Hi everybody!
During last week, I explored two websites about two different referencing formats commonly used internationally: the APA and MLA. I was able to reflect on the main striking differences that I want to point out here.
First of all I noticed a general difference in parenthetical in-text citation. When using APA format, one should follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication of the source should appear in the text while MLA style requires you to mention just the author and page number(s).
A second difference concerns the authors’ citation. While the APA style lists all authors giving their last names and first initials, the MLA style provides the names of authors exactly as given on the work, and for more than three authors, gives only the first author or you may list all authors named in the work.
A third difference is related to titles, which are italicized, with a capitalisation of the first word in the APA system, and underlined and capitalized in the MLA system..
As far as the publication of information is concerned, the APA style uses full publishers’ names while the MLA style prefers abbreviations and descriptive words. If several places of publications are listed, the APA adds the abbreviation of the city less known while the MLA provides only the first place of a list.
As regards to periodical elements, the APA style lists the first page and additional ones while the MLA style lists the first page, followed by + to indicate that additional pages.
A further difference is about the dates. In the APA they always follow the author's name while in the MLA they're placed at the end of the citation.
Finally, in the APA style just the first line of each entry is indented whereas in the MLA style the first line of each entry is attached to the left margin, and the rest of the citation is indented.
When I wrote my BA thesis, I wasn’t aware of these two different formats, and I had unconsciously combined the two. I put my titles in italics with the first word capitalised, as the APA style suggests. When I had to write in-text citations I put the author's name, the date and the number of the page after a colon in parenthesis. As far as the references are concerned, I listed the author's name, the date of publication, the title in italics, the place of publication, the publisher, and the number of pages or the chapter(s) involved in my study. I remember that I made reference to other pieces of academic papers, and books in order to find the appropriate format for my thesis, so I hadn’t a clear idea and I didn’t know about these two international referencing styles.
Even if during my University career I usually write academic papers, I have to admit that I find referencing style not so easy to use, as it can be confusing to find a proper format for each different subject. After having read the two websites I feel more confident, as in case of doubt I can make reference to these specific rules.
I hope that this little study on formats will be helpful for my future thesis too.
Bye
Anna
During last week, I explored two websites about two different referencing formats commonly used internationally: the APA and MLA. I was able to reflect on the main striking differences that I want to point out here.
First of all I noticed a general difference in parenthetical in-text citation. When using APA format, one should follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication of the source should appear in the text while MLA style requires you to mention just the author and page number(s).
A second difference concerns the authors’ citation. While the APA style lists all authors giving their last names and first initials, the MLA style provides the names of authors exactly as given on the work, and for more than three authors, gives only the first author or you may list all authors named in the work.
A third difference is related to titles, which are italicized, with a capitalisation of the first word in the APA system, and underlined and capitalized in the MLA system..
As far as the publication of information is concerned, the APA style uses full publishers’ names while the MLA style prefers abbreviations and descriptive words. If several places of publications are listed, the APA adds the abbreviation of the city less known while the MLA provides only the first place of a list.
As regards to periodical elements, the APA style lists the first page and additional ones while the MLA style lists the first page, followed by + to indicate that additional pages.
A further difference is about the dates. In the APA they always follow the author's name while in the MLA they're placed at the end of the citation.
Finally, in the APA style just the first line of each entry is indented whereas in the MLA style the first line of each entry is attached to the left margin, and the rest of the citation is indented.
When I wrote my BA thesis, I wasn’t aware of these two different formats, and I had unconsciously combined the two. I put my titles in italics with the first word capitalised, as the APA style suggests. When I had to write in-text citations I put the author's name, the date and the number of the page after a colon in parenthesis. As far as the references are concerned, I listed the author's name, the date of publication, the title in italics, the place of publication, the publisher, and the number of pages or the chapter(s) involved in my study. I remember that I made reference to other pieces of academic papers, and books in order to find the appropriate format for my thesis, so I hadn’t a clear idea and I didn’t know about these two international referencing styles.
Even if during my University career I usually write academic papers, I have to admit that I find referencing style not so easy to use, as it can be confusing to find a proper format for each different subject. After having read the two websites I feel more confident, as in case of doubt I can make reference to these specific rules.
I hope that this little study on formats will be helpful for my future thesis too.
Bye
Anna
Hi Anna!
RispondiEliminaThank you very much for your comment on my blog and for the corrections you made to my post.
Your post is very clear and I appreciate that you have underlined with a different colour the key-words of your post.
Concerning the language you made very few mistakes and I have only few suggestions:
-omit the "the": "during last week" rather than "during the last week"
-after "the Apa and the MLA..." I would put a full stop.
-"the year of pubblication of the source" instead of "the year of pubblication for the source"
-"a further difference" instead of "an additional difference"
See you tomorrow
Cristina
...second part of the comment
RispondiEliminaOther suggestions:
-you forgot the Saxon genitive: "follow the author's name" instead of "follow the author name"
-I don't understand exactly what are you meaning with this sentence: "as it can be confusing to find a proper format for each different subject"
Bye
Cri