MLA and APA Research Paper Guidelines

MLA (Modern Language Association) and APA (American Psychological Association) are two ways of designing, structuring, and presenting research papers. Each of these formats has very specific rules that dictate the appearance of the paper (spacing, margins) and the proper use and handling of other people’s property (words and ideas from your sources). Careful attention to these guidelines is CRITICAL to avoid accusations of plagiarism (academic theft).

MLA guidelines are used primarily for papers written in humanities courses—English, Literature, Art, Music. APA guidelines are used primarily for papers written in social science, technology, medical, and scientific courses—nursing, education, engineering, etc.). Whenever a course requires you to submit written assignments, be sure to ask the instructor at the beginning of the course which format he or she requires and then dedicate yourself to following that format EXACTLY! (follow it to the period, comma, capital lettering, and spacing specifications).

You may choose either format for the research paper due in our course. My advice is to practice the format you will most likely use in upper-division college and graduate school courses.

For MLA—Please browse, read, study the following links and items:

MLA Overview (Formatting and Style Guide) from the OWL at Purdue University

MLA Sample Paper from the OWL at Purdue University

MLA Sample Paper—the “Orlav Paper”--from the Bedford/St. Martins Press

MLA Sample Student Paper Witches Misunderstood

MLA Quick Reference Guidelines from our SCC Library

The Hubble Sequence

OLD MLA example --the "Daly Paper"—old MLA format (URL’s—no “Web” no “Print”)

For APA—Please browse, read, study the following links and items:

APA Overview (Formatting and Style Guide) from the OWL at Purdue University

APA Sample Paper from the OWL at Purdue University—the “Angeli Paper”

APA Sample Paper from the Bedford/St. Martins Press—the “Shaw Paper”