Citation Styles

For those not lucky enough to be using Word 07, it is necessary to understand each citation style and the unique referencing criteria for each source type. A basic understanding of this is also a good idea even for those who are using Word 07. This is an overview, for very specific citation details and examples the Owl Purdue website offers an excellent resource.

There are five main academic style types used in tertiary institutions today, they are APA, AMA, Terubian, Chicago and MLA. Different professional fields of study have preferences dependant upon which style is most suitable for the area of study and the type of information presented. For example, APA is almost always used in humanities courses while MLA is the preferred choice of business. Professors or tutors will always specify the required style and it is important to the credibility of your paper to strictly adhere to the rules of that particular style. Citations are one aspect of writing style, other specifications within each style include spacing, font, indentation, headings, contents, sub-headings and what pages to include or not include (i.e.: title page or table of contents).

A brief overview of each style follows.

• APA
• AMA
• Turabian
• Chicago
• MLA
• Harvard