Writing Styles for College Students

Writing Styles for College Students

Learn how to write and format in APA Style, MLA Style and Chicago Manual of Style

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Writing Style for College Students 2

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Peter Gallagher is a retired university professor and contributor for http://www.LousyWriter.com. He wrote "Writing Styles for College Students" to condense the most commonly asked questions about APA style, Chicago style, and MLA style.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1: APA Style

Section 2: MLA Style

6 How to Start a Thesis or Dissertation in APA Style

10 How to Cite Sources Inside APA Style Text

15 How to Create Footnotes and Headings in APA Style

22 What Pages Do I Need With My APA Style Paper?

28 Differences Between APA and MLA Styles of Writing 32 Writing Advice for APA Style

37 How to Start a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA Style

41 How Do I Write in MLA Style?

45 How to Cite Non-Traditional Sources in MLA Style

50 How to Cite Sources Inside the Text in MLA Style

55 How to Cite Sources in MLA Style



Section 2: Chicago Style

61 What Pages Do I Need With My MLA Style Paper? 65 How to Format a Paper in MLA Style 68 The Differences Between MLA Style and Chicago Style

74 How to Start a Thesis or Dissertation in Chicago Style

77 How to Format a Paper in Chicago Style

81 What Pages Do I Need With My Chicago Style Paper?

84 How to Cite Sources Inside the Text in Chicago Style

91 How to Create a Bibliography in Chicago Style 97 How to Create Headings and Endnotes in Chicago Style 103 The Differences Between Chicago Style and APA Style of Writing 107 Writing Advice for Chicago Style



Section 1:

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How to Start a Thesis or Dissertation

in APA Style

Writing that first thesis or dissertation can be a daunting task on its own.

Throw in a need for APA Style guidelines in the paper, and it can be

downright intimidating for the student who has never used APA Style in the

past.

However, following APA Style doesn't have to be a chore that takes all of

the enjoyment out of your writing. A large portion of following APA Style

involves common sense writing rules. Dozens of other APA resources can

help you with the rest. This set of articles will spell out many aspects of

using APA Style.

I. APA STYLE'S ORIGIATIO

APA is short for the American Psychological Association. The APA created

APA Style as a format for its members to follow as they wrote books and

journals for the APA to publish. The initial APA Style guidelines appeared

in a magazine article in 1929. The first formal APA Style book appeared in

1952.

The format quickly grew in popularity, expanding well beyond APA

members. Many educational institutions use APA Style as a guideline for

students writing a formal paper, such as a thesis or dissertation.

II. WHAT APA STYLE COVERS



By using APA Style, the student has a comprehensive guideline for

formatting all aspects of the paper. For example, APA Style provides rules

for the type and size of font to be used, the margins on the paper, and use of

punctuation. APA Style also provides rules for citing references, presenting

figures or illustrations, and creating tables. Essentially, APA Style rules

cover every aspect of the paper that you will be writing.

The APA Style rules have evolved over the years, making subtle changes.

Sometimes, you may have an instructor who prefers an old rule and will ask

you to break away from the APA Style on that particular rule. Other

instructors allow for a few exceptions to APA Style, especially those that

make the paper easier to read, such as combining the abstract and title pages.

However, if you plan to submit your thesis or dissertation for publication,

you'll want to follow the APA Style precisely.

III. HOW TO START A APA STYLE PAPER

Using a word processor and a computer makes applying APA Style far

easier than it used to be with a typewriter. If you need to add a footnote or

insert a quotation at the last minute, it's easy to do with a word processing

program, such as MS-WORD.

When writing your paper using APA Style, you start with a title page that

contains the title, your name, and your school. The second page is the

abstract page, which contains a short description of your paper. The main

text begins on the third page. At the end, you'll list all of the sources you

used with your paper in the references section.

During your research, as you find sources to use in your paper, you will

want to make sure you have the APA Style guidelines handy, ensuring that

you collect all of the necessary information about each source. Different



types of sources (such as books, reports, and papers) require different types

of documentation in APA Style, but the information you'll typically need

includes:

* Title of book or article or report

* Author name or names

* Date of publication or creation or retrieval

* Name of publication

* Publishing house or company

* Pages or chapters used as a source

* Short description of source's origination, if necessary, such as a Web

site or a conference

Obviously, some citations will not have every piece of information listed

above. When collecting information on your sources, a good rule of thumb

to follow is: Collect at least as much information as you'd need to tell

someone else how to find the exact piece of information you used as a

resource in your paper. Take your time to ensure you have all of the

information to properly cite the source.

IV. FIDIG MORE ASWERS

If you have specific questions regarding APA Style, the ultimate resource is

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which

is available for about $40. The fifth edition is the current edition. You also

can visit the APAStyle (dot) org Web site for some tips and additional

information for using APA Style with your paper.



For additional help, your instructor might have some tips or guidelines. Your

university library likely has dozens of books devoted to APA Style

guidelines. If all else fails, Google can provide dozens of Web sites that

provide tips for correctly applying APA Style rules in your paper.

With so many APA Style resources available, you can stop worrying about

APA Style and place all of your focus where it belongs: On the substance of

your thesis or dissertation.

continued



APA Citations : How to Cite Sources

Inside APA Style Text

When writing an APA Style paper, its required that you properly cite any

sources youve used. Citing sources is important for a few reasons. First, it

allows instructors to check the accuracy of your research. Second, it gives

your readers the opportunity to find additional related information. Most

importantly, citing sources gives credit for the research and theories that

youre citing to the people who've created them.

Citing sources in APA Style requires two processes. One citation is required

at the position in the main text where the cited material appears, called an in-

text citation. The other citation occurs at the end of the paper, in a list of all

cited works, called a reference list.

In this article, well focus on materials youll need to cite within the main

text of the APA style paper.

I. Citing a Printed Work in APA style

Often times, the type of APA formatting used for an in-text citation of

printed material will depend on the structure of the sentence, as shown in

these examples.



Citation example A. Include the names of the author within the sentence,

followed by the year of publication inside parentheses.

The study created by Johnson, Smith, & Jones (2003)

indicates that technological advancements spur economic

growth.

Citation example B. You can place the names of the authors inside the

parentheses with the year of publication, depending on your sentence

structure.

Some economists have indicated that technological

advancements spur economic growth (Johnson, Smith, &

Jones, 2003).

continued



II. Subsequent Listings

Once you have listed a printed source and its author(s) in your paper, you

sometimes can abbreviate with subsequent in-text citations of the same

work. As shown in these examples, the number of authors determines

whether an abbreviation is appropriate.

One or two authors. On subsequent references, list it as you did the first

time, with one or both authors names and the year of publication.

Additionally, the Johnson & Jones (2003) study indicates ...

Three or more authors. On subsequent references, you only need to list the

first author, followed by et al. before the year of publication.

Additionally, the Johnson et al. (2003) study indicates ...

continued



III. Special Circumstances

With published works, figuring out the authors names and the year of

publication is a fairly easy process. With some sources, creating the proper

in-text APA citation can be a little more difficult.

For example, a Web page might not readily include an authors name. If one

isnt available, you can use an editors name, simply listing it as you listed

the authors name in the examples shown earlier.

If no authors name or editors name is available, just list the name of the

organization or institution thats associated with the Web site, as shown in

the following example.

