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1 Writing Styles for College Students Learn how to write and format in APA Style, MLA Style and Chicago Manual of Style published by

2 Writing Style for College Students 2 LEGAL NOTICE: The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this report, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Internet. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, the Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights of specific persons, peoples, or organizations are unintentional. In practical advice books, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of income made or improvement of skill. Readers are cautioned to reply on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly. This book is not intended for use as a source of legal, business, accounting or financial advice. All readers are advised to seek services of competent professionals in legal, business, accounting, and finance field. We encourage you to save or print this book for easy reading. You may freely distribute this ebook to others without prior permission from the publisher or author, as long as it is NOT altered and this ebook is distributed in its entirety. You may freely give away this ebook, bundle it with other products, give it away as a free bonus product, or link to to download this ebook. You may not sell this ebook for money. For more FREE e-books on writing and freelancing, visit

3 Writing Style for College Students 3 Peter Gallagher is a retired university professor and contributor for. He wrote "Writing Styles for College Students" to condense the most commonly asked questions about APA style, Chicago style, and MLA style.

4 Writing Style for College Students 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: APA 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 Section 2: MLA 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

5 Writing Style for College Students 5 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 Section 2: 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

6 Writing Style for College Students 6 Section 1: APA Style

7 Writing Style for College Students 7 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 ORIGI ATIO 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 The first formal APA Style book appeared in 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

8 Writing Style for College Students 8 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

9 Writing Style for College Students 9 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. FI DI G MORE A SWERS 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.

10 Writing Style for College Students 10 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

11 Writing Style for College Students 11 APA Citations : How to Cite Sources Inside APA Style Text When writing an APA Style paper, it s required that you properly cite any sources you ve 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 you re 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 intext 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, we ll focus on materials you ll 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.

12 Writing Style for College Students 12 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

13 Writing Style for College Students 13 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

14 Writing Style for College Students 14 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 author s name. If one isn t available, you can use an editor s name, simply listing it as you listed the author s name in the examples shown earlier. If no author s name or editor s name is available, just list the name of the organization or institution that s associated with the Web site, as shown in the following example. An economic organization s 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, you re 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 we ve already described, along with a little additional information.

15 Writing Style for College Students 15 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, you ll 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 isn t covered here, you can find the answer in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, which is the ultimate resource for APA Style.

16 Writing Style for College Students 16 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. It s worth noting that because APA Style allows for in-text citations, you ll 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, you ll 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. It s a good way to point the reader toward additional information. A copyright permission footnote

17 Writing Style for College Students 17 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

18 Writing Style for College Students 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. SECO D 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 it s 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

19 Writing Style for College Students 19 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) Main text continues as normal (indented). Third level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately follow the third heading. continued

20 Writing Style for College Students 20 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) Main text continues as normal (indented). Second Level of Heading (centered) Main text continues as normal (indented). Third Level of Heading (flush left) Main text continues as normal (indented). Fourth level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately follow the fourth heading.

21 Writing Style for College Students 21 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) Main text continues as normal (indented). Second Level of Heading (centered) Main text continues as normal (indented). Third Level of Heading (centered) Main text continues as normal (indented). Fourth Level of Heading (flush left) Main text continues as normal (indented). Fifth level of heading (indented). Main text should immediately follow the fifth heading.

22 Writing Style for College Students 22 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

23 Writing Style for College Students 23 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. * APPE DIX. 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.

24 Writing Style for College Students 24 * 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 A D 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. * REFERE CE 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 CO TE TS. 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

25 Writing Style for College Students 25 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

26 Writing Style for College Students 26 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: ABBREVIATIO S. 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: ALIG ME T. 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: FO T. 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: HYPHE ATIO. 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: I DE TIO S. 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.

27 Writing Style for College Students 27 Tip 6: MARGI S. 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 UMBERI G. 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: PARE THESES. 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: PU CTUATIO. 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

28 Writing Style for College Students 28 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: SPACI G. 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

29 Writing Style for College Students 29 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. CHOOSI G 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.

30 Writing Style for College Students 30 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 DIFFERE CES 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

31 Writing Style for College Students 31 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

32 Writing Style for College Students 32 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

33 Writing Style for College Students 33 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 WRITI G. 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. LA GUAGE TIPS.

34 Writing Style for College Students 34 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. REFERE CE LIST.

35 Writing Style for College Students 35 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 I STRUCTOR K OWS 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.

