What citation style do you teach in high school and why?

[EKS]

What citation style do you teach in high school and why? 

My impression is that MLA is the one most commonly taught/required in high school and in freshman composition classes in college--is this correct?  Why MLA when most students these days don't major in the humanities?  

It seems to me that what should actually be taught is the ability to deal with any citation style that is required.

[almondbutterandjelly]

We used MLA in high school.  In college, for nursing-related classes (such as freshman comp with nursing students or psychology), she uses APA.  For a 2000 level English literature class (one of her core options), she uses MLA.  

[Lori D.]

I teach writing to high school homeschool classes. I teach MLA style because they are English classes, and the bulk of the writing tends to be essays of various types, often about the literature we are covering.

Also, MLA is what most of them will see in their required college Writing 101/102 classes, so teaching the format style they are most likely to use initially in college helps make a seamless transition for them from high school to college. That is one of my goals is to be writing short college-level essays in format by the end of the school year, so when they hit the college Writing 101/102 classes, they aren't struggling.

Another reason I teach MLA and stick with it: *many* of my students struggle to get just MLA style formatting figured out -- I've had students who kept messing up aspects of formatting for an entire semester (and 1-2 students who took an entire *year*) before they finally cleared the hurdle and got all aspects of formatting down correctly. I can't imagine continually switching format styles on them for each new assignment.

And finally, I am very familiar with all the details of MLA formatting -- not so much with the other format styles. So it makes grading MUCH easier for me to teach and require what *I* know well; grading would take MUCH longer than it already does if I switched to different style formats because I would have to be looking up all the details for every paper. My brain is just too old to be able to memorize multiple style format details. 😉 

We discuss formatting styles several times throughout the year. Right off the bat, I explain that different formatting styles are used for different subject areas, but that I am only going to require MLA so that they can get very comfortable with formatting. I explain that after MLA formatting style becomes second nature, it will be very simple for them to look up the details of whatever different format style they will be required to use in a different class.


If you are homeschooling an individual student who is a strong writer and who grasps formatting style quickly, then go for it! Requiring different styles for different types of writing would likely work to make them a stronger and more flexible writer. 😄 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Lori D.

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, EKS said:

What citation style do you teach in high school and why? 

My impression is that MLA is the one most commonly taught/required in high school and in freshman composition classes in college--is this correct?  Why MLA when most students these days don't major in the humanities?  

It seems to me that what should actually be taught is the ability to deal with any citation style that is required.

I taught them MLA starting in middle school because that seems to be what everybody is doing these days.  Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I learned what I think is (or is similar to) Chicago style, with numbers and foot/endnotes, and I highly prefer it - I rather despise parenthetical notation - but it seemed like if they went to high school or took outside writing classes it would all be MLA.  Some of mine did at least try ps high school, outside writing classes, and/or took Comp 1 and 2 at the CC, and they did use MLA.

Meanwhile, it seems that in actual college, none of them have used it!  It's all been APA and even some Chicago.  APA, though is very similar to MLA, and even using Chicago has not fazed any of them.  So... there you go.

Edited September 10, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Andromeda]

I teach college courses, so this post is from that perspective.

My courses all require APA formatting - these are technology classes. As an undergraduate student, I had to use MLA in the freshman English composition classes only. All other classes required APA. In graduate school, all my classes required APA only.

Many of my students who have learned and used MLA keep formatting their papers that way even when I give them resources, templates, and require them to make appointments with our writing coaches. They tend to ignore formatting comments and grade deductions and keep making the same formatting mistakes. Those who have had no formatting training tend to be more receptive to comments and usually at least attempt to use APA, even with some mistakes, which is fine. Mistakes is something we can work with. Refusal to cooperate is just that, refusal to cooperate and equals grade deduction.

For my own kids and kids of friends I taught formal writing style, I begin with MLA. I have them write papers and use full, proper MLA format. When they become comfortable, I spend time explaining the elements - title, page numbers, references. There is a formula for doing these in MLA. Once they understand that it is a formula, I introduce APA.

I then teach the same elements - title, page numbers, references, etc. but side by side with MLA so they can see how the two are similar and how they are different. Then I teach how to write APA papers, and gradually work up to the full "student" version (that's version 7 APA, the current one). After my students can work comfortably with MLA and APA, they can work on adding another style - breaking it down into the formula pieces, seeing how the new style is same and different from what they know, and then applying it.

Then they can write a paper in MLA style and then convert it to APA, or Chicago, or something else as reinforcement.

