10 Differences Between APA and MLA Citation Formats

Many people ask, what’s the difference between MLA and APA. It is important to note that the difference between the two lies primarily in their disciplinary focus and, consequently, their specific formatting and citation styles.

MLA (Modern Language Association) is predominantly used in the humanities, such as literature, languages, and cultural studies. MLA emphasizes the author and the literary work itself. APA (American Psychological Association) is the standard for the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, education, and business. APA focuses on the date of publication and the empirical research.

This fundamental difference in their target disciplines shapes the variations in how they format title pages, in-text citations (author-page vs. author-date), and the bibliographic lists (Works Cited vs. References).

What is the difference between APA 6 and APA 7 edition

The primary differences between APA 6th and 7th editions lie in several key areas, including title page formatting (with the 7th edition offering separate student and professional formats and omitting the running head for students), in-text citations (where the 7th edition uses “et al.” for three or more authors from the first citation), and the references page (which now includes DOIs as live hyperlinks, omits “Retrieved from” unless a retrieval date is needed, and includes website names). The 7th edition also emphasizes inclusive language guidelines more explicitly and allows for more font options, aiming for greater clarity and accessibility in scholarly writing.

5 Differences Between APA and MLA Citations

• Disciplinary Focus

APA (American Psychological Association) style is primarily used in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, education, and business. It emphasizes the date of publication to reflect the evolving nature of research in these fields. MLA (Modern Language Association) style is predominantly used in the humanities, including literature, languages, and cultural studies, where the focus tends to be more on the author and the literary work itself.  

Example: A paper in psychology would likely use APA, while a paper analyzing a novel would typically use MLA.

• In-Text Citations

In APA, in-text citations include the author’s last name and the year of publication, often with a page number for direct quotes (Author, Year, p. #). In MLA, in-text citations include the author’s last name and the page number (Author Page).  

In APA, you only state the paper number when you have paraphrased the author’s content directly or used direct quotes. In MLA, you always have to state the page number even if it is not a direct quote.

Example (APA): (Smith, 2020, p. 45) for direct quote or (Smith, 2020) for non quotes.

Example (MLA): (Smith 45)

• Title Page

APA requires a separate title page with specific elements like the title, author’s name, affiliation, course information, instructor’s name, and due date. For student papers in APA 7th edition, the running head is no longer required. MLA generally does not require a separate title page. Instead, the student typically includes identifying information (name, instructor, course, date) in the upper left-hand corner of the first page, followed by the title centered on the next line.  

Example (APA – elements on separate lines): Title of Paper Your Name Affiliation Course Name and Number Instructor’s Name Due Date

Example (MLA – in the upper left corner of the first page): Your Name Instructor’s Name Course Name Date

• References vs. Works Cited

APA uses a “References” page at the end of the paper to list all cited sources. Each entry follows a specific format, emphasizing the author, year, title, and source information. MLA uses a “Works Cited” page for the same purpose, but the formatting and the information emphasized differ. For instance, MLA includes the medium of publication (e.g., Print, Web).  

Example (APA – for a book): Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Example (MLA – for a book): Author, First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. Medium of publication.

• Author Names

In APA reference lists, the author’s last name is followed by the initials of their first and middle names (e.g., Smith, J. R.). In MLA Works Cited, the author’s full first and last names are usually provided, with the last name first (e.g., Smith, John R.).

Example (APA): Smith, J. R. (2020).

Example (MLA): Smith, John R.

These are some of the fundamental differences between APA and MLA citation styles. The choice of which style to use depends on the specific discipline or the requirements of the instructor or publication.

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Summary of the differences between APA and MLA

Difference Category	APA	MLA
Disciplinary Focus	Used in social sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, business). Focus on the date of publication.	Used in humanities (e.g., literature, languages). Focus on the author and literary work.
In-Text Citations	In-text citation: (Author, Year, p. # for direct quotes, or (Author, Year) for paraphrased content.	In-text citation: (Author Page). Always includes page number even without direct quotes.
Title Page	Requires a separate title page with title, author’s name, affiliation, course info, and due date.	Does not require a separate title page. Identifying information is in the upper left corner of the first page.
References vs. Works Cited	Uses a ‘References’ page with specific format: Author, A. A. (Year). Title. Publisher.	Uses a ‘Works Cited’ page with format: Author, First Name Last Name. Title. Publisher, Year. Medium.
Author Names	Author names are listed as Last Name, First Initial (e.g., Smith, J. R.).	Author names are listed as Full First and Last Name (e.g., Smith, John R.).