English, literature, and humanities disciplines. Its emphasis on authorship and literary analysis aligns with the conventions of these fields. APA is more prevalent in social sciences and natural sciences.

Who uses APA?

APA (American Psychological Association) is primarily used by professionals and scholars in the fields of psychology, social sciences, education, business, and health sciences. It provides a standardized citation style for research articles, empirical studies, and scientific publications in these disciplines.

What is the difference between APA MLA and Harvard?

APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association) are citation styles used in academic writing, with specific rules for formatting and citations. Harvard is a referencing style with a focus on author-date citation but is less prescriptive in formatting, commonly used in the UK and Australia.

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Difference Between MLA and APA

As different disciplines have a different way of researching information and so the method of development, compilation and presentation of that information is also different. Basically, these two formats provide recommendations on the way in which style, content and references are to be formatted.

Here we are going to tell you the differences between MLA and APA format.

Content: MLA Vs APA

Comparison chart, similarities.

Definition of MLA

MLA style is a formatting style developed by Modern Language Association, to provide the scholars, researchers, and journal publishers working in the field of literature and language, a uniform and consistent way of documenting the sources, research paper layout and presenting their research work.

The association releases the latest edition as a Handbook periodically, which not just contains instructions on MLA format, but also specific guidelines for submission of the work, which complies with the rules and standards of the association.

MLA style gives recommendations on the set of guidelines which the students and scholars can apply in their source. It focuses on the mechanics of writing, i.e. punctuation, citation and documentation. This style is preferred by various schools, colleges, universities, academic departments, etc. worldwide. It is primarily used in humanities, i.e. English language and literature, cultural studies, literary criticism, cultural studies and so forth.

Definition of APA

APA style is the formal style of formatting developed by the American Psychological Association in 1929, setting up rules for journal articles publications and books. The guidelines for the work is provided through the APA publication manual.

The APA style assists the authors to organize their work, while creating a distinct style of references and citations, in the field of behavioural sciences and social sciences. Behavioral Sciences include psychology, neuroscience and cognitive science, whereas social science covers human geography, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, economics, political science, etc.

It aims at providing the reader with a comprehensive text having appropriate headings, list of works cited and preventing plagiarism. It facilitates the researchers and scholars to communicate the facts and information about their projects, ideas, and experiments in a uniform and consistent format.

Basically there are four sections in the paper:

• Title page : It includes running head, title, name of the author and name of the educational institution.
• Abstract : An abstract is the synopsis of your paper, which should be around 150 to 250 words. The word limit can vary as per the requirement. It contains Topic of research, Questions and Hypothesis, Methodology, Analysis and Conclusion
• Main body : The main body is nothing but the essay, which may be divided into different sections.
• References : It contains the list of all the sources which have been referred and used while writing the paper

Key Differences Between MLA and APA

The differences between MLA and APA are discussed here in detail:

• MLA style can be understood as a means of documenting sources and formatting papers, in scholarly writing, developed by the Modern Language Association. On the other hand, APA style is one of the styles of writing papers, publications, books, journals etc. introduced by the American Psychological Association, which is mainly used in social sciences.
• If we talk about sections, there are four main sections in APA format, i.e. title page, abstract, body paragraphs and references. Conversely, the MLA format contains only two main sections which are – body paragraphs and work cited.
• In both direct and indirect in-text citation, in MLA format you don’t need to mention the year, and a comma after the name of the author and a p. before the page number, which is mandatory in the case of APA format.
• The source page, i.e. the page in which we list out all the sources which have been referred, used, or cited during the writing, is called references in case of APA format, whereas the same is known as works cited in MLA format.
• At the time of citing the sources at the end of the document, in MLA style the author’s last name is spelt out and then the first name is written. In contrast, in APA style, the authors last name is written, and the first name is reduced to initials.
• In MLA style, the first letter of all the important words in the title are capitalized and the title is underlined. As against, in an APA style, the first letter of title, subtitle and proper nouns, are capitalized and the title is written in Italics.
• In both styles, the paper needs to be double spaced.
• Font style should be “Times new roman”, with 12 point size.
• There should be a one-inch margin from each side.
• The list of sources used is arranged in alphabetical manner, as per the author’s last name.

One can choose any of the two formats for the work based on the question which is to be answered with the help of research, how the research paper is completed and the procedure applied during the writing process.

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Why learn APA Style if you already know MLA style?

