• 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

      • 5.4.2: American Psychological Association (APA) Style

        • Formatting a Research Paper URL

          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

        • Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide Page

          Knowledge of Chicago style is not required for this course. You should review the material available through these pages to understand using the Chicago style to document sources.

      • 5.4.4: Comparing Documentation Styles

        • Activity: Comparing Documentation Styles Page

          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

        • Activity: Developing a Finished Draft Page

          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.