APA vs. MLA: which citation style should you use?
APA and MLA are the two styles you'll most likely be assigned in college. Different disciplines, different rules. This guide lines them up side by side, with a quick decision table by discipline at the bottom. Our free citation generator handles both APA 7 and MLA 9. Paste a DOI or URL and switch formats with one click.
Which style does your discipline use?
APA and MLA are the two most-assigned citation styles in North American higher ed. The pick almost always isn't yours. Your instructor, journal, or department decides.
Use APA in psychology, education, sociology, social work, nursing, business, communication, and the empirical social sciences. Use MLA in English, comparative literature, modern languages, cultural studies, film studies, and the broader humanities.
Rule of thumb: if your paper runs on data analysis or hypothesis testing, it's APA. If it runs on close reading of texts, it's MLA. History and philosophy usually go with a third option. See our APA vs. Chicago guide for that one.
In-text citation format
Both styles use parenthetical citations. The second element is where they split. APA cites the year. MLA cites the page.
Cognitive load shapes learning outcomes (Sweller, 1988).
"Working memory is severely capacity-limited" (Sweller, 1988, p. 257).
Cognitive load shapes learning outcomes (Sweller 257).
"Working memory is severely capacity-limited" (Sweller 257).
APA only asks for a page number on direct quotations. MLA wants it every time you cite the source, paraphrase or quote. The author-page form is what sets MLA apart from every author-date system on sight.
Reference list vs. Works Cited
APA calls its bibliography a References list. MLA calls it Works Cited. Don't swap them. The wrong heading announces the wrong style on sight.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
Sweller, John. "Cognitive Load during Problem Solving: Effects on Learning." Cognitive Science, vol. 12, no. 2, 1988, pp. 257–85. Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4.
Three differences jump out of those two examples. APA puts the year right after the author. MLA buries it deep in the citation. APA uses sentence case for article titles. MLA uses title case. APA uses initials only. MLA spells out the first name.
Title capitalization
APA uses sentence case for article and book titles in the reference list. Only the first word, proper nouns, and the first word after a colon get capitalized. MLA uses title case. Most content words get capitalized, following section 6.10 of the MLA Handbook.
The interpretation of dreams: A study in symbolism
The Interpretation of Dreams: A Study in Symbolism
Manuscript formatting
| Element | APA 7 | MLA 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Title page | Required (student or pro variant) | Optional — most papers use a header on page 1 |
| Running head | Pro variant only | Last name + page number, top right of every page |
| Spacing | Double-spaced throughout | Double-spaced throughout |
| Font | Times New Roman 12, Calibri 11, Arial 11, etc. | Times New Roman 12 (recommended) |
| Headings | Five-level system | Optional — no formal hierarchy required |
Quick decision table by discipline
| Discipline | Default style |
|---|---|
| Psychology, education, social work | APA |
| Sociology, political science, communication | APA |
| Nursing, public health | APA |
| Business and management | APA |
| English, comparative literature | MLA |
| Modern languages and linguistics | MLA |
| Cultural studies, film, media studies | MLA |
| History | Chicago (not APA or MLA) |
| Philosophy | Chicago or MLA, varies |
| Engineering, computer science | IEEE (not APA or MLA) |
Common mistakes when switching
Mixing the two styles
The most common mistake is pairing APA in-text citations with an MLA Works Cited list, or the reverse. Pick one style. Apply it consistently across the whole paper.
Wrong title capitalization
Pulling APA-style sentence case into an MLA Works Cited (or the reverse) is a routine slip when you're reformatting an old paper. Title case in the reference list is the loudest MLA marker. Sentence case is the loudest APA one.
Heading mismatch
Labeling your APA bibliography "Works Cited" or your MLA bibliography "References" is an instant tell. The heading has to match the in-text format.
Summary
| Feature | APA | MLA |
|---|---|---|
| In-text format | (Author, Year) | (Author Page) |
| List heading | References | Works Cited |
| Year placement | Right after author | Deep in the entry |
| Article titles | Sentence case, no quotes | Title case, in quotes |
| Multiple authors connector | & in parens, and in text | and everywhere |
| Best for | Social and behavioral sciences | Humanities and literary studies |
Switching between APA and MLA on the same paper? Use the dedicated APA 7 or MLA 9 generator to format from a single source, or drop a whole bibliography into the Citation Converter to swap styles in one click.
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