An economic organizations study has indicated that

technological advancements spur economic growth

(Worldwide Economists Group, 2006).

You also can use the title of a Web page or publication with the in-text

citation, if no author is listed. Remember, with an in-text citation, youre

simply trying to ensure that those who read your paper can easily find the

full listing of the source in the reference list at the end of the paper.

IV. Quotations

When quoting source material directly within your text, use the same in-text

citation formatting weve already described, along with a little additional

information.



Short quotations. For any quotation less than 40 words in length, use

quotation marks around the quotation, followed by the page number of the

reference.

According to Johnson (2003), Spending tax dollars on

technological advancements spurs growth in the local

economy (p. 43).

Long quotations. Follow the same APA format for in-text citations,

including the page number(s), for a long quotation of more than 40 words.

However, youll want to create a special block of text for the long quotation

by indenting about one-half inch from the left margin for all lines of the

quotation. Return to the normal left margin after reaching the end of the

quotation block. Do not use quotation marks with this long quotation block,

and double space throughout the block.

V. More Information

Keep in mind that APA Style says that you should always use past tense or

present perfect tense when describing research that requires an in-text

citation.

Finally, if you have a particularly tricky source to cite within your text that

isnt covered here, you can find the answer in the Publication Manual of the

American Psychological Association, which is the ultimate resource for

APA Style.



How to Create Footnotes and

Headings in APA Style

Within the main text of your thesis or dissertation, you may need to organize

the text and information beyond the standard blocks of text. You have a

couple of options under APA Style. Footnotes give you the option of adding

information about an idea in your text without detracting from the text.

Headings allow you to organize the text into sections, similar to an outline.

1. APA Style Footnotes

APA Style recommends against using footnotes within the paper, because it

is difficult for a publishing company to reproduce the superscript numbers

used with footnotes. Footnotes are explanatory notes referenced from the

main text. If you need to use footnotes, place them at the end of the paper,

after the references list. (Some people call these types of citations

endnotes.) Footnotes should appear on a separate page with the word

Footnotes centered at the top of the page.

Its worth noting that because APA Style allows for in-text citations, youll

rarely need footnotes, unless you need an in-depth explanation of an item

within the text. However, keep the footnote to a maximum of a few

sentences and do not discuss more than one idea per footnote. If you need a

more complex footnote, youll want to include the information as an

appendix page entry or incorporate it into the main text instead.

APA Style allows for two types of footnotes: Content and copyright

permission. A content footnote should include information that would be

distracting to include within the main text. Its a good way to point the

reader toward additional information. A copyright permission footnote



shows the reader that you have obtained permission to use a previously

published long quote (more than 500 words), table, or figure.

Both types of footnotes require the same type of formatting, as shown in the

following example.

Technological advancements tend to spark economic

growth worldwide.1

On the footnote page, indent each footnote as a new paragraph and double

space throughout.

1 Johnson defines technological advancements in a variety

of ways ...

continued



2. APA Style Headings

APA Style allows for you to use headings to better organize your paper. You

can think of using headings like creating an outline. You can use up to five

levels with headings, although the formatting becomes tricky if you go

deeper than three levels.

The headings formatting requirements include:

FIRST LEVEL. The first level headings should be centered above their

associated text blocks. Use both uppercase and lowercase words within the

heading.

SECOD LEVEL. Type the second level heading in all italics, flush left,

and with both uppercase and lowercase words.

THIRD LEVEL. The third level heading should look like a sentence at the

start of a paragraph, as its indented, all lowercase words (other than the first

word or proper nouns), and ends with a period. It is italicized, however, to

set it apart from the main text.

continued



An example of the formatting for the first three levels of headings looks

this way:

First Level of Heading (centered)

Main text continues as normal (indented).

Second Level of Heading (flush left)


Third level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately

follow the third heading.

continued



FOURTH LEVEL. If you need a fourth level heading, you have to rework

your previous headings. The second level becomes italicized and centered,

while the old second level and old third level become the new third and

fourth levels, respectively.

First Level of Heading (centered)


Second Level of Heading (centered)


Third Level of Heading (flush left)


Fourth level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately

follow the fourth heading.



FIFTH LEVEL. Again, adding a fifth level requires reworking of the other

levels, beginning with the first level, which now becomes a centered and all

uppercase heading. Every other heading moves down one spot. The old first

level heading becomes the new second level, and the others follow suit.

FIRST LEVEL OF HEADING (centered)


Second Level of Heading (centered)


Third Level of Heading (centered)


Fourth Level of Heading (flush left)


Fifth level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately

follow the fifth heading.



Finally, keep in mind that very few APA Style papers will require more than

two or three levels of headings. Typically, the only types of papers that need

four or five levels of headings are those detailing complex scientific

experiments.

continued



What Pages Do I Need With My APA

Style Paper?

When compiling your thesis or dissertation, the APA Style guidelines

specify certain types of pages, as well as formatting guidelines for those

pages. I have included the primary pages you'll need in your manuscript.

Always start each of these sections on a new page. Most of them will only

require one page.

* ABSTRACT. The second page in your APA style thesis should be the

abstract page, which contains a 100- to 150-word summary of your paper.

Do not include any of the main text on the abstract page. It will contain the

page header, which is a two- or three-word summary of the title, in the upper

right corner, just left of page number "2," as the abstract page is always the

second page. Do not indent the abstract and limit it to one paragraph. If you

use numbers in the abstract, type them as digits, rather than words, unless

the number starts a sentence.

* APPEDIX. Use the appendix, which is optional, to describe complex

equipment or to present unpublished tests. Each appendix in your APA

paper should appear on its own page, and use letters to differentiate each

appendix, such as "Appendix A" and "Appendix B." Some papers will not

use an appendix page. Any appendix pages belong at the end of the paper.

* AUTHOR OTE. In the author note page, which is optional, identify the

departmental affiliation for the author. You also can include disclaimers,

acknowledgements, and, if desired, contact information for the author. If you

received funding for this research, identify it on the author note page. Place

the author note page after the dedication page. With some instructors and

institutions, this page is called the acknowledgments page.



* COPYRIGHT OTICE. A copyright notice is an optional page in your

APA paper; it signifies the paper is copyrighted material. Place a copyright

page immediately after the title page. It should include the copyright symbol,

the year of publication, the author's name, and "all rights reserved." Center

all of the copyright text on the page.

* DEDICATIO. A dedication page is an optional page similar to the

author note page, and it allows you to dedicate your paper to someone. Place

the dedication page after the copyright page. The dedication page does not

need to include the word "Dedication" at the top; simply list your dedication

in italics. Center it on the page.

* LIST OF TABLES AD LIST OF FIGURES. Only use a list of tables

or a list of figures page if you have at least five tables or five figures in your

APA paper. Both list pages should appear after the table of contents, with

the list of tables page ahead of the list of figures page. List each table or

figure with the appropriate title and page number, connected by a leader.

Right-align the page number and left-align the title of each table or figure.

* MAI TEXT. The main text always begins on page 3. Center the

complete title above the beginning of the main text.

* REFERECE LIST. Include your reference list after the main text page

and ahead of the appendix page. The reference list page should include all

works that you've cited in your paper, listed alphabetically. Rules for listing

references under APA Style are specific, depending on the type of work, and

you need to follow them closely. (We'll discuss them in another article.)

