Both APA and MLA styles require you to cite the author's last name when referencing a source; both styles also require that you cite page numbers if you reference specific information or quote directly from the source. In APA, you must also specify the year of publication for the source cited. In MLA, you do not cite publication dates in the body of the paper. APA's method helps readers distinguish between multiple sources written by the same person. It also helps readers evaluate sources while reading the paper -- they can easily tell whether the information is current and authoritative or possibly outdated. MLA's method minimizes disruption to the flow of the paper, allowing smoother reading and less distraction.
MLA citations seek simplicity, minimizing disruption to the text as much as possible -- even when it comes to punctuation. A basic MLA in-text citation contains only two elements: The author's last name and the referenced page number, separated by only a space: (Smith 1). APA citations seek specificity and precision. In addition to requiring the publication date, APA also requires commas between different elements, and you must write "pp." before citing page numbers: (Smith, 2011, pp. 1).
When citing a source that has multiple authors, an MLA parenthetical citation uses the word "and": (Smith and Jones). An APA citation uses an ampersand instead: (Smith & Jones, 2011). Although this difference is slight and may seem trivial, both styles insist that you follow their rules strictly. If your professor grades on how well you follow the assigned style format, you could lose points for using the wrong element to separate two authors.
APA and MLA use different formats for bibliographic citations. Both formats follow fairly complicated formulas, and their exact differences vary depending on the type of source cited. Perhaps the main difference is that APA lists the publication date immediately after citing the author, whereas MLA places it near the end of the citation.
In MLA, spell out each author's first name: Smith, James. In APA, only write each author's initial: Smith, J. For both APA and MLA, the first author in a citation is listed by his last name first, followed by a comma and a space then his first name or initial. For the rest of the authors in a multi-author citation, different rules apply. APA lists all authors in inverted order: Smith, J., & Jones, A. In MLA style, subsequent authors are written in normal order, with the first name first: Smith, James, and Alfred Jones.