• Bias-free Language
• Paper Format
• Product Announcements

Have you ever wondered, why can’t there be one writing style for everything? It’s a good question. We often hear this version: “Why learn APA Style if I already know MLA style?”

The short answer is that writing styles were developed within specific domains. MLA style, which comes from the Modern Language Association, is used in the humanities in subjects such as English and other modern languages. APA Style, which comes from the American Psychological Association, is used in the behavioral sciences in subjects such as psychology, education, and nursing, and even in subjects like business and engineering.

Scholars and students in these fields have different needs that are reflected in their writing styles. This post explores key similarities and differences between APA Style and MLA style and provides resources for writers learning APA Style.

Writing styles: More the same than different

APA Style and MLA style share a lot in common with not only each other but also other writing styles such as Chicago style and American Medical Association (AMA) style. Indeed, most writing styles address areas such as these:

• how to format your paper so it looks professional and is easy to read
• what information to include in your paper so that readers understand your work and can evaluate its credibility
• what language to use to describe other people with dignity and respect
• how to present information contained in other sources through quotations and paraphrases
• how to credit those sources through in-text citations and references to avoid plagiarism
• how to attend to the smaller details, such as how to spell and capitalize words; use punctuation , italics and quotation marks , and abbreviations ; and present numbers and statistics so that readers are not distracted by inconsistencies within a paper and among different papers in the field

Thus, once you have learned one writing style, learning another writing style is relatively straightforward. Although the exact details may differ, the overarching considerations are similar. This makes it easier to mentally organize your understanding of what it means to follow a writing style.

But why APA Style?

Simply put, APA Style is designed for writing and understanding scientific literature about people. Here are some of the ways the needs of the behavioral science community of scholars show in the style:

Journal article reporting standards

APA Style provides specific directions on what information to include in certain kinds of papers. Specifically, if you are conducting and reporting the results of experiments, you should follow APA’s journal article reporting standards, or APA Style JARS . JARS ensure that all researchers consistently report the same kinds of information, which allows readers to evaluate the work as well as to make comparisons between works, such as in a meta-analysis.

If you are a student writing a simpler APA Style paper, for example, a reaction or response paper, annotated bibliography, or literature review, we recommend first focusing on fulfilling the assignment requirements set by your instructor.

To learn how JARS can be relevant to you, check out this blog post about APA Style JARS for high school students .

Bias-free and inclusive language

APA provides detailed, science-backed guidelines on how to describe people with dignity and respect in the form of the bias-free language guidelines and the Inclusive Language Guide (2nd ed.) . The guidelines cover topics including age , disability , gender , race and ethnicity , sexual orientation , and socioeconomic status .

If you’re new to this topic, start with the Brief Guide to Bias-Free and Inclusive Language (PDF, 316KB) .

Emphasis on paraphrasing rather than quotation

When writing in APA Style, paraphrase rather than quote in most cases. Whereas in literature it is often important to respond to the exact wording an author used, in science you should primarily respond to the ideas, which means restating them in your own words.

For help on learning to paraphrase, including how to cite a long paraphrase, check out our page on paraphrasing .

Page numbers not in every in-text citation

In-text citations of paraphrased material in APA Style consist of the author and year, whereas in MLA style they consist of the author and page number. Page numbers (or other location information for works without page numbers ) are required in APA Style citations only for direct quotations.

If you are paraphrasing in APA Style, it is optional to include a page number (although read your assignment guidelines, because your instructor may request page numbers regardless).

In-text citations include the year

APA Style in-text citations include the year, whereas MLA citations do not. Each style suits its discipline. Whereas literature is evergreen, science progresses. Older science may be out of date and thus not of use to readers, so having a year in the citation allows readers to quickly understand how old the source is.

Although APA Style does not have formal requirements for how old (or rather, young) your sources have to be, instructors may require you use only sources published within the last 5–10 years or similar, so check your assignment guidelines carefully. And regardless of any requirements, try to use the most current information possible because this is best for advancing the scholarship in your field.

References contain similar information, presented differently

References in APA and MLA styles usually include information about the author, date, title, and source of a work , which allows readers to identify and locate the work. However, the information is presented in a different order and with different capitalization and punctuation depending on the style.

For a step-by-step guide to the different formats for common sources such as journal articles, books, edited book chapters, and webpages, check out the APA Style and MLA Style Reference Comparison Guide (PDF, 104KB) .

How to learn more about APA Style

If you’re at the beginning of your APA Style journey, fear not. This website has a wealth of free and authoritative resources designed to help you. We recommend that you check out our APA Style for Beginners landing page , which curates resources appropriate for an audience new to APA Style.