* TABLE OF COTETS. The table of contents page should appear after

the abstract page. It is an organized listing of the contents of the paper,

providing page numbers to the various sections and headings in the paper.

The reader can use the table of contents to jump to a particular section of the



paper. When listing chapter headings in the table of contents, make sure they

exactly match the chapter headings in the text. Use a leader to connect the

chapter heading or section name (aligned on the left) with the page number

(aligned on the right). Type "Table of Contents" centered at the top of the

page.

* TITLE. The title page includes more than just the title. In the upper right

corner, include the page header and page number "1," as the title page is

always the first page. Then center the title on the page. If the title requires

more than one line, use double spacing. Include the author's name and the

author's educational institution or the author's home city and state.

continued



APA Format : How to Format a Paper

in APA Style

The APA Style rules for formatting a thesis or dissertation are specific,

ranging from the proper font size to the proper margins to the type of paper

you should use. Here are 14 formatting tips you should follow when creating

your paper.

Tip 1: ABBREVIATIOS. Try to avoid using abbreviations in your paper.

However, if you have an abbreviation that's commonly accepted in language

and appears in the dictionary, such as AIDS, you may use it.

Tip 2: ALIGMET. Always align the text flush left. Do not use the full

justify setting on your word processor, which spreads the text and aligns it

both left and right.

Tip 3: FOT. If using a word processor, stick with a serif font, such as

Times New Roman. Use text in a 10- or 12-point size.

Tip 4: HYPHEATIO. Do not break and hyphenate words at the end of a

line. Instead, leave one line a little short and place the entire word on the

next line, or go a couple of characters beyond the right margin to fit the

entire word on the line.

Tip 5: IDETIOS. Indent paragraphs within the main text of the paper

one-half inch, if using a computer word processor, or five to seven spaces, if

using a typewriter. However, do not indent in the following special

circumstances: The abstract, block quotations, figure captions, notes,

reference list entries, table titles, and titles or headings.



Tip 6: MARGIS. Use 1-inch margins on all four sides of the paper: Top,

bottom, right, and left. Old rules called for some 1.5-inch margins, but those

rules no longer are valid.

Tip 7: PAGE UMBERIG. Number almost every page in the paper,

including the title page. Place the number in the upper-right corner of the

page, and use only Arabic numerals. Place the number 1 on the title page

and the number 2 on the abstract page. The main text should start on page

number 3. Do not number pages that contain only figures or artwork.

Tip 8: PAPER TYPE. Use standard white, 20-pound bond paper that

measures 8.5-by-11 inches. If using a computer, use an inkjet or laser printer

to print the paper; if you must use a tractor-feed printer, be sure to remove

the pinhole borders from the edges of the paper.

Tip 9: PARETHESES. Try to limit parentheses to set apart elements that

are structurally independent, such as when listing a figure or illustration

related to a sentence. If you're enclosing a complete sentence in parentheses,

place the punctuation inside the parentheses. If you're enclosing only part of

a sentence inside parentheses, leave the punctuation outside the parentheses.

Tip 10: PUCTUATIO. In most instances, use one space after all typical

punctuation marks, such as periods, commas, colons, and semicolons. Three

exceptions exist to this rule. First, do not use a space after periods inside an

abbreviation, such as when using U.S. for United States. Second, do not use

a space after a colon in a ratio, such as 3:2. Third, some instructors prefer the

old rule of using two spaces after periods that end sentences. If you're using

Courier or another mono-space font, APA Style does allow two spaces

between sentences, although one is preferred.

Tip 11: SHORT TITLE. A Short Title, which is a two- or three-word

summary of the main title, should appear on every page in the top right



corner, other than pages that contain only figures or artwork. The Short Title

should appear just to the left of the page number.

Tip 12: SLASH MARK. Avoid using slash marks in your paper. For

example, instead of writing red and/or green, write red, green, or both.

Tip 13: SPACIG. Use double spacing throughout the entire paper, unless

your instructor specifically requests single spacing in certain circumstances,

such as with block quotations.

Tip 14: TITLE. Center the title on the title page, using a mixture of

uppercase and lowercase letters. If the title is long enough to require a

second line, double space between the lines. After the title, the student's

name should appear, followed by the institution for which the paper is being

written. If you don't have an institution to include, you may substitute the

city and state of the author of the paper. Double space between every line on

the title page. The title page should contain the number "1" in the upper right

corner.

continued



The Differences Between APA and

MLA Styles of Writing

When writing a dissertation or thesis, your instructor probably will require

you to follow one of two popular style formats for your paper, APA Style or

MLA Style. Although both formats are similar, they do have subtle

differences that you'll need to know.

Generally, you select the style to follow based on the subject matter of the

paper you're writing. Each style treats the formatting of the paper a little

differently to meet the citation needs for the subject matter.

I. CHOOSIG YOUR STYLE

For the most part, your instructor will select the style of formatting that

you'll use for your paper. If you have a choice, however, you can follow

these suggestions for deciding which style to use.

APA Style.

Use APA Style for subjects related to the social sciences, such as business,

criminal justice, economics, law, and medical subjects, including nursing

and psychology. The American Psychological Association created the APA

Style, and you can visit apastyle (dot) org on the Internet to find more

information on APA Style. The Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association is the full listing of APA Style guidelines and

APA formatting rules.

MLA Style.



Use MLA Style for subjects related to the humanities and liberal arts, such

as literature, mass communications, and media studies. The Modern

Language Association oversees the development of MLA Style, and you can

visit mla(dot)org on the Internet for more information. For undergraduate

students, use the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

(sometimes shortened to MLA Handbook) as the guide to following MLA

Style. For graduate students and professionals, use the MLA Style Manual

and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (sometimes shortened to MLA Style

Manual) to find official rules and guidelines for MLA Style.

II. THE DIFFERECES

If you still are not sure which style you should use with your paper, here are

some formatting differences between APA Style and MLA Style. Choose the

style that will allow you to format your paper and deliver the information to

your readers in the most efficient manner.

Abstract.

This difference in this category is pretty obvious: APA Style requires an

abstract page, while MLA Style does not. An abstract is a short summary of

your paper.

In-text citations.

With both styles, use the last name of the author(s) in any in-text citation.

With APA Style, you also include the year of publication. With MLA Style,

you include the page number of the information you cited along with the

name of the author(s), but you do not include the year of publication. By

including the year of publication, APA Style gives the readers a chance to

decide how much relevancy to place on a particular source, based on its age.

With the subject matter used with MLA Style, however, the age of the



sourced material usually isn't as vital to its relevancy, so MLA Style doesn't

list the year of publication.

With both styles, remember that the in-text citation is simply a method of

ensuring that your readers can easily find the full citation in the reference list

or works cited page at the end of the paper. You don't need extensive

information about the source for an in-text citation.

Page numbers.

With both styles, the page number appears in the upper right corner of each

page, but each style has different additional information. With APA Style,

you must include a running title to the left of the page number on each page.

A running title is a two- or three-word summary of the title of your paper.

With MLA Style, include the author's name to the left of the page number on

each page.

Reference list formatting.

