APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association) are two of the most commonly used citation styles in academic writing. While both styles provide guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers, there are some key differences between the two.
One of the main differences between APA and MLA is the way they format in-text citations. In APA style, in-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication, with the page number in parentheses if quoting directly from a source. For example: (Smith, 2020, p. 34). In MLA style, in-text citations include the author's last name and the page number, with the year of publication in parentheses if quoting directly from a source. For example: (Smith 34).
Another difference between APA and MLA is the way they format the reference list at the end of a paper. In APA style, the reference list is alphabetized and the entries include the author's last name, first initial, publication year, title of the work, and publication information. The reference list is double-spaced and the entries are formatted with a hanging indent. In MLA style, the reference list is also alphabetized, but the entries include the author's last name, first name, title of the work, and publication information. The reference list is also double-spaced, but the entries are not formatted with a hanging indent.
In terms of the overall format of a paper, APA style requires a title page with a running head, an abstract, and a reference list. It also has specific guidelines for headings and the use of statistics. MLA style does not require a title page or abstract, and it has specific guidelines for the use of headings and the formatting of quotes.
Ultimately, the choice of which citation style to use depends on the specific requirements of the assignment or the preferences of the instructor or publication. It is important for writers to be familiar with both APA and MLA style and to use the appropriate style consistently throughout their work.