[cbollin]

both in high school. I really wanted them to know that more than one way existed and to read the syllabus to know, or to ask.  and to know that the editions change and little requirements change with them.   Both oldest and middle: Eng composition in college had MLA in first semester, then mix and match mla and apa.   My trade school daughter (taking word processing and business office work) is learning the techniques to format in apa from all the cool easy features in Word.   So far, she doesn't have to do original reports - just learn how to type and format.  I made the other two use a handbook and manually make those things at end of reports.   evil mom.  I should have taught them auto generator tools. But yep, easy to convert it in Word.

[Paige]

I teach APA and Chicago. I only used MLA in high school and English 101. Every other class either required APA or allowed you to pick whatever you wanted so I feel APA is more versatile. I like Chicago style sometimes depending on the purpose of the paper- if we don't want it cluttered with citations- so I teach it as well.

[RootAnn]

My two older kids were taught MLA in their high school online writing classes, but I think they have only used APA in college classes.

They are just similar enough to be annoying, IMO, except for the cover page. Dd#2 has a 7-8 page research paper due next week in APA...

[Junie]

I learned MLA, but ds20's college (where dd18 is in her first semester) uses Chicago/Turabian, as does the college where my dh is an adjunct professor.  So I am switching to Turabian for my kids still at home.

[EKS]

Thank you all so much!  Since this is a high school English course I'm teaching, everyone's input has convinced me to stick with MLA, but I like @RosemaryAndThyme's idea about converting a paper to one of the others.  

[Loowit]

I taught DD MLA and that is what she used in all but one of her college courses.  Her communication class required APA, but she didn't have any trouble figuring out how to do it.  I will be teaching MLA to the boys too, but also show them some other styles just so they know that they are out there.

[regentrude]

I teach no particular style, because the precise requirements will depend on the discipline, the instructor or, later, the professional journal's preferences.
I teach that you have to document sources, which is the hardest and most important thing. The formatting details for any style can be looked up online when you need them.
For the college courses I have been taking these past semesters (various upper level literature classes), the instructors specifically state that they have no preference for citation style.

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by regentrude

[Lori D.]

12 hours ago, EKS said:

Thank you all so much!  Since this is a high school English course I'm teaching, everyone's input has convinced me to stick with MLA, but I like @RosemaryAndThyme's idea about converting a paper to one of the others.  

I like that idea, too. I will give that one a try sometime, once everyone in the class has figured out MLA and are running smoothly with it.

@EKS -- one thing I do is list the style elements as a checklist, and also provide links to both video tutorials and web articles with photos of where the commands are for setting up a document in style. I also include a sample of exactly what everything looks like, with labels and arrows pointing to each element.

In case it helps, here are the links I currently list:

Microsoft Word
Academic Tips web page tutorial = https://academictips.org/mla-format/mla-format-microsoft-word-2019/
6 minute video tutorial = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr44v0gqNRg

Google Doc
Academic Tips web page tutorial = https://academictips.org/mla-format/mla-format-google-docs/
4 minute video tutorial = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6N6IsuF7Do

Apple Pages
Academic Tips web page tutorial = https://academictips.org/mla-format/how-to-do-mla-format-using-pages-on-mac/
8 minute video tutorial = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSLu2C0_K3o

[ieta_cassiopeia]

I've found a couple of websites on citations that might be useful for people trying to teach this.

Common American formats (AMA, APA 6th and 7th editions, ASA, Chicago, IEEE, MLA) can be found at the University of Purdue's website.

Common British formats (AIP, APA, Harvard, IEEE, MHRA, OSCOLA and Vancouver) can be found at the University of Sheffield's website.

Both provide guidance on how to use the citation styles with many different types of sources. Purdue's includes a style manual - while every university (and in some cases every department) has its own, I think it is useful for students to learn what to expect from one ahead of time - as well as guidance on how to use citation creators and paper checkers. The University of Sheffield's includes a quiz on referencing and plagiarism, which is short and might be useful to discuss with your student if they haven't much experience of plagiarism issues (the quiz has no format-specific questions), as well a link to brief guides for several reference management tools (although in the case of Google Docs, @Lori D.'s might be more useful).

[katilac]

On 9/10/2020 at 9:33 AM, EKS said:

It seems to me that what should actually be taught is the ability to deal with any citation style that is required.

There's really no trick to it or any way to teach this ability. You deal with whatever citation style is required by looking at the rules. 

[EKS]

7 hours ago, katilac said:

There's really no trick to it or any way to teach this ability. You deal with whatever citation style is required by looking at the rules. 

Yes, well, you would be amazed at how many graduate students are unable to do this.

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, EKS said:

Yes, well, you would be amazed at how many graduate students are unable to do this.

