Final answer:
The answer to the question is B. Format. While the content, purpose, and use of mechanics in citation style guides have commonalities, the specific format each citation style dictates differs significantly and is not common among all types.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which of the following is not common among all types of citation style guides: Content, Format, Purpose, or Use of Mechanics. Each citation style, whether MLA, APA, or others, has specific guidelines regarding format, purpose, and mechanics, which include punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and grammar. However, the content that is included in a citation (like the author's name, title of work, date of publication, etc.) is generally consistent across different styles.
The correct answer is B. Format. Citation styles differ significantly in terms of format - for instance, the way in which the information is ordered and presented in the bibliography or works cited page. MLA and APA, for instance, have distinct formatting rules for in-text citations and the bibliography. The purpose of citation styles is largely the same - to give credit to the original sources and enable readers to locate the sources used by the writer. Lastly, the use of mechanics - such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling - is consistent within each style guide but not necessarily across different guides.