Standard Formatting Guidelines: APA versus MLA
The APA style was created by the American Psychological Association and has set standards for books, articles, journals, publications and anthologies.
It makes it easy for writers to structure their work and add references and citations in an easy-to-read manner.
APA Format: Standard Guidelines
The APA style is quite different from other types of format. You must pay close attention to every detail, from the paper layout to the reference page.
Here are the standard guidelines for APA format.
- Set all four sides of the page to 1 inch margin
- Make sure that all text, including headings, is double-spaced
- The first line of each paragraph should be indented 0.5 inches
- Make sure the text is readable. Choose an accessible font (e.g., Times New Roman 12 pt, Arial 11 pt, or Georgia 11 pt)
- Every page should have a page number
- Short work title and a number in the upper right corner of each page
- The short excerpted idea, with the author's name and year in parentheses
- The name, publication year, and page number of the author should all be included in in-text citations
- In the references list, the authors' names should be arranged in an alphabetic sequence
- The last name should be placed first, followed by the initials of the first name
- The bibliography must include a reference list
- The title is in the middle of the page
- Footnotes should be double spaced
- For long papers, include an Abstract
MLA Format: Standard Guidelines
The Modern Languages Association (MLA) developed the MLA style to address academic research and literary study in the humanities. MLA focuses on in-depth work when it comes to citations and references.
Here are the standard guidelines for MLA format.
- Every line must be double-spaced
- Title case capitalization for headings
- Make use of Times New Roman font
- Must be 1? page margins
- ½” indent for new paragraphs
- A single page is used for indirect citations
- A bibliography list of works is provided
- Follow the alphabetical order for authors and works
- Quotation marks are used to identify articles in titles
- Between quotations, there should be no extra line break
- A page number and the author's name are displayed in the top right corner
- Only the name and page is given in a direct citation, with no comma
Major Differences of MLA vs. APA
The following is a list of the differences between these two writing styles.
| APA | MLA | |
| Name of the course, name of author, date of submission, name of institute, and course title. | Title Page | The first page of the essay is titled with your whole name, the course name, and the date of submission. |
| A running head with a short paper title and the page number. | Heading | The header on the first page of the paper includes all of the aforementioned information. |
| The APA style includes the author, editor, and compiler's name in the reference list. | For Editors and Authors | The entire descriptions of authors, editors, and compilers will be added to the list of works cited in parentheses. |
| After the work that precedes it in chronological order, an APA reference list is organized alphabetically by author name. | Bibliography | The entries in MLA citations are listed in alphabetical order by the name of the author, page title, then. |
| List the works in chronological order, starting with the most recent work. | Multiple Work - Same Author | The first entry with the author's name, the rest begin with three hyphens, a period, and a space, and end with a title name that ends with a period. |
| Quotation marks are not used in APA, and the first word is always capitalized. | Articles Titles | Titles should be written in quotation marks, and the first letters of each word should be capitalized. |
| John, C. D., & Helen, L. F. (2007). The race between education and technology. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. | Citation | Christian, Stephan. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory. Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2001, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/. Accessed 10 May 2007. |
| In APA pattern: (Name, Year, page number) such as (Kristine, 1991, p. 50). | Intext Citation | In-text parenthesis is used to cite the work. (Name page number ) such as (Kristine 50) |
When to Use APA vs. MLA?
Here are some quick facts to remember when deciding on the best format for your paper.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) are two professional organizations that have their own style guides.
MLA is used in literature, while the APA is used in social sciences and psychology. Use MLA if you're writing a paper on fiction since it allows for more information to be included with references.
It's beneficial to use MLA if you're writing short papers like academic or journal articles. APA in-text citations appear to be more appropriate as it makes it easier to keep track of the research progress.
Writers do not need to include additional information in the reference list when using this format, as they would with MLA.
APA vs MLA Format Examples
To better comprehend, please view the PDF examples below.
APA vs. MLA Annotated Bibliography
A bibliography that is annotated differs from a standard bibliography. This section includes the reference as well as any additional information about it.
You should enter the author's name, a summary of the source, and any remarks you have regarding its usefulness in your study.
The aim of creating annotated bibliography is to explain why this source is suitable for your study. Also, how it assisted you with your research
Annotated bibliographies are lists of sources that were consulted for research. The primary difference between MLA and APA is the way in which they handle citations.
In both cases, you need to cite the sources in your paper and give an explanation of them.
The following are examples of how to employ these two referencing formats:
- APA Style Annotated Bibliography
| Forsyth, M. (2014). The elements of eloquence: Secrets of the perfect turn of phrase. Penguin Books. | Mark Forsyth examines the features of English rhetoric, analyzing the patterns and structures that produce memorable quotations. The history of rhetoric is traced to the Ancient Greeks, according to him. and a brief chronology of their usage and development is provided, going all the way up to today. The book also looks at the bigger topic of persuasion and describes how rhetoric figures perform in that regard. He discusses over thirty devices, dissecting prominent lines and phrases from pop songs, William Shakespeare's plays, the Bible, and other works to show how rhetoric operates within each of them. This study of structure begins with clear definitions to demonstrate how these rules have been utilized to create well-known sayings, as well as how to replicate their effects. |
- MLA Style Annotated Bibliography
“What Guidance Should I Give My Students for Preparing an Annotated Bibliography?” The MLA Style Center, The Modern Language Association, 4 Nov. 2016, style.mla.org/annotated-bibliographies/. | The following article provides a simple and straightforward method for producing an MLA bibliography with comments. It offers instructions for creating annotations that can be used in paraphrase or commentary form, based on James Harner's On Compiling an Annotated Bibliography. It also demonstrates how writing annotations may assist students who must research a topic and provides instruction on the arrangement of entries and acceptable page names. While the information is intended to address a question posed by an instructor, it may also be useful for students and researchers. |
MLA is the best style to write about fictional work. If you're producing a short publication, such as an academic essay, use MLA.
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