The Difference between Modern Language Association and American Psychological Association Referencing Styles and Their Importance in Avoiding Plagiarism
Introduction
Modern Language Association (MLA ) and American Psychological Association (APA) style provides writers with guidelines for formatting manuscripts, a system used to reference sources using parenthetical citations in their work cited pages (Prude OWL,2015).APA is mainly used by science writers in referencing citations ,it is commonly used in citing sources within the social sciences while MLA is majorly used by academicians or instructors in humanities in discussing languages and literature (Prude OWL,2015).
Differences between APA and MLA can be observed through; the field of study, MLA style is mainly used in humanities fields to write about language and literature. APA style was crafted by American Psychological Association and is mainly used by writers in the social and behavioral sciences (Whitney, 2015).
Layout shows the in; the physical appearance of papers with APA and MLA utilization. While an APA paper will always have at the beginning of the document a title page, then an abstract (a brief description of the document). MLA style paper has a title page under special circumstances. Bodies also differ in the sense that, according to the “Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association,” Sixth Edition, you should set off quotes longer than 40 words by indenting them one tab space. In MLA, quotes that continue for more than four lines are indented two tab spaces.
Citations also shows difference in the two style; In APA, the reference page has the word “References” at the top, in MLA, references are found on a “Works Cited” page. Throughout the bodies of writers work as you cite in MLA style includes last name of the author and the page numbered of the cited work is found. In APA, citations author’s last name and the year of publication the citation is called in-text citations.
Lastly, Visual aspect precisely shows that; MLA is concise and simple and avoids lofty language or visual aids like graphs and charts. The aim of APA style is to highlighting intellectual ideas, regardless of the devices used. Therefore, in APA the document mostly has addenda.
This two styles aim at avoiding plagiarism by helping to give credit where it deserves. They standardize academic writing and hence other people reading the manuscript can easily know how to find key points this helps avoid confusion to the academic writers and forms basis for discussion. Uniform style helps us scan articles quickly for key points and findings while encouraging full disclosure of essential information and allow readers to dispense with minor distractions (Canales, 2013).
APA (2015) explains that, styles helps a writer express elements in qualitative results, choose best graphic for analyses, report critical issues of research protocol, and describe individuals accurately.
Conclusion
This essay establishes that MLA and APA are useful to writers in avoiding plagiarisms and they also help in setting standards to be met by various writers thus uniformity of work done .Rules of style has helped limit confusion among users of the manuscripts.
References
American Psychological Association (2015). Why is APA Style needed? Retrieved from http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/why-apastyle-needed.aspx .
American Psychological Association (2015) .Why is APA Style Needed. Retrieved from http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/why-apastyle-needed.aspx
Kyle Whitney (2015).What Is the Main Difference Between MLA and APA Form of Citation? Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/main-differencebetween- mla-apa-form citation-1431.html
Prude Online Writing Lab (2015).APA Style. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
Prude Online Writing Lab (2015).MLA Style. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/11/
Tatiana Canales (2013, August 15). Why is MLA or APA formatting important? (I know why citing sources is important, curious about why the official formats are.).Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Why-is-MLA-or-APA- formattingimportant-I-know-why-citing-sources-is-important-curious-about-why the-official-formats-are