MLA, APA, and Chicago: Which Citation Style Should Students Use?

If your student is starting a research paper, one of the first confusing questions may be:

Which citation style should I use?

MLA?
APA?
Chicago?

At first, citation styles can feel like a random set of picky formatting rules. One class wants the author’s last name and page number. Another wants the year right after the author’s name. Another wants footnotes at the bottom of the page.

But citation styles are not random. They exist because different fields care about different kinds of information.

The good news is that students do not need to memorize every citation rule right away. They need to understand the purpose of citation, know which style their assignment requires, keep track of their sources carefully, and stay consistent.

Why Citation Styles Exist

Citation styles help writers do three important things:

1. Give credit

2. Avoid plagiarism

3. Help readers find the original source

When a student uses someone else’s words, facts, research, or ideas, the reader needs to know where that information came from. Citation is not just a school hoop to jump through. It is part of honest writing.

Citations also help the reader trust the paper. A research paper is stronger when the writer can show, “This claim is not just my opinion. Here is the source I used.”

The First Rule: Use the Style Your Assignment Requires

Before worrying about MLA, APA, or Chicago, students should check the assignment directions.

The required style may be listed in:

• the assignment sheet

• the syllabus

• the teacher’s instructions

• the professor’s course page

• the school handbook

• the college writing center guidelines

If the assignment says MLA, use MLA.

If it says APA, use APA.

If it says Chicago, use Chicago.

If it does not say, ask.

The most common student mistake is not choosing the “wrong” style on purpose. It is guessing, mixing styles, or using whatever a citation generator produces without checking the assignment.

This table is simplified, but it gives students the basic idea.

Each style reflects what that field tends to value.

MLA: Common in English and Humanities

MLA is commonly used in English, literature, language arts, and many humanities classes.

MLA often emphasizes the author and the page number because humanities writing frequently involves close reading.

For example, if a student is writing about a novel, poem, speech, or essay, the exact wording matters. The reader may want to find the specific passage being discussed.

A basic MLA-style in-text citation might look like this:

(Smith 42)

That tells the reader the information came from Smith, page 42.

MLA is often a good fit when the paper focuses on:

• literature

• poetry

• speeches

• essays

• language

• film or media analysis

• humanities topics

• close analysis of specific passages

In MLA, the date may still matter, but it is usually not as central as it is in APA.

APA: Common in Social Sciences and Education

APA is commonly used in psychology, education, social sciences, nursing, health-related fields, and science-adjacent research.

APA emphasizes the author and the date because many of these fields care deeply about how recent the research is.

For example, if a student is writing about child development, learning science, public health, or psychology, a study from 2023 may carry different weight than a study from 1974.

A basic APA-style in-text citation might look like this:

(Smith, 2023)

That tells the reader who wrote the source and when it was published.

APA is often used when the paper focuses on:

• psychology

• education

• sociology

• nursing

• health sciences

• social science research

• studies and data

• current research

• behavior, learning, or development

In APA, the year is not just a formatting detail. It helps the reader understand the age of the research.

Chicago: Common in History and Some Humanities Courses

Chicago style is commonly used in history and some humanities courses.

Chicago often uses footnotes or endnotes, which allow the writer to give source information without interrupting the main text too much.

This can be helpful in history writing because sources often need context. A student might be using letters, speeches, newspaper articles, books, archives, or older documents. Footnotes allow the writer to show where the information came from while keeping the paragraph readable.

Chicago is often used when the paper focuses on:

• history

• historical documents

• some humanities research

• archival sources

• source-heavy arguments

• topics that benefit from footnotes or endnotes

Some students find Chicago intimidating at first because footnotes look unfamiliar. But once they understand the pattern, it can be very useful for research papers with many sources.

Works Cited, References, and Bibliography: What’s the Difference?

Students often use the word bibliography to mean “the list of sources at the end,” but different citation styles use different names for that list.

That matters because Works Cited, References, and Bibliography are not always exactly the same thing.

Works Cited

In MLA, the source list at the end is usually called Works Cited.

A Works Cited page lists the sources the student actually cited in the paper. If a book, article, website, or video is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in the essay, it should appear on the Works Cited page.

The word cited is the key. These are the works the writer used directly in the paper.

References

In APA, the source list is usually called References.

Like MLA’s Works Cited page, an APA References page usually lists the sources actually cited in the paper. APA is common in fields where research, dates, studies, and current evidence matter, so the References page helps readers see exactly which studies, articles, books, or reports the writer used.

Bibliography

In Chicago, especially in the notes-and-bibliography system, the source list is often called a Bibliography.

