Understanding Style Guides
Academic and Professional English typically follow fairly strict conventions, often referred to as genre. Style guides are created by different bodies to help writers follow the conventions of the specific feild consistently. Most conventions are common to various professions and fields. Most style guides formed within academic and related publishing and journalism. Some style guides are:
- Modern Language Association (MLA): used in humanities, such as literature, languages, and cultural studies.
- American Psychological Association (APA): used in social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, and education.
- Chicago Manual of Style (CMS): used in humanities (commonly history, art, journalism studies), social sciences, newspapers, and publishing in journal.
- Council of Science Editors (CSE): used in natural sciences, including biology, chemistry, and physics.
Each style guide provides rules for formatting citations, references, and bibliographies, as well as guidelines for grammar, punctuation, and other writing mechanics. It’s important to follow the specific style guide required by your academic institution, professor, or publisher.
Some tips for understanding and using style guides effectively include:
- Familiarize yourself with the basic rules and conventions of the style guide.
- Use online resources, such as Purdue OWL or the official style guide website, to look up specific questions or issues.
- Keep a copy of the style guide handy as you write and refer to it frequently.
- Double-check your citations and references to ensure they are formatted correctly according to the style guide.
- Use automated tools, like citation management software, to help with formatting and organization.
By following these tips and practicing regularly, you can improve your understanding and use of style guides in academic writing.
