Chicago VS. APA (American Psychological Association) Documentary Styles Effectiveness On Iraqi EFL Students Performance in Reading Comprehension

This study investigates the comparative effectiveness of two different citation approaches:¬ the Chicago and the APA (American Psychological Association) styles on the reading comprehension performance of the Iraqi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students· It is a general requirement that a graduate student’s academic essay is supported by such adherence as to systematic texts that possess basic formats, thus being a critical factor in information presentation and understanding · The research aims to answer the question of whether the formatting elements and the citation management features of Chicago and APA style sheets define adequate parameters in a student’s ability to read and retain ideas and information from textual materials provided in class. The research compares the effect of two mentioned techniques on Iraqi EFL second-year students studying in the department of English for the academic year of 2023-2024, and to determine which of the citation styles is more appropriate in enhancing reading comprehension performance of the students on a given academic reading. The study followed a mixed-strategy research design, percentages were employed in this study to measure the effectiveness of said comprehension techniques in academic settings where students have to read and integrate academic texts that are presented in either Chicago or APA style. Their performance on these tests are measured and compared to identify any significant differences in comprehension levels. The results of the study reveal a significant difference in reading comprehension performance between the two groups. Students in the first experimental group that operated in Chicago style was found to be easier and more comprehendible than style formatted in American Psychological Association (APA) style, which is considered fastidious and may cause confusion for students, especially those who face new words at the same text of the APA citation style (Auther’s name). Such findings indicate that the Chicago citation style is more helpful in enhancing reading comprehension among Iraqi EFL learners.