Citation Styles Explained

Use our Citation Generator to produce properly formatted citations.

APA Style

Used primarily in the social sciences, education, and psychology. In-text citations use the author-date system. The current edition is the 7th, published in 2019.

MLA Style

Standard in the humanities, especially literature and cultural studies. Uses the author-page system for in-text citations.

Chicago Style

Used in history and some humanities. Offers notes and bibliography or author-date systems.

Common Mistakes

Missing information, inconsistent formatting, and failing to cite paraphrased ideas are the most common errors.