Citation styles define how citations or references are organized and formatted within a paper.  The three most commonly used citation styles in higher education include:  

• Modern Language Association (MLA) Format - used in literature, arts, humanities, and some other disciplines.
• American Psychological Association (APA) Format - used in social sciences such as anthropology, business, psychology, sociology, and political science.
• Chicago Format - also known as Turabian format, and used most often in history and art.

If you are not sure which one to use, ask your instructor what citation style he or she prefers you to use for your assignments.

Used with permission of the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Used with permission from the Paul Robeson Library, Reference Department, Rutgers University.