With both APA Style and MLA Style, when listing each of your sources on

the reference list page (APA Style) or works cited page (MLA Style), use

the full last name of the author(s) in each entry. In APA Style, you also list

only the initials of the first and middle name of each author. In MLA Style,

you spell out the entire first and middle name of each author. (Middle name

information is optional.)

Title page.

APA Style requires a title page, but MLA Style does not. If you choose to

skip the title page with MLA Style, simply include your name, your

instructor's name, your course, and the full date in the upper left-hand corner



of the first page. Then center the title on the page, followed by your main

text.

You'll also find several subtle differences between APA Style and MLA

Style in capitalization and punctuation rules. However, those differences are

too numerous to list here, and they probably won't affect your decision on

which style to use with your paper.

continued



Writing Advice for APA Style

Writing in APA Style can be an intimidating task, especially if you've never

written a formal research paper previously. APA Style has many rules,

guidelines, and formatting requirements for your paper that it can be

overwhelming to think about all of the opportunities for mistakes.

However, following APA Style is not as difficult as it sounds. As with

almost any educational endeavor, hurrying unnecessarily will lead to

mistakes, so take your time to ensure correct formatting. Following the APA

Style tips listed here will help, too.

ACTIVE VOICE.

Try to avoid writing in passive voice. APA Style requires active voice, and

some instructors will downgrade your paper if you use a lot of passive voice.

With active voice, the subject of the sentence does something. With passive

voice, the subject of the sentence has something done to it. Passive voice

often uses the word "by."

FOCUS O THE WRITIG.

There's no question that following APA Style closely is an important part of

creating a successful paper. However, the tight rules and guidelines that

govern APA Style should not be your primary focus. Instead, focus on the

content of your paper and focus on the writing. If the content of your paper

is lacking, it won't matter to your instructor how closely your paper follows

APA Style.

LAGUAGE TIPS.



When writing your APA Style paper, avoid using contractions: "Can't"

should be "cannot," and "it's" should be "it is." Do not use slang language.

Clear, concise language is best. Never write in the first person, either.

PLAGIARISM PROBLEMS.

Obviously, you don't want to plagiarize any part of your paper. To make

sure you don't inadvertently commit plagiarism, cite all of your sources. If

you're unsure whether to use an in-text citation for a source, you probably

should use it. It's better to be safe than sorry when citing sources.

PROOFREAD A FEW TIMES.

You'd be surprised how often a simple mistake sneaks into formal papers

because the author didn't take the time to proofread more than once.

Proofreading should not be done as a last-minute item; it should be done a

few times before the paper is completed. In fact, it's best to set the paper

aside for a couple of days between proofreading sessions. If you can take a

break from the paper for a couple of days, you'll be surprised how much

better your proofreading sessions go with a fresh look at the paper, rather

than a harried, last-minute look.

PROOFREAD SOME MORE.

Depending on the importance of the paper, you may want to hire someone to

do some additional proofreading for you. Again, having a fresh look at the

paper, this time from a different pair of eyes, will only help improve your

paper.

REFERECE LIST.



As you perform the research for your paper, it's important to keep the

reference list in the back of your mind. When you pull information from

sources, make sure that you collect extensive information about each source.

Having a comprehensive list is good for two reasons. First, you must have

the information for the reference list, so collecting it as you use each source

will save you time when compiling the reference list later. Second, if you

need to revisit a particular source to find more information for your paper,

you'll have very few problems finding it again with a comprehensive source

list.

REPEATABLE RULES.

Once you've mastered a few of the APA Style guidelines, you'll repeat them

throughout your paper, making your job easier. This is especially true with

citing sources, either inside the main text or on the references list page. Even

though there are subtle, slight differences in formatting the citations,

depending on the type of source, most the formatting is similar.

YOUR ISTRUCTOR KOWS BEST.

Finally, if you encounter a dilemma where the instructions for your paper

that your instructor provided contradict APA Style guidelines and rules, go

with your instructor's preferences. Some APA Style rules are modifiable,

giving your instructor some latitude. In addition, because APA Style rules

have evolved over the years, you might have an instructor who prefers an

old rule to a new rule.

If you encounter a contradiction, just remember this: The last time I

checked, the latest edition of the APA Style Manual had never graded a

paper. Follow the desires of the person who will be grading the paper.



continued



Section 2:

MMMLLLAAA SSStttyyyllleee




in MLA Style

If you're a student in liberal arts or humanities, chances are good your

professor will ask you to write a paper in MLA Style. Eventually, you might

even create a thesis or dissertation using MLA Style. Writing in MLA Style

is one of a few different writing styles you can use to format academic

papers that require sources in an educational or professional setting.

Although learning all the rules about MLA Style can seem overwhelming, it

doesn't have to be. Many rules of MLA Style repeat themselves as you use

them in your paper, meaning you don't have to learn hundreds of rules. As

long as you learn the basic MLA Style guidelines, you can create a well-

formatted MLA Style paper with great success.

Here are some of my time-tested techniques to help you write that first MLA

Style paper. If you run into a situation that I do not cover, then you can

always call upon the many MLA Style resources on the Internet and in print

that can handle those odd situations.

I. THE ORIGI OF MLA STYLE

The Modern Language Association of America oversees MLA Style,

publishing the first edition of its MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly

Publishing in 1985. The Modern Language Association (MLA) published

the third edition of the MLA Style Manual in 2008.

Headquartered in New York City, the MLA is an American professional

organization for scholars of literature and language, including professors and

graduate students. The MLA began in 1883 at Purdue University, essentially



as a discussion group for literature and modern language. Today, several

regional associations make up the MLA.

II. WORKIG WITH MLA STYLE

By following the MLA Style, as outlined in the MLA Style Manual, students

receive advice on a variety of rules for creating and formatting a formal

MLA paper, including rules for:

* The size of the font

* The type of font

* The margins of the paper

* Citing references in the text

* Citing references at the end of the paper

* Presenting tables, figures, and illustrations

Rules for creating papers using MLA Style have undergone some changes

since the first MLA Style Manual appeared almost 25 years ago. In addition,

with the changes in the latest version of the MLA Style Manual, you may

have some instructors who prefer the "old" rules of MLA Style. Be sure your

instructors clearly define which version of MLA Style they'd like you to

follow.

Finally, some instructors might not require the strict formality of the MLA

Style Manual in a particular paper. Instead, they might ask you to follow the

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, which is a less formal

version of MLA Style. For the most part, the MLA Handbook is aimed at

undergraduate college students and high school students. Be sure you know

which reference guide for MLA Style your instructor wants you to use.

III. HOW TO START YOUR MLA STYLE PAPER



A computer with word processing software, such as Microsoft Word or

Word Perfect, is the best method for writing your MLA Style paper. A word

processor is the easiest way to perform the formatting functions, indentions,

and italics text.

As you perform your research for your formal paper, it's important to track

your sources. You'll need to cite the sources you've used in your MLA Style

paper. MLA Style guidelines will dictate different formatting rules for

different types of sources. For most of your sources, you'll need to track the

title, author, date of publication, name of publication, and pages used as a

source, among other types of information. It's always better to have more

information than you'll need when citing a source than to not have enough

information.

IV. FIDIG MORE ASWERS ABOUT MLA STYLE

For additional questions about MLA Style, the MLA Style Manual is the

best source. This publication includes the rules and advice for formatting a

thesis or dissertation. It also includes information on submitting your work

for peer review and publication, on copyright laws, on fair use rules, and on

contracts.

