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APA uses “References.” In an APA paper the list of sources at the end is headed References; “Works Cited” is the term MLA uses for its list. So if you are asking whether APA is works cited or references, the answer is references. The same question comes up as “APA references or works cited,” “APA reference or works cited” and “works cited or references for APA”; all of them have this one answer.
The short answer: which style uses which name
| Style (edition) | Name of the end list | Source |
|---|---|---|
| APA (7th, 2020) | References (a reference list) | Purdue OWL, APA Reference List: Basic Rules |
| MLA (9th, 2021) | Works Cited (“the list of works cited”) | MLA Style Center, Works Cited: A Quick Guide |
| Chicago (18th, 2024) | Bibliography in the notes-bibliography system (its author-date system uses a reference list) | Chicago Manual of Style, What’s New in the 18th Edition |
Do not mix the labels. A paper written in APA should not carry a “Works Cited” heading, and an MLA paper should not carry “References.” If a supervisor, journal or department asks for a “works cited” list but names APA, follow the style they named for the entries and use the heading that style prescribes, unless they tell you otherwise in writing. Their instructions override the style manual.
The related word bibliography is a different list in principle: it can include works you read but did not cite. An APA reference list is narrower, as the next section shows. Chicago’s own use of the word is covered in Chicago style and the works cited question, and MLA’s list is covered in MLA works cited format.
The format: how an APA reference list is built
The rules below are for APA 7th edition. For a full page layout walk-through, see the APA reference page format guide.
- Heading. Purdue OWL, the Quinnipiac University APA 7th guide and the Australian Catholic University APA guide all say to label the page “References” in bold and centered at the top.
- Placement. The list starts on a new page after the text (Purdue OWL; Quinnipiac University APA 7th guide; University of Newcastle APA 7th guide; Australian Catholic University APA guide).
- Spacing. Double-space the reference list, like the rest of the paper (Purdue OWL; Quinnipiac University APA 7th guide; Australian Catholic University APA guide).
- Order. Entries are alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work (Purdue OWL; Quinnipiac University APA 7th guide).
- Hanging indent. All lines after the first line of each entry are indented one-half inch from the left margin (Purdue OWL; Quinnipiac University APA 7th guide; University of Newcastle APA 7th guide, which gives 1.27 cm / 0.5 inches). See how to make an APA hanging indent.
- Matching. Each source cited in the paper must appear in the list, and each entry must be cited in the text (Purdue OWL). A work you only read in background does not belong in an APA reference list.
- Authors. Up to 20 authors are listed, with an ampersand before the last; for 21 or more, list the first 19, an ellipsis, then the final author (APA Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition).
- DOIs. Give a DOI as an https://doi.org/ link for every work that has one, with no period after it and no “DOI:” label (APA reference guide and What’s New guide).
Examples: reference list entries
These entries follow the official APA 7th edition patterns. The authors, titles and publishers are invented examples, not real works.
| Type | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Book | Smith, J., & Lee, K. (2024). Writing for review boards (2nd ed.). Example Press. |
| Journal article | Smith, J., & Lee, K. (2023). Effects of sample size on bias. Journal of Example Studies, 12(3), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.0000/example.123 |
| Chapter in an edited book | Smith, J. (2021). Sampling basics. In R. Doe & P. Roe (Eds.), Field methods handbook (pp. 11–26). Example Press. |
| Report by a group | Example Health Agency. (2025). Annual review of example programs. https://example.org/report.pdf |
| Doctoral dissertation from a database | Smith, J. (2018). Study of examples (Publication No. 00000000) [Doctoral dissertation, Example University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. |
Names are inverted with initials, only the first word of an article or book title is capitalized (plus proper nouns), and book and periodical titles are italic. For the dissertation pattern in more depth, see how to cite a dissertation in APA.
In-text citation version
Whichever name the list carries, the in-text citation is what ties a sentence to an entry. In APA the in-text citation is author and year:
- Parenthetical: (Author, year), with a comma between author and year. Narrative: Author (year).
- Three or more authors: first author plus “et al.” from the first citation, for example (Smith et al., 2019).
- Direct quotation: add the page, as in (Author, year, p. 20).
- Quotations of 40 words or more use block format: double-spaced, indented 0.5 inch from the left margin, no quotation marks.
Manuscripts and theses
Journals and universities can override the generic APA setup. A journal’s author guidelines may fix the reference heading, the order, or the number of references. A thesis template may set its own spacing and placement. Check the venue’s requirements first, then apply APA for everything they leave open. If you use a reference manager, check that the APA output carries the heading “References” rather than a generic “Bibliography.”
Common errors
- Heading the page “Works Cited” in an APA paper. Use “References.”
- Listing sources never cited. Every entry needs an in-text citation, and every in-text citation needs an entry.
- Not alphabetizing by the first author’s last name.
- Single-spacing the list. The reference list is double-spaced like the rest of the paper.
- Keeping 6th-edition habits: a publisher location, a “DOI:” label or “Retrieved from” before every URL. In the 7th edition there is no publisher location, DOIs are https://doi.org/ links, and “Retrieved from” is used only when a retrieval date is needed.
Style-guide edition
This page uses APA 7th edition (2020). The official APA reference examples PDF was last updated March 3, 2026 and the reference guide PDF March 23, 2026; both still describe the 7th edition. The comparison uses MLA 9th edition (2021) and Chicago 18th edition (2024). Checked October 2026.
FAQ
Is it works cited or references in APA?
References. The APA list is titled “References” and holds only works cited in the text. “Works Cited” is MLA’s name.
Is APA reference or works cited?
APA uses “References.” The singular “reference” appears in “reference list,” the generic name for the page, but the heading on the page is plural.
What is the difference between works cited and references?
Mostly the name and the entry format. Both lists contain only sources cited in the text. MLA calls it the list of works cited and builds entries from core elements; APA calls it References and builds entries from author, date, title and source.
Is a bibliography the same as a reference list?
Not necessarily. A bibliography may include works consulted but not cited; an APA reference list may not. See the bibliography entry.
Sources
All sources checked 2026-10-29 unless noted.
- Purdue OWL, APA Reference List: Basic Rules: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
- Arnold Bernhard Library, Quinnipiac University, APA 7th Edition: Paper Format: https://libraryguides.quinnipiac.edu/APA7th/paper_format
- University of Newcastle Library, APA 7th Style: The Reference list: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/apa-7th/reference-list
- Australian Catholic University Library, Reference lists and appendices – APA: https://libguides.acu.edu.au/apa/sample-reference-list
- APA Style, Reference Examples (PDF): https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-examples.pdf
- APA Style, Reference Guide (PDF): https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/reference-guide.pdf
- APA Style, Guide to What’s New in the 7th Edition (PDF): https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/whats-new-7e-guide.pdf
- APA Style, In-Text Citation Checklist (PDF): https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/in-text-citation-checklist.pdf
- MLA Style Center, Works Cited: A Quick Guide: https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/
- Chicago Manual of Style Online, What’s New in the 18th Edition: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/help-tools/what-s-new.html (checked 2026-10-28)
