Citation Styles Guide 2025: APA vs MLA vs Chicago
Master the three most important citation styles with our comprehensive comparison guide. Learn when to use each style, formatting rules, and see practical examples.
Quick Comparison
APA Style
American Psychological Association
- • Psychology, Education, Sciences
- • Author-date citations
- • References page
MLA Style
Modern Language Association
- • Literature, Arts, Humanities
- • Author-page citations
- • Works Cited page
Chicago Style
Chicago Manual of Style
- • History, Literature, Arts
- • Footnotes or author-date
- • Bibliography
When to Use Each Style
APA Style (American Psychological Association)
Primarily used in social sciences, psychology, education, and scientific research.
Best for:
- • Psychology papers
- • Education research
- • Social science studies
- • Scientific reports
Key Features:
- • Emphasizes publication dates
- • Author-date format
- • Running head on every page
- • Double-spaced throughout
MLA Style (Modern Language Association)
Standard for literature, language studies, and humanities research.
Best for:
- • Literature analysis
- • Language studies
- • Cultural studies
- • Media studies
Key Features:
- • Author-page number format
- • No cover page required
- • Works Cited page
- • Double-spaced
Chicago Style (Chicago Manual of Style)
Flexible style used in history, literature, and the arts with two systems: Notes-Bibliography and Author-Date.
Best for:
- • History papers
- • Art history
- • Philosophy
- • Religious studies
Key Features:
- • Footnotes or endnotes
- • Bibliography page
- • Flexible formatting
- • Two citation systems
Citation Examples
Book Citation Examples
APA Format:
Smith, J. (2025). Academic writing guide. University Press.
MLA Format:
Smith, John. Academic Writing Guide. University Press, 2025.
Chicago Format:
Smith, John. Academic Writing Guide. University Press, 2025.
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