MLA vs. Chicago: a side-by-side comparison
MLA and Chicago both rule the humanities. They don't look alike. MLA does parenthetical author-page markers and ends with a Works Cited list. Chicago notes-bibliography does footnotes and a separate bibliography. This guide walks through the differences rule by rule. Our citation generator spits out either format from any source.
When the humanities use which
MLA and Chicago run the humanities between them. The split is disciplinary. MLA owns English, modern languages, and literary studies. Chicago owns history, art history, philosophy, and religion.
Chicago comes in two flavors. Notes-bibliography is the canonical humanities form. Author-date shows up in the social sciences. When a humanities scholar says "Chicago," they mean notes-bibliography. Nearly always.
How citations appear in the text
Bishop describes the moose in the bus aisle as "homely as a house" (12).
Bishop describes the moose in the bus aisle as "homely as a house."1
MLA marks citations with parenthetical author-page tags. Chicago NB uses superscript note numbers that point to footnotes (or endnotes) at the bottom of the page. The two look nothing alike on the page. You can spot the difference at a glance.
First citation example
Bishop, Elizabeth. "The Moose." Geography III, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976, pp. 12–18.
1. Elizabeth Bishop, "The Moose," in Geography III (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976), 12.
Same bibliographic content. Different punctuation. MLA leans on commas. Chicago NB notes shift the commas around and wrap parentheses around the publisher.
Subsequent citations
MLA just repeats the parenthetical. (Bishop 14) for a quote from page 14. Chicago NB switches to a shortened note the second time around: 2. Bishop, "The Moose," 14.
Works Cited vs. Bibliography
MLA papers close with a Works Cited list. Every source you cited. Chicago NB papers close with a Bibliography. Every source you consulted, whether you cited it or not.
Said, Edward. Orientalism. Pantheon Books, 1978.
Said, Edward. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.
The Chicago bibliography entry looks a lot like a footnote, just rearranged. Periods where the note had commas. Publication city sits before the publisher.
Page numbers
MLA wants page numbers on quotes and paraphrases both — "works cited at the page" is a core MLA principle. Chicago NB also expects a page in the footnote whenever you make a specific claim. The split is where the number goes. MLA: in parentheses, inline. Chicago: tucked at the end of the footnote.
Said argues that "the Orient was almost a European invention" (1).
1. Said writes that "the Orient was almost a European invention."1 ↳ 1. Edward Said, Orientalism (New York: Pantheon, 1978), 1.
Quick comparison table
| Feature | MLA 9 | Chicago NB |
|---|---|---|
| In-text marker | (Author Page) | Superscript note number |
| End-of-paper list | Works Cited | Bibliography |
| Article titles | Title case, in quotes | Headline case, in quotes |
| Place of publication for books | Not required | Required |
| Author's full name | First Last | First Last (notes); Last, First (bib) |
| Page numbers | Required for every cite | Required in footnotes for specific claims |
| Subsequent cites | Same parenthetical form | Shortened note |
When to use MLA over Chicago (and vice versa)
Reach for MLA when you're writing about one specific text. A poem. A novel. A film. The author-page form keeps you anchored to the page you're analyzing.
Reach for Chicago NB when your project pulls from a mess of source types: primary documents, archival material, secondary literature, interviews. Footnotes give you room to add discursive commentary that a parenthetical never could.
If your discipline isn't dictating one for you, it usually comes down to taste. Do you want page-bottom notes (Chicago) or a cleaner reading surface (MLA)? Pick.
Summary
| Feature | MLA | Chicago NB |
|---|---|---|
| Citation marker | Parenthetical (Author Page) | Footnote/endnote number |
| End-of-paper list | Works Cited | Bibliography |
| Best for | Literature, languages, film | History, art history, philosophy |
| Subsequent citations | Repeat the parenthetical | Shortened footnote |
| Place of publication | Not required | Required |
| Discursive notes | Optional content notes | Built into the citation system |
Need to switch between MLA and Chicago on the same paper? Use the dedicated MLA 9 or Chicago 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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