We are also happy to hear your feedback, so if you have ideas or suggestions on this topic, please leave a comment below.

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APA Style Guidelines

Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category

• Abbreviations
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Citation styles: apa, mla, chicago, turabian, ieee.

• APA 7th Edition
• Turabian 9th
• Writing & Citing Help
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Quick Links

Listed below are a few quick links to resources that will aid you in citing sources.

• Sign up for a Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero training class.
• APA 7th Edition Published in October 2019. Visit this page for links to resources and examples.
• MLA Need help with citing MLA style? Find information here along with links to books in PittCat and free online resources.
• Chicago/Turabian Need help with citing Chicago/Turabian style? Find examples here along with links to the online style manual and free online resources.

Getting Started: How to use this guide

This LibGuide was designed to provide you with assistance in citing your sources when writing an academic paper.

There are different styles which format the information differently. In each tab, you will find descriptions of each citation style featured in this guide along with links to online resources for citing and a few examples.

What is a citation and citation style?

A citation is a way of giving credit to individuals for their creative and intellectual works that you utilized to support your research. It can also be used to locate particular sources and combat plagiarism. Typically, a citation can include the author's name, date, location of the publishing company, journal title, or DOI (Digital Object Identifier).

A citation style dictates the information necessary for a citation and how the information is ordered, as well as punctuation and other formatting.

How to do I choose a citation style?

There are many different ways of citing resources from your research. The citation style sometimes depends on the academic discipline involved. For example:

• APA (American Psychological Association) is used by Education, Psychology, and Sciences
• MLA (Modern Language Association) style is used by the Humanities
• Chicago/Turabian style is generally used by Business, History, and the Fine Arts

*You will need to consult with your professor to determine what is required in your specific course.

Click the links below to find descriptions of each style along with a sample of major in-text and bibliographic citations, links to books in PittCat, online citation manuals, and other free online resources.

• APA Citation Style
• MLA Citation Style
• Chicago/Turabian Citation Style
• Tools for creating bibliographies (CItation Managers)

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Education Blog

Apa vs. mla understanding citation styles for academic writing.

In the world of academic writing, mastering the art of citation is not just a requirement; it’s a skill that underscores the credibility and integrity of your work. Whether you’re penning a research paper, thesis, or any scholarly article, knowing when and how to use APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Language Association) format is crucial. An essay writing service can help ensure that your work adheres to these essential standard

But why is proper citation so important? It not only gives credit where it’s due but also allows readers to trace the genesis of ideas, fostering a transparent and interconnected academic dialogue.

APA vs. MLA: A Comparative Overview

• Origin and Application

APA and MLA stand as the two colossi in the field of academic citation, each with distinct origins and applications. APA, predominantly used in the social sciences, emphasizes the date of publication, reflecting the importance of recent research in these fields. MLA, on the other hand, is favored in the humanities, particularly for its more flexible approach to authorship and source integration.

• General Formatting Guidelines

Before diving into specifics, understanding the general layout each style adheres to can illuminate the broader differences. APA champions a more structured format, with precise headings and subheadings, while MLA offers a bit more freedom, focusing on the fluid integration of sources into the text.

Understanding APA Format

• In-text Citation

APA format requires the author’s last name and the year of publication within the text, catering to the style’s emphasis on the timeliness of research.

• Reference List

The reference list is a staple of APA, offering a comprehensive overview of every source cited in the paper. This list not only includes books and journal articles but extends to audiovisual and electronic sources, reflecting the modern landscape of research.

Navigating MLA Format

MLA’s in-text citation style is more reader-friendly, often incorporating the author’s name into the narrative of the paper, which can enhance the flow of arguments.

• Works Cited Page

Unlike APA’s reference list, MLA uses a works cited page, emphasizing the work over the publication date. This approach caters to the humanities’ focus on the evolution of ideas over time.

Key Differences Between APA and MLA

• Citation in Text

The most noticeable difference lies in how each style approaches in-text citations. APA’s author-date format contrasts sharply with MLA’s author-page method, reflecting their differing emphases on timeliness and narrative flow, respectively.

• Reference List vs. Works Cited

The terminology and structure of the final list of sources also differ, with APA focusing on a comprehensive reference list and MLA on a more selective works cited page.

When to Use APA and MLA

• Subject Matter Consideration

Choosing between APA and MLA often comes down to the subject matter of your paper. Social sciences, education, and psychology lean towards APA, while literature, arts, and humanities prefer MLA.

