A research paper calls on you to follow special rules for documenting your sources — citing them as you write and listing them at the end of your paper. In humanities courses and the social sciences, most writers follow the style of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA). Your instructor will probably suggest which style to follow; if you are not told, use MLA. The first time you prepare a research paper in either style, you’ll need extra time to look up exactly what to do in each situation. (See Ch. 36 or 37.)