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StyleEase: A paper and reference formatting software
using the Modern Language Association Handbook Style.
Version 1.0. Guilford Publications, Inc.
Asao B. Inoue
Washington State University
StyleEase is an easy-to-install patch-like program that adds
templates and options to your current version of MS Word. If you
are looking for a documentation tool that will help you insert
citations, add works cited and reference lists, and format papers
according to MLA Handbook style, then this is it. The program uses
the styles and template options already offered in Word and adds
custom Word templates for documents such as MLA papers, term
papers, theses, and dissertations.
The slender user manual adequately explains all the main features
of the templates and menu options, including a few standard
features of MS Word as they apply to the program's templates.
For instance, there are chapters on changing style properties
such as font size, color, type, and paragraph orientation and
formatting. The templates use the MLA Handbook format and include:
* MLApaper.dot: to write a journal article or paper.
* Dissert.dot: to write a dissertation.
* Termpapr.dot: to write a term paper.
* Thesis.dot: to write a master's thesis.
The software's strongest feature -- and maybe worth the purchase --
is its Insert Reference command that allows you to add in-text
citations (on the fly) and reference entries all at once. You
build your works cited page as you write your paper in MS Word
using intuitively designed dialogue boxes. Entering references
is easy and produces clean, editable text in your document.
The templates provided are meant to streamline page formatting (such
as block quotations, citations, cover pages, font sizes, headings,
tables, figures, captions, running heads, etc.) and reference page
generation, but if you do not already know how to use and manipulate
Word styles, you may find learning to use these templates a bit
cumbersome at first. If you already use styles in your documents,
these templates are excellent and will be a breeze. They format
the text for you and place all the information where it belongs.
If you just want a handy tool to create works cited pages and
reference lists, then this is still a solid tool and little
knowledge of how to use styles is needed. The downside to using
the templates (StyleEase's main feature) is that you must learn
StyleEase's styles and their names. Again, this is easy if you know
about Word styles already.
In order to use StyleEase you must have a CD-ROM drive and one of
the following versions of MS Word, running on a Windows 95, 98, NT,
or 2000 operation system:
* Word 2000 (PC)
* Word 98 (Mac)
* Word 97 (PC)
* Word 7 (PC)
* Word 6 (PC or Mac)
The manufacturers acknowledge that "StyleEase is an independently
developed product that has not been endorsed by the Modern Language
Association (MLA). StyleEase is not intended to function as a
substitute for the MLA Handbook or the MLA Style Manual."
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