Getting referencing right protects you from accidental plagiarism and earns easy marks. But every department seems to want a different style. Here is how the four most common styles compare.
APA (American Psychological Association)
Used in psychology, education, and the social sciences. In-text citations use the author–date format: (Smith, 2021). The reference list is alphabetical and emphasises the year of publication.
Harvard
Very similar to APA in using author–date in-text citations, but there is no single official Harvard manual — exact formatting varies by university. Always check your institution's guide.
MLA (Modern Language Association)
Standard in the humanities, especially literature and languages. In-text citations use author and page number: (Smith 42). The bibliography is called "Works Cited."
IEEE
Used in engineering and computer science. Citations are numbered in square brackets in the order they appear: [1]. The reference list is numbered, not alphabetical.
Quick comparison
The golden rule
Whatever style you use, be consistent and cite every source you draw on. Reference management tools can help, but always proofread the final output against your university's guide.
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