Keep in mind that the MLA says the guidelines in the third edition of the

MLA Style Manual represent a "significant revision" to the documentation

style, so you'll want to make sure you have the latest information.

If your university library doesn't have the latest copy of the MLA Style

Manual, you can purchase a copy for about $33 from the MLA Web site.

Unfortunately, the MLA Web site doesn't offer many tips on using MLA

Style. When using other Web sites for information on MLA Style, be sure to

use the latest rules.



continued



How Do I Write in MLA Style?

Even though MLA Style lacks explicit rules about specific pages to include

in your paper and how to organize those pages, it does have many formatting

rules that you need to follow.

Following MLA Style shouldn't detract from the overall work of your paper,

however. It takes some work to achieve the proper MLA format, but it's

important to not allow the paper format to prevent you from focusing on

writing the paper. These tips will give you some additional help to follow

MLA Style with your paper.

TIP 1. DOUBLE-CHECK ALL CITATIOS.

With MLA Style, it's important to make sure you have properly listed all of

the in-text citations, making it easy for readers to find each citation in the

Works Cited list. Make sure you spell all authors' names correctly in the

Works Cited list, too, so you don't confuse readers about the author.

TIP 2. FOLLOW YOUR ISTRUCTOR'S ISTRUCTIOS.

You may have an instructor who gives you directions for composing the

thesis or dissertation that differ slightly from those in MLA Style. Follow

your instructor's guidelines in those instances.

TIP 3. GRAMMAR GUIDELIES.



Papers that follow proper grammar are more likely to receive favorable

marks from an instructor. For example, always write in active voice, rather

than passive voice. In other words, make certain the subjects of your

sentences are doing something in the sentence, rather than the subjects

having something done to them. Avoid using contractions in your paper, if

possible. Do not use slang or jargon in your paper, unless you're writing

about a subject that requires such language. Do not write in the first person;

in other words, do not use the words "I" or "me" in any sentence. Try to

avoid making absolute statements, especially when you are describing an

opinion. Do not use numerous quotations just to fill a word count or page

count; make sure quotations add to your argument.

TIP 4. PROOFREADIG, A ECESSARY TASK.

For most people, proofreading is the least enjoyable task for compiling a

formal paper. However, it's a key task. You might have the most compelling

argument your instructor has ever seen, but inadvertently, allowing several

grammatical and spelling errors to appear in your paper will make it tough to

take your argument seriously. Proofread your paper at least a few times

before submitting it. If possible, take a few days off between proofreading

sessions. A fresh look at the paper after a break will help you catch a few

errors that you may have missed the first time around. Remember that,

although word processing software spell checkers are handy, they do not

catch every error, such as "to," "too," and "two." Proofreading is vital to

having a successful paper.

TIP 5. TAKE YOUR TIME.

During the writing phase or the proofreading phase, you need to leave plenty

of time to finish the paper. If you force yourself to hurry to meet a deadline,



your writing will suffer, and you'll make mistakes. Start early on the paper,

set goals for finishing different aspects of it -- initial research, detailed

research, first draft, second draft, detailed proofreading, and final draft -- and

you'll have a much better finished paper.

TIP 6. WORKS CITED LIST.

Throughout the research process for your paper, it is important to track all of

the sources you use. For every idea or quote you use from one of your

sources, you will have to cite the idea in the paper and list the source in the

Works Cited list. Collect extensive information about each source, which

will allow you to cite each source properly in your paper. It's important to

give credit for any ideas you use from other people. Citing sources properly

will ensure you dont inadvertently commit plagiarism. If youre unsure

whether to use an in-text citation for a source, you probably should use it.

Its better to be safe than sorry when citing sources.

TIP 7. FIAL TIP.

If you ever are unsure about the formatting style you should follow when

citing a particular source, turn to the MLA Style Manual. It has examples

and explanations of every type of source that you'll ever encounter.

However, be certain that you're using the latest edition of the MLA Style

Manual. The changes in the latest edition are subtle, but there are enough of

them that you don't want to make some silly formatting errors, just because

you were using an old edition of the MLA Style Manual. If you have a

difficult time finding the newest edition of the MLA Style Manual, check

with your instructor. He or she might not care if you use the previous

edition.



continued



How to Cite Non-Traditional Sources

in MLA Style

In some respects, writing a dissertation or thesis in MLA Style was easier

two or three decades ago, at least when it came to compiling the Works

Cited list. You might not have used a computer for writing or the Internet for

locating more sources, but at least you didn't have to cite many non-

traditional sources in a Works Cited page.

When citing non-traditional sources in MLA Style, such as Web pages or

electronic media, you need to follow specific rules, just as you do with

traditional print media, such as books and scholarly journals. I have listed

some of the more common instances below. When writing your MLA paper,

if you encounter any situations not discussed below, you always can turn to

the MLA Style Manual, which covers every potential source, both traditional

and non-traditional. Just be certain to use the third edition of the MLA Style

Manual, as the guidelines have changed for a few types of sources, such as

Web sites.

continued



BROADCAST. When citing a TV or radio broadcast, start with the title of

the episode or segment in quotation marks, if one is available, followed by

the title of the program in italics. Then list the network, the local broadcast

affiliate, the date of broadcast, the type of broadcast, and any additional

information that would be helpful to the reader, such as if you took the ideas

or quotes from a transcript. You may list the name of an author, director, or

performer at the beginning of the listing on the Works Cited page, if that

person was primarily responsible for the content of the entire broadcast. If

the primary source was interviewed on a program, list those who conducted

the interview, if available.

Smith, Xavier Z. Interview by Jeffrey T. Jones and

Terry J. Thomas. "Economic Times In Africa." Financial

Times Worldwide. 7ational Public Radio. KPBS, Omaha,

25 May 2007. Radio.

"African Economic Struggles." 7ews Hour. PBS.

WPBS, 7ew York, 2 Apr. 2006. Television. Transcript.

continued



ILLUSTRATIOS OR GRAPHIC OVELS. Unlike most printed books,

using an illustration or graphic novel as a source for your paper may present

some tough circumstances as far as compiling material for the Works Cited

list. For example, many illustrated books have more than one "author." You

might have a writer along with multiple illustrators, for example. When

listing the source in the Works Cited page, first list the person who had the

most influence on the source as you're using it. For example, if you're using

the writer's idea in your paper, list the primary writer first before any

illustrators or other writers.

* Smith, Xavier Z., writer. Understanding Technologies,

an Illustrated Guide. Illus. Quincy X. Smith and Jon Q.

Smith. Introd. Travis Johnson. 7ew York: State University

Press, 2006. Print.

continued



WEB SITES. When citing Web sites, the third edition of the MLA Style

Manual now allows writers to eliminate the URL, or Web address, if the

reader of the paper can easily find the Web site through the other

information listed when citing the source. The MLA says because URLs

sometimes change, the URL isn't as valuable to finding the source later as is

a good description of the source. MLA recommends including the URL if

you think your readers will have a difficult time finding the source without

the URL.

