APA vs MLA: Which Citation Format Should You Use? (2026 Guide)

APA and MLA are the two most widely used citation formats in US academia, and an estimated 85% of universities require one or the other for student papers. Choosing the wrong format or making formatting errors can cost you points on an otherwise excellent paper. Here is a clear comparison of both styles so you know exactly which to use and how they differ.

APA Format at a Glance

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. The current edition is APA 7th, published in 2019. APA is the standard citation format for the sciences and social sciences.

In-text citations use the author-date format: (Smith, 2024). For direct quotes, add the page number: (Smith, 2024, p. 42). For works with two authors, include both names: (Smith & Jones, 2024). For three or more authors, use "et al." from the first citation: (Smith et al., 2024).

The reference page is titled "References" (centered, bold). Entries are alphabetized by the first author's last name. Each entry uses a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inches).

A typical APA book reference looks like this: Smith, J. A. (2024). The title of the book in sentence case. Publisher Name.

Key APA formatting details: titles of works use sentence case (only capitalize the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon), the publication date appears in parentheses immediately after the author name, DOIs are included for journal articles when available, and URLs are presented as live hyperlinks without "Retrieved from" unless a retrieval date is relevant.

MLA Format at a Glance

MLA stands for the Modern Language Association. The current edition is MLA 9th, published in 2021. MLA is the standard for humanities disciplines.

In-text citations use the author-page format: (Smith 42). Note: no comma between author and page number, and no "p." before the page number. For two authors: (Smith and Jones 42). For three or more: (Smith et al. 42).

The reference page is titled "Works Cited" (centered, not bold). Like APA, entries are alphabetized and use hanging indents.

A typical MLA book entry looks like this: Smith, John A. The Title of the Book in Title Case. Publisher Name, 2024.

Key MLA formatting details: titles use title case (capitalize all major words), the publication date appears at the end of the entry rather than near the beginning, URLs are included but preceded by no special label, and the medium of publication is generally not specified.

Key Differences Side by Side

The differences between APA and MLA go beyond citation format. Here are the most important distinctions:

In-text format: APA uses (Author, Year) while MLA uses (Author Page).
Reference page title: APA calls it "References" while MLA calls it "Works Cited."
Date placement: APA puts the date right after the author name. MLA puts it near the end of the entry.
Title capitalization: APA uses sentence case for article and book titles. MLA uses title case.
Author names: APA uses initials for first names (Smith, J. A.). MLA uses full first names (Smith, John A.).
Emphasis on date vs page: APA emphasizes when something was published (critical in sciences where recency matters). MLA emphasizes where in the text information appears (critical in textual analysis).
Running header: APA requires a running header with a shortened title. MLA requires a header with the author's last name and page number.

When to Use APA

Use APA format for courses and publications in psychology, sociology, nursing, business, economics, criminal justice, education, political science, and most STEM fields. APA is designed for research that builds on previous findings, which is why it emphasizes publication dates. In the sciences, a 2015 study may be outdated by 2026, and the date-prominent citation style makes chronological context immediately visible.

If your professor has not specified a format and you are in a social science, health, or business course, APA is almost certainly the expected choice.

When to Use MLA

Use MLA format for courses and publications in English, literature, philosophy, cultural studies, film studies, art history, theater, music, and other arts and humanities disciplines. MLA is designed for textual analysis and interpretation, where the specific passage on a specific page matters more than when the source was published. Shakespeare's plays do not become less relevant over time.

If your professor has not specified a format and you are in a humanities course, MLA is the safe default.

What About Chicago and Harvard?

Chicago style (also called Turabian for students) is common in history, some social sciences, and publishing. It offers two systems: notes-bibliography (footnotes with a bibliography) and author-date (similar to APA). History departments almost universally require Chicago notes-bibliography format.

Harvard referencing is widely used in the UK and Australia. It uses an author-date in-text format similar to APA but with different formatting conventions for the reference list. If you are studying at a UK or Australian university, check whether your institution uses Harvard style.

Other formats include IEEE (engineering and computer science), AMA (medical journals), and CSE (biological sciences). When in doubt, ask your instructor which format they require. Using the wrong one is an easily avoidable mistake.

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