Introduction

Academic honesty demands that whenever a source other than one's own general knowledge is used, the source should be acknowledged, unless the instructor has specifically stated otherwise. Unacknowledged sources invite suspicions of plagiarism, a serious offense.

At Southern New Hampshire University, your instructor may require either the Modern Language Association (MLA style) or American Psychological Association (APA style) documentation format. In general, courses in business and the social sciences use APA; other subject areas prefer MLA. Your instructor will tell you which to use.

This document introduces both styles and offers some simplified versions of each, including electronic and Internet sources. Furthermore, the MLA itself offers a list of frequently asked questions about MLA style, and the APA provides assistance at http://www.apastyle.org/apa-style-help.aspx.

The document you are now reading is neither authorized by nor created in association with either the Modern Language Association or the American Psychological Association. For authoritative information, consult the MLA and APA publications listed in the References.