How To Format An Essay: Mla, Chicago, Apa

Posted: February 08, 2017 To: Study

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Essays vary depending on your field. With three different styles to consider, APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and the Chicago, these styles and format are used on specific types of study. These three studies are used in different formats of writing and are utilized in specific fields.

APA (American Psychological Association) style

APA originated in 1929 and is used in the field of Education, Sciences, and Psychology. This style follow common procedures that codifies the variety of components of writing scientifically that simplifies reading comprehension.

 This format follows rules and guidelines that publishers observe to make sure clarity and consistency in the presentation of your written output. The following are the unified elements used in the APA format:

  • Selection of headings
  • Tone
  • Punctuation
  • Abbreviations
  • Length
  • Construction of tables
  • Construction of figures
  • Presentation of numbers
  • Presentation of statistics
  • Citing references

Furthermore, the APA format follow a different way on in-text citations compared to other formats. This style usually includes the name of the author and the year of the publication whenever a writer cites a source. Meanwhile, page numbers are included in a citation whenever there’s a direct quotation.

It is important to follow these simple guidelines when writing in the APA format to avoid confusion, as well as having a clearer way of writing your essays.

MLA (Modern Language Association) style

The MLA format is a style format that is generally used in the field of Humanities, particularly in literature and language. This style features transitory parenthetical citations inside the text that is keyed to an alphabetical listing of works, found at the latter pages of the paper.

When using this type of format, it is crucial to cite the sources in a different way than APA style. In MLA, you include the author’s name and the page number, as compared to APA’s inclusion of the year.

Chicago style

The Chicago style is a type of documentation style is commonly used in the field of Fine Arts, History, and Business. Since its publication in the 1906 in the Chicago University Press, this documentation style of citation integrates the American English rule of grammar and punctuation. Normally, this style follows two documentation formats:

  • Notes and bibliography
  • Author-date

Selecting between the two formats usually depends on the nature of sources and/or the subject matter. Meanwhile, the two formats are generally preferred by a variety of scholarly groups. Furthermore, the notes and bibliography style is favored by numerous scholars in the field of humanities, counting the scholars in literature, arts, and history.

These three types of formatting styles are widely used in different essays, which are tailored to specific field. With these tools, starting that essay of yours will be easy and breezy. Just remember to always take note of the following guidelines needed when using a formatting style.

For APA, simply follow the instructions when using it while writing your Education, Sciences, or Psychology papers. For MLA, use this guide when writing your Humanities related essay. Lastly, use the Chicago style to when making your Fine Arts, History, or Business related research papers.

In addition, always apply the proper way of citing your sources to avoid the possibility of committing plagiarism. Always remember the importance of citing your sources because, as scholars, writers, or researchers, it is vital to respect the work of others rather than claiming it as your own. It is important to keep in mind that the value of your work will earn proper respect if you respect the work of others. Do not copy or forge any document or source, and always write with determination and integrity.