Different style but same purpose

If you use a concept or the same words that another author used in a text you have to cite them. There are two main styles that you can use for this purpose. APA (American Psychological Association) style and MLA (Modern Language Association) style. They are two widely accepted styles for citing sources.

There are some differences between these two styles. I think the main ones are:

• Abstract. APA style requires it while MLA style does not.
  
• In-text citation between parenthesis. APA style uses: author name, year of publication and page number. MLA uses author name and page but not year of publication.
• Bibliography page. The page that lists the bibliography is called Works Cited in MLA and References in APA style. In the reference page, APA style uses the full last name of the author and only the initials of the first name. In the works cited page, MLA style uses the full last name and the entire first name.
  
• Titles. APA capitalizes only the first word and puts it in italics. MLA capitalizes every major word.
  
• Dates. In APA style the date follows the author name. In MLA style it is placed at the end of the citation.

I had my first approach with APA style last semester when preparing the report for an intercultural project dealing with the subject of recycling. My first feeling trying to use it was confusion. I didn't know how to correcly use it and I still don't. I think one learns how to cite with the time, using citations in every written work one produces. Furthermore, when I was writing my thesis my supervisor didn't really introduce me to citations. Indeed, I was given a paper where it was written how I was supposed to write the thesis but I didn't know that some rules for citing existed. And surely this was my fault too because I didn't inquired about it.

Let me know what you think about it.
Chiara

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