Module 4: I'm taking a Business, Information Technology, Health Sciences, or Social Science & Humanities course. What do I need to know?
In general, fields that study human society rather than the natural sciences, and use aspects of scientific method (both quantitative and qualitative methodologies) to
conduct research, are considered to be social sciences (i.e., psychology, legal studies, political science, communication, sociology, economics). Humanities courses, in general, refer to those courses (such as, languages, literature, philosophy, religion, and so on) that primarily use critical or speculative methodologies as opposed to empirical methods. Some fields can fall into either social sciences or humanities, such as history, communication studies, law, linguistics, and so on.
No matter what field you are studying, you must always follow a precise style of writing and documentation. The main styles for courses in social sciences and humanities are APA
(American Psychological Association), CMS (Chicago Manual Style), McGill Guide, and MLA (Modern Language Association). Courses in Health Sciences or Business and Information Technology most often use one of the styles from social sciences and humanities.
Don't forget—ALWAYS check with your course instructor about what style guide to use.
