Style Guide Showdown: APA vs. MLA vs. Chicago

Anna Jay
Jun 9, 2024
9 min read

Citations are not just about avoiding plagiarism; they are about joining a scholarly conversation and creating a web of knowledge. By citing sources, writers acknowledge the work of others, provide evidence for their arguments, and offer a roadmap to follow their research path. In this blog, we’re diving into the three most commonly used citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago. Each of these styles is unique in its purpose and format, and today, we'll explore what makes each of them unique (and occasionally frustrating). Let’s jump right in with some history before getting into the specifics.

The modern citation styles we use today began to take shape in the early 20th century with the establishment of professional associations like the APA and MLA. These organizations sought to standardize writing and research practices across disciplines.

APA Style was introduced in 1929 by a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers who wanted a consistent format for writing and publishing research. This style is commonly used in the social sciences and emphasizes the author-date citation system, which facilitates a streamlined reference format.

MLA Style was first introduced in 1951 by the Modern Language Association. It is typically used in the humanities, especially in writing on language and literature. This style focuses on the author's work and the page number, making it easy to find specific quotes and passages in lengthy texts. Think of MLA as the stylish English professor of citation styles, always focused on the fine details of your sources.

Chicago Style dates back to 1906 when it was established by the University of Chicago Press. It offers two systems: the Notes and Bibliography system, commonly used in the humanities, and the Author-Date system, used in the sciences. This dual system caters to various academic needs, making it a favorite among historians for its detailed footnote format.

Alright, now that we've got the backstories down, let's dive into the nitty-gritty. And I know what you might be thinking: “Why on earth am I reading this? I'm not in school anymore!” Well, even if you're done with school, this is the knowledge you’ll want to have. Not only will you impress your friends at trivia night or earn some extra brownie points with your boss, but you’ll also save yourself from those late-night hair-pulling sessions trying to figure out citations for your next big report or article. Trust me, knowing this stuff is a game-changer!

Let's kick things off with the basics to set the stage. Think of citations as a snapshot of a source, showing where it lives and who created it. Citation styles, on the other hand, are like different playbooks for creating these snapshots. They tell you what to include, how to format it, and where to put the punctuation.

Here's a quick rundown:

Bibliography: A list of all the sources you consulted during your research. This goes at the end of your document.
Annotated Bibliography: Like a bibliography, but with a brief note (annotation) that explains or evaluates each source.
Works Cited: This list only includes the sources you actually referenced in your paper. It might be the same as your bibliography or shorter.
In-Text Citation: These appear within your text to point readers to the full source in your bibliography or works cited list. They usually include the author's name and the publication year, sometimes with a page number for pinpoint accuracy.
Footnotes and Endnotes: These provide additional information or citations at the bottom of the page (footnotes) or at the end of the document (endnotes). They are especially common in the Chicago style.

Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty stuff. Stay with me here.

APA Style: Author-Date Emphasis

APA (American Psychological Association) style is widely used in the social sciences, such as psychology, education, and sociology. It's all about keeping things current and relevant, emphasizing the date of publication to highlight the timeliness of research. If you’re working in a field where the latest research is crucial, APA is your go-to.

APA uses both in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your writing. For its in-text citations, APA uses the author's last name and the year of publication in the text (e.g., Smith, 2020). Think of it like that one friend who always seems to know the latest gossip—always in everyone’s business and up-to-date.

At the end of your document, you'll find a comprehensive list of all the sources you've cited. It's like having a well-organized playlist with all your favorite songs.

Here’s the APA recipe:

Books: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of work: (Capital letter is also used for subtitles.) Publisher.
1. Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Psychology. Best Publisher.

Journal Articles: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages.
1. Example: Johnson, L. (2018). Exploring educational methods. Journal of Education, 5(2), 34-56.

Websites: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of web page. Website Name. URL
1. Example: Brown, L. (2021, March 5). The rise of social media influencers. Social Media Today. https://www.madeupwebsite.com

Videos: Author, A. A. [Screen name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. Website Name. URL
1. Example: Doe, J. [TechGuru]. (2019, January 10). How to master APA citations [Video]. YouTube. https://www.randomyoutubevideo.com

Podcasts: Host, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (No. episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast. Production Company. URL
1. Example: Greene, M. (Host). (2022, February 14). The psychology of learning (No. 23) [Audio podcast episode]. In Mind Matters. Brainy Productions. https://www.gocheckoutmypodcast.com

Don’t run away!! I know it looks overwhelming, but keep going! And, when you inevitably do get stuck in those late-night hair-pulling sessions, you can refer back to this, and I promise you’ll be getting into bed before you go bald.