• Journal or Publisher Requirements

Always consider the requirements of the journal or publisher. Some are strict about citation styles, so knowing the expected format is essential.

Practical Tips for Effective Citation

• Use Software

Modern citation and reference management software can automate much of the formatting process, allowing scholars to focus more on content than citation styles.

• Stay Updated on Style Guidelines

Both APA and MLA periodically update their guidelines. Staying abreast of these changes ensures your citations remain current and accurate.

• Keep a Detailed Research Log

As you gather sources, maintain a detailed log that includes all necessary citation information. This practice saves time and ensures accuracy when you’re ready to cite. Include notes on key points from each source to help integrate quotes and ideas seamlessly into your writing.

• Understand the Purpose of Each Citation

Each citation style serves a different academic purpose. APA’s focus on dates highlights the timeliness of research, while MLA’s emphasis on page numbers facilitates reader engagement with primary sources. Recognizing this can help you choose the most effective way to incorporate and highlight your research.

• Consistency is Key

Ensure that every citation follows the same format throughout your document. Inconsistencies can distract readers and undermine your work’s professionalism. Pay special attention to punctuation, capitalization, and italicization.

• Use Direct Quotes Sparingly

While direct quotes can strengthen your argument, relying too heavily on them can disrupt the flow of your paper. Summarize or paraphrase where appropriate, and use direct quotes to highlight particularly impactful or unique phrases. Remember to always cite the original source, even when paraphrasing.

• Cross-Check Your Citations

Before submitting your work, double-check your citations against the latest version of the citation style guide. Small errors, such as misplaced commas or incorrect publication years, can compromise your paper’s credibility.

• Cite as You Write

Instead of leaving citations as the last step, cite sources as you incorporate them into your paper. This approach prevents accidental plagiarism and ensures you don’t overlook any sources.

• Seek Feedback

Have peers, mentors, or writing centers review your citations. Fresh eyes can catch mistakes you might have overlooked and provide suggestions for improvement.

The choice between APA and MLA formatting styles is not merely a matter of preference but a strategic decision that reflects the nature of your work, its audience, and the norms of your academic discipline. By understanding the key differences and applications of each style, you can navigate the complex landscape of academic writing with greater ease and precision.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

MLA Formatting and Style Guide

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The following overview should help you better understand how to cite sources using MLA  9 th edition, including how to format the Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Please use the example at the bottom of this page to cite the Purdue OWL in MLA. See also our MLA vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel .

Creating a Works Cited list using the ninth edition

MLA is a style of documentation that may be applied to many different types of writing. Since texts have become increasingly digital, and the same document may often be found in several different sources, following a set of rigid rules no longer suffices.

Thus, the current system is based on a few guiding principles, rather than an extensive list of specific rules. While the handbook still describes how to cite sources, it is organized according to the process of documentation, rather than by the sources themselves. This gives writers a flexible method that is near-universally applicable.

Once you are familiar with the method, you can use it to document any type of source, for any type of paper, in any field.

Here is an overview of the process:

When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:

• Title of source.
• Title of container,
• Other contributors,
• Publication date,

Each element should be followed by the corresponding punctuation mark shown above. Earlier editions of the handbook included the place of publication and required different punctuation (such as journal editions in parentheses and colons after issue numbers) depending on the type of source. In the current version, punctuation is simpler (only commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is kept to the basics.

Begin the entry with the author’s last name, followed by a comma and the rest of the name, as presented in the work. End this element with a period.

Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.

Title of source

The title of the source should follow the author’s name. Depending upon the type of source, it should be listed in italics or quotation marks.

A book should be in italics:

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House . MacMurray, 1999.

An individual webpage should be in quotation marks. The name of the parent website, which MLA treats as a "container," should follow in italics:

Lundman, Susan. "How to Make Vegetarian Chili." eHow, www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html.*

A periodical (journal, magazine, newspaper) article should be in quotation marks:

Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu." Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature , vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

A song or piece of music on an album should be in quotation marks. The name of the album should then follow in italics:

Beyoncé. "Pray You Catch Me." Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

*The MLA handbook recommends including URLs when citing online sources. For more information, see the “Optional Elements” section below.

Title of container

The eighth edition of the MLA handbook introduced what are referred to as "containers," which are the larger wholes in which the source is located. For example, if you want to cite a poem that is listed in a collection of poems, the individual poem is the source, while the larger collection is the container. The title of the container is usually italicized and followed by a comma, since the information that follows next describes the container.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories, edited by Tobias Wolff, Vintage, 1994, pp. 306-07.