When DH was doing his Master's in Creative Writing a few years ago as a retired older adult, he said a similar thing -- how many graduate level students could not construct a thesis statement for their critical analysis papers. 😩

[EKS]

9 hours ago, Lori D. said:

When DH was doing his Master's in Creative Writing a few years ago as a retired older adult, he said a similar thing -- how many graduate level students could not construct a thesis statement for their critical analysis papers. 😩

Or do really anything at all other than summarize!

[regentrude]

11 hours ago, Lori D. said:

When DH was doing his Master's in Creative Writing a few years ago as a retired older adult, he said a similar thing -- how many graduate level students could not construct a thesis statement for their critical analysis papers. 😩

But this is something that requires actual thinking.
Looking up the rules for a specific citation style just requires the ability to follow directions. (yes, I know many students lack that too)

[theelfqueen]

We use APA, mostly. Because I'm comfortable with it, though I've used both Chicago and MLA in classrooms. 

[Lori D.]

2 hours ago, regentrude said:

But this is something that requires actual thinking.
Looking up the rules for a specific citation style just requires the ability to follow directions. (yes, I know many students lack that too)

But you would think that *graduate* students in a  *Writing* master's program could write a thesis statement... 🤨

The bolded is what is missing for many students. SO many high school students are being graduated without even basic reading, writing, and math skills and then move on to college unprepared. (Not necessarily faulting high school teachers -- I think there are a number of complex factors going on as to why our educational system is flying apart at the seams.) I'm sure you see students unprepared with math attempting to take your college science courses. 😢

Edited September 12, 2020 by Lori D.

[katilac]

15 hours ago, EKS said:

Yes, well, you would be amazed at how many graduate students are unable to do this.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised at all, but still there is no special trick or way to teach it. It's following a list of rules. 

[EKS]

2 hours ago, katilac said:

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised at all, but still there is no special trick or way to teach it. It's following a list of rules. 

I absolutely agree.  I view my job as a teacher as introducing and then enforcing the rules.  And hopefully getting them to understand that dealing with citations isn't a big and scary thing.  It actually really bothers me that a lot of teachers offload the process to things like EasyBib.  By doing that they just reinforce that it is something that is so complicated it can't be learned.  And when I say "learned" I just mean being comfortable with whatever style it is, not necessarily knowing every detail about it.

[Lori D.]

3 hours ago, EKS said:

I absolutely agree.  I view my job as a teacher as introducing and then enforcing the rules.  And hopefully getting them to understand that dealing with citations isn't a big and scary thing.  It actually really bothers me that a lot of teachers offload the process to things like EasyBib.  By doing that they just reinforce that it is something that is so complicated it can't be learned.  And when I say "learned" I just mean being comfortable with whatever style it is, not necessarily knowing every detail about it.

Totally agree.

In my classes, I have them first practice creating citations (both parenthetical and full citations) in class and on their own, long before telling them about EasyBib.

We talk about how the more specifics you can provide someone about each source you use, the easier it is for someone else to find that source to be able to read it for themselves. I try and give the student visuals to help connect with the abstract concept of citations and format: I give them a visual of a full citation in the Works Cited page (MLA style) as a train of linked cars and each car has a type of information about the source, and the train cars (pieces of information about the source) come in a certain order. We use a specific order and format so everyone immediately recognizes what that piece of information is referring to (formatting = consistency = easy to use/find). If your source doesn't have that particular piece of information, shunt the empty train car off on a siding and go on and fill up the next train car with the next piece of information. (I believe it's the OWL at Purdue that uses the concept of "containers" and filling the different containers with information about each source cited.)

Edited September 12, 2020 by Lori D.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

On 9/10/2020 at 10:33 AM, EKS said:

What citation style do you teach in high school and why? 

My impression is that MLA is the one most commonly taught/required in high school and in freshman composition classes in college--is this correct?  Why MLA when most students these days don't major in the humanities?  

It seems to me that what should actually be taught is the ability to deal with any citation style that is required.

MLA is probably taught, because the papers are being done in classes where MLA is common.

My older two learned MLA. My youngest did MLA and APA (the same semester, which was a treat).

I don't think it matters so much which one. Most students don't memorize format, so as long as they are prepared to use something and know where to look, they can adjust. 

[TheAttachedMama]

I teach MLA because it seems to be the mostly widely used in all of their outside classes.  (So far.). We have teachers requiring MLA in our speech and debate program, our composition classes, our literature classes, and our science classes (for research questions.). 

However, I also teach how to read and follow instructions.   That basic life skill will teach you how to follow any type of style guide...including MLA.   Because it isn't like you "learn" MLA and are good to go---it is always changing!   So you have to learn to follow instructions.