You'll need to continue to include an author, article name, Web site name,

date of creation of the article or Web page, and date when you accessed the

Web site when citing a Web site, but the URL is now optional. If you decide

to include a URL, list it inside angle brackets. Also, be sure to include the

word Web as part of the listing, usually after the date of creation of the Web

site. If no date is available, use n.d. in place of the date. Finally, use italics

for the title if the article is independent, and use quotation marks if the

article is part of a larger work, using italics for the name of the larger work.

* Smith, Xavier Z and Travis Johnson. African

Economic Forecast, 2006. State University, 20 Dec. 2005.

Web. 27 Jan. 2008.

.

continued



As often occurs, if the Web site you're using has no author or editor listed,

start with the title of the page or article that you're citing.

* "How Technology Affects Economies." Economic

Development Worldwide. Economic Development

Worldwide, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2008.

Finally, if you're using material that has appeared in more than one medium,

such as a print version and a Web page, cite only the medium that you used

primarily.

continued



How to Cite Sources Inside the Text

in MLA Style

When citing sources in an MLA Style thesis or dissertation, you'll need to

follow two different formats. In-text citations are references to sources that

you make within the main text of your paper. "Works Cited" is a separate

page at the end of your paper where you list every reference source you used

in the paper.

In a formal paper, it's important to cite every source you use. You need to let

your readers know that you've performed the proper research to support the

position you've taken in the paper. Readers who want more information than

what you've provided in your paper can use the cited sources. It's important

to credit the researchers who provided the information in your paper.

With this article, we'll focus on MLA rules for citing sources inside the text.

I. BASIC RULES

With MLA Style, an in-text citation is sometimes called a parenthetical

citation. Essentially, any time you paraphrase another person's or source's

ideas, or any time you use a direct quotation in your paper, you need to cite

that source.

By citing the source within the text, you give your readers a chance to find

the source material themselves, should they want more information about a

particular quote or idea.

II. I-TEXT CITATIOS



When creating an in-text citation, you want to give your readers an easy

method for finding the source material. You only need enough information

in the in-text citation to give the reader an easy method of finding the source

in the Works Cited list at the end of your paper. Because the Works Cited

list will be in alphabetical order, listed by the author's last name first, you

only need to list the author's last name for your in-text citation. That should

be enough information for your readers to find the source on the Works

Cited page.

Here are some examples for in-text citations, based on particular sources and

circumstances.

A) One source, author known.

List the author of the source and the page number or numbers that you used

in your reference. Place the source material inside parentheses immediately

after the material you need to source. Do not separate the author's name and

the page number with any punctuation.


advancements spur economic growth (Johnson 16).

B) One source, author unknown.

In addition to the page number, list a shortened title for the source, if you

don't know the author's name. If the title is for a long work, list it in italics. If

the title is for a short work, list it inside quotation marks. Again, use

parentheses for the in-text citation.




advancements spur economic growth ("2007 Economic

Growth Report" 16).

C) Two or more sources, authors known.

Follow the same rules as you used with one source, but you'll need to

separate each source with a semicolon.


advancements spur economic growth (Johnson 16; Jones

37-38; Smith 2).

D) Multiple works, same author.

If you have more than one source from the same author, just add a shortened

title for the particular source you're using to the author's name in the in-text

citation. Separate the author's name and the title with a comma.


advancements spur economic growth (Johnson, "2007

Economic Growth Report" 16).

E) Multiple authors, same last name.

You might end up with sources from two different authors who share the

same last name. In that case, you may use the author's first initial, first and

middle initials, first name and middle initial, or first and middle names. Use



as much of the first and middle names as required so it's easy for your

readers to find the source in the Works Cited list.


advancements spur economic growth (B. Johnson 16).

F) Indirect source.

If you have a quote taken from an indirect source, include the phrase "qtd.

in" with the in-text citation. List the actual source where you found the quote

in the in-text citation and in the Works Cited list.

Jones has mentioned that "technological

advancements spur economic growth" (qtd. in Johnson 16).

continued



G) Other option.

If it makes more sense in your writing to list the author in the actual text,

you can simply list the page number inside the parentheses for the in-text

citation.

The economist Johnson has indicated that

technological advancements spur economic growth (16).

Although MLA Style allows you to use the author's name in the text of the

sentence you're citing, you are not allowed to use the page number or

numbers in the sentence. The page number should always appear in

parentheses.

continued



How to Cite Sources in MLA Style

The Works Cited page in MLA Style is important to your thesis or

dissertation because it gives readers a list of sources you used to reach your

conclusions. A well-researched paper will have high-quality sources. With

MLA Style, you list these sources on the Works Cited page(s) at the end of

the paper. MLA Style requires that you follow a specific format for listing

every source, based on the type of source.

To start the Works Cited page, type "Works Cited" centered at the top

margin. Then begin the first source immediately, double-spacing all text on

the page. Each source should have a hanging indention, meaning the first

line is flush left, and each subsequent line for the source should be indented

one-half inch.

You should alphabetize the entire Works Cited list by author's last name. If

the author's name is not known, use the title of the source in the alphabetized

list, ignoring "A," "An," or "The" on the front of the name of the title.

Here are some examples for listing various types of sources. The examples

here only list the information you need about each source. They do not

follow the hanging indention or double-spacing rules.

A) BOOK.

List the author's name, the title of the book in italics, the city of publication,

the publisher, and the year of publication. You are allowed to abbreviate the

name of certain publishers in MLA Style. The MLA Style Manual lists the

acceptable abbreviations. Specify the type of publication at the end of the

entry, denoting whether the book is a printed version or an electronic

version.



Smith, Xavier Z. Working with a Fledgling Economy.

7ew York: State University Press, 2006. Print.

B) DISSERTATIO OR THESIS.

If you make use of a dissertation or thesis as a source, you'll need to list the

author's name, the title (in quotation marks), the type of paper, and some

information about the publication. For example, many dissertations appear in

"Dissertation Abstracts International," usually abbreviated to DAI. DAI

requires some specific information, as you can see in the following example.

Jones, Thomas. "The Relationship Between Economic

Power and Technological Innovation." Diss. State

University, 2003. DAI 66.17 (2004): item DA4267399.

Print.

In MLA Style, you can abbreviate dissertation as "Diss", and master's thesis

as either "MA thesis" or "MS thesis".



C) PUBLISHED ARTICLE.

List the author's last name, followed by the full first name and middle initial,

if the author commonly uses it. List the title of the article in quotation marks,

followed by the publication name (in italics), the issue or volume numbers,

the year of publication, and the page numbers for the full article. If you have

other information you think would be helpful for a reader, you may list it at

the end of the entry. In the following two examples, the first is for a

scholarly journal and the second is for a newspaper. Notice how the word

"Print" in the newspaper example differentiates between the print edition

and Internet edition of the newspaper.

Smith, Xavier Z. "Economic Growth in Africa."

Economics Quarterly 3 (2008): 332-3.

Johnson, Travis. "African Economic Viability." 7ew

York Financial 7ewspaper 13 Jun. 2008: B3. Print.

continued



D) MULTIPLE AUTHORS.

List the first author by last name, then first name, and subsequent authors by

first name, then last name.

Johnson, Travis, and Xavier Z. Smith. "Economic

Downturn in Africa." Economics Quarterly 4 (2008): 413-

21.

E) MULTIPLE WORKS, SAME AUTHOR.

