Which Style to Use?
Talk to your professor. Both APA and MLA are used at Cal Maritime.
APA: American Psychological Association
MLA: Modern Languages Association
APA citation places greater emphasis on publication date, while MLA requires more author detail.
Why Cite?
- To provide evidence for your argument.
- To help readers track down interesting or useful sources.
- To credit those whose ideas or words you are using.
- Anything less is plagiarism.
Citation helps us all share knowledge.
Why All the Fussy Rules?
Citations are a form of shorthand from pre-hyperlink days. Getting the format right can be a pain, but it accomplishes two purposes:
- Communicates critical information in fewest characters possible.
- Standardizes a long list of cites so they are easier to read
This citation gives extra information via the order and italics required by APA style for magazine articles.