MLA Format? For What?

MLA Format? For What?

What is MLA and Why Do We Have to Use It?

What is MLA and Why Do We Have to Use It?

A Writing Center Presentation

MLA

Reasons to use it:Reasons to use it:

To avoid plagiarism To give credit to the original

author To allow people to find out

more about your topic

To avoid plagiarism To give credit to the original

author To allow people to find out

more about your topic

Things to RememberThings to Remember

Any information you get from a source must be cited, whether it is a quote, paraphrase or summary.

Basic format for in-text citations (note there is no comma between name & page #, and no ‘p.’): (Author’s Last Name page #) (Smith 25)

In-text citations should be placed as close to the information from the source within the text as possible (for example, at the end of the sentence for a quotation or the end of the paragraph for a summary).

MLA is a 2-part system; both in-text citations and a Works Cited page are required.

The Works Cited list is organized alphabetically by author’s last name, or if there is no author, the first important word in the title.

Any information you get from a source must be cited, whether it is a quote, paraphrase or summary.

Basic format for in-text citations (note there is no comma between name & page #, and no ‘p.’): (Author’s Last Name page #) (Smith 25)

In-text citations should be placed as close to the information from the source within the text as possible (for example, at the end of the sentence for a quotation or the end of the paragraph for a summary).

MLA is a 2-part system; both in-text citations and a Works Cited page are required.

The Works Cited list is organized alphabetically by author’s last name, or if there is no author, the first important word in the title.

More Things to RememberMore Things to Remember

The Works Cited page is a new page in the same document as your paper (page numbering should continue)

It is called Works Cited; center this at the top of the page. Double space the Works Cited page, just like the rest of

your paper. For entries more than one line long, second and

subsequent lines are indented. Book, magazine, newspaper, journal and web site titles

are always italicized or underlined. Titles of articles, short stories and poems are always

placed inside quotation marks. For quotations more than four lines long, use the block

quote format – indent the entire quotation ten spaces (tab twice) and do not place inside quotation marks.

The Works Cited page is a new page in the same document as your paper (page numbering should continue)

It is called Works Cited; center this at the top of the page. Double space the Works Cited page, just like the rest of

your paper. For entries more than one line long, second and

subsequent lines are indented. Book, magazine, newspaper, journal and web site titles

are always italicized or underlined. Titles of articles, short stories and poems are always

placed inside quotation marks. For quotations more than four lines long, use the block

quote format – indent the entire quotation ten spaces (tab twice) and do not place inside quotation marks.

MLA = Modern Language Association

MLA = Modern Language Association

The reason we use a standard form of citing resources is so that there is no confusion.

It’s standard, therefore someone 3,000 miles away (who also uses MLA) will understand what your

citation means.

MLA is commonly used for language and literature

based disciplines.

The reason we use a standard form of citing resources is so that there is no confusion.

It’s standard, therefore someone 3,000 miles away (who also uses MLA) will understand what your

citation means.

MLA is commonly used for language and literature

based disciplines.

What does the Modern Language Association say?

What does the Modern Language Association say?

The style recommended by the association for preparing scholarly

manuscripts and student research papers…

concerns itself with the mechanics of writing, such as punctuation,

quotation, and documentation of

sources.

MLA is a two-part System

MLA is a two-part System

Works Cited Page In-Text Citations

The in-text citations must match up with the entries on the Works Cited Page.

Works Cited Page In-Text Citations

The in-text citations must match up with the entries on the Works Cited Page.

Where Do I Start?Where Do I Start?

With Basic Format…With Basic Format…

What’s Next?What’s Next?

The Works Cited Page…The Works Cited Page…

What About the Citations in the Paper?

What About the Citations in the Paper?In-text Citations are based on

the Works Cited page…In-text Citations are based on

the Works Cited page…

Jeffries, Martin. Haunted Minds. New York: Jack-O-Lantern Publications, 2005.

The area of the brain that contains past memories is sometimes filled with “horrid distortions of past tragedy” (Jeffries 56).

Sample Works Cited Page Entries

Sample Works Cited Page Entries

Book…Book…

Smith, Jane. Having Fun with Finger Paints. Morganton, NC: Artsy Press, Inc., 2005. Print.

The author’s name should

be LAST, FIRST

Titles of books are underlined

or italicized

The state is required only if the location of the city is not well-known

Use the most recent

copyright year

Where to find this information in a book…

Where to find this information in a book…

Title

Copyright Year

Publisher Information (name

and location)

Author’s Name

Magazine (or Journal)…Magazine (or Journal)…

Carter, Hank. “Sharing the Wealth.” Debt Consolidation Monthly. 14.2 (2003): 25-31. Print.

The author’s name

should be LAST, FIRST

Article name

should be in quotations

Magazine title should be

underlined or italicized

Volume number Issue

number

Year of publication

Page number

s

Where to find this information in a magazine…

Where to find this information in a magazine…

Magazine title, date of

publication, volume and issue numbers, page

number

Title of article

Author of article

Web Site…Web Site…

Gerber, Patsy. “Embarking on the Future.” Science Fiction Books of the World. 2005. Web. 10 Nov. 2005.

The author’s name should

be LAST, FIRST(if no author, skip this

part)

Name of the work (not the

entire site)

Name of the web

site

When site was

last updated

Date of

access(when you looked at

it)

URL in brackets < >

Where to find this information on a web site…

Where to find this information on a web site…

Title of work

Name of web site

When last updated

URL

Sample In-Text Citations

Sample In-Text Citations

Book or Magazine…Book or Magazine…

The setting of Briars on the Path is one that enlightens the reader as well as represents an innovative ideology – setting as character (Jones 27).

Author’s last name

Page number where

information can be

referenced

Website…Website…

The art of karate is not a new concept, it has been around for hundreds of years (“Karate” par.7). Asian countries have participated in this discipline and are considered the founders of the art (Hawthorne par.2).

Author’s last name and paragraph number – since web

sites do not have “pages”

If an article/work does not have an author, use the first word of the citation

on the Works Cited page (if the word is in quotations, use quotations when cited

parenthetically)

Internet OptionsInternet Options

UNC Citation Builder Son of Citation Machine Online Writing Lab (OWL) at

Purdue University Easybib.com http://libguides.rccc.edu/citations Microsoft Office References

*Note that if there is a discrepancy between the way the computer formats a citation and what your textbook says, you should use the format in the textbook.

UNC Citation Builder Son of Citation Machine Online Writing Lab (OWL) at

Purdue University Easybib.com http://libguides.rccc.edu/citations Microsoft Office References

*Note that if there is a discrepancy between the way the computer formats a citation and what your textbook says, you should use the format in the textbook.

If you want one-to-one assistance…

If you want one-to-one assistance…

Go to the Writing Center!Go to the Writing Center!