Chicago vs. APA vs. MLA: Citation Style Comparison Guide
February 06, 2026
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Academic citation styles can be confusing, but each serves a specific discipline's needs. Here's a comprehensive comparison of the three most common styles.
Overview
| Style | Used In | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7th | Social sciences, psychology, education | Author-date citations |
| MLA 9th | Humanities, literature, arts | Author-page citations |
| Chicago 17th | History, publishing, some humanities | Notes-bibliography or author-date |
Book Citation Example
APA: Smith, J. (2024). The writing handbook. Academic Press.
MLA: Smith, John. The Writing Handbook. Academic Press, 2024.
Chicago: Smith, John. The Writing Handbook. New York: Academic Press, 2024.
Choosing the Right Style
Always follow your instructor's or publisher's requirements. If given a choice, pick the style standard in your discipline. When in doubt, APA is the most widely accepted across fields.
Our citation generator supports all three styles and 1,000+ additional formats.