Author Question: A number of widely used reference styles are available for documenting the sources of information ... (Read 76 times)

geodog55 · **on:** Jun 23, 2018

A number of widely used reference styles are available for documenting the sources of information used in report writing. Identify two widely used reference styles and tell where one can obtain information on how to use them correctly.

Question 2

Why can citing electronic sources be challenging? What is the best advice for citing electronic sources when you are unsure about the required format?

lucas dlamini · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The APA and MLA styles are widely used for documenting references. The APA was developed by the American Psychological Association, that produced a style manual and offers a website that supports the referencing style. The MLA style was developed by the Modern Languages Association, who also publishes two printed manuals and offers a website for further support. The Purdue OWL website provides information and examples for using both styles.

Answer to Question 2

Electronic courses can be challenging to cite because the reference information and the way it is presented varies from one type of source to another. While the ordering of elements varies from one citation method to another, the elements to include are fairly consistent: (1) author; (2) date of publication; (3) title of article and/or name of publication; (4) electronic medium; (5) volume, series, page, section, and Internet address; and (6) date of retrieval. It's generally better to include too much than not enough when preparing any citation.