5.4: Standard Style and Documentation Systems
There are several widely used style standards. Each of these is preferred in a different set of disciplines. Unless you are taking this course to prepare a research paper for another course that requires a different style standard, you should use MLA style to prepare your research paper for this course.
5.4.1: Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
Read this section and complete the exercises, which will help you properly cite sources in your research paper.
5.4.2: American Psychological Association (APA) Style
Read this section and complete the exercises, which walk you through the steps of APA formatting. Knowledge of APA style is not required for this course. You should review the material available through these pages so that you can get a general understanding about using APA style to document sources for reference papers in the sciences.
5.4.3: The Chicago Manual of Style
Knowledge of Chicago style is not required for this course. You should review the material available through these pages so that you can get a general understanding about using Chicago style to document sources.
5.4.4: Comparing Documentation Styles
Select three sources that you investigated when you began researching your paper and format them in accordance with MLA bibliographic style. Then, reformat them in accordance with APA and Chicago style. In three short paragraphs, compare and contrast the resulting sets of entries.
5.4.5: Unit 5 Activity
Use the outline and research notes that you have compiled to develop the draft of a research paper of 1200 to 1500 words (approximately five double-spaced pages).
In Unit 6, after you have finalized your research and completed the full draft, you will have the opportunity to review and revise your work to make it as polished as you can.