Citation and Referencing Guides
Clear, example-led guides to every major citation style. Not sure which style you need? Check your assignment brief, then use the table below.
Updated 21 October 2026 · EssayWriting.com editorial team
MLA Format Guide (9th Edition)
Paper layout, in-text citations and Works Cited entries in MLA 9.
APA Format Guide (7th Edition)
Student paper layout, author-date citations and References in APA 7.
APA vs MLA
Side-by-side differences between the two most common student styles.
IEEE Citation Format
How to cite in IEEE style: numbered in-text citations in square brackets, reference list f
ACS Citation Format
How to cite in ACS style for chemistry: the three in-text options, journal article, book a
AMA Citation Format
How to cite in AMA 11th edition: superscript numbering, journal article, book and website
Harvard Citation Format
How to use Harvard referencing: author-date in-text citations, reference list format for b
Bluebook Citation Guide
Legal citation basics: cases, statutes, articles and short forms.
Turabian Citation Guide
Notes-bibliography and author-date Turabian with examples.
Chicago Citation Format
Notes-bibliography and author-date Chicago with examples.
Et Al.: Meaning and How to Use It in Citations
Et al. means "and others" (Latin et alii). How and when to use et al. in APA 7, MLA 9, Harvard, Chicago and…
Which citation style should you use?
| Subject | Usual style |
|---|---|
| Psychology, education, nursing, social sciences | APA |
| English, literature, humanities | MLA |
| Many UK and Australian courses | Harvard |
| Engineering, computer science | IEEE |
| Chemistry | ACS |
| Medicine, health sciences | AMA |
Your instructor's requirement always overrides the subject convention.
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