When working on your academic papers, you need to acknowledge the authors of specific books or sources you will use in your paper.
To accomplish that, there are standards that one must stick to when placing the references in their papers.
There are many different paper formatting styles, but which ones should you use in your college studies? In this article, we’ll outline the five most important ones that you need to know.
Each style has its purpose and can be used in different ways. Let’s take a look at them now.
1. Chicago/Turabian
Chicago/Turabian is a writing style favored in the academic world. It is a bit more complex than other formatting styles but provides a more detailed and thorough analysis of source material.
When using the Chicago/Turabian style, your paper should be formatted as follows:
- Title page
- Double-spaced
- 1-inch margins on all sides
- Indented paragraphs
- Times New Roman font
As mentioned earlier, this writing format is somewhat complicated for beginners.
Luckily, I always have someone else from a master thesis writing service when I feel stuck. Therefore, I’ve never found it hard dealing with the Chicago style during my coursework.
2. MLA
You need to be on the know-how of a few different paper formatting styles when you’re writing papers for college.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is most commonly used for humanities and liberal arts papers.
So, what does an MLA-formated paper look like? Here’s a quick idea on how to do it:
- Margins should be set at 1 inch on all sides of the paper.
- The top of the first page should have your name, instructor’s name, course number, and date.
- Double-space the entire paper, including the title page.
- Indent the first line of each paragraph by 1/2 inch.
- Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
3. APA
The APA style is a famous paper formatting style used in academic writing. Here are the basics of how to format an Apa-style paper:
- Margins should be set at 1 inch on all sides.
- Use a standard 12-point font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
- Indent the first sentence of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
- Paginate your paper using consecutive numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) at the bottom of each page.
- Title your paper in the top third of the page, and boldface it.
4. AMA
Of the five formatting styles we’ll talk about, AMA is probably the one you’re most familiar with. It’s the style typically used in academic papers and is a good choice for reports, research papers, and essays.
There are some things to remember when using AMA formatting:
- Your paper should be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins on all sides
- Indent the first sentence of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
- Number all pages consecutively, starting with the introduction.
- Have a header with your name, professor’s name, course name, and date at the top of every page.
5. Harvard
The Harvard style is among the most common formats in academic writing. It’s easy to follow and ensures that your paper will be presented clearly and concisely.
To format your paper using the Harvard style, you’ll need to include the following elements:
- Heading with your name and the date
- Title of your paper
- Margins of 1 inch on all sides
- Double-spaced text
- 12-point font
- Numbered pages
Conclusion
You can use many different paper formatting styles in college, but five are essential to know.
The five formatting styles are MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, and AMA. Each style has guidelines for correctly formatting your paper, including the layout, font, and margins.
It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the guidelines for each style before you begin writing your paper so that you can format it correctly.
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