Look, we’re already moving on to the next one!

MLA Style: Focus on Authors and Pages

MLA (Modern Language Association) style is the go-to for the humanities, particularly in literature, arts, and cultural studies. It's like the literary equivalent of a treasure map, guiding readers to the exact page of a juicy quote or a profound analysis.

MLA style is like that meticulous literature professor who insists on perfect margins and precise page numbers. It’s all about detail and helping readers navigate long texts with ease. By combining clear in-text citations with a comprehensive Works Cited list, MLA ensures that your sources are not just acknowledged but easily accessible. They create a cohesive system that ensures your sources are easily traceable, making your research paper not just a piece of writing but a well-organized web of knowledge.

The in-text citation style uses the author-page format (e.g., Smith 45), making it easy to locate specific quotes and passages. Think of it as a GPS for your research paper—quickly guiding your reader to the exact spot. When you mention an author and page number in your text, it’s like dropping a pin on a map. This pinpoints exactly where your reader can find the information in the original source.

At the end of your document, the Works Cited page is alphabetized and contains detailed information about each source.

Here’s the MLA recipe:

Books: Author. (Last Name, First Name). Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date.
1. Example: Smith, John. Literary Insights. Creative Press, 2019.
Journal Articles: Author(s). (Last Name, First Name) "Title of Article." Title of Journal, vol. number, no. number, Year, pages.
1. Example: Johnson, Linda. "Artistic Expressions." Art Journal, vol. 10, no. 3, 2020, pp. 22-34
Websites: Author. (Last Name, First Name) "Title of Web Page." Website Name, Publisher, Publication Date, URL.
1. Example: Brown, Lucy. "The Evolution of Modern Art." Art Daily, Art Press, 2021, https://www.madeupwebsite.com
Videos: Author. (Last Name, First Name) "Title of Video." Website Name, uploaded by Uploader, Date, URL.
1. Example: Doe, Jane. "Understanding Modernist Literature." YouTube, uploaded by LitCrit, 15 Mar. 2020, https://www.randomyoutubevideo.com
Podcasts: Host. (Last Name, First Name) "Title of Episode." Title of Podcast, Publisher, Date, URL.
1. Example: Greene, Mark. "The Power of Poetry." Poetry Podcast, Poetry Productions, 14 Feb. 2022, https://www.gocheckoutmypodcast.com

I promise there will be only more, I promise! Well, don’t get it twisted; there are sooooooo many more citation styles that it makes me nauseated. But we’re not focused on them, so I like to pretend that they don't exist.

Chicago Style: Flexibility and Detail

Alright, buckle up because I've saved the best—or maybe the most complex—for last. Welcome to the world of Chicago style, where they couldn't settle for just one system. No, they had to have two… Chicago style is known for its flexibility and comprehensiveness. It offers two systems: the Notes and Bibliography system, often used in the humanities, and the Author-Date system, used in the sciences.

Notes and Bibliography System:

This system is a favorite among humanities scholars, like historians and literature buffs, who relish the opportunity to dig deep and provide extensive details. Think of it as the gourmet chef of citation styles, where every ingredient (or source) is meticulously noted and perfectly presented.

Here’s the Notes and Bibliography System recipe:

In-Text Citations: In this system, you include superscript numbers in your text that correspond to footnotes or endnotes. These numbers appear at the end of the sentence or clause that references a source.
1. Example: “Chicago style is versatile¹.”
Footnotes/Endnotes: The superscript number in the text directs the reader to a corresponding note at the bottom of the page (footnote) or at the end of the document (endnote). This note provides detailed information about the source.
1. Full Note: The first time you cite a source, you use a full note, which includes all relevant information about the source—author, title, publication details, and page number(s).
  1. Example: ¹John Smith, Historical Perspectives (New York: History Press, 2015), 23.
2. Short Note: For subsequent citations of the same source, you use a shortened note, which typically includes just the author's last name, a shortened title, and the page number(s).
  1. Example: ²Smith, Historical Perspectives, 45.
Bibliography: The bibliography is a comprehensive list of all the sources you cited, placed at the end of your document. It includes full details of each source, similar to the information provided in full notes but formatted differently.
1. Format: Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year.
2. Example: Smith, John. Historical Perspectives. New York: History Press, 2015

Author-Date System:

More streamlined and efficient, this system is commonly used in the sciences and social sciences. The Author-Date System in Chicago style is like a well-organized filing cabinet, where everything is labeled by date and easy to retrieve. Here, the date of publication takes center stage, ensuring that your research always feels fresh and current.

