APA 7th Style vs. Harvard Style

Attribute	APA 7th Style	Harvard Style
Citation in text	(Author, Year)	(Author, Year)
Reference list format	Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page numbers.	Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page numbers.
Number of authors included in citation	Up to 20 authors	Up to 3 authors
Italicizing titles	Italicize titles of longer works (e.g., books, journals)	Italicize titles of longer works (e.g., books, journals)

Introduction

When it comes to academic writing, citing sources is a crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked. Two popular citation styles that are widely used in academia are APA 7th Style and Harvard Style. While both styles serve the same purpose of giving credit to the original sources of information, they have some distinct differences in terms of formatting, citation rules, and overall structure.

Formatting

One of the key differences between APA 7th Style and Harvard Style is the formatting of the citations. In APA 7th Style, citations are typically formatted with the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses, such as (Smith, 2020). On the other hand, Harvard Style uses the author's last name and the year of publication in the text, followed by the page number in parentheses, like Smith (2020, p. 25). Additionally, APA 7th Style requires a reference list at the end of the document, while Harvard Style uses a bibliography.

Citation Rules

Another difference between APA 7th Style and Harvard Style is the specific citation rules that each style follows. In APA 7th Style, the author's name is followed by the year of publication, whereas Harvard Style includes the page number in the citation. Additionally, APA 7th Style requires the use of a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for online sources, while Harvard Style does not have this requirement. These differences in citation rules can impact how sources are cited and referenced in academic writing.

Structure

When it comes to the overall structure of a document, APA 7th Style and Harvard Style have some differences as well. In APA 7th Style, the title page includes the title of the paper, the author's name, and the institutional affiliation, while Harvard Style does not have specific requirements for the title page. Additionally, APA 7th Style uses headings to organize the content of the paper, while Harvard Style relies more on the use of in-text citations to guide the reader to the original sources of information.

Usage

Both APA 7th Style and Harvard Style are widely used in academia, but they are often preferred in different disciplines. APA 7th Style is commonly used in the social sciences, such as psychology and sociology, while Harvard Style is more popular in the humanities, such as literature and history. The choice of citation style may also depend on the preferences of the instructor or the guidelines of a particular journal or publication.

Conclusion

In conclusion, APA 7th Style and Harvard Style are two popular citation styles that have some distinct differences in terms of formatting, citation rules, and overall structure. While both styles serve the same purpose of giving credit to the original sources of information, they are used in different disciplines and have specific requirements that writers must follow. Understanding the differences between these two styles can help writers navigate the world of academic writing and ensure that their sources are properly cited and referenced.