Using MLA Format

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Using MLA Format
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What is MLA?

• MLA is a method of formatting papers that is
  primarily used for humanities-based courses. By
  using a MLA format, it helps writers give credit
  to the people whose work is being referenced in a
  standard way.

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Basic Guidelines

• Type your paper on a regular sheet of paper, in a
  standard black font, like
• Times New Roman.

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Basic Guidelines

• Do not make a title page for your paper, unless
  your teacher asks for one.
• On your first page, click insert, then page
  numbers, and choose top of page and right.
  If your teacher asks you not to number the first
  page, unclick the start on first page box.

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Basic Guidelines

• Double space your paper. Go to format, and
  then click paragraph. Select double space.
• Create your heading. First type your name, then
  your teachers name, then the name of the class,
  and finally, the date (inverted). Check out the
  example on the next slide.

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Heading

• Anita Knapp
• Mrs. Haskins
• English 9
• 22 January 2008

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Basic Guidelines

• After heading your paper, on the next line (which
  is still double spaced), write your title. Do
  not underline, italicize, or write your title in
  all capital letters.
• On the next line (still double spaced), start
  typing your paper.

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Finding Resources

• If there is a pathfinder for your class
  assignment, you can locate online resources by
  clicking the Class Links page of our Media Center
  webpage.
• Find your class, and click the link for tried
  and true web and book resources.
• If you are locating your own resources, make sure
  you are using reputable websites. This resource
  can help http//www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/
  Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

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You need to document

• Direct quotes, both entire sentences and phrases
• Paraphrases (rephrased or summarized material)
• Words specific or unique to the author's
  research, theories, or ideas
• Use of an author's argument or line of thinking
• Historical, statistical, or scientific facts
• Articles or studies you refer to within your text

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In-text Citation

• In-text, or parenthetical citation, is when you
  reference someone elses research in your paper.
  For example, in a paper about Harry Potter, if
  you paraphrase or quote something you read, you
  use the authors last name and page number as the
  citation.
• Example
• Some claim that the Harry Potter series is an
  allegory for Europe in the 1930s (Develle 3).

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Continued

• Some claim that the Harry Potter series is an
  allegory for Europe in the 1930s (Develle 3).
• In the example above, the idea from that sentence
  came from the 3rd page of an article/book by
  Develle. Even though it isnt a quote, it is
  still Develles idea and must be cited.

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Using a direct quote

• If you are using a direct quote from an article
  in your paper, and your sentence includes the
  authors name and book/article title, your
  citation needs to include only the page number
• According to Dr. Deville, in his bestselling book
  Knowing Harry, Voldemort is Hitler, Dumbledore
  is Churchill, and Potter is FDR's America
  (170).

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Using direct quotes

• If you use a quote, and you dont explain in your
  sentence who the author was, you have to cite
  with the authors name and page number. Note
  that the punctuation FOLLOWS the citation.
• It is clear that Voldemort is Hitler,
  Dumbledore is Churchill, and Potter is FDR's
  America in the Harry Potter series (Deville
  170).

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Works Cited

• Once your paper is written, you need to attach a
  list of references that you used, called a Works
  Cited page.

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Works Cited Page

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MLA style format for Works Cited

• For a book Authors last name, first name.
  Title of Book. City of Publication Publishing
  company, publication date.
• For an article Author. "Article." Title of
  Publication Issue/Volume (Date of Publication)
  page(s).
• For an online resource Author. "Article."
  Publication Title. Date of Publication. Retrieval
  date ltweb addressgt.

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Book example (should be double spaced, with a
hanging indent)

• Clawfed, Marilyn. Americas Richest People.
• Baltimore BelAir, 1976.
• Jonessey, Vivian R., and Martin O. Engle.
• Deaf History Triumphs and Tragedies.
• Washington, DC Deaf Club, 1989.

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Article examples Note If an article has no
author, begin with the title

• Magazine Article
• Comptell, Augustine. "Are We So Beautiful?"
  Beauty Center
• 3 Dec. 1995 A3.
• Newspaper Article
• Grosslyn, Jessica. "Plane Crash Raises Fears on
  Safety of
• Airplanes." Philadelphia News 14 Feb. 1994 A10,
  col. 3.
• Encyclopedia Article
• Krueber, Alfred L. "The Concept and Components of
  Cell
• Cultures." Britannica Micropedia. 1998 ed.

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Online resource examples

• Online book
• Fuller, Jennifer. Cat Phobia. 1977. 18 Jan. 1999
• lthttp//books.university.edu/1020/phobiagt.
• Online newspaper article
• Reid, T.R. "Druids Return to Stonehenge."
  Washington Post 23
• Nov. 1993. 25 Nov. 1993
• lthttp//www.washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/WPlate/1993
  -11-23/045I-062298-
• idx.hmtlgt.
• Online Article with no author
• "Fleeting Consciousness." US News Online 29 June
  1998. 25 October 1999
• lthttp//www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/980629/29brai
  n.htmlgt.

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Still need some help?

• Try the citation machine, at http//citationmach
  ine.net/, where you can type in your information,
  and it will provide the citation. NOTE It will
  not double space or do a hanging indent, but it
  will put everything in the order, so make sure
  you finish formatting it properly before turning
  it in!