The container may also be a television series, which is made up of episodes.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

The container may also be a website, which contains articles, postings, and other works.

Wise, DeWanda. “Why TV Shows Make Me Feel Less Alone.”  NAMI,  31 May 2019,  www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/May-2019/How-TV-Shows-Make-Me-Feel-Less-Alone . Accessed 3 June 2019.

In some cases, a container might be within a larger container. You might have read a book of short stories on Google Books , or watched a television series on Netflix . You might have found the electronic version of a journal on JSTOR. It is important to cite these containers within containers so that your readers can find the exact source that you used.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation , season 2, episode 21, NBC , 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031?trackId=200256157&tctx=0%2C20%2C0974d361-27cd-44de-9c2a-2d9d868b9f64-12120962.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal , vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest, doi:10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

Other contributors

In addition to the author, there may be other contributors to the source who should be credited, such as editors, illustrators, translators, etc. If their contributions are relevant to your research, or necessary to identify the source, include their names in your documentation.

Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. Translated by Richard Howard , Vintage-Random House, 1988.

Woolf, Virginia. Jacob’s Room . Annotated and with an introduction by Vara Neverow, Harcourt, Inc., 2008.

If a source is listed as an edition or version of a work, include it in your citation.

The Bible . Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.

Crowley, Sharon, and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2004.

If a source is part of a numbered sequence, such as a multi-volume book or journal with both volume and issue numbers, those numbers must be listed in your citation.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria. Translated by H. E. Butler, vol. 2, Loeb-Harvard UP, 1980.

The publisher produces or distributes the source to the public. If there is more than one publisher, and they are all are relevant to your research, list them in your citation, separated by a forward slash (/).

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine. 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive, www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

Women's Health: Problems of the Digestive System . American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2006.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

Note : The publisher’s name need not be included in the following sources: periodicals, works published by their author or editor, websites whose titles are the same name as their publisher, websites that make works available but do not actually publish them (such as  YouTube ,  WordPress , or  JSTOR ).

Publication date

The same source may have been published on more than one date, such as an online version of an original source. For example, a television series might have aired on a broadcast network on one date, but released on  Netflix  on a different date. When the source has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your writing. If you’re unsure about which date to use, go with the date of the source’s original publication.

In the following example, Mutant Enemy is the primary production company, and “Hush” was released in 1999. Below is a general citation for this television episode:

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer , created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, Mutant Enemy, 1999 .

However, if you are discussing, for example, the historical context in which the episode originally aired, you should cite the full date. Because you are specifying the date of airing, you would then use WB Television Network (rather than Mutant Enemy), because it was the network (rather than the production company) that aired the episode on the date you’re citing.

“Hush.” Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, season 4, episode 10, WB Television Network, 14 Dec. 1999 .

You should be as specific as possible in identifying a work’s location.

An essay in a book or an article in a journal should include page numbers.

Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi. “On Monday of Last Week.” The Thing around Your Neck, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, pp. 74-94 .

The location of an online work should include a URL.  Remove any "http://" or "https://" tag from the beginning of the URL.

Wheelis, Mark. "Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention." Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

When citing a physical object that you experienced firsthand, identify the place of location.

Matisse, Henri. The Swimming Pool. 1952, Museum of Modern Art, New York .

Optional elements

The ninth edition is designed to be as streamlined as possible. The author should include any information that helps readers easily identify the source, without including unnecessary information that may be distracting. The following is a list of optional elements that can be included in a documented source at the writer’s discretion.

Date of original publication:

If a source has been published on more than one date, the writer may want to include both dates if it will provide the reader with necessary or helpful information.

Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine. 1984. Perennial-Harper, 1993.

City of publication:

The seventh edition handbook required the city in which a publisher is located, but the eighth edition states that this is only necessary in particular instances, such as in a work published before 1900. Since pre-1900 works were usually associated with the city in which they were published, your documentation may substitute the city name for the publisher’s name.

Thoreau, Henry David. Excursions . Boston, 1863.

Date of access:

When you cite an online source, the MLA Handbook recommends including a date of access on which you accessed the material, since an online work may change or move at any time.

Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites, 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

As mentioned above, while the MLA handbook recommends including URLs when you cite online sources, you should always check with your instructor or editor and include URLs at their discretion.

