Why is MLA Format used?
MLA Format is a style guide widely used for writing and documenting research based in the humanities. It is developed, maintained and periodically updated and issued by the Modern Language Association. Since it was established, this writing style has been the standard guide for professional writers, graduate students and scholars. A lot of schools, academic institutions and instructors have widely adapted this form of writing style. It is also being used for literary and scholarly journals, magazines and newsletters; and by several universities and commercial presses.
MLA Style or MLA Format is usually reserved for advanced level writers, professors, graduate students, academic scholars and students preparing manuscripts in various disciplines such as: Language and Literature for English Studies; Literary Criticism; Comparative Literature; Foreign Language and Literatures and Cultural Studies.
This type of writing establishes a standard of written communication pertaining to the following: formatting and page layout, citing sources, abbreviations, footnotes, quotations and preparation for manuscript publication.
Although the MLA Style tackles all aspects of writing and publishing a manuscript or paper, this style places more emphasis on the proper citation of source information in one’s written work and how to correctly and consistently cite these sources all throughout the manuscript. It recommends the citation of works to be listed ‘in-context, within the text of a paper rather than in page footnotes or endnotes. Using this style, you briefly credit sources with parenthetical citations in the text of your paper then give a complete description of each source in your Works Cited List or Bibliography. Your Bibliography will contain a list of all your sources, arranged in alphabetical order by the author’s last name or when there’s no author, by the first word of the source title.
MLA Style is now being used by many writers and students because it makes navigation and text comprehension easier by providing familiar cues to their readers referring to sources and borrowed information. Following this writing format will also help your readers in focusing on your given ideas and prevent them from getting distracted by complicated formatting. Lastly, it gives your readers a sense of your credibility and your mindfulness to them and your fellow researchers through a clearly written citation of references.
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