ENG 410 Rhetoric for Writers (Duffy)

MLA (Modern Language Association) style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages.

• As with any citation stystem using it correctly protects the writer from accusations of plagiarism.  Proper citation builds credibility to the paper by demonstrating accountability to source material.

Here are some links that will help you cite sources in MLA:

Information about the 9th edition of the MLA Style Handbook can be found in the MLA Style Center, including A Quick Guide to Works Cited, What's New and Ask the MLA

MLA instructions from Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL) - 9th ed.

APA (American Psychological Association) is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. 

• When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, E.g., (Jones, 1998), and a complete reference should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

  If you are referring to an idea from another work but NOT directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference.

  APA style requires authors to use the past tense or present perfect tense when using signal phrases to describe earlier research. E.g., Jones (1998) found or Jones (1998) has found...
   
• As with any citation system using it correctly protects the writer from accusations of plagiarism. As mentioned earlier in this guide proper citation builds credibility to the paper by demonstrating accountability to source material.
  If you are asked to use APA format, be sure to consult the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition
   
• Helpful resource: APA Style Guide  Purdue University OWL (Online Writing Lab) style guide for APA

You may also wish to visit the APA Style blog at http://blog.apastyle.org/, where the publishers interact with readers daily to clarify difficult points of style, or these resources on the APA website:

• APA Style Webinars and Tutorials

  Webinars and tutorials created by the American Psychological Association

• APA Style Handouts and Guides

  PDF format instructional aids for learning APA Style, created by the American Psychological Association