formatting style (APA, MLA)

Formatting styles like APA and MLA are specific rules for organizing and citing sources in written work. APA (American Psychological Association) is commonly used in social sciences; it emphasizes the author's name and publication date, facilitating quick understanding of the research's recency. MLA (Modern Language Association) is often used in humanities; it focuses on the author's name and page number, making it easier to locate specific information. Both styles provide guidelines for margins, font, headings, and references, ensuring consistency, clarity, and proper credit to sources throughout a document.