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Quick Start to Research

Guiding you through the research process.

Writing Style Guides

Your professor will tell you a style in which to write your paper.  The most common styles are  MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association).

MLA is often used for English papers and in the Humanities.

APA is often used in Social Sciences and Health Careers.

These styles are very different, so know which one you are supposed to use.

Remember to ask a librarian if you need help.

MLA Style

Find tips and a style guide at the MLA website.

Check out the online MLA citation and writing style guideline from Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) using the link below.

How to Format a Paper Using MLA Style

Learn the basics of formatting a paper, using in-text citations, and creating a bibliography. Use the websites above or refer to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers for examples of how to cite different types of sources.

MLA Paper Example

You can view this MLA example with recommendations on the Purdue OWL website by clicking the link above.

APA Style

The APA Style website is very helpful in explaining their citation format.

Also check Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) for APA writing and style guidelines.

Formatting a Paper using APA Style (7th ed)

APA Style Examples

APA Lite first page