After listing the first source with the author's full name, subsequent sources

from the same author don't require the author's name. Instead, substitute

three hyphens.

Johnson, Travis. "Africa's Economic Future."


---. "African Economic Viability." 7ew York Financial

7ewspaper 13 Jun. 2008: B3. Print.



F) MULTIPLE WORKS, MULTIPLE AUTHORS.

If the same author is involved in multiple sources, but some of those sources

include multiple authors, you will have to list the full name in every source.

If you have multiple works from the same group of authors, however, you

can substitute the three hyphens for listings beyond the first listing. In this

example, Johnson and Smith combined to write the second and third entries,

meaning the three hyphens are appropriate for the third entry.

Johnson, Travis. "Africa's Economic Future."


Johnson, Travis, and Smith, Xavier Z. "Economic

Downturn in Africa." Economics Quarterly 4 (2008): 413-

21.

---. "7urturing a Fledgling Economy." 7ew York

Financial 7ewspaper 19 Jan. 2008: B1. Print.

continued



G) AOYMOUS AUTHOR.

If you don't know the author, just skip that part of the listing and begin with

the title.

"Economic Growth on the African Continent."

Editorial. 7ew York Financial 7ewspaper 4 Feb. 2008: B7.

continued



What Pages Do I Need With My MLA

Style Paper?

Unlike some other formal styles for writing scholarly papers, MLA Style

does not specify a large number of specific pages that you must include in

your paper. APA Style, for example, requires a title page, an abstract page,

and a table of contents, among several other types of optional pages. MLA

Style, however, does not even require a title page.

I will discuss optional pages you can use in your MLA Style paper in this

article, along with some methods you can use to format your paper in MLA

Style.

1) TITLE PAGE. MLA Style makes a title page an optional choice for the

writer. If you decide to use a title page, center the text. The title page may

contain the title, author's name, mailing address, e-mail address, and contact

telephone numbers. Some instructors will require you to include the name of

the faculty advisor, the date of submission, and the members of the

committee that will accept the work. With MLA Style, a separate title page

is not numbered. If you're writing an extremely formal paper, such as a

thesis or dissertation, you almost certainly should include a separate title

page, unless your instructor specifies differently. If you include the title on

the first page of the main text, you should number it, but this format is

limited to a less formal paper.

2) APPROVAL PAGE. The approval page, which contains all signatures of

approval from members of the thesis approval committee, is optional.

3) ABSTRACT PAGE. The abstract page, which is a short summary of the

purpose of the paper, is optional.



4) BIOGRAPHY PAGE. The biography page, which provides a short

description of the author and his or her accomplishments, is optional.

5) DEDICATIO PAGE. The dedication page, which allows the author to

dedicate the thesis to a person or multiple people who helped with the paper,

is optional.

6) EPIGRAPH PAGE. The epigraph page, which may contain a poem or

quotation, is optional.

7) TABLE OF COTETS PAGE. If the paper is long enough to have

sections, you may include a table of contents page.

8) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIOS AD TABLES. This page, if applicable,

lists all of the illustrations and tables you used in the paper, sorted by the

pages on which they appear.

9) PREFACE. The preface, which is an optional page, may introduce the

paper by discussing a related idea that doesn't quite fit within the parameters

of the main text.

10) MAI TEXT. With the main text, simply select a readable font, usually

Times New Roman at 12 points. Double space throughout the main text, and

indent all paragraphs by one-half inch.

MLA Style does not require headings, chapters, or any other method for

breaking up the main text. MLA Style also does not prohibit any methods

for breaking up the text, however. If your instructor doesn't specify a method

for breaking up the text, you can use a few different optional methods. If you



choose to use chapters, you can use the following methods for breaking up

the text within the chapters.

You can use an extra blank line to separate ideas. Just hit the Enter key an

additional time after completing a paragraph. Keep in mind, though, that this

method might be ineffective if the blank line occurs at the end of a printed

page. Some writers combat this problem by typing three asterisks, centered

on the page, in place of the blank line. Others actually type "[blank line]"

flush left in place of the blank line.

You may use headings to break up the text and organize similar ideas. MLA

Style prefers using an Arabic number with each heading. You also should

type each heading flush left with no extra blank lines before or after the

heading. For example:

1. Economic Growth 2006



Finally, you may simply use an Arabic number to signify related ideas in the

text. Just type "1" centered on a blank line before the first idea, "2" centered

before the second idea, and so on.

11) EDOTES. If you choose to list endnotes, you need to use a separate

page immediately following the main text. An endnotes page is optional in

MLA Style.



12) WORKS CITED. The Works Cited page in MLA Style is a list of all

sources you referenced in the main text. The listing of all sources requires

you to follow a specific set of rules.

13) GLOSSARY. The glossary page, which is a list of all confusing and

unusual terms used in the text, along with definitions, is optional.

14) IDEX. If you choose to include an optional index page, it will list the

various proper nouns and ideas that you've included throughout the main

text, listed alphabetically and linked to the page numbers on which the items

appear.

continued



How to Format a Paper in MLA Style

When formatting your paper in MLA Style, you'll need to follow a series of

rules that outline all aspects of the creation of the paper. Most people think

of MLA Style when trying to determine how to cite sources used as

references in the paper. However, MLA Style includes rules for many

aspects of formatting the paper beyond citing sources. Here are 15

formatting tips you should follow when creating your MLA paper.

ALIGMET. Align the text flush left. If your word processor, such as

MS-Word, has a "full justify" setting, which spreads the text and aligns it

both left and right, do not use it. Leave the text ragged on the right side.

BIDIG. MLA Style calls for binding the pages with a simple paper clip

or spring clip. Do not use a staple or other permanent binding system, unless

your instructor requests it.

EDOTES AD FOOTOTES. You may use endnotes or footnotes

with MLA Style, but they should only be used to further explain a term or a

complex idea, beyond what you're able to include in the main text. Endnotes

and footnotes should not be used to cite sources. Save those for the "Works

Cited" page.

FOT. MLA Style calls for a 12-point font size, along with an easily

readable font, such as Times New Roman.

HEADIGS. In MLA Style, headings and subheads that break up the text

are optional. Check with your instructor before using them.



IDETIOS. You'll need to indent the first line of any paragraph by one-

half inch from the left margin. If you aren't using word processing software,

indent by five spaces.

ITALICS. You should use italics for titles of longer works. MLA Style also

allows use of italics within the body of the text for emphasis of a particular

word or phrase, but use such items sparingly.

MARGIS. All four sides of the MLA paper -- top, bottom, right, and left -

- require a margin of 1 inch. The only items that should appear outside the

margins are the page numbers.

PAGE UMBERIG. Place the page number in the upper right corner of

every page. Use Arabic numerals for the page numbers. The page number

should appear one-half inch from the top of the paper and even with the right

margin (1 inch from the edge of the paper). If you choose to use an optional

title page, you should not number it. If you choose not to create a separate

title page, instead including the title and other relevant information on the

first page of the main text, you must use "1" as the number of that page.

PAPER TYPE. Use standard, 20-pound white paper that measures 8.5-by-

11 inches.

PUCTUATIO. Follow all standard punctuation marks with just one

space, including colons, commas, periods, and semicolons. Some instructors

still prefer the old rule of using two spaces after periods that end sentences.

