Figuring out the right citation style for your paper can be a headache. This comprehensive guide covers all major citation styles and shares a simple way to finding the correct style for citing just about anything on this planet.
Jan 2, 2026
By
Joe Pacal, MSc
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What Is a Citation Style?
A citation style is a standardized method for acknowledging sources in academic writing. Each style specifies how to format in-text citations and reference lists, ensuring readers can locate your sources and verify your claims.
Different academic disciplines use different styles. Using the wrong style—or inconsistent formatting—can cost you marks or lead to desk rejection from journals.
Which Citation Style Should You Use?
Figuring out which citation style you need to use is confusing at first, but actually quite simple—just consider these things:
Class paper → Your teacher should tell you. If they don't, your library will have guidance. Quite likely, Turabian (more below).
Thesis or dissertation → Your department or university library will have guidance. Or by field (see the table).
Paper for a journal → Check out the journal's style-guide. Or by field (see the table below).
Side note: Using a reference manager or a research software means that you don't have to worry about citation style until you're exporting your work—many new tools handle this automatically.
"This guide honestly saved my butt so many times, it has almost all the styles and caveats in a quick reference, and most importantly, it links to original sources, so everything is really up to date."
- Ahmed Asif, PhD Candidate, Birbeck University
Citation Style Guides
To find your citation style browse our complete collection of style guides below. You will find almost all major styles, from the most popular ones to niche and domain-specific format guides.
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Overview of Common Citations Styles
In the table below you will find the most common style for your discipline. Click on the citation style link or the arrow to access the full citation guide or find links to the official guidebook for each style.
| Primary Fields | Style | System | Edition | Link to guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, Education, Social Sciences | APA |
Author-Date | 7th (2019) | Full Guide |
| Literature, Languages, Humanities | MLA |
Author-Page | 9th (2021) | Full Guide |
| History, Arts, Publishing | Chicago |
Notes or Author-Date | 18th (2024) | Full Guide |
| UK/Australian Universities | Harvard |
Author-Date | Varies | Full Guide |
| Engineering, Computer Science | IEEE |
Numbered | 2025 | Full Guide |
| Medicine, Health Sciences | AMA |
Numbered (superscript) | 11th (2020) | Full Guide |
| Biomedical Sciences, Nursing | Vancouver |
Numbered | ICMJE/NLM | Full Guide |
| Student Papers, Theses | Turabian |
Notes or Author-Date | 9th (2018) | Full Guide |
| Chemistry, Biochemistry | ACS |
Numbered | 2020 | Full Guide |
| Sociology, Criminology | ASA |
Author-Date | 7th (2022) | Full Guide |
| Law, Legal Studies | Bluebook |
Numbered footnotes | 22nd (2025) | Full Guide |
Not sure which to use? Read the guide below and check your assignment guidelines or journal's author instructions.
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Citation Styles by Field
Academic fields tend to converge on using one citation style as a standard. This is typically dictated by the most prominent journal, association, or publisher in that field or their associated institution. Chances are that if you're writing about a specific discipline anywhere in the world, the common style will apply to you.
However, there can be regional or even departmental differences. And depending on your supervisor, you might have a different recommendation. For example: when I wrote my thesis, my supervisor wanted me to use IEEE, even though our degree generally used APA. This was because my work was of a technical character and likely to be published in an IT related journal.
Citation Styles by Region
The Two Main Citation Systems
Author-Date Systems
You cite sources with the author's name and publication year in parentheses: (Smith 2023). The reference list is alphabetized.
Styles using this system: APA, Harvard, ASA, Chicago (one option), Turabian (one option)
There are some differences between each style though—some use space, others commas to separate the author from the date. Check your specific guide to make sure you're citing correctly.
Numbered Systems
You cite sources with numbers—either in brackets [1] or superscript¹. The reference list follows citation order, not alphabetical order.
Styles using this system: IEEE, AMA, Vancouver, ACS, Bluebook, Chicago (one option)
Just like with the previous there are differences between specific styles. Refer to the full guide for your citation style.
What Every Citation Includes
Regardless of style, citations typically require:
For books: Author, title, publisher, year
For journal articles: Author, article title, journal name, volume, issue, pages, DOI
For websites: Author (if any), page title, site name, URL, access date (some styles)
The difference between styles is how you format and arrange these elements.
Common Citation Mistakes
Using the wrong style — Always verify requirements before you start writing.
Inconsistent formatting — Mixing styles or formats within a paper is a red flag.
Missing DOIs — Most styles now require DOIs for journal articles when available.
Forgetting in-text citations — Every source in your reference list needs at least one in-text citation, and vice versa.
Relying solely on generators — Citation tools make errors. Always verify output against official guidelines.
Citation Tools and Resources
Official style manuals — Always check the authoritative source. Links provided in each guide above.
University library guides — Most libraries publish free guides tailored to their institution.
Reference managers — Tools like Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote can help you organize sources and generate citations (but always verify output).
Research workspaces — Platforms like Wonders help you find, organize, and cite academic sources in one place, including automated referencing in most popular styles.
Next Steps
Identify your required style from your assignment or target journal
Read the specific guide for that style (linked in the table above)
Bookmark the official manual for reference
Set up your reference manager with the correct output style
Verify your citations before submission
Need help finding and citing academic sources? Wonders is an AI research workspace that helps you discover relevant papers and export properly formatted citations.