For any student or academic, citing sources correctly is essential. It’s not just about avoiding plagiarism — getting your citations in the right format can be a challenge if you’re not familiar with the different styles. In this article, we’ll take a look at the differences between MLA, APA, and other citation styles so that you can go into your paper with confidence.
Introduction to Citation Styles
MLA, APA, and Chicago are the three most common citation styles. There are many resources available to help you determine which style to use for you to write my paper. The best way to know which citation style you’re using is to ask your instructor or check the guidelines for the specific assignment.
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most often used in the humanities, particularly in English and foreign language studies. This style uses parenthetical citations within the text to lead readers to a list of Works Cited at the end of the paper. MLA style includes specific guidelines for formatting both your paper and your Works Cited list.
APA (American Psychological Association) style is most often used in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology. This style uses a combination of in-text citations and a reference list at the end of the paper. APA style has its own specific guidelines for formatting both your paper and your reference list.
Chicago/Turabian style is most often used in history papers. This style uses footnotes or endnotes to cite sources within the text, with a corresponding bibliography at the end of the paper. Chicago/Turabian style has its own specific guidelines for formatting both your paper and your bibliography.
Different Citation Styles
Different citation styles can be used for different purposes. MLA style is typically used for papers written in the humanities, while APA style is more commonly used in the social sciences. Other styles, such as Chicago style, are also sometimes used.
MLA: The MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used in the humanities, especially in English and other language and literature courses. This style uses in-text citations and a Works Cited page at the end of the paper to list all sources consulted.
APA: The APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used in the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology. This style uses in-text citations and a Reference list at the end of the paper to list all sources consulted.
Chicago: The Chicago Manual of Style is most commonly used in history courses. This style uses footnotes or endnotes to cite sources, with a corresponding bibliography at the end of the paper listing all sources consulted.
Harvard
Harvard is a style of citation that is most commonly used in the field of the humanities. It is named after the university that developed it, Harvard University. The main features of Harvard style are in-text citations and a reference list.
In-text citations in Harvard style consist of the author’s last name and the year of publication, with no intervening punctuation. If you are quoting directly from the work, you will also need to include the page number. For example: (Smith 2020, p. 23).
If you are referring to an idea that is discussed in a work but not quoting directly, you only need to include the author’s last name and the year of publication. For example: Smith (2020) argues that…
At the end of your paper, you will need to provide a reference list. This should be alphabetical by author surname and should include all of the works that you have cited in your paper. For each work listed, you will need to provide:
– The author’s surname and initials
– The year of publication
– The title of the work
– The publisher
– The place of publication
How To Know Which Style You Need For Your Paper?
There are three main ways to know which style you need for your paper. The first is to ask your instructor or check the course syllabus. The second is to look at the publication manual for the style you’re using. The third is to consult a style guide.
If you’re still not sure which style to use, ask a librarian or check out the resources below.
In-Text Citation: What Is It?
In-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should provide enough information to enable your reader to find the full citation in your Works Cited list. MLA style uses brief parenthetical citations in the text of a paper to acknowledge sources. A parenthetical citation includes the author’s last name and the page number where the quoted or paraphrased material can be found in the original source. APA style uses brief parenthetical citations in the text of a paper to acknowledge sources. A parenthetical citation includes the author’s last name and the year of publication. Other styles may use different forms of in-text citation.
Works Cited/References Page: What Is It?
The Works Cited/References page is the final page of your paper. It lists all of the sources you used in your paper, alphabetized by the author’s last name. If you used any direct quotes or paraphrased information from a source, you must include it on your Works Cited/References page.
Headers and Formatting: What Are They?
There are three main ways to format your text: MLA, APA, and Chicago. Each one has its own set of rules for how to format your paper, including margins, spacing, and font size.
MLA style is the most common citation style used in English courses. MLA stands for the Modern Language Association, which is the organization that developed this particular style guide. In MLA style, you’ll use parenthetical citations (author’s last name and page number) in your text to signal to readers that you’re quoting or paraphrasing from a source. For example: (Smith 12). At the end of your paper, you’ll include a Works Cited page with full citations for all of the sources you used.
APA style is most commonly used in social science and psychology courses. APA stands for the American Psychological Association, which is the organization that developed this particular style guide. In APA style, you’ll use in-text citations (author’s last name and date of publication) in your text to signal to readers that you’re quoting or paraphrasing from a source. For example: (Smith, 2019). At the end of your paper, you’ll include a References page with full citations for all of the sources you used.
Chicago style is most commonly used in history courses. Chicago Manual of Style is the name of the book that lays out the rules for this particular citation style.
Conclusion
Knowing which citation style you are using is important in any academic setting. With this guide, you now have the tools to properly cite your sources and submit papers that meet all the formatting requirements for various styles such as MLA, APA, and other popular styles. Take some time to review these guidelines so that you can be sure your work is up to standard before submitting it for grading or publishing.
