Choosing Between APA and MLA Formats for Science Research Papers
When writing a science research paper for potential publication, one of the first decisions that must be made is whether to format the paper using American Psychological Association (APA) style or Modern Language Association (MLA) style. Both of these academic style guides are commonly used for various types of publications, but APA style is generally preferred for scientific research papers due to several key formatting and citation conventions that are more relevant to scientific disciplines. There are still some instances where MLA format may be appropriate for science papers as well. This article will examine the main differences between APA and MLA formats and provide guidance on which style is typically best suited for science research paper publication.
APA vs. MLA Format Structure
At the highest level, APA and MLA styles share many similarities in terms of overall paper structure and formatting. Both call for clear formatting of title pages, running heads, page numbers, citations, and reference lists. There are some key differences in the specifics:
Title page: APA style title pages include the full title of the paper, author name(s), institutional affiliation, and an author note. MLA style only requires the title and author name.
Abstract: APA style papers require a separate abstract page that summarizes the paper’s purpose, methods, results, and conclusions. MLA does not use an abstract format.
In-text citations: APA citations include the author’s last name and year of publication in parentheses after a quote or paraphrase. MLA uses the author’s last name only in parentheses.
Reference list: APA reference lists include only sources cited in the text, arranged alphabetically by author’s last name. MLA uses a Works Cited page format which may include additional background sources.
Headings: APA style uses five numerical heading levels (e.g. Method, 2. Participants) while MLA has three non-numerical heading levels (e.g. Method, Participants).
Overall, the traditional APA format structure aligns better with scientific reporting conventions by including important technical paper elements like abstracts. Its citation and reference formatting is also a better match for the fields of psychology, life sciences, medical/health sciences, and social sciences.
Publication Focus and Field Relevance
The intended journal or publisher is another major factor to consider when choosing between APA and MLA. While some general interest publications may accept either format, most scholarly science journals have a strict preference, if not requirement, for the APA style. This is because APA’s conventions were developed specifically for behavioral and social science research, while MLA is geared more towards literature, language, and humanities disciplines.
Even within the life and medical sciences, APA style communicates technical research findings most effectively through elements like abstracts, objective/method headings, and its numbered heading system. Citation practices are also optimized for ease of reference within dense scientific literature reviews and discussions. Comparatively, MLA is considered a “catch-all” format designed for more narrative and discursive paper types.
There are some exceptions – for instance, papers on the history or philosophy of science may be suitable candidates for MLA formatting. And certain interdisciplinary journals may accept either style depending on the specific paper topic. But for empirical research reports aiming to contribute new technical knowledge or data to scientific fields, APA style is virtually always the better match and should be preferred. Following the conventions preferred by one’s target publication community fosters smoother peer reviews and acceptance chances.
APA vs. MLA for Self-Archiving and Scholarly Communications
Finally, the intended use and reuse of a research paper must factor into the formatting decision. If the goal is simply to comply with an assignment guideline or local institutional standard, either APA or MLA may suffice. For papers intended for scholarly sharing and archiving for future citation, APA offers distinct benefits.
Many open access repositories and preprint servers primarily recognize APA style, as do common reference management databases. Papers archived in APA will integrate and interconnect more seamlessly within the constantly evolving network of scholarly communication platforms and technologies. MLA works cited lists, on the other hand, lack the level of technical detail required to normalize citations across diverse databases over time.
For maximum discoverability, reuse, and long-term scholarly impact of one’s research outputs, APA style is the safer option as it has become an intrinsic part of the infrastructure supporting open science and peer-to-peer knowledge building within technical disciplines. Conforming to these established standards fosters sustainable integration and exchange within global scholarly communities.
Conclusion
For science research papers intended for potential publication or scholarly sharing, APA style is generally the preferred formatting choice due its close alignment with scientific reporting conventions, relevance to behavioral and life science disciplines, compatibility with research infrastructure systems, and preference of science journal publishers. Exceptions may apply for certain historical, philosophical or highly interdisciplinary topics, but empirical research reports, data-driven studies and submissions to scholarly science communication platforms are best served by using APA style guidelines. Following publication norms maximizes a paper’s acceptance chances while facilitating long-term discoverability and reuse within technical scholarly networks.
Andrew Stroud