MLA vs APA: Key Differences with Examples

MLA and APA both credit your sources, but they put the spotlight on different things. MLA uses author and page, such as (Garcia 42), because humanities writing focuses on exact passages. APA uses author and year, such as (Garcia, 2023), because social science research depends on how current a study is.

This guide compares the current editions side by side: the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), from the Modern Language Association, and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition (2019). Every rule below comes with an example you can copy. Build either style with the MLA Format Generator.

MLA vs APA at a Glance

Both styles share the basics: double spacing, 1-inch margins, a half-inch hanging indent in the source list, and alphabetical order by author.

In-Text Citations: MLA vs APA

The in-text citation is where students mix up the two styles most. MLA never includes the year and never uses a comma or p. before the page. APA always includes the year, separated by commas.

Two details trip people up. APA uses an ampersand inside parentheses but writes “and” in a sentence. APA also suggests a page number for paraphrases, but only requires one for direct quotes, while MLA includes it whenever the source has page numbers.

Works Cited vs References: Entry Examples

The same source looks noticeably different in each list. Compare the author format, date position, and capitalization in these entries. The journal and website examples are illustrative.

Notice three patterns. MLA puts article titles in quotation marks, while APA leaves them plain. MLA labels volume and issue as vol. and no., while APA italicizes the volume and puts the issue in parentheses. MLA drops https:// from plain URLs, but both styles write DOIs as full https://doi.org/ links — a format MLA adopted in its 9th edition; see MLA 8 vs MLA 9 for what else changed. Build the MLA side with the Works Cited Generator.

Paper Format Differences

Beyond citations, the two styles set up the paper itself differently.

The title page is the fastest giveaway. A paper that opens with a centered cover page is almost always APA, while one that starts with a name block at the top left is MLA.

Which Style Should You Use?

Your assignment sheet always comes first. When it does not name a style, your subject usually decides it.

History is the main exception. Many history courses use Chicago style instead of either one, so confirm with your instructor.

Switching from MLA to APA (or Back): A Quick Checklist

Converting a finished paper is mostly a find-and-fix job. Work through these changes in order.

1. Rename the source list. Works Cited becomes References, or the reverse.
2. Rewrite author names. Switch between full first names (MLA) and initials (APA).
3. Move the date. APA puts the year in parentheses after the author; MLA moves it near the end.
4. Recase the titles. APA uses sentence case for article and book titles; MLA uses title case for all.
5. Update every in-text citation. Add or remove the year, commas, and p.
6. Rebuild the first page. Add an APA title page, or replace it with the MLA four-line heading.
7. Fix the page header. Page number only for APA student papers; last name and page number for MLA.

The citation builder on the MLA Format Generator supports both MLA 9 and APA 7, so you can switch styles for each source instead of retyping entries by hand.