There are many ways to “style” a paper, meaning the format you use to document scholarly references and citations mentioned in the paper. It is important to use the preferred style for the audience (and publisher, if applicable) of your work. It is also important to follow style guidelines consistently within  a given paper.

Common styles you may be asked to use for academic papers in college include:

• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Chicago