Our comments
The table below highlights the differences between these two examples:
| Differences | MLA | Nature |
|---|---|---|
In text citations |
Represented by author surname |
Represented by a number |
Reference list |
In alphabetical order by author order, title is bold and date is at the end |
In numeric order, title is italicised, publisher, place and date are all in brackets at the end. |
Despite all these differences, the information that builds up each reference is the same, and would enable you to track down that source for yourself.
The choice of citation style you use is often dictated by WHO you are writing FOR – this might be your tutor, the journal your article might be published in, or your organisation. It also depends on your topic and how you would like your bibliography to look. If your college or university does not specify which style you must use then the most important thing is to choose a particular style and use it consistently and uniformly, so that your readers get clear information.
If you would like to delve into further examples of citing references, there is a guide on the Library's web pages.