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MLA and APA Crash Course 1101
3
MLA & APA: Crash Course
ENC1101
Fall 2019
The Official Guides
Introduction
What Is MLA Style?
MLA (Modern Language Association) Style is a system for documenting information most often used by those working in the humanities, specifically English literature and language, cultural studies, and foreign languages.
MLA Style
MLA Style, just like any other citation style, is important because it creates both consistency and clarity in research across different disciplines.
General Formatting
Basic Formatting
- Use a legible, 12-pt. font, such as Times New Roman.
- Maintain double spacing throughout, even on the Works Cited page.
- Set the margins to 1" on all sides.
- Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that numbers all pages consecutively. Put your last name before the page number. TIP: Insert the page number function first before writing your last name, otherwise your last name will be deleted when you insert the page number (Word is cranky like that sometimes!).
- If you have any Endnotes, put them on a separate page before your Works Cited page.
- Print your work on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
What Is APA Style?
APA (American Psychological Association) style is an editorial style first developed in 1929 by a group of psychologists, anthropologists, and business managers ("About APA Style," 2018). It is most often used by those working in the social and behavioral sciences.
APA Style
Like MLA style, APA style ensures clarity, consistency, professionalism, and precision across the work of different researchers.
General Formatting
General Formatting
- Use a clear and readable font, such as 12 pt. Times New Roman.
- Maintain double spacing throughout, even on the References page.
- Set the margins to 1" on all sides.
- Include a page header (also known as a "running head") at the top of every page. This header will contain the title of your paper in all caps (flush left) and page numbers (flush right). Your cover page will include the words "Running head" before your title.
- The four major paper sections include: the title page, abstract, main body, and references.
- Each section will begin on a new page.
- Print your work on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
In-text Citations
In-text citations, also called parenthetical citations, are an important component of both MLA and APA style. These are citations that appear within the body of your paper.
In-text Citations
In both styles, the author's name may appear in the signal phrase that introduces your direct quote or paraphrase, or it may appear in the in-text citation following the direct quote or paraphrase. The page number (if there is one), however, should always appear in the parenthetical. The major difference between MLA and APA style when it comes to in-text citations is that APA requires the date.
Why might APA in-text citations be in author-date format?
MLA Style In-text Citations:
The Importance of Signal Phrases
MLA Style
Signal phrases introduce direct quotations and paraphrased material by providing context to situate your reader and prepare them for the information to follow. Never begin a sentence with a quotation! Always lead in with a signal phrase to give necessary background for your source material.
Felski states, "Everyday life is above all a temporal term. As such, it conveys the fact of repetition; it refers not to the singular or unique but to that which happens 'day after day'" (18).
As a temporal term, everyday life "conveys the fact of repetition; it refers not to the singular or unique but to that which happens 'day after day'" (Felski 18).
Citing Indirect Sources
These are situations in which a source is cited in another source. Use the abbreviation "qtd. in" to indicate that the source appears in another source.
Citing Indirect Sources
Hamilton states that "over a period of 22 years, we found significantly more species, and a higher number of birds, in wastewater ponds" (qtd. in Levy 348).
Citing Electronic Sources
According to Mims, "Manatees roam the waters of southeast Florida from April through October."
Manatees typically "roam the waters of southeast Florida from April through October" (Mims).
Citing Electronic Sources
According to "The 2018 Social Audience Guide," over 2.8 billion people around the world use social media.
Over 2.8 billion people around the world use social media ("The 2018 Social Audience Guide").
For All Sources
- Use author, date format.
- If there is no author, use the title of the work (i.e. whatever is the first bit of information for the entry on the References page).
- If there is no date, use the abbreviation "n.d."
- If you are directly quoting from a work and it has page numbers, use the abbreviation "p.", followed by the page number(s), for further reference.
APA Style
Example of citation with author named in signal phrase (a narrative citation): According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time" (p. 199).
Example of citation with author not named in signal phrase (a parenthetical ciation): She stated, "Students often had difficulty using APA style" (Jones, 1998, p. 199), but she did not offer an explanation as to why.
Works Cited or References Page
Works Cited or References Page
General Formatting
Works Cited
- Begin your Works Cited page on a separate sheet at the end of your paper.
- Title the page Works Cited, centered at the top; do not bold, underline, or italicize.
- Maintain double spacing.
- Do not add an extra space after each entry.
- Create a hanging indent (this is when all but the first line of each entry is indented by 0.5").
- Alphabetize entries.
Core Elements & Containers
As the MLA Style Center explains, "Each entry in the list of works cited is composed of facts common to most works—the MLA core elements. They are assembled in a specific order" ("Works Cited: Quick Guide").
Containers
The eighth edition of MLA style, which was released in 2016, emphasizes the concept of containers. The MLA Style Center describes this content as such: "When the source being documented forms part of a larger whole, the larger whole can be thought of as a container that holds the source" ("Works Cited: Quick Guide").
General Formatting
References
- General APA style formatting applies.
- All entries should be indented a half inch after the first line (hanging indent).
- Author's or authors' last names are fully spelled out, but use only the initial of their first and middle (if applicable) names.
- Alphabetize entries.
- Start with the first bit of information you have for the source.
- Do not add an extra space between entries
- Maintain the punctuation and capitalization that is used by the journal in its title, and italicize.
- Use sentence case (only first word is capitalized) when referring to books, chapters, articles, or web pages. Do not use quotation marks.
Author Rules:
Print & Electronic
One author:
Two authors:
Author Rules
Three to seven authors:
More than seven authors:
Organization as author:
Let's Practice!
One of the best things you can do to become more proficient in citation and documentation is to simply practice. After all, practice makes perfect.
So...let's get to it!
Let's Practice!
In pairs, complete the MLA and APA citation style worksheet. Use your textbook to help you find the correct template for each source. Pay careful attention to the differences between MLA and APA!
Additional Resources
The Writing Center's DSC InfoGuide on MLA Style: https://library.daytonastate.edu/citation/MLA
The Writing Center's DSC InfoGuide on APA Style: https://library.daytonastate.edu/citation/APA
Resources
Purdue OWL APA Style Guide:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
Purdue OWL MLA Style Guide:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
The Official MLA Style Center:
https://style.mla.org/