MLA Style does allow some flexibility in punctuation when the instructor

requests a change from the standard MLA Style.

QUOTATIO BLOCKS. Whenever using a quotation that will be longer

than four typed lines, set the entire quotation block apart by indenting it

from the left margin 1 inch (or 10 spaces). Double-space within the



quotation block. You do not need to use quotation marks with a quotation

block.

SPACIG. You'll need to double-space all of the text within the paper,

except in rare special circumstances as directed by your instructor. All

quotations, notes, and lists of works cited should be double-spaced.

TITLE. MLA Style doesn't require a separate title page. You can include

the information used for the title on the first page of the paper, and begin the

paper's main text on the same page. All text should be double-spaced on the

first page. You can place the page number in the upper right corner. In the

upper left corner, flush left and beginning at the margins, include your name,

the instructor's name, the course, and the date. Then center the text for the

title, mixing uppercase and lowercase letters. If you choose to skip the

separate title page, you can begin the main text immediately after the title

text.

UDERLIIG. With the third edition of the MLA Style Manual, the new

guidelines have eliminated the use of underlining. Now italicize all

published works, rather than using underlining.



The Differences Between MLA Style

and Chicago Style

You can choose from several writing and formatting styles when you write

your dissertation or thesis, including MLA Style and Chicago Style, also

called Turabian Style. Actually, you might not have the opportunity to

choose the formatting style for your paper: Your instructor might choose for

you.

If your professor wants you to choose the style for your paper, you will want

to follow a few guidelines. Most formal writing formats are similar, but you

will notice many slight differences between styles. It's important to take

some time to make sure you select the style that will best fit your paper's

subject matter.

Here are some of the differences between MLA Style and Chicago

(Turabian) Style.

I. SELECTIG A STYLE

1) MLA STYLE. Primarily, the Modern Language Association (MLA)

designed MLA Style for subjects related to the humanities and liberal arts,

such as literature, mass communications, and media studies. The MLA

oversees the development of MLA Style, and you can visit the organization's

website on the Internet for more information.

For undergraduate students, use the "MLA Handbook for Writers of

Research Papers" (sometimes shortened to MLA Handbook) as the guide to

following MLA Style. For graduate students and professionals, use the

"MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing" (sometimes



shortened to MLA Style Manual) to find official rules and guidelines for

MLA Style. Keep in mind that the latest version of the MLA Style Manual,

the third version, was recently released.

2) CHICAGO (TURABIA) STYLE. For the most part, Chicago

(Turabian) Style is designed to be a general style that works well for all

types of college students in all types of subjects.

The University of Chicago Press has created the "Chicago Manual of Style,"

which provides guidelines for citing sources and formatting papers. The 15th

edition is the latest edition. Kate Turabian, the dissertation secretary at the

University of Chicago for 30-plus years, created "A Manual for Writers of

Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations," to give students and researchers

additional guidelines. The sixth edition is the latest edition. The two styles

are nearly identical, with only a few differences, and they're often combined

to represent one style, as we've done here. Non-scholarly publications also

will make use of Chicago (Turabian) Style in magazines and newspapers.

If MLA Style just doesn't seem as though it will work for the subject matter

in your paper, you can make use of Chicago (Turabian) Style as a fallback.

(Keep in mind that APA Style is available, too, and it's primarily aimed at

subjects related to psychology and social sciences.)

II. THE DIFFERECES

If you still are unsure which style to use with your paper, one of the biggest

differences between MLA Style and Chicago (Turabian) Style involves in-

text citations. Chicago (Turabian) allows for footnotes and endnotes to cite

sources, while MLA does not.

With both styles, enclose the last name of the primary author in parentheses

in any in-text citation. That's where the similarities stop, though.



With MLA Style, you include the page number of the information you cited

along with the name of the author, but you do not include the year of

publication. Then include the full source citation in the Works Cited list at

the end of the paper.


advancements spur economic growth (Johnson 16).

With Chicago (Turabian) Style, you have two options. You can include an

in-text citation inside parentheses that includes the name of author, along

with the year of publication and the page numbers from which you took this

particular quote or idea. With this option, you must include a full

bibliography at the end of the paper.


advancements spur economic growth (Johnson 2007, 16).

You also can use full footnotes or endnotes within the text, thereby skipping

the bibliography at the end. Both styles require superscript numbers within

the text. Chicago Style (first example) does not require superscript numbers

with the note, but Turabian Style does (second example).

Some economists have indicated that technological advancements spur

economic growth.1

1. Thomas Johnson ...

1 Thomas Johnson ...



Keep in mind that the in-text citations only serve to give readers a chance to

find the complete information about the source in the Works Cited (MLA

Style) or bibliography (Chicago and Turabian Styles) at the end of the paper.

You'll also find some differences in the formatting of each footnote,

endnote, or bibliography entry in Chicago (Turabian) Style versus the Works

Cited page in MLA Style. However, those subtle differences are too

numerous to list here. Refer to the books listed above to find specific rules

for citing sources in a bibliography or Works Cited list.

continued



Section 3:

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in Chicago (Turabian) Style

Although college students can use several formatting styles to create a thesis

or dissertation, there's one style that works in almost every circumstance:

Chicago Style (also sometimes called Chicago Turabian Style). For a

general-assignment paper, Chicago Style works extremely well. Although

Chicago Style will work for a thesis or dissertation as well, your instructor

might want you to use another, more formal style that's designed specifically

for a thesis in a certain area of study. MLA Style, for example, works well

with areas of study in liberal arts, and APA Style works well with

psychological areas of study. Think of Chicago (Turabian) Style as a flexible

option for creating a thesis or dissertation that doesn't quite fit some of the

other style options.

Chicago Style requires following several rules for formatting the paper and

for listing the sources you used to create the paper. As you look the rules and

the large books devoted to Chicago Style, you might be intimidated. After

all, if the book describing how to follow Chicago (Turabian) Style is 900 or

more pages, how difficult is it for you to learn enough rules to formulate a

decent paper? It's not as difficult as it seems. Following Chicago Style

requires learning a few basic, common sense rules, and then applying slight

variations of those rules throughout your paper.

I. THE ORIGIATIO OF CHICAGO STYLE



The University of Chicago Press oversees the guidelines and rules for

Chicago (Turabian) Style. The main publication devoted to Chicago Style is

"The Chicago Manual of Style," which sometimes is abbreviated to CMS or

CMOS. The University of Chicago Press created the first Chicago Style

Manual in 1906, and the 15th edition appeared in 2003.

The Chicago Style Manual provides advice and guidelines for all aspects of

writing; it is not limited to creating formal papers. You'll find tips and rules

on grammar, correct usage of abbreviations, and proper punctuation in the

Chicago Style Manual. Beyond the printed edition of the Chicago Style

Manual, you can visit chicagomanualofstyle(dot)org on the Internet for more

information, including a "Quick Guide" to Chicago (Turabian) Style. The

Chicago Style Manual is available at the Web site for $55 in a print version

and $60 in an electronic version. You also can access the entire Chicago

Style Manual through the Web site with an annual $30 subscription fee.

As part of the Chicago Style is "A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,

Theses, and Dissertations," written by Kate L. Turabian. Tur

Documents

Writing Styles for College Students