Citation Game: APA and MLA Citations Welcome to the Citation Game! Here you will play an interactive game and learn how to correctly format APA or MLA citations for some of the most commonly used citation types. You won’t find every type within this game, but you can always go to the resources listed below for more information. We will add more types of citation, so be sure to come back and play often. INSTRUCTIONS: Before you begin, please print out the two Review sheets: the APA review sheet (or as a pdf) and the MLA review sheet (or as a pdf) to use while playing this game. Using the Citation Game Index box on the right, click on a citation formation that you would like to learn. Note: You won't be scored on the alignment. To learn more about citation, go here for more sources: APA and MLA Citation Sources
Annotated Bibliographies from UNC What this handout is about This handout will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation. Introduction Welcome to the wonderful world of annotated bibliographies! Why do an annotated bibliography? One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. An annotated bibliography provides specific information about each source you have used. What does an annotated bibliography do? A good annotated bibliography: What elements might an annotation include? The first four elements above are usually a necessary part of the annotated bibliography. Did you know that annotations have categories and styles? Decisions, decisions Combination
Why Is There a Specific APA Style? APA Style® was established to codify the many components of scientific writing to facilitate clear communication and has enabled psychologists and scholars in other social and behavioral sciences to enhance the dissemination of knowledge in their respective fields. APA Style focuses on the needs and guidelines established in psychology and other social and behavioral sciences and does not cover general rules explained in widely available style books and examples of usage with little relevance to the behavioral and social sciences. Among the most helpful general guides to editorial style are Words into Type (Skillin & Gay, 1974) and the Chicago Manual of Style (University of Chicago Press, 2005). Style manuals agree more often than they disagree. Where they disagree, the Publication Manual, because it is based on the special requirements of psychology, takes precedence for APA publications.
Why Is APA Style Needed? Uniform style helps us scan articles quickly for key points and findings. Rules of style in scientific writing encourage full disclosure of essential information and allow us to dispense with minor distractions. Style helps us express the key elements of quantitative results, choose the graphic form that will best suit our analyses, report critical details of our research protocol, and describe individuals with accuracy and respect. When we use an editorial style, we remove the distraction of puzzling over the correct punctuation for a reference or the proper form for numbers in text. Those elements are codified in the rules we follow for clear communication, allowing us to focus our intellectual energy on the substance of our research (Foreword, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed., p. xiii). An author writing for a publication must follow the rules established by the publisher to avoid inconsistencies among journal articles or book chapters.