A DOI, or digital object identifier, is a series of digits and letters that leads to the location of an online source. Articles in journals are often assigned DOIs to ensure that the source is locatable, even if the URL changes. If your source is listed with a DOI, use that instead of a URL.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. "Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates." Environmental Toxicology , vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library, doi: 10.1002/tox.20155.

Creating in-text citations using the previous (eighth) edition

Although the MLA handbook is currently in its ninth edition, some information about citing in the text using the older (eighth) edition is being retained. The in-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should properly attribute any ideas, paraphrases, or direct quotations to your source, and should direct readers to the entry in the Works Cited list. For the most part, an in-text citation is the  author’s name and the page number (or just the page number, if the author is named in the sentence) in parentheses :

When creating in-text citations for media that has a runtime, such as a movie or podcast, include the range of hours, minutes and seconds you plan to reference. For example: (00:02:15-00:02:35).

Again, your goal is to attribute your source and provide a reference without interrupting your text. Your readers should be able to follow the flow of your argument without becoming distracted by extra information.

How to Cite the Purdue OWL in MLA

Entire Website

The Purdue OWL . Purdue U Writing Lab, 2019.

Individual Resources

Contributors' names. "Title of Resource." The Purdue OWL , Purdue U Writing Lab, Last edited date.

The new OWL no longer lists most pages' authors or publication dates. Thus, in most cases, citations will begin with the title of the resource, rather than the developer's name.

"MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL, Purdue U Writing Lab. Accessed 18 Jun. 2018.

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• / What does it mean to cite using MLA, APA, or Chicago style?

MLA, APA, and Chicago are three common citation styles. These are ways of giving credit to sources from which we use ideas, words, and images. Citing sources may seem unnecessary, but is actually a useful and ethical part of college writing.

Why do I need to cite sources

The most obvious reason to cite sources is to avoid plagiarism . Noting where ideas came from keeps us from stealing something that was not originally ours. Just as important, however, is that we cite sources to establish our credibility as writers and to become part of the ongoing scholarly conversation among writers and researchers. Citing sources also lets readers know who came up with a particular idea and provide them with the information to find that source for further research.

Each citation system has its own distinctive style for citing sources both within an essay (in-text) and at the end (works cited or reference page). The features of each style are based on the values of the fields that use them. Learning the reasons for these features demonstrates a lot about particular disciplines and the advantages to having different systems. To learn more about which disciplines favor which styles, visit the American University website.

Keep in mind that any details noted below may vary depending on what professors prefer; always use what they require over what online resources provide.

Modern Language Association (MLA)

• Commonly used in Humanities fields such as English and Philosophy
• Places emphasis on exact words of other writers; quotes are often important
• Page numbers used in in-text citations to help readers quickly find quotes and ideas
• Author names written out completely in Works Cited list
• No cover page or abstract required

American Psychological Association (APA)

• Used mainly in Social Sciences such as Psychology, Sociology, Education, and Criminal Justice
• Formal structure often used, including specific subheadings
• Cover page and abstract often required
• General ideas usually more important than exact words; avoid too many quotations, paraphrase (link)  ideas
• Dates important in in-text citations and Reference list; places importance on most current research­
• Author’s first names not written out; ideas and research more important than researchers

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)

• Commonly used in History and other Humanities fields
• There are two types: Author and Date , and Notes and Bibliography
• Notes and Bibliography uses footnotes and/or endnotes to elaborate on source material
• Title page may be used in either format but usually not required; subheadings not required

For specific instructions and examples about how to use each style, refer to the links above to each of our citation handouts. You can also find physical copies in the University Writing Center, or make an appointment for further help using citations. There are other citation styles beyond these three, but these are the most common. Always ask your professor which citation style should be used if you are unsure. For resources on teaching about incorporating sources, see “ Writing with Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism .”

What can the Writing Center do to help?

We work frequently with writers to help with all of their questions about citing sources and different citation formats. We can help you at the beginning of your research process, to help you make sure you understand what information you will need as well as when you will need to cite information. We can can also help you near the end of your writing process with specific questions about how to cite sources and construct your references page.

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MLA vs APA: Citation & Format Differences

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It is useful that you understand the basics of major styles - in particular, difference between APA and MLA. They are, indeed, very popular. If you are required to follow a specific style when writing your paper, you should learn about them, This guide will help you understand some peculiarities of APA and MLA, including the following aspects:

• Academic areas these styles are typically used for
• General paper format
• Rules of making proper citations
• Rules of making proper bibliography.

