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MLA & APA Information:  Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism and learning how to avoid it is something about which many students (and professors!) are concerned.  A new 30-minute workshop available 24/7 can help you learn more about plagiarism and how to avoid it.  Just click on Understanding & Avoiding Plagiarism to learn more.  You will also find two other 30-minute workshops about how to succeed in college and how to manage time in college.  Be sure to check the Additional Resources at the end of the workshop.  If your instructor has assigned the workshop, he may also want you to complete the homework assignment which you will see once the workshop begins.  The attachment and resources are listed at the top of the screen of the workshops.


MLA Style is a citation and style guide set forth by the Modern Language Association of America. It is mostly used in writing for the liberal arts and humanities.

Please click here for a Sample MLA paper with directions on how to format in MLA style.

Click here for a quick guide for common MLA sources from the most recent 2009 7th edition. 

For more information on MLA Style, consult the Purdue Owl's section on MLA Style.

APA Style is from the American Psychology Association and is utilized mostly by the Social Sciences.

We have a sample paper with directions on how to format correctly.  Access this paper (written by the Department Chair of McKendree's Nursing Department) by clicking on this link: Sample Paper.

Additional basics of APA are covered in the vidcast available at YouTube<APA Basics from the OWL at Purdue University.  A vidcast of how to assemble the Reference Page is also available.  Nursing students might also appreciate this YouTube instructional video:  http://youtu.be/fajfSCQnruk.

The APA sponsors an excellent website:  www.apastyle.org which offers a great deal of information for students and instructors.

Click here to access a  PowerPoint tutorial about APA style from the Purdue OWL.

Click here to access our own quick guide to common APA sources from the most updated and current 6th edition, 2nd printing.