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Best Referencing Styles Explained: APA, MLA, Harvard & More

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When you write an essay or research paper, you need to give credit to the sources (books, websites, articles) you used. This is called referencing. Different subjects use different referencing styles.

In this guide, we will explain the most popular referencing styles:

  1. APA
  2. MLA
  3. Harvard
  4. Chicago
  5. IEEE

Let’s learn how to use them correctly.

Best Referencing Styles Explained

1. APA (American Psychological Association)

Used for: Psychology, Education, Social Sciences

How to Format APA References

Book

  • Author’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of Book. Publisher.
  • Example:
    • Smith, J. (2020). How to Study Better. Education Press.

Website

In-Text Citation (Inside Your Essay)

  • Use the author’s name and year:
    • (Smith, 2020)
    • According to Smith (2020), studying daily helps memory.

2. MLA (Modern Language Association)

Used for: Literature, Arts, Humanities

How to Format MLA References

Book

  • Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
  • Example:
    • Smith, John. How to Study Better. Education Press, 2020.

Website

  • Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title of Webpage. Website Name, Day Month Year, URL.
  • Example:

In-Text Citation (Inside Your Essay)

  • Use the author’s last name and page number (if available):
    • (Smith 45)
    • According to Smith, studying daily helps memory (45).

3. Harvard Referencing Style

Used for: Business, Science, Social Sciences

How to Format Harvard References

Book

  • Author’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year) Title of Book. Edition. Publisher.
  • Example:
    • Smith, J. (2020) How to Study Better. 2nd ed. Education Press.

Website

  • Author’s Last Name, First Initial. (Year) Title of Webpage. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
  • Example:

In-Text Citation (Inside Your Essay)

  • Use the author’s name and year:
    • (Smith, 2020)
    • Smith (2020) says that studying daily helps memory.

4. Chicago Style

Used for: History, Business, Fine Arts

How to Format Chicago References

Book

  • Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
  • Example:
    • Smith, John. How to Study Better. Education Press, 2020.

Website

In-Text Citation (Inside Your Essay)

  • Use footnotes (numbers at the end of sentences):
    • John Smith, How to Study Better (Education Press, 2020), 45.

5. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Used for: Engineering, Computer Science

How to Format IEEE References

Book

  • [1] Author’s Initial. Last Name, Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
  • Example:
    • [1] J. Smith, How to Study Better. Education Press, 2020.

Website

  • [2] Author’s Initial. Last Name, Title of Webpage. Website Name. Year. [Online]. Available: URL
  • Example:

In-Text Citation (Inside Your Essay)

  • Use numbers in square brackets:
    • Studying daily helps memory [1].

Which Referencing Style Should You Use?

Subject Recommended Style
Psychology, Education APA
Literature, Arts MLA
Business, Science Harvard
History, Business Chicago
Engineering, IT IEEE

Always check with your teacher or university for the correct style.

Final Tips for Referencing

  1. Be consistent – Use the same style throughout your paper.
  2. Use tools – Websites like CiteThisForMe or Zotero can help.
  3. Double-check – Make sure all details (author, year, title) are correct.

Now you know the best referencing styles! Use them correctly to avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original authors.

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