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Four styles
One research paper
A clear starting point for academic styles and citation
Explore four styles and practise with short, original examples
The essentials
Academic styles help readers trace the ideas behind your work
Different academic communities use different ways to show that trail
APA 7
Often used in the social sciences — author and year point to an entry in a reference list
MLA 9
Often used in the humanities — author and, where available, page number point to Works Cited
Leeds Harvard
An author–date system with an alphabetical reference list — other universities may follow different Harvard rules
Chicago 18
Two systems are available: notes and bibliography, or author–date — this exercise uses notes and bibliography
APA and Harvard citations can look alike — an author and year alone do not reliably identify the style
Always follow the guide specified by your institution
Practice
Practise academic styles
Four fictional sources, four small decisions
Choose an answer to see a short explanation
Give a quotation a location
A fictional book by Mira Vale was published in 2021 — you quote words from page 18 without naming the author in your sentence
Which parenthetical citation gives the required information?
Select one answer
Correct answer (Vale, 2021, p. 18)
APA 7 uses author, year and a page number for a quotation from a paginated source — this form is not unique to APA
Reveal the answer
(Vale, 2021, p. 18)
APA 7 uses author, year and a page number for a quotation from a paginated source — this form is not unique to APA
Point to a page
You refer to page 42 of a fictional book by Rowan Bell — the author is not named in your sentence and there is one relevant Bell entry in Works Cited
Which parenthetical citation fits MLA?
Select one answer
Correct answer (Bell 42)
In this context MLA uses the surname and page number without a comma — the author is needed because the sentence does not name them
Reveal the answer
(Bell 42)
In this context MLA uses the surname and page number without a comma — the author is needed because the sentence does not name them
Locate a specific idea
You paraphrase a specific idea from page 27 of a fictional 2019 book by Lena Moss — your sentence does not name the author
Which citation follows Leeds Harvard?
Select one answer
Correct answer (Moss, 2019, p.27)
Leeds Harvard asks for a page number when paraphrasing a specific idea — other Harvard variants may differ
Reveal the answer
(Moss, 2019, p.27)
Leeds Harvard asks for a page number when paraphrasing a specific idea — other Harvard variants may differ
Build a first note
In Chicago notes and bibliography, cite page 36 of a fictional book for the first time: Quiet Gardens, by Nora Reed, published by Field Press in 2022
Which full note is appropriate?
Select one answer
Correct answer Nora Reed, Quiet Gardens (Field Press, 2022), 36
A first full note gives the author, title, publication details and cited page — author-date is a separate Chicago system
Reveal the answer
Nora Reed, Quiet Gardens (Field Press, 2022), 36
A first full note gives the author, title, publication details and cited page — author-date is a separate Chicago system
PRACTICE COMPLETE
Four styles, a clearer path
You have explored how each system helps readers find a source
Before submitting your work, check your institution’s requirements and the details of each source