What are the Differences Between APA, MLA, and AMA Citation Styles?
In academic writing, citing sources is crucial for acknowledging the work of others and avoiding plagiarism. Three commonly used citation styles are APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and AMA (American Medical Association). Here's a comparison to clarify their differences:
General Format:
- APA: Author-date format with in-text citations and a reference list at the end.
- MLA: Author-page format with in-text citations and a works cited page at the end.
- AMA: Numbered in-text citations with a complete reference list at the end.
In-Text Citations:
- APA: (Smith, 2023) or (Brown and Jones, 2023, p. 10)
- MLA: (Smith 10)
- AMA: [1] or [2, 3]
Reference List Format:
- APA: Double-spaced with hanging indents for each line except the first.
- MLA: Single-spaced with a blank line between entries.
- AMA: Numbered list in numerical order of appearance.
Citations for Books:
- APA: Author(s) last name, initials, year of publication. Title of the book (italics). City of publication: Publisher.
- MLA: Author(s) last name, first name. Title of the book. City of publication: Publisher, year.
- AMA: Author(s) last name, initials. Title of the book. Edition. City of publication: Publisher, year.
Citations for Journal Articles:
- APA: Author(s) last name, initials, year of publication. Title of the article. Title of the journal (italics), volume(issue), page range.
- MLA: Author(s) last name, first name. "Title of the article." Title of the journal (italics) volume.issue (year): page range.
- AMA: Author(s) last name, initials. Title of the article. Abbreviated journal name year;volume(issue):page range.
Related Questions:
- What is the in-text citation format for APA when citing a book by multiple authors?
- How are works cited in MLA style arranged?
- Which citation style uses hanging indents for the reference list?
- What is the difference between the AMA and MLA in-text citation formats?
- Which citation style is primarily used for medical writing?
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- Grammarly Premium
- Zotero Reference Manager
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- APA Style Manual
- MLA Style Manual and Handbook
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