MLA Style Guide Basics

What is MLA Style?The Modern Language

Association (MLA) developed a style guide for academic writing.

Part of the style guide deals with standardized ways to document the writer’s source materials.

Why must I cite sources?It is your responsibility to give proper

credit to your sources.

If you fail to give proper credit to a source, you have committed plagiarism.

Students and teachers in the middle schools are expected to use MLA style when writing pieces that require information to be cited from other sources.

What is plagiarism?If you have not given proper

credit to your sources, you have committed plagiarism.

Whether you have intentionally tried to pass off someone else’s ideas as your own, or whether you “forgot” to cite a source, the charge is plagiarism, and it is illegal.

How can I avoid plagiarism?

Any idea or fact that you received from a source needs to be cited.

Any fact or idea that is common knowledge does not need to be cited. For example, the fact that the earth rotates around the sun is common knowledge and does not need to be cited.

How do I cite in MLA?MLA provides guidelines for the

creation of a bibliography page. This is called the Works Cited page in MLA.

MLA style uses parenthetical (within the text) citation.

Parenthetical CitationParenthetical citations are used

directly in the text to show where the writer got the information.

Information cited may be written as a direct quote or an indirect quote.

Direct QuoteA direct quote would look like

this in your paper:

“In 2007, 37 percent of American adults sought medical information from the internet regarding a health problem they were experiencing before consulting a doctor” (Smith 38).

Direct QuoteSince the words are contained within

quotation marks, the reader understands that it is a direct (word for word) quote.

The reader can see that this quote can be found on page 38 of Smith’s book.

Notice that the sentence’s end punctuation falls after the parenthetical citation. The exception to this is if the end punctuation is an exclamation point or question mark.

Indirect QuoteAn indirect quote would look like this in

your paper:

Instead of going to a doctor right away, a recent study found that 37 percent of Americans are now turning to the internet for medical information (Smith 38).

Notice that even though the information in an indirect quote is paraphrased, it still must be cited because it is not your own idea.

Indirect QuoteIf the author is named in the text, he is

not named in the citation. For example:

According to Smith, 37 percent of Americans are now turning to the internet for medical information (38).

Notice that you must still make the citation, even if it only contains the page number.

Indirect QuoteSince the words are not contained within

quotation marks, the reader understands that the information has been paraphrased (restated in your own words).

The reader can see that this information can be found on page 38 of Smith’s book.

Notice that the sentence’s end punctuation falls after the parenthetical citation. The exception to this is if the end punctuation is an exclamation point or a question mark.

Placement of CitationsPlace your citation so that it is

clear where your borrowing begins and ends. Place your citation at the end of the sentence element containing the borrowed material. For example:

The inflation rate might climb as high as 30 percent (Hall 164), an increase that could threaten the nation’s stability.

More about CitationsIf you are writing two or more

sentences from the same source and the same page, place the citation after the last sentence, but before the end punctuation.

If you are citing two or more sentences from the same source but on different pages, you must cite each sentence separately.

How to Write in MLA StyleBefore you begin writing, set up

your document so that everything is double spaced (paragraph, line spacing, double, OK).

Choose 12-point Times New Roman as your font.

How to Write in MLA StyleInsert Header with last name and page

number (insert, header, blank, page number, top of page, Plain Number 1)

Position curser in front of page number. Type your last name. Move the curser to the front of your name and press tab twice to align right. Then move curser to the body of the document to begin typing the paper. Word will automatically insert your last name followed by the page number on each subsequent page.

How to Write in MLA StyleThere is no title page in MLA.

Simply begin typing, align left.

The information you include will be your name, the instructor’s name, the class, and the date the assignment is due.

How to Write in MLA StyleYour name and title information should

look like this:

John Smith

Mrs. Daniels

8th Grade Language Arts

10 January 2011

Works Cited PageA Works Cited page is the name

that MLA gives to a bibliography. It is a listing of all the sources you cited in your paper.

The Works Cited page is always going to be the last page of your paper. It will continue showing your last name and the page number in the header.

Works Cited PageYou should type the words Works

Cited at the top of the page and center it.

Do not bold, italicize, or

underline the words Works Cited.

Do not put the words Works Cited in quotation marks.

Works Cited PageThe Works Cited page, like all other

pages in MLA style, is double spaced.

The sources are listed alphabetically by the first word or name in the entry. This first word or name should be what you use in your parenthetical citations.

Works Cited PageIndent the second and

subsequent lines of each entry five spaces.

Becker, John E. “Science and the Sacred:

From Walden to Tinker Creek.” Thought: A Review of Culture

and Idea 62 (1987): 400-13.

On-line Tools for Writing CitationsEasyBib.com is an automated

bibliography creator. The user fills in the required information, and EasyBib creates the citation!

This citation can then be copied and pasted onto a Works Cited page in Microsoft Word. Be sure to check that the font is still 12-point Times New Roman.

On-line Tools for Writing CitationsOttoBib.com is an automated

bibliography creator. The user types in the ISBN (bar code) on the back of a book, and OttoBib will create the citation!

This citation can then be cut and pasted onto a Works Cited page in Microsoft Word.

Please note that internet sources do not have ISBNs.

On-line Tools for Writing CitationsFurther information on MLA style

guidelines can be found at:

Owl.english.purdue.edu

Facts to RememberBegin early! Do not procrastinate. A

paper of this magnitude cannot be thrown together the night before it is due.

After you have gathered your sources, begin typing notes for each source. Be sure to note the page number where each note can be found. Keep these notes. Attach to the back of your final draft.

Facts to RememberUnless you are typing a direct

quote (which should be contained by quotation marks) begin paraphrasing right from the start.

Once you have taken complete notes set your sources to the side. Work from your notes. This will increase the likelihood that you will use your own words.

Facts to RememberAfter taking notes, you will begin to see

natural grouping of topics. This will help you organize your material.

Use highlighters to separate notes by topic.

Remember, you may not use all of the notes you wrote. They may not fit into any of the topics you ultimately decide to use in your paper.

Facts to RememberAfter highlighting, retype your notes,

grouping information into the topics you have decided upon.

When retyping, do not be afraid to paraphrase again. This will further ensure that your words are, in fact, your words.

Staple this first draft to the back of your notes.

Facts to RememberWrite your introduction paragraph.

Smooth out your topic paragraphs, adding transition words and phrases and any of your own ideas.

Write your conclusion paragraph.

Check to make sure that your sources on your Works Cited page are listed in alphabetical order.

Facts to RememberProofread.

Staple your final draft on top of your notes and first draft.

Turn in on time.