MLA vs. APA Format: What Is the Difference?

MLA and APA are the two most commonly required citation styles in college and university coursework. Both provide rules for formatting your paper, citing sources within the text, and organizing your reference list, but they differ in important ways. This guide explains the key differences between MLA and APA formatting so you know exactly what each style requires.

What Is the Difference Between MLA and APA?

The most fundamental difference between MLA and APA is the academic field each style is designed for. APA (American Psychological Association) style is the standard format for social sciences, including psychology, sociology, education, and related fields. MLA (Modern Language Association) style is used in the humanities, including literature, language, and cultural studies.

The style guide you're required to use will typically depend on the course or department you're writing for. Both styles share some basic formatting rules: one-inch margins, 12-point font, and double-spaced text throughout. Both also require in-text citations and a full source list at the end of the paper.

Title Page

APA format requires a title page. The header should include the title of your paper on the left and page numbers on the right, and this header continues throughout the entire paper including the references page. Following the title page, APA requires a 150 to 250-word abstract that summarizes the main points of the paper.

MLA format does not require a separate title page. Instead, include a four-line header in the upper left of the first page with your name, instructor name, course, and date, followed by the title centered above the body of the paper. You then go directly into the text.

In-Text Citations

APA and MLA use different information in their in-text citations.

In APA format, in-text citations include the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses at the end of the sentence: (Smith, 2022). If you use the author's name in the sentence itself, place the year in parentheses immediately after their name: Smith (2022) found that...

In MLA format, in-text citations include the author's last name and the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence: (Smith 45). If you use the author's name in the sentence, place only the page number in parentheses at the end: Smith argues that... (45).

Block Quotes

Both styles use block quotes for longer quotations, but the threshold differs. In APA, any quote longer than 40 words should be formatted as a block quote. In MLA, prose quotations longer than four lines use block format, while verse quotations of three or more lines use block format. In both styles, the in-text citation appears after the closing period of the block quote.

Reference List vs. Works Cited Page

APA papers end with a page titled "References." Each entry lists the author, publication date, title, publication name, volume, page numbers, and web link where applicable. Authors are listed with their last name first, followed by first and middle initials.

MLA papers end with a page titled "Works Cited." Each entry lists the author, title, publication name, volume, publication date, page numbers, and web link where applicable. As with APA, the author's last name comes first, but MLA requires the full first name and middle initial rather than initials only.

Quick Reference: MLA vs. APA

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