MLA 9 or Chicago?
MLA 9 and Chicago are both used in the humanities. See the same sources in each, side by side: MLA’s author and page, and Chicago’s footnotes.
- Checked 23 October 2026
What you’ll notice
- MLA cites in brackets with the author (and the page, when there is one). Chicago’s notes form uses footnotes instead.
- Both write the first author’s surname, then their full first name, and both give book and article titles capitals for the main words.
- MLA’s list at the end is called Works Cited. Chicago’s notes form has a bibliography.
Your course handbook says which style to use. Don’t mix styles in one piece of work.
The same sources, side by side
| Source | MLA 9 | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Website | REFERENCE Green, Amara. “Why Students Struggle to Sleep.” Student Sleep Project, 2025, https://www.example.org/sleep/why-students-struggle. IN YOUR ESSAY(Green) | FOOTNOTE Amara Green, “Why Students Struggle to Sleep,” Student Sleep Project, 2025, https://www.example.org/sleep/why-students-struggle. |
| Book | REFERENCE Okafor, David. Attachment in Early Childhood. 2nd ed., Northgate Press, 2023. IN YOUR ESSAY(Okafor) | FOOTNOTE David Okafor, Attachment in Early Childhood, 2nd ed. (Northgate Press, 2023). |
| Journal article | REFERENCE Patel, Ravi, and Meera Shah. “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students.” Journal of Student Health, vol. 12, no. 3, 2024, pp. 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123. IN YOUR ESSAY(Patel and Shah) | FOOTNOTE Ravi Patel and Meera Shah, “Sleep and Exam Results in First-Year Students,” Journal of Student Health 12, no. 3 (2024): 41–58, https://doi.org/10.5555/jsh.2024.0123. |
| Book chapter | REFERENCE Lee, Hannah. “Revising with Others.” Study Skills for University, edited by Samuel Brown, Northgate Press, 2022, pp. 45–67. IN YOUR ESSAY(Lee) | FOOTNOTE Hannah Lee, “Revising with Others,” in Study Skills for University, ed. Samuel Brown (Northgate Press, 2022). |
| Social media post | REFERENCE Campus Library [@campuslibrary]. “Open until midnight all exam week.” X, 12 Jan. 2025, https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1. IN YOUR ESSAY(Campus Library) | FOOTNOTE Campus Library (@campuslibrary), “Open until midnight all exam week,” X, January 12, 2025, https://x.com/campuslibrary/status/1. |
| Report | REFERENCE Student Wellbeing Survey 2024. Campus Health Trust, 2024, https://www.example.org/wellbeing-survey-2024. IN YOUR ESSAY(Student Wellbeing Survey 2024) | FOOTNOTE Campus Health Trust, Student Wellbeing Survey 2024 (Campus Health Trust, 2024), https://www.example.org/wellbeing-survey-2024. |
| Newspaper article | REFERENCE Khan, Aisha. “Universities Open Their Libraries for Longer.” The Daily Courier [London], 3 Feb. 2025, https://www.example.org/news/libraries-open-longer. IN YOUR ESSAY(Khan) | FOOTNOTE Aisha Khan, “Universities Open Their Libraries for Longer,” The Daily Courier (London), February 3, 2025, https://www.example.org/news/libraries-open-longer. |
Referencing is easier as you go
KanBananza’s step-by-step guides show how to plan an assignment and keep your sources in order while you research and write, so the reference list is ready when you are.
Let Peel do this as you read
Save a page in one click. Peel fills in the details, flags anything missing, and builds your reference list in any style, free.
These guides and Peel’s references are here to help, but they don’t replace your course’s own referencing guide: check your references against your handbook, and ask your tutor or library if you’re not sure. You’re responsible for your own work. Style names belong to their owners, who aren’t connected with Peel or KanBananza and don’t endorse them. See our terms.