Quick and Easy Guide to Formatting Styles for College Papers

College papers should adhere to specific formatting styles in order to be taken seriously by your teacher and peers. A quick and easy guide to these formats can help you get an A+ on your next paper, or at least avoid getting docked points off your grade.

Whether you are writing in MLA, APA, or Chicago style, this guide will walk you through all the steps you need to take to format your college paper.

Read Also; How to format papers using APA

Basic Citing

Citing sources is an important part of college writing. Not only does it give credit to the original author, but it also allows your reader to follow up on the information you are presenting. MLA, APA, and Chicago are the most common citation styles. Here is a quick overview of each.

1) The Modern Language Association (MLA) style uses parentheses and commas in its citations. Most often seen in English and language studies papers, this style has a parenthetical citation format that identifies both the date of publication and the page number where readers can find the quote or information in question. For example: (Jones 2017).

2) The American Psychological Association (APA) uses brackets around citations. Often used in psychology and social sciences papers, this style features a parenthetical citation format that identifies both the date of publication and the page number where readers can find the quote or information in question. For example:

3) The Chicago Manual of Style uses square brackets around citations. Often used in humanities research, this style features a parenthetical citation format that identifies both the date of publication and the author’s last name followed by the year published within parentheses.

Unlike the other two styles, this Chicago does not require a page number. For example: (Jones 1997). MLA-style documents include a list of works cited at the end of the paper. In contrast, APA-style lists all references at the end of the paper with no special formatting.

Finally, Chicago-style lists all references at the end of every chapter with no special formatting. In sum, use whichever style best suits your assignment–and do not forget to cite! If you need help deciding which style to use, look up your school’s required citation style.

Additionally, many academic journals provide their own guidelines for appropriate documentation styles. Always double-check your instructor’s requirements before starting your document to avoid potential complications!

Why Should You Bother?

Being able to format your paper correctly is important because it shows that you are able to follow directions and that you are taking the assignment seriously. Plus, being able to correctly format your paper can make it look more professional, which can give you a leg up when it comes time to grade it.

Finally, knowing how to format different types of papers can come in handy outside of college as well. For example, if you have an internship coming up or plan on applying for jobs in the future, employers will often require a cover letter and resume along with a formal business letter.

MLA (Modern Language Association)

MLA is the most common formatting style for college papers. This guide will show you how to format your paper in MLA style. In MLA style, papers are double-spaced and the first line of each paragraph is indented five spaces.

All margins should be one inch. The title should be centered on the page and typed in 12-point, Times New Roman font. Below the title should be a one-inch margin and it should include the author name(s), course name, and date submitted.

The list of works cited starts on a new page, which is also one inch from the top of the page. Works cited must use endnotes or footnotes and are listed alphabetically by the author’s last name (or authors’ last names).

References are always single-spaced with no extra spaces between entries. An entry looks like this: Gilligan, J. (1982). If there is more than one work by an author, just put Gilligan, J. again followed by the year published. References go at the end of your essay after all other sources and before any appendixes.

APA (American Psychological Association)

The APA format is most commonly used in the social sciences. It lays out specific guidelines for how to format your paper, including margins, spacing, and font size. In-text citations are also formatted according to APA guidelines.

You should use a parenthetical citation that includes the author’s last name and publication date in parentheses after a quote or paraphrase that you have taken from them. For example: (Smith 2015).

When citing an outside source, there will be no need to provide any information other than the author’s last name and the year of publication. For example: Smith (2015) outlines four different types of unsafe attachment styles: preoccupied, fearful avoidant, dismissive-avoidant, and secure.

Acronyms/ Abbreviations

In academic writing, there are a few different style guides that students can choose to follow. The most common formatting styles are MLA, APA, and Chicago. Each of these has their own specific guidelines for how to format a paper. If your instructor gives you more detailed instructions on the exact type of formatting they want, please do not hesitate to ask them!

In-Text Citations in APA Style

All in-text citations should include the author’s last name and the date of publication. If you’re quoting directly from the source, you’ll also need to include the page number. In APA style, all of this information is placed in parentheses at the end of the relevant sentence. For example: (Smith, 2019, p. 23).

Note that there are no commas between the year and the page number; just leave a space. Keep your references as close as possible to the text they refer to so readers can easily find them. Remember that citation styles vary by discipline, so be sure to check your professor’s guidelines if they ask for something different.

Works Cited Page

MLA, APA, and Chicago are the most common citation styles used in college papers. Depending on your professor’s preference, you may be required to use one of these styles or a combination of them. MLA is most commonly used in the humanities, while APA is most commonly used in the social sciences.

Chicago is most commonly used in history papers. Some professors also require that students cite their sources within the text as well as at the end of their paper, but others will only want citations at the end. These variations depend on what kind of paper it is and what style your professor prefers.

If your professor wants a Works Cited page, then all the information should go there with an alphabetical order by author (if multiple authors).

The citation should have the full name followed by the date of publication. If your professor wants citations inside the text then they can appear after each sentence or paragraph with an in-text citation followed by an end-of-text citation. Make sure you know which style is being requested!

What if I Forget Something?

Do not worry! There are plenty of resources available to help you out. The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great place to start. They have a section on formatting that can help you with MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.

If you are still having trouble, ask your professor or TA for help. And do not forget: you can always go back and edit anything in your paper later so do not panic if it is not perfect the first time around. Remember, this is just one part of the process. Your content should be focused on answering your research question.

There Are No Dumb Questions

When it comes to college papers, there is no such thing as a dumb question! Whether you are unsure about MLA or APA format, or you need help with in-text citations, there are resources available to help you.

Do not be afraid to ask your professor or a librarian for assistance. There are many great articles on the internet that can answer any questions you may have.

The style guides themselves will also provide useful information. Remember that formatting styles can vary from field to field, so make sure you know what style your professor prefers before creating a paper.

There is nothing worse than spending hours on end perfecting an essay only to find out that it needs to be formatted differently than what you’ve been doing all semester long!