A writer's style is a distinctive signature that allows an individual to personalize not only the content of his or her message, but also the manner in which the content is received.Famed communications scholar Stuart Hall argues that the nature of communication is such that language is little more than a vehicle for delivering meaning.The words we use to communicate with others represent only a very small part of the meaning that we intend to convey.That is to say, there are a number of ways to tell a story, but the version told with the most enthusiasm and style is the one that becomes most memorable and therefore the most dominant.Communication is more than information exchange, and the manner in which we choose to interact with one another is almost as important as the meaning that is conveyed.
So many different styles exist that when we come to write an essay or document, for example, we are almost using a whole new language.Here are some grammatical differences between MLA and APA:
The Serial Comma:
Whenever you write a list of terms, items or phrases, grammatical guidelines dictate that you must separate each item with a comma.However, in the case of any list, there is inevitably a conjunction separating the final two items, and this comma is often referred to as the "serial comma".The Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines do require the use of a comma before the conjunction and the final term, whereas the Associated Press (AP) guidelines generally omit the serial comma unless the list is excessive, in which case a serial comma should be used to reduce ambiguity.
Bullets:
The American Psychological Association does not use bullets, unless the information traditionally found in a 'bullet' point appears in full sentence format as part of a numbered list.Similarly, the Modern Language Association also discourages bullets that are not numbered with full and complete sentences.MLA and APA styles are typically associated with scholarly work, and abbreviated points do not usually provide the level of detail one would expect from work of this caliber.
Citation:
The Modern Language Association encourages citation in two parts.First is the parenthetical reference, which appears at the end of the sentence in between the last word and the period.Material quoted directly from a secondary source must be identified in this manner, and the author's last number and the corresponding page number upon which the quotation can be found should appear at the end of the sentence:
"... suggesting that every quotation must be properly referenced"
(Author's Last Name, Page Number).
This parenthetical reference must also be accompanied by a full citation that should appear on your Works Cited page, which must accompany your work:
Author, Joe. How to Create a Proper Works Cited Page.London: RoutledgePublishing, 2009.
As demonstrated here, the author's first name appears after the last name, followed by the title of the novel, the publication information and the year the book was published.
Similarly, the American Psychological Association guidelines dictate a two-step citation process.As it is with the MLA style, APA requires that quoted material be accompanied by the author's last name and the page number, but also the year the information was published:
"... suggesting that every quotation must be properly referenced"
(Author's Last Name, Year, Page Number).
Again, this parenthetical reference must be accompanied by a citation that appears on the References page at the back of your paper:
Author, J. (2009) How to Create a Proper Works Cited Page.London: RoutledgePublishing.
Unlike the MLA style, the APA citation format dictates that the year must follow the author's name, and the title must appear in italics as opposed to being underlined.While both formatting styles have similarities, there are a number of differences that can be easily overlooked.It's important to become familiar with one style so that you naturally become more proficient with practice.
With copywriting and editing experience in the advertising industry and currently completing a Doctorate in Communications and Culture from York University, Adam has extensive experience with all forms of writing. He also holds a Master's Degree from Windsor University and an Honors Bachelor Degree from the University of Toronto, both in English Literature and Language. Currently, he is a teaching assistant at Ryerson University in the English Department, and has recently completed a two-year contract as an instructor at the Ryerson University Writing Centre. He is experienced with Style Editing. Adam is an editor at http://www.editingoffice.com