Stay with us and you will learn most of the information you should know about difference between APA and MLA. This short guide would help you grasp the main concept of each style and help you choose a proper one for your paper in case you have to choose for yourself.

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APA vs MLA: Applicable Disciplines

Before deciding whether you should use MLA or APA, it is useful to understand what each of these abbreviations means. APA format paper stands for ‘American Psychological Association’. It was developed by this organization and is therefore recommended for:

• Anthropology
• Social Sciences

MLA has received its name from the Modern Language Association. This organization recommends using this style in such fields of study:

• Linguistics
• Other Humanities disciplines.

Students are often instructed to follow a certain style when writing their papers. But if you need to choose whether to use MLA or APA on your own, consider the aforementioned lists of academic areas and it will be quite clear which path to take.

APA vs MLA: Citation

One of a key elements of both styles is a proper formatting of citations. You need to specify all your sources in APA and MLA. Refer to material correctly when citing it in your own text. However, each of these styles requires different in-text references. The order of sources’ details in a bibliography section is also different in each case. Below you will find detailed guidelines on how to cite your sources in APA and MLA.

MLA vs APA: In-Text Citation

Let’s start with MLA vs APA in-text citations. Both styles require parenthetical blocks for citing sources. Difference lies in details put within parenthesis. In APA, you have to include the last name of source’s author and a year this source was published. A page number is also required when a specific paragraph is directly quoted or paraphrased. Name, year and page number are separated by comma. In MLA, you have to include author’s last name and a page number which is always required. Use more than one MLA in text citation example to do it right. If you are citing a work by two authors, you need to put an ampersand between their names when following the APA style. In MLA, you should separate them with “and.” In case your source was written by multiple authors (3+), you need to specify the first author’s name and add “et al.” after it in both styles. Here are a couple of samples:

• Single author:

• Two authors:

• Multiple authors:

Works Cited in MLA vs APA Reference List

Another important aspect to consider when choosing APA or MLA: Works Cited section. In both styles, you are expected to provide complete information about all your sources at the end of your papers on a separate page. It is called Works Cited page in MLA and References in APA. The main differences are the order of a source’s details and their format. In APA, you have to provide an initial instead of an author’s first name and put a publication date right after that. You have to provide a full first name and put publication date MLA format at the end of your references. The following part – a book, journal or article title – is having each major word capitalized in MLA, but only the 1st word capitalized in APA.

APA vs MLA: Format

General requirements of MLA and APA formatting have a number of similarities:

• Text should be double-spaced.
• Font size should be 12 pt, Sans Serif (Times New Roman is preferred).
• 1 inch margin throughout a whole paper.
• 0.5 inch indent for every paragraph.

However there are significant differences between these styles. Especially, when it comes to the following elements: 

• Running head
• Headings and subheadings.

Let us explore these differences in detail. Pay close attention to each of these elements listed above.

What are requirements regarding your title page in APA or MLA? MLA cover page does not require creating a separate title page. You should however add a header on the first page of your paper. Rules are simple:

• your full name;
• your professor’s name;
• course title and number;
• submission date.
• Header must be left-aligned and double-spaced.
• The paper’s main heading must be centered on a new line under a header. Your instructor may require you to include one, though.

In APA, a separate cover page is required. This is the first page of your paper. It should contain these parts:

• Title of your paper
• Your full name
• Your institution and course
• Name of your professor
• Submission date.

An entire page should be centered and double-spaced. Use our Title Page Creator to generate a cover page in APA or MLA automatically. 

Running Head in MLA and APA

Let us now find out what are the differences between MLA and APA when it comes to the running head. In MLA, you need to include your last name and the page number into the running head. They both must be aligned to the right. It should appear at the top of every page. Into the running head APA you need to include a right-aligned page number, likewise. However it should be preceded by a shortened version of your paper’s title. It must be up to 50 characters long, all in capitals and left-aligned. This header should appear at the top of every page, including the title page.

If you need to convert lowercase to uppercase for your running head, feel free to use our tool. 

Headings and Subheadings

Finally, let us explore the rules of APA and MLA heading  and subheading. Both styles foresee 5 levels of section headings. Here is how they are to be distinguished:

• APA: centered, bold, title case
• MLA: left-aligned, bold, no indent
• APA: left-aligned, bold, title case, no indent
• MLA: left-aligned, italicized, no indent
• APA: left-aligned, bold, italicized, title case, no indent
• MLA: centered, bold
• APA: left-aligned, bold, title case, indented and ending with period (.) The next paragraph starts from the same line
• MLA: centered, italicized
• APA: left-aligned, bold, title case, italicized, indented and ending with period. The next paragraph starts from the same line
• MLA: left-aligned, underlined.

