Modern Language Association of Modern Language Association of AmericaAmerica

Founded in 1883Founded in 1883 Over 30,000 scholars in 100 countriesOver 30,000 scholars in 100 countries 300 members serve on the Executive Committee300 members serve on the Executive Committee They publish guidelines for preparing scholarly They publish guidelines for preparing scholarly

manuscripts and research papersmanuscripts and research papers www.mla.org

MLA vs. APAMLA vs. APA MLA StyleMLA Style Used in the Used in the

HumanitiesHumanities– EnglishEnglish– HistoryHistory– ArtArt– PhilosophyPhilosophy

Includes a Works Includes a Works Cited pageCited page

APA StyleAPA Style Used in the Social Used in the Social

SciencesSciences– PsychologyPsychology– SociologySociology– Political SciencePolitical Science– EconomicsEconomics

Includes a Includes a References pageReferences page

Why Use MLA?Why Use MLA?

Build your credibilityBuild your credibility Demonstrate accountability to your Demonstrate accountability to your

source materialsource material Protect yourself from accusations of Protect yourself from accusations of

plagiarismplagiarism

Before MLA .Before MLA . . . . .

After MLAAfter MLA . . . . . .

Using MLA style Using MLA style is easy!is easy!

Guidelines for Formatting Guidelines for Formatting PAGE ONEPAGE ONE of Your Paper of Your Paper

Do not make a title page for your Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested. paper unless specifically requested.

In the upper