The common research paper formatting styles include mla research format, APA, and Chicago style. Therefore, if what is MLA style paper has been your question, reading through this guide will help you understand useful insights about MLA research paper format. Keep reading for an in-depth analysis.

What does MLA format stand for?

Better known as Modern Language Association, MLA is one of the formatting and citation requirements usually assigned to students when writing specific research papers.

What is MLA format?

MLA format style, which was developed by Modern Language Association, is an academic formatting guide used in the humanities and art fields to cite sources used in the research process.

Just like any other formatting style, MLA follows the set rules for headings, in-text citations, page citations, abbreviations, and even page settings.

What is the appropriate MLA structure?

When formatting your paper in MLA, you need to, first of all, understand the key elements of MLA style, which are:

Once you have understood the above elements, follow the guidelines below to create an MLA outline for research paper:

• Professional fonts such as Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman, among others, with sizes 11 to 13
• 1-inch margin
• Centered title
• Indented paragraphs
• Double-spacing option for all of the text

MLA quoting format

When quoting a phrase in MLA style, begin the quotation in a new line that is indented to ½ inch from the left margin. (Keep the double-spacing option throughout)

Now, add the closing marks after adding the parenthetical citation keeping the rule of double-spacing option.

If you are quoting from the source, have the quote in quotation marks, then have an in-text citation at the quote’s end, including the name of the author and page number.

Note: for MLA format word count, do not include the heading, the title, an outline, and the citation. Simply select the paragraphs only.

How to format your research papers MLA

Once you have a research paper you need to format in MLA, consider the following strategies to simplify the process.

1. Formatting your word document

Resetting your word document to meet MLA formatting guidelines will simplify the process of having to review the paper after you finish everything. Therefore, set your document to:

• 1-inch margin on all sides
• Double-spacing line option
• Times New Roman font with size 12

2. Formatting page header

Here, you simply add the page number and your surname.

3. Title block

Adjust the details to the upper left side of the page (include your name, the name of the instructor, the course number, and the date). In the next line, add a centered title that shows the reader what your paper is about.

4. Citations

Citing your sources will help you follow the MLA guidelines as part of the requirements, then help you to avoid plagiarism in your document. When citing in MLA, you simply focus on the author’s name and page number. Do not add a comma when writing the name of the author and page number.

5. Works cited list

Your MLA research paper won’t be complete without a list of bibliographies of your sources. When formatting the bibliography in MLA, include the name of the author, book title, name of publisher, and publication date.

Conclusion

Do you always struggle with formatting your research paper in MLA? Well, like any other formatting style, MLA has basic rules and guidelines to follow, as highlighted in this guide.

What is APA style writing?

Developed by the American Psychological Association, APA is one of the academic writing styles applied in fields such as business, anthropology, and psychology.

The APA formatting style was created to achieve consistent style guidelines for scientific papers to make it easy for readers to read and comprehend the context of the publication. The APA formatting guidelines are available in different editions, the latest being the 7^th edition.

You can use APA guidelines in lab reports, essays, research papers, or any other academic task with APA-style requirements in courses around education, engineering, and social sciences.

The APA sections of a research paper

Like any other academic paper, an apa formatted paper should have the following parts of a research paper APA

1. Title page

The very first section of an apa research paper is the title page, following the apa formatting guidelines. Besides, the title should be captivating, helping the reader to have a clue of what the paper is all about.

2. Abstract

Next is the abstract, which should have a header. The first line must have the word Abstract centered (do not add quotation marks, do not bold, do not italicize, and do not underline)

In the next line, write a clear summary of the main points of the research. ( The aim of an abstract is to summarize the details of your research paper, i.e., the topic, questions, methods, data analysis, results, discussion, and conclusion.

Note: the abstract should be between 150 & 120 words in one paragraph and double-spacing option.

3. Main paper

The main paper will have four sub-sections, as described below:

• APA paper introduction – this should include one or two paragraphs describing the issue you need to address in the research paper.
• Thesis statement – it highlights the central focus of your whole paper in a simple sentence.
• The body section is made up of different paragraphs, with each paragraph having a topic sentence to describe a valid point supported with evidence. Besides, the contexts of all paragraphs should align with the thesis statement.
• The conclusion in APA is a summary of your paper’s context. You simply highlight your thesis statement and the points you’ve described in your research paper.

4. Paper Format

The appropriate apa paper format includes the following elements:

• Font of 12 with 1-inch margins
• Double-spacing option
• Underlined thesis statement
• Underlined topic sentence
• Paper length should not include reference and title pages
• Include headings appropriately
• Turnitin report should not be less than 15% and should not exceed 25%
• Include in-text citations

5. Reference and citations

In APA citation and references, you need to cite authors or people whose research, ideas, theories, or quotes have contributed to your work.

For in-text citations, use the author-date citation style, highlighting the surname of the author and publication year.

Tips to help you with APA formatting

When tasked to use apa style in your paper, the following tips will always come in handy:

Get APA format samples

You will find some professional apa formatted papers either in the libraries or online sources. Reviewing such samples will give you a clue about what you intend to do in your paper when you feel stuck. 

Create a research outline template APA

If you aren’t quite sure of the appropriate apa style, you might need to consider creating a template first to avoid making mistakes in the final draft. An apa template will help you remember key details of the formatting style.

Conclusion

Are you in the process of writing your research paper using apa style, and you feel stuck? Well, the process is quite simple, especially when you have this guide by your side.