Here’s the Author-Date System recipe:

In-Text Citations: In the Author-Date system, citations are placed directly in the text within parentheses, including the author's last name, publication year, and page number(s) if applicable.
1. Format: (Last name publication year, page number)
2. Example: (Smith 2015, 23)
Reference List: Similar to a bibliography, the reference list at the end of the document provides full details of each source cited, listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name.
1. Format: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.
2. Example: Smith, John. 2015. Historical Perspectives. New York: History Press.

Unfortunately for us, both systems cater to a wide array of sources, from books and journal articles to websites and videos. Here's a (not so quick) guide on how to handle different types of sources in Chicago style:

Books:
1. Notes and Bibliography: Author, Title of Book (Place of publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
  1. Example: ¹Jane Doe, Art History (Boston: Art Press, 2020), 45.
2. Author-Date: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.
  1. Example: Doe, Jane. 2020. Art History. Boston: Art Press.
Journal Articles:
1. Notes and Bibliography: Author, "Title of Article," Title of Journal volume number (Year): page number.
  1. Example: ²Mary Johnson, "Renaissance Art," Art Journal 15 (2018): 67.
2. Author-Date: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Article." Title of Journal volume number: page number.
  1. Example: Johnson, Mary. 2018. "Renaissance Art." Art Journal 15: 67.
Websites:
1. Notes and Bibliography: Author, "Title of Web Page," Website Name, Publisher, Publication Date, URL.
  1. Example: ³Lucy Brown, "The Evolution of Modern Art," Art Daily, Art Press, 2021, https://www.madeupwebsite.com.
2. Author-Date: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Web Page." Website Name, Publisher. URL.
  1. Example: Brown, Lucy. 2021. "The Evolution of Modern Art." Art Daily, Art Press. https://www.madeupwebsite.com.
Videos:
1. Notes and Bibliography: Author, "Title of Video," Website Name, uploaded by Uploader, Date, URL.
  1. Example: ⁴Jane Doe, "Understanding Modernist Literature," YouTube, uploaded by LitCrit, 15 Mar. 2020, https://www.randomyoutubevideo.com
2. Author-Date: Author Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Video." Website Name, uploaded by Uploader. URL.
  1. Example: Doe, Jane. 2020. "Understanding Modernist Literature." YouTube, uploaded by LitCrit. https://www.randomyoutubevideo.com
Podcasts:
1. Notes and Bibliography: Host, "Title of Episode," Title of Podcast, Publisher, Date, URL.
  1. Example: ⁵Mark Greene, "The Power of Poetry," Poetry Podcast, Poetry Productions, 14 Feb. 2022, https://www.gocheckoutmypodcast.com.
2. Author-Date: Host Last Name, First Name. Year. "Title of Episode." Title of Podcast, Publisher. URL.
  1. Example: Greene, Mark. 2022. "The Power of Poetry." Poetry Podcast, Poetry Productions. https://www.gocheckoutmypodcast.com.

Remember, citations aren't just a chore; they're your ticket to joining the scholarly conversation and showing off your research prowess. So, next time you're buried in sources, keep this guide handy, and you'll sail through your citations like a pro.

Look, I know that was tough, and you might want to punch me in the face deep down. I know you're a little happy that you learned all that, but I'll be expecting a “thank you” after your next late-night hair-pulling sessions. And, if you are a crazy person like me and enjoyed this deep dive into citation styles, be sure to check out my other blog posts for more tips, tricks, and fun insights into the world of writing and editing. From mastering punctuation to crafting compelling narratives, there's plenty more to explore.

Until Next time, happy citing!

References:

(1) American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.

(2) University of Chicago Press. (2017). The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.). University of Chicago Press.

(3) Modern Language Association of America. (2021). MLA handbook (9th ed.). Modern Language Association of America.

Anna Jay