Which Citation Style Should I Use?
Choosing the right citation style can feel overwhelming, especially when different courses, journals, and disciplines each have their own requirements. The good news is that there is usually a clear answer based on your field of study, your assignment guidelines, or your target publication. This guide covers the major citation styles used in every academic discipline so you can find the right one quickly.
Citation Styles by Field
Social Sciences
Primary style: APA (7th edition)
APA is the standard citation style for psychology, education, sociology, nursing, social work, and most behavioral sciences. It uses an author-date system that emphasizes how recent a source is, which is important in fast-moving research fields.
Used in: Psychology, Education, Sociology, Nursing, Social Work, Communication, Criminology, Linguistics
Humanities: Literature and Languages
Primary style: MLA (9th edition)
MLA is used throughout literature, languages, and cultural studies. It emphasizes authorship and the specific text being discussed rather than publication dates, reflecting the way literary scholars engage with works across centuries.
Used in: English Literature, Comparative Literature, Foreign Languages, Creative Writing, Rhetoric, Cultural Studies
Humanities: History and Arts
Primary style: Chicago (17th edition)
Chicago style is the standard for history, art history, music, and theology. Its notes-bibliography system allows detailed footnotes that are essential for historical documentation and source analysis. Chicago also has an author-date variant used in some social sciences.
Used in: History, Art History, Music, Theatre, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Theology
Sciences
CSE (Council of Science Editors)
CSE offers three documentation systems (citation-sequence, citation-name, and name-year) and is the standard for biology, ecology, genetics, and other life sciences.
Used in: Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Zoology, Botany, Marine Biology
ACS (American Chemical Society)
ACS style is specific to chemistry and handles chemical nomenclature, formulas, and specialized notation that other styles do not accommodate.
Used in: Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry
APS / AIP (Physics Styles)
The American Physical Society (APS) and American Institute of Physics (AIP) each have their own styles used in physics journals and conferences.
Used in: Theoretical Physics, Applied Physics, Astrophysics, Quantum Physics
Nature / Science (Multidisciplinary)
High-impact multidisciplinary journals like Nature and Science have their own citation formats. These are journal-specific rather than field-wide standards.
Used in: Multidisciplinary science publications
Medicine and Health Sciences
Vancouver (ICMJE)
Vancouver style, based on the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations, is the most widely used citation format in medicine internationally. It uses numbered references in order of appearance.
Used in: Most medical journals worldwide, clinical research, public health
AMA (American Medical Association, 11th edition)
AMA style is used by JAMA and other American Medical Association publications. It is similar to Vancouver but has specific formatting differences.
Used in: JAMA journals, some US medical schools and publications
NLM (National Library of Medicine)
NLM style is closely related to Vancouver and is used for citing sources in biomedical and health sciences literature, particularly in databases like PubMed.
Used in: Biomedical research, health informatics
Engineering and Technology
IEEE style uses numbered references in square brackets and is the standard for electrical engineering, computer engineering, and many computer science publications. It is one of the most common styles in technology fields.
Used in: Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology
ACM
The Association for Computing Machinery style is used specifically for ACM publications and conferences. It uses an author-year system.
Used in: Computer Science (ACM journals and conferences), Software Engineering, HCI
Law
Bluebook (US)
The Bluebook is the standard citation system for US legal writing, used in law reviews, court filings, and legal memoranda. Its footnote-based system handles cases, statutes, regulations, and other legal materials.
Used in: US law schools, legal journals, court documents
OSCOLA (UK)
The Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities is the standard for UK legal writing and many Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Used in: UK law schools, British legal publications
AGLC (Australia)
The Australian Guide to Legal Citation is the standard for Australian legal writing and academic publications.
Used in: Australian law schools, legal journals
Business
Primary styles: APA or Harvard
Business programs vary widely in their citation requirements. APA is common in US business schools, while Harvard referencing is standard in UK, Australian, and many international business programs. Some MBA programs and business journals also accept Chicago style.
Used in: Marketing, Finance, Management, Organizational Behavior, International Business, MBA programs
How to Choose Your Citation Style
Step 1: Check Your Assignment or Journal Requirements
This is always the first and most important step. Your course syllabus, assignment rubric, or journal submission guidelines will almost always specify the required citation style. If a style is specified, use it exactly as instructed, including the correct edition.
Step 2: Ask Your Instructor or Advisor
If the required style is not stated in writing, ask your instructor directly. For thesis or dissertation work, ask your advisor and check your department's graduate handbook. Different advisors within the same department may have different preferences.
Step 3: Follow Your Field's Convention
If you still have flexibility, use the standard style for your academic discipline. The field-by-field breakdown above will help you identify the default. Look at recent publications in top journals in your field to confirm the norm.
Quick Reference Table
| Field | Primary Style | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | APA | — |
| Education | APA | — |
| Sociology | ASA | APA |
| Nursing | APA | — |
| Literature | MLA | — |
| History | Chicago | Turabian |
| Art History | Chicago | — |
| Biology | CSE | APA |
| Chemistry | ACS | — |
| Physics | APS / AIP | — |
| Medicine | Vancouver | AMA |
| Engineering | IEEE | ASME, ASCE |
| Computer Science | IEEE | ACM |
| Law (US) | Bluebook | ALWD |
| Law (UK) | OSCOLA | — |
| Business | APA | Harvard, Chicago |
| Political Science | APSA | Chicago |
Not sure? Try our Citation Style Quiz
Answer a few quick questions about your field and assignment, and we'll recommend the right citation style for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the most common citation style?
- APA (American Psychological Association) is the most widely used citation style across academic disciplines. It is the standard in psychology, education, sociology, nursing, business, and many other social science fields. MLA is the most common in literature and language studies, while Chicago is dominant in history and the arts.
- Can I use any citation style I want?
- No. Your instructor, department, or target journal will typically specify which citation style to use. Using the wrong style can result in lost marks or a rejected manuscript. Always check your assignment guidelines, course syllabus, or journal submission requirements before choosing a citation style.
- What citation style does my university use?
- Most universities do not mandate a single citation style across all departments. Instead, each department or course specifies its preferred style. Check your course syllabus first, then your department's website or writing center resources. When in doubt, ask your instructor directly.