Your assignment says “cite your sources in APA”, your friend’s says MLA, and your online course uses Harvard. They all do the same job: showing where your information came from. But each one formats names, dates and titles differently, and markers notice when you mix them up.
This guide compares the three most common citation styles side by side, shows how to cite a book and a website in each, and helps you decide which one to use when your instructor has not said.
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The short answer
- APA (7th edition): psychology, education, nursing, business and most social sciences. Focuses on the date, because research gets outdated.
- MLA (9th edition): English, literature, languages, arts and humanities. Focuses on the author and page, because you are often quoting texts closely.
- Harvard: widely used at universities in the UK, Australia and elsewhere, across many subjects. An author–date style similar to APA, but with small differences that vary between universities.
Always follow your instructor or university guide first. If they name a style, use it. If they do not, pick the one that matches your subject and use it consistently throughout the paper.
Key differences at a glance
| Feature | APA 7 | MLA 9 | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-text format | (Author, Year, p. #) | (Author Page) | (Author, Year, p. #) |
| In-text example | (Clear, 2018, p. 25) | (Clear 25) | (Clear, 2018, p. 25) |
| Source list title | References | Works Cited | Reference list |
| Author names | Surname, initials | Full surname, first name | Surname, initials |
| Date position | Straight after author, in brackets | Near the end | Straight after author, in brackets |
| Title capitals | Sentence case | Title Case | Usually sentence case |
| Title page | Yes (student papers) | No, heading on page 1 | Depends on university |
How to cite a book
Here is the same book cited in each style. Titles of books are written in italics in all three.
APA 7
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery.
MLA 9
Clear, James. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery, 2018.
Harvard
Clear, J. (2018) Atomic habits: an easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. New York: Avery.
Spot the differences: APA and Harvard put the year straight after the name, MLA puts it at the end. MLA capitalises every major word of the title. Harvard often includes the place of publication, while APA 7 dropped it.
How to cite a web page
APA 7
Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL
MLA 9
Author Surname, First Name. “Title of Page.” Site Name, Day Month Year, URL.
Harvard
Author, A. (Year) Title of page. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
If a web page has no named author, APA and Harvard start with the organisation name, while MLA starts with the title. If there is no date, APA uses “(n.d.)”.
Which style should you use?
- Writing about a novel, poem or play? MLA.
- Writing a lab report or research paper in psychology, education, nursing or sociology? APA.
- Studying at a UK or Australian university, or your course guide says “Harvard”? Harvard, following your university’s own version.
- History or some business courses? Check first: many use Chicago style instead.
Five citation mistakes that lose marks
- Mixing styles in the same paper, such as APA in-text citations with an MLA Works Cited list.
- Missing in-text citations for paraphrased ideas, not just direct quotes.
- Wrong order. All three styles list sources alphabetically by the first author’s surname.
- Forgetting the hanging indent (second and later lines indented by 0.5 inch or 1.27 cm).
- Citing sources you did not actually use. Every entry in your list should appear in your text, and the other way round.
Frequently asked questions
Is Harvard the same as APA?
They are both author–date styles and look similar, but they are not the same. Punctuation, the use of “Available at”, access dates and capitalisation differ, and Harvard has no single official manual, so each university publishes its own version.
Do citations count towards my word count?
Usually the reference list does not count, but in-text citations often do. Check your assignment brief, and use the Word Counter to check your total with and without the reference list.
Can I use a citation generator?
Yes, it saves time and avoids formatting slips. Always double-check the details it uses, such as author names, dates and titles, against the original source.
Build your reference list faster. Open the Citation Generator →
Related guides
- How to Cite a Website in APA 7th Edition (With Examples)
- How to Cite a Website in MLA 9 (Format and Examples)
- How to Cite a Website in Harvard Style (With Examples)
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