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What are citations?

Citations are acknowledgements within a piece of writing that indicate where an idea, information, or quote originated, allowing readers to locate the source and verify the information. When writing an essay or other academic work, you may be asked to cite your sources using APA or MLA citations styles.

APA CITATION STYLE

APA style is primarily used in social and behavioral sciences, including fields like psychology, education, and nursing. It's also employed in business, communications, and other disciplines where scientific writing and research are common.

• APA 7th Edition Citation Style Guide (Printable PDF)
• APA Style Guideline Example Paper from Purdue OWL® (Downloadable PDF)

Find various examples of APA citations in action at APA Style!

MLA CITATION STYLE

MLA (Modern Language Association) citation format provides a standard way to cite sources in academic writing. It includes both in-text citations within the paper and a Works Cited page at the end, listing all sources used. MLA format is primarily in the humanities, particularly in disciplines like English Studies, Foreign Languages, Literary Criticism, and Cultural Studies.

• MLA 9th Edition Citation Style Guide (Printable PDF)
• MLA Style Guideline Example Paper from Purdue OWL® (Downloadable PDF)

Find various examples of MLA citations at Scribendi and Purdue Owl!