MLA vs APA: Examples

If you need some MLA and APA format examples to make it easier for you, we’ve created a few templates for your convenience. Just click on the links below and you will find more valuable information about them. Pay close attention to the implementation of the above rules in these examples.

Bottom Line

In this article we have learned together how is APA different from MLA. Also, we figured out different key points which require your attention when analysing peculiarities of both styles. These key points are:

• Applicable disciplines
• In-text citations and bibliography
• General format
• Title page, header, headings and subheadings.

Each key point was explained, briefly but concisely. Samples were given to clarify all complicated cases. In addition to this detailed review we have created several templates. They could help to grasp the key differences. We hope this information will be helpful for you in your studies. Feel free to use it when creating your next paper! 

If you need further help, do not hesitate to contact us! Our team of academic advisors is always happy to provide assistance with assignment. You do not have to worry about deadlines. Our writers have plenty of experience with different papers. They will do your work in a quick and qualitative way!

Frequently Asked Questions about MLA vs APA style

1. which format is more common – apa or mla.

It is difficult to specify which style is more popular so it would be safe to assume that they are equally common. Both APA and MLA are widely used among college students in the US, UK and many other countries. Simultaneously, MLA is more often preferred among high-school students, who are required to use it in their papers. Apparently, the reason is that it is an easier one for starters.

2. Which style is easier to use - MLA or APA?

In general, both APA and MLA styles have clear and straightforward rules which do not make any of them too complicated for an average student to use. At the same time a popular opinion is that MLA style requires less effort since its rules of citing references are less complicated compared to APA. This makes it easy to complete an MLA paper in time.

3. What is the most difficult thing about APA style?

Following rules of APA style is not too complicated for those who are well experienced in writing scientific papers. But if you are a starter, the most difficult element of this style for you would be citing your sources in the bibliography section. The reason is, APA has complex rules of formatting full references, especially when it comes to specific printed issues, volumes and articles in periodicals.

4. Can I use MLA format in Social Sciences?

Typically, rules of choosing a style are pretty strict when it comes to a highly specialized paper of a senior grade student. So, MLA format cannot be used in an academic paper in Psychology, Economics, Social Sciences or anything else from a related area. Instead, you should use APA format for such disciplines. In any case, the best way is to consult with your instructor beforehand.

Emma Flores knows all about formatting standards. She shares with StudyCrumb readers tips on creating academic papers that will meet high-quality standards.

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New YouTube video on the importance of teaching students APA Style

• Teaching Psychology as a Subject

By APA Style Team

APA Style is designed for writing and understanding how to cite and explain scientific literature. It is used in people-centered academic disciplines such as psychology, education, and nursing that students may major in; it is also used in other academic fields, including business and engineering. Even if you teach, or were taught, a different writing style (e.g., MLA, Chicago), once you have learned one style, learning another style should be easier.

Because APA Style is used in many fields as a foundation for academic writing, we create content to assist you in teaching writing that is clear, precise, and inclusive—which will improve your students’ scholarly communication. Many of our resources are intended for students and were designed by APA Style experts in conjunction with university instructors.

On the APA Style YouTube channel , we feature videos that demonstrate the fundamental principles of APA Style, including recordings of our webinars. We have been working on lots of great, engaging videos for the new school year. Our latest video , Why Do You Need APA Style? , will increase your and your students’ understanding of why it is important to use APA Style guidance based on the assignment type and/or academic discipline. Usually, students have trouble putting APA Style into practice, and this video will enhance their APA Style learning experience—knowing the “why” may lessen the “whys.”

Also, when teaching students how to write a scientific paper in APA Style, you should ensure your students are cognizant of two things before they start their draft: audience (i.e., those who will read their work) and purpose (i.e., the main reason they are writing whatever it is they are writing and what they would like their audience to learn). Teaching students how to effectively communicate their data and choose reliable sources to support their assertions in a clear and concise manner are crucial in advancing science. The Why Do You Need APA Style? video focuses on practical ways to think about the writing process and promotes critical thinking about science.

As a reminder, the APA Style team encourages instructors, departments, and institutions to adapt APA Style to fit their needs. Students should follow the guidelines of their instructor, advisor, department, and/or institution when writing papers.

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