From my understanding of what are the main differences between MLA and APA styles, I can say that MLA (Modern Language Association) is mostly identified as a parenthetical references style. This should be done in order to provide reference sources to quotation one makes in its work. APA style or the American Psychological Association is maily used within the field of social sciences. When writing a paper, some basics about APA style are to avoid all first person pronouns or points of view. However, in my BA thesis, I was told to write a brief introduction about the choices I made for writing the thesis. As a consequence, I must use my personal point of view. Therefore, my question is whether or not a personal point of view would be accepted for a brief introduction in one of the two styles. Another difference I noticed between the two styles is that, when writing titles of books or periodicals in a reference list, while the APA mostly admits the Italics, for MLA underling is preferable. For example, for my BA thesis I used APA style in the reference list.
See you soon
Bye bye Arianna
See you soon
Bye bye Arianna
Hello Arianna!
RispondiEliminaI think it is not easy to learn how to use these two referencing styles. It is not an easy subject to handle. However, we have to do it since it is very important to avoid plagiarism. I think that we (Italians) have never thought too much about this problem. Indeed, it becomes a problem if you use indiscriminately other people’s works and efforts. This is my personal opinion but someone else can think the right opposite!
As far as language is concerned, I have to point something out to you.
• You wrote “This should be done in order to…” but ‘This’ what? I think it is better to write ‘This style should be used…’ as in this way the sentence becomes clearer.
• In the same sentence ‘quotations’ instead of “quotation”.
• I wouldn’t write “APA style or the American Psychological Association…” because it seems that you are talking about two different styles. Furthermore, since few lines before you described what MLA style is through the use of parenthesis, I’d use parenthesis again in order to avoid confusion. I’d write: ‘APA style (American Psychological Association) is…’.
• ‘Mainly’ and not “maily”.
• You used three conjuncts in three successive sentences. “However”, “As a consequence” and “Therefore”. I think that they make your post too much heavy to read. I’d delete at least one of the three.
• You wrote “my question is whether or not…”. I’d simplify writing ‘I wonder whether…’.
• In the next-to-last sentence you used “while” preceded by a comma but conjuncts are never preceded by commas. Furthermore, that last sentence is not clearly constructed in my opinion.
I hope my corrections aren’t wrong and if they aren’t that they will be helpful for you! Bye
Chiara ;-)