36 Writing Style for College Students 36 continued

37 Writing Style for College Students 37 Section 2: MLA Style

38 Writing Style for College Students 38 How to Start a Thesis or Dissertation 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 wellformatted 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 The Modern Language Association (MLA) published the third edition of the MLA Style Manual in 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

39 Writing Style for College Students 39 as a discussion group for literature and modern language. Today, several regional associations make up the MLA. II. WORKI G 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

40 Writing Style for College Students 40 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. FI DI G MORE A SWERS 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.

41 Writing Style for College Students 41 continued

42 Writing Style for College Students 42 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 CITATIO S. 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 I STRUCTOR'S I STRUCTIO S. 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 GUIDELI ES.

43 Writing Style for College Students 43 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. PROOFREADI G, 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,

44 Writing Style for College Students 44 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 don t inadvertently commit plagiarism. 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. TIP 7. FI AL 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.

45 Writing Style for College Students 45 continued

46 Writing Style for College Students 46 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 nontraditional 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

47 Writing Style for College Students 47 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. ational Public Radio. KPBS, Omaha, 25 May Radio. "African Economic Struggles." ews Hour. PBS. WPBS, ew York, 2 Apr Television. Transcript. continued

48 Writing Style for College Students 48 ILLUSTRATIO S 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. ew York: State University Press, Print. continued

49 Writing Style for College Students 49 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, State University, 20 Dec Web. 27 Jan < continued

50 Writing Style for College Students 50 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 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

51 Writing Style for College Students 51 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 CITATIO S

52 Writing Style for College Students 52 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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.

53 Writing Style for College Students 53 Some economists have indicated that technological 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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

54 Writing Style for College Students 54 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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

55 Writing Style for College Students 55 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

56 Writing Style for College Students 56 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.

57 Writing Style for College Students 57 Smith, Xavier Z. Working with a Fledgling Economy. ew York: State University Press, 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, DAI (2004): item DA Print. In MLA Style, you can abbreviate dissertation as "Diss", and master's thesis as either "MA thesis" or "MS thesis".

58 Writing Style for College Students 58 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): Johnson, Travis. "African Economic Viability." ew York Financial ewspaper 13 Jun. 2008: B3. Print. continued

59 Writing Style for College Students 59 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): 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." Economics Quarterly 2 (2008): "African Economic Viability." ew York Financial ewspaper 13 Jun. 2008: B3. Print.

60 Writing Style for College Students 60 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." Economics Quarterly 2 (2008): Johnson, Travis, and Smith, Xavier Z. "Economic Downturn in Africa." Economics Quarterly 4 (2008): " urturing a Fledgling Economy." ew York Financial ewspaper 19 Jan. 2008: B1. Print. continued

61 Writing Style for College Students 61 G) A O YMOUS 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. ew York Financial ewspaper 4 Feb. 2008: B7. continued

62 Writing Style for College Students 62 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, 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.

63 Writing Style for College Students 63 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 CO TE TS PAGE. If the paper is long enough to have sections, you may include a table of contents page. 8) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIO S A D 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

64 Writing Style for College Students 64 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 Economic Growth Economic Growth 2008 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) E D OTES. 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.

65 Writing Style for College Students 65 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) I DEX. 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

66 Writing Style for College Students 66 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. ALIG ME T. 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. BI DI G. 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. E D OTES A D FOOT OTES. 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. FO T. MLA Style calls for a 12-point font size, along with an easily readable font, such as Times New Roman. HEADI GS. In MLA Style, headings and subheads that break up the text are optional. Check with your instructor before using them.

67 Writing Style for College Students 67 I DE TIO S. You'll need to indent the first line of any paragraph by onehalf 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. MARGI S. 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 UMBERI G. 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. PU CTUATIO. 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

68 Writing Style for College Students 68 quotation block. You do not need to use quotation marks with a quotation block. SPACI G. 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. U DERLI I G. 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.

69 Writing Style for College Students 69 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. SELECTI G 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

70 Writing Style for College Students 70 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 DIFFERE CES 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 intext 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.

71 Writing Style for College Students 71 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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. Some economists have indicated that technological 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 Thomas Johnson... 1 Thomas Johnson...

72 Writing Style for College Students 72 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

73 Writing Style for College Students 73 Section 3: Chicago Style (Turabian Style)