Citation Style | Solano Community College Library

student hands typing a paper on a laptop

Citing Your Sources

When your teachers talk about using MLA or APA "style", they are referring to a particular set of rules that cover everything from how to set up the margins on your paper to how you handle citing the sources you used. MLA or APA are the two most commonly used, although there are others. The two major elements of either style you need to focus carefully on are:

1 Parenthetical citations,
which come after every single quote or paraphrase you use in a paper. Each parenthetical citation points the reader to .....

2 Your bibliography (a "Works Cited" or "Reference" page)
at the end of your paper, which lists every single source you used.

The importance of MLA or APA citation style is that:

• You have given credit where credit is due! (the original author or creator of the idea)
• You have done scholarly, authentic research that you can be proud of
• You are showing your reader where they can go to check out your sources.

NOTE:

The "citation makers" that many of the databases provide are often incorrect or incomplete. Do not rely on them to make perfect citations for you. If you use them, compare the citation they give you with a reliable source.

MLA

MLA is commonly used in the humanities and liberal arts (English, History, Philosophy, etc.). In MLA, your bibliography is titled "Works Cited".

Get a copy of the MLA 2009 handout (7th edition).
Get a copy of the MLA 2007 handout (6th edition).

APA

APA is commonly used in the social sciences (Psychology, Human Services, etc.). In APA, your bibliography is titled "References".

Get help with APA citation style here.