Comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons to help you choose between citation styles and switch cleanly from one to another, including which style to use for your field.
- Chicago Notes–Bibliography vs Author–Date: The Two Chicago Systems Compared The Chicago Manual of Style supports two citation systems — notes–bibliography (footnotes plus Bibliography) and author–date (parenthetical citations plus References). This guide compares them side by side, explains when each is used, and shows the same source formatted in both. Written and reviewed by the MLA Generator Editorial Team against the 2024 Chicago Manual.
- MLA vs APA: Differences in Format, Citations, and When to Use Each Side-by-side comparison of MLA 9 and APA 7 — what each style is for, where they diverge in in-text citations, reference lists, capitalization, and the nine-element container model that distinguishes MLA. The same source formatted in both styles. Written and reviewed by the MLA Generator Editorial Team.
- When to Use Each Citation Style: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, or AMA How to pick the right citation style for your paper. Per-discipline defaults for APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, and AMA, plus what to do in interdisciplinary work and when the assignment leaves the choice open. Written and reviewed by the MLA Generator Editorial Team.