When I was an undergraduate, I used to think that the teachers who insisted that we stick to a certain format (for biblio, notes, etc.) were just bores and had nothing better to do with their time. Now, when I’ve read a few “freely-formatted” student’s reports and papers, I realize how distracting, unprofessional and confusing it may be.
I know that there are all kinds of printed guides for each style, but I didn’t want to tell my students that they need to buy them and read through the whole thing. So, with the help of Google, I found a site by Diana Hacker that presents MLA, APA, Chicago and CPE formats quite clearly and conveniently. It allowed me to make a quick resume of the relevant format for students, and I also referred them to this site, in case they have more specific issues. I must admit, I didn’t do a very extensive search, so there might be a better source with formatting guidelines out there. So, if anyone knows about it, feel free to share :o)
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CAC.OPHONY is a weblog on communication-intensive instruction at the college level and its implications for students about to face the challenges of writing and speaking publicly in professional settings. CAC.OPHONY is written and edited by the Fellows of the Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute, Baruch College, City University of New York.
Baruch College is the 2008 recipient of TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award in recognition of the Schwartz Institute's outstanding faculty development programs.
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Yana, I had this same transition in thinking between my undergrad years and graduate school. Louis Menand’s review of the latest Chicago Manual of Style (I believe) that appeared in The New Yorker a couple years back is a humorous look at style in general. Thanks for this site. It is quite helpful.
Reply to Jill
Hi Yana,
What I like about the Hacker site you linked to was that students can click on their broad field (e.g. Humanities, Social Sciences) and then see an explanation of the standard format, and a sample paper. This is more or less how Hacker’s book, A Writer’s Reference, is laid out. But it’s free and online, and will thus be a great resource for many. Just showing the student the sample paper (and perhaps comparing their own draft’s citations and works cited to the model) can be really helpful.
What I was always astounded by when I met students in my writing classes who’d ask what format to use for _another_ class’s papers, was that many professors don’t mention which style is preferred by their discipline (and in some disciplines there is more than one standard.) Just getting students to see that there are multiple formats with their own rules –and that they need to ask if the professor isn’t clear on which to use — goes a long way.
Kate
Reply to Kate