What percentage of plagiarism is acceptable?

Even if you write a text from scratch, there will always be some plagiarism traces. One plagiarism software checker might fail to identify plagiarism in a document, while some other software highlights some plagiarism traces. This raises the question of how much plagiarism is allowed in research paper.

Now, to understand how much plagiarism is allowed in college, the percentage rates vary based on the type of paper and the institute’s guidelines and requirements. Nonetheless, should your paper have some plagiarism traces, then it shouldn’t exceed 15%.

Why is it important to avoid plagiarism?

Plagiarizing academic papers means going against the set rules and guidelines or breaching academic integrity. Besides, avoiding plagiarism is essential as it keeps the respect and integrity of a student. For instance, if you submit a plagiarized piece of academic paper, you risk losing future references and connections that could help you achieve your career goals.

What’s more, if you are still advancing your career and getting financial aid, you risk losing financial assistance the moment you submit plagiarized work. Again, if you are a leader, you ought to show a good example to others. Therefore, plagiarizing your work might cost you to lose your leadership position.

From the explanation, it is evident that plagiarism is one serious offense, and every student should learn and devise strategies to ensure they submit clean work free from plagiarism.

Strategies to avoid plagiarism

It is evident that plagiarism is unacceptable in academic writing. Therefore, how can a student avoid plagiarizing their paper? What are some of the strategies to apply to submit a plagiarism-free paper? Let’s review the best approaches below:

• Stay committed to doing your own work

One major reason that can make students plagiarize content is waiting until the last minute. When they realize it is hard to accomplish the task, the only solution is to copy other people’s work, which attracts plagiarism. The best way to evade this is to start handling the assignment as soon as you get the guidelines.

• Cite the sources

Of course, it is inevitable to use other people’s phrases and ideas in your writing. Therefore, always cite the source you got the information from, whether it is a website, an article, a book, or any other source; always cite following the required style to avoid plagiarizing the content.

• Paraphrasing

Another practical strategy that will help you evade plagiarism is paraphrasing. Paraphrasing doesn’t imply you change some words in a sentence or replace synonyms of some phrases. Paraphrasing is all about reading a piece, understanding it, then writing in your own words.

• Use plagiarism checkers

Even after doing the research and writing your own words, some phrases will still highlight as plagiarism. Therefore, even after paraphrasing, pass your document through plagiarism checkers to check for any traces of plagiarism so that you can review and rewrite the sections further.

Conclusion

Students usually go out of the way when writing academic papers. Therefore, failing due to plagiarism can be frustrating. That is why it is essential to avoid plagiarism as much as possible, and this guide is all you need.

While academic paper proofreading may seem an easy task that will take less time, if you don’t take the correct measures, you might still end up submitting a low-quality paper. That is why in this guide, we give in-depth insights into academic paper editing.

What is the main purpose of proofreading a paper?

The main purpose of editing a paper as you proofread is to ensure you bring out a top-notch paper in terms of quality.

This is because writing an academic paper involves good grammar, plagiarism-free content, and proper formatting according to the guidelines and requirements set by the tutor.

Therefore, proofreading a research paper helps you to do an analysis of all these elements that make a good paper by correcting mistakes where necessary.

What to look for when editing a paper

As you proofread and edit your paper, the elements you look for include the following:

• Grammar mistakes
• Typing errors
• Plagiarism
• Punctuation marks
• Correct tone depending on the message you are passing across
• The appropriate structure of the paper
• The flow of the context

Once you prove all these elements are in order, you can be sure to submit a desirable paper and wait for good grades as long as the content is top-notch.

Steps to take when editing a research paper

For an effective editing process, make sure you follow the steps below:

Content editing

Also known as substantive editing or developmental editing, this involves revising the very first draft of your paper. The action can involve deleting, adding, or moving a section of the entire paper.

Line editing

Line editing involves changing the phrases, sentences, and some of the paragraphs to enhance the context flow.

Copy editing

Copy editing is where the editor focuses on polishing and correcting grammar and style to meet the set formatting guidelines. This step doesn’t involve changing any content of the text.

Proofreading

Proofreading is the last stage of editing a paper. Here, you simply take a quick look at the paper to highlight possible mistakes that remain as you correct the mistakes.

The central focus of proofreading or better known as verification editing, includes punctuation marks, typos, simple grammar mistakes, and inconsistencies in sentences. Depending on the nature of the paper, you can also verify line spacing options and page numbers.

Tips to help you edit and proofread your paper

Of course, you will have to proofread and edit your academic paper at some point as long as you are a student. When such a time arrives, use the following tips.

• Don’t rely on editing softwares

One mistake writers or students commit to depends on the suggestions the grammar checkers give. While they help simplify the editing and proofreading process, they are not always accurate. That is why you must set time aside to edit your paper manually.

• Use a research paper proofreading service

Do you know an academic paper editing service can simplify the process for you and save you time and energy? Besides, opting for academic paper writing services makes it possible to identify even the slightest errors you couldn’t have figured out if you edited the paper on your own. This improves the chances of sending a well-polished paper.

• Read out aloud

As you edit and proofread your paper, reading out loud helps you to note all the possible mistakes that you could have skipped if you had read silently. You will see a bigger picture of the point you want to pass across, and reading loud help you to restructure it well.

Conclusion

Editing and proofreading your academic document is the last part of the writing process. Be sure to use the insights in this guide to ensure you submit a well-proofread paper.