Basics About Citation Style (AP, APA, Chicago, MLA)
Citing sources is an essential part of academic and professional writing. It shows that you have researched your topic thoroughly and incorporated information from credible sources. Different fields and disciplines use various citation styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP. Here’s a brief explanation of each style.
APA (American Psychological Association)
APA is the most commonly used citation style in the social sciences. It emphasizes the author and date of the source and includes a reference list at the end of the document. APA also provides guidelines for formatting and organizing papers, including specific instructions for headings, in-text citations, and references.
MLA (Modern Language Association)
MLA is popularly used in humanities, including literature, language, and cultural studies. It emphasizes the author and page number of the source, and works cited appear at the end of the document. MLA also has specific guidelines for formatting and organizing papers, including headings, in-text citations, and the works cited page.
Chicago
Chicago is used in various fields such as history, art, and literature. It has two variations: Chicago Notes-Bibliography and Chicago Author-Date. The Notes-Bibliography style is commonly used in the humanities and social sciences, while the Author-Date style is used in the sciences. Both variations include citations in endnotes or footnotes and a bibliography at the end of the document.
AP (Associated Press)
AP is a citation style used primarily for journalistic writing. It emphasizes the name of the source (if known) and the author (if available) and includes a bibliography at the end of the document. The AP style also includes specific guidelines for formatting newspapers, magazines, and other media.
Conclusion
Citation styles are an essential aspect of academic and professional writing. It helps writers acknowledge the sources they used and makes it easier for readers to locate the original information. Each style has its own set of rules and guidelines, so it’s essential to choose the style that best suits the requirements of your document or field of study. Make sure to follow the guidelines correctly and be consistent in your citation style throughout your writing to make it professional and credible.
