DOCUMENTING ACADEMIC RESEARCH:

Current Rules for Using

MLA Formatting

Styles of Documentation*Documenting sources establishes the writer’s credibility.*The “style” of the documentation depends upon the specific discipline of the writing.

Styles of Documentation

*MLA (Modern Language Association)used in English, foreign languages, and other humanities

*APA(American Psychological Association)used in psychology & other social sciences

*Chicago (University of Chicago Press)used in history, philosophy, and other specified

humanities

*CSE (Council of Science Editors)used in physical and biological sciences and

mathematics.

MLA StyleMLA style requires:

*specific format for the research paper

*brief in-text documentation

*complete list of works cited after the text of the research.

Formatting the Paper*Margins: 1” from top, bottom, left and right.*Header: Writer’s last name and page number.

½” from top on the right. *Heading: Against Left Margin.

Writer’s NameProfessor’s NameCourse Name and SectionDate: day Month year

*Paper’s Title (centered)

Formatting the Paper

*Spacing and indents:Entire paper including the Works Cited

page isdouble spaced.The first line of each paragraph should

be indented one-half inch from the left margin.*Long quotations:

Specific longer quotes (3-4 lines) need to be set off from the rest of the essay. (1” or 10 spaces from the left margin with NO quotation marks.)

In-Text CitationsMaterial in the research paper that is quoted, summarized, paraphrased, and/or otherwise learned from either a primary or secondary source requires a citation within the body of the research paper.

Citation usually needs a “signal phrase” for transition introducing the material into the text of the essay.

Citation comes at the end of the material taken from the source and includes the author’s last name with the page number from the article or source.

In-Text Citation: What It Looks Like

Formatting the Paper

The Works Cited page:*is the last page(s) of the document, all double spaced.

* has its title centered at the top with the entries double spaced below.

*has each entry beginning against the left margin.

*alphabetizes each entry by author’s last name, or by title (excluding articles) if no author is listed in the entry.

*indents subsequent lines ½” (hanging indent).

*

The Formatted Works Cited Page

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