A bibliography may include sources cited in the paper, and depending on the assignment, it may also include important sources the student consulted while researching. Some teachers use “bibliography” loosely to mean any final source list, but in formal citation style, the exact meaning depends on the system being used.

This is why students should not guess. If the assignment asks for a Works Cited page, use MLA expectations. If it asks for References, use APA expectations. If it asks for a Bibliography, check whether the teacher wants Chicago style or is using the word more generally.

A simple rule:

Use the name, format, and citation style your teacher, professor, or assignment requires.

And when in doubt, ask:

“Do you want MLA Works Cited, APA References, or a Chicago-style bibliography?”

Why the Style Is Not Random

A helpful way to remember the difference:

MLA asks: Where in the text did this come from?
That is why page numbers matter.

APA asks: How current is this research?
That is why dates matter.

Chicago asks: What source context does the reader need?
That is why footnotes and endnotes are useful.

Of course, this is simplified. Each style has many detailed rules. But students do not need to master every rule on day one. They need to understand the purpose of the style they are using.

Citation Generators Can Help — But Check Them

Citation generators can be useful, especially when students are first learning.

But they are not perfect.

They may:

• capitalize titles incorrectly

• miss publication information

• format websites poorly

• confuse article titles and website names

• mix up dates

• produce citations in the wrong edition of a style

• create a citation that looks official but is incomplete

A citation generator is a tool, not a substitute for checking.

Students should still compare generated citations with a reliable guide, teacher instructions, or college writing center examples.

The Most Common Mistake: Mixing Styles

One of the most common student mistakes is mixing styles.

For example, a student might:

• use MLA in-text citations but an APA reference page

• put dates in some citations but page numbers in others

• title the source list “Works Cited” for an APA paper

• use footnotes but format the bibliography like MLA

• copy citations from different generators without making them consistent

This usually happens when students are trying to do the right thing but do not yet understand that each style is a system.

A paper should not be a mix of MLA, APA, and Chicago. It should use one required style consistently.

When in Doubt, Ask These Questions

Before starting the bibliography, references, or works cited page, students should ask:

• What citation style does the assignment require?

• Does the teacher or professor provide a sample?

• Is this an English/humanities paper, a social science paper, or a history paper?

• Does the paper need in-text citations, footnotes, or endnotes?

• What should the source list be called: Works Cited, References, or Bibliography?

• Are page numbers required for quotes?

• Are sources being tracked carefully from the beginning?

• Am I using one style consistently?

If the assignment does not clearly say which style to use, ask before drafting the final paper.

It is much easier to choose the right citation style early than to reformat everything at the end.

How Citation Style Fits Into the Research Paper Process

Citation style is important, but it is only one part of a research paper.

Before students worry too much about punctuation and formatting, they need to build the paper itself.

A strong research paper usually needs:

1. A topic that is not too broad

2. A focused research question

3. Reliable sources

4. Notes that track where information came from

5. A working thesis

6. An outline

7. Drafted body paragraphs

8. Integrated quotes, paraphrases, or summaries

9. Correct citations

10. Revision for clarity and organization

11. Final proofreading

Citation is much easier when students track sources from the beginning.

One practical habit: every time a student takes a note, they should also write down where that note came from. That includes the author, title, website or publisher, page number if available, and URL or database information if relevant.

Trying to reconstruct sources later is frustrating and often leads to mistakes.

A Simple Way to Think About It

If your student is writing a literature or humanities paper, MLA is common.

If your student is writing about psychology, education, social science, nursing, or current research, APA is common.

If your student is writing a history paper or a source-heavy humanities paper, Chicago may be required.

But the assignment always wins.

The teacher, professor, school, or college gets to decide which style is required.

Final Reminder

Citation styles are not just picky formatting rules. They are systems for giving credit and helping readers understand where information came from.

Students do not need to memorize every detail immediately.

They need to:

• know which style is required

• keep source information from the beginning

• use one style consistently

• check a reliable guide

• give honest credit for borrowed words, facts, and ideas

That is enough to begin.

Need a Step-by-Step Research Paper Plan?

If your student is starting a research paper and needs more than citation help, the Research Paper Roadmap walks students through the full process:

• choosing a topic

• narrowing the topic

• writing a research question

• finding sources

• taking notes

• building a thesis

• outlining the paper

• drafting paragraphs

• revising

• preparing the final paper

The goal is to make research writing feel less overwhelming by giving students a clear path from “I need to write a paper” to “I know what to do next.”

Start with the Research Paper Roadmap if your student needs structure, not just citation rules.