MLA (Modern Language Association) reference style is typically used in manuscript writing and much of the writing within humanities fields. An MLA Reference List is typically called a Works Cited Page and differs slightly from a traditional reference list in that all sources listed on the Works Cited Page must be cited in the actual text of a document. MLA Works Cited Pages are organized alphabetically by author last name, followed by a comma and the author's first name. If the last name of an author is not available for a source, then the first word of the title is used instead. Another important feature about MLA Works Cited organization is its use of page numbers. If you are referencing a specific article within a journal or a chapter in a book, then page numbers will be required in your full citation. MLA also requires the capitalization of the words in titles except for articles, prepositions, and conjunctions (for instance The Wizard of Oz). Book and magazine titles must be italicized while article and poem titles are placed in quotation marks. The volume number of the publication comes after the title of the publication and is not separated by any punctuation. Next is the issue number, separated by a comma and followed by the year of publication which is set in parentheses. A colon follows the year, then the page numbers are listed and finally the medium of publication, separated by a period. The medium of publication is unique to MLA and requires only "Print" or "Web" so that the reader knows by what medium you found the work.
Example:
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article or Chapter." Title of Book or Journal Volume Number. Issue Number (Year): Page Numbers. Medium of publication.
The American Psychological Association (APA) citation style is typically used for professional and scholarly work in the field of psychology, but it can be adapted for many other fields of study. Like the MLA Works Cited Page, an APA Reference List is also ordered alphabetically by an author's last name. However, instead of providing the full first name of the author, only his initials are given following the last name; a comma is placed after the last name, just like MLA. The only strict capitalization rules in APA referencing style are regarding the names of journals. All major words in a journal title should be capitalized, but only the first word in the title of a book, chapter, article, or webpage will be capitalized. The same rules for italicizing longer works (books and journals) exist for APA, but there should be no italics or quotation marks around the titles of articles, essays or poems. Following the title of the publication will be the volume number, separated by a comma, which is then followed by the page numbers, also separated by a comma.
Example
Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title of chapter or article. Title of Journal, Volume Number, Page Numbers.
Chicago style employs a Bibliography rather than the APA Reference List or MLA Works Cited Page. The Bibliography differs slightly in that it must contain all references cited within the text, but it can also contain references that were used for research or other information but were not directly referred to within the text itself. Just like APA and MLA, though, a Chicago Style Bibliography is ordered alphabetically by an author's last name. The author's last name is then followed by a comma and the author's full first name. Like MLA, titles of books and publications are placed in italics while titles of chapters, poems or articles are placed in quotation marks. Because the Chicago Style is used frequently in publication, it offers a unique element that APA and MLA do not have: notes. In most cases, when reading a Chicago text, you will notice that references are cited as footnotes. This allows the writer to avoid plagiarism while also allowing her to comment on the source or provide extra information regarding it. Although footnotes are generally employed, a Bibliography should also be provided.
Example:
Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Title of Publication Volume Number, Issue Number (Year): page numbers.
The order of an American Medical Association (AMA) Reference List differs significantly from that of an MLA Works Cited or a Chicago Style Bibliography, and is used strictly within medical publications. Instead of listing the last names of authors alphabetically, AMA requires that the references be numbered in the order they were presented in the text. Sources are not listed alphabetically, but an author is still listed by last name first. An author's initials follow the last name, but there is no comma separating them from the last name. The title of the reference comes next. If it is the title of a chapter or article, it will not be italicized or placed in quotation marks, and only the first words of the title should be capitalized. Next will be the title of the book or journal, which will be italicized with all major words capitalized, followed by the month and year of publication, the volume number, and the page numbers that are being referenced.
Example:
1. Last Name Initial. Title of chapter or article. Title of Publication. Month Year; Volume Number: Page Number