Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT one of the three main citation styles?

1. APA

2. MLA

3. Chicago

4. Harvard

The correct answer is: Harvard

The correct answer highlights that the Harvard citation style is generally not classified among the three main citation styles recognized in academic and professional contexts. The three primary citation styles are APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago (Chicago Manual of Style). APA is commonly utilized in the social sciences, focusing on date of publication and the author’s name, while MLA is often favored in humanities disciplines, emphasizing authorship and page number for in-text citations. The Chicago style offers two main documentation systems: one for notes and bibliography and the other for author-date citation, making it particularly versatile for various subjects. While Harvard is a widely used citation format, especially in the UK and Australia, it is often considered a variation of the author-date style rather than one of the leading citation styles recognized universally in academic writing. Understanding these distinctions helps in identifying the proper context and application of each citation style in scholarly communication.