There are various styles which are used for the documentation of research data. The style is determined mostly by the preferences of the subject area and sometimes as per the preference of the instructor. MLA style of writing is mainly used for English language and literature. Many other arts subjects and cultural studies also use MLA style for the documentation purposes. In order to successfully prepare an MLA style research paper, you must know the basics aspects of this documentation style.

MLA style of documentation or writing was developed by the Modern Language Association of America to suit the specific requirements of writing on literature topics. It is one of the simplest of the lot and gives a lot of liberty to the writer. This was designed to be so, keeping in mind, the need for the writing in literature to be easy and free-flowing. But due to its simplicity of nature it is much easier to understand and work on. For the same reason it is preferred not only by literature but also many other subjects. Art students are usually asked to write their first few research papers in MLA style because it is a style that is rather easy to comprehend. This style is not much preferred by science subjects due to the lenient rules of writing and documentation which doesn’t suit the precise nature of science.

Each of the specific aspects of research paper writing has been clearly covered in the MLA style guidelines. While writing a research paper in MLA format, it is necessary to keep a manual of the style, in handy. You will need to refer to it while preparing the various parts of the research paper to make sure that you have got all the instruction right.

The methods used for research paper citations is one of the most important parts of the rules of all documentation methods. MLA style research papers also follow a unique method of citing the sources. It has a long list of the various types of research paper sources and clear instructions on how to cite them in your MLA style research paper. It is absolutely necessary that you follow these guidelines while citing your sources in order to avoid plagiarism charges.

Since MLA style is a rather flexible one, you must study the guidelines properly to determine the research paper requirements of that particular project. Most assignments let the students format their research paper according to the instructions given in the style manual. But you will also come across certain assignments which ask for alterations in the basic rules of the style. This would be with due consideration to the requirements of the particular project and the preference of the instructor. You must adhere to these instructions and wherever not specified, you must go by the instructions given in the MLA style manual.

An MLA style research paper is not difficult to format. But it is always time-consuming to write according to certain rules. Since you cannot take a chance with the format of your research paper, you must make sure that you have done it perfectly. If you are tight for time you can opt to get professional help to format your research paper in MLA style.

APA or the American Psychological Association has developed a particular style of documentation which is known as the APA style. This is widely used for the documentation purposes of research findings in subjects like sociology. This style has strict guidelines on the methods of formatting the research paper. The method of citing the sources used for the research is also unique for APA style.

APA style uses in-text citations, also known as parenthetical references. The details to be given in the in-text citations include the surname of the author as well as the year of publication. This appears right next to the cited information. The information is to be separated from the text by brackets. If you are directly quoting a paragraph, you will need to include the page number also in the in-text citation. Separate the information using commas. This style of citation is also known as the author-date system referring to the information given on the author and the date of publication.

A references list is to be attached to the end of the research paper. This has to be a separate page, unlike an MLA style research paper where the works cited page can be a continuation of the research paper. The heading should be given as ‘References’. Giving appropriate heading is absolutely necessary while citing sources because each style has its own unique method of doing it. The sources used should be listed under this heading. The list should be arranged in the alphabetical order with reference to the last names of the authors. Use double-spacing between lines. The pattern to be used for the reference page would be: Author, (date of publication), Title of the book, Place of publishing: Publisher, Page number.

APA style does not permit the use of footnotes for the purpose of citing the sources. That is one aspect that sets the style apart from the other documentation styles. It does allow the use of footnotes for the purpose of giving additional information on the discussed matter but while using footnotes, you should make sure that you don’t accidentally include any bibliographic information in it.

Even though these are the methods for citing articles and books, the method of citing other sources like internet sources, television documentaries or interviews would be different. It is necessary that you keep the respective style manual in hand for reference while handling a research paper assignment. It will not be enough to have it in your school library as you might need to refer to it at various stages of your research paper writing.

You also need to pay attention to the assignment guidelines and the instructions given regarding any alterations in the citation methods suggested by the style manual. Each instructor would have his or her own preferences regarding the formatting and citation of the research paper. The guidelines should be your first concern while citing the sources. If there are no specifications regarding the citation in your assignment guidelines, then you should follow the instructions in the style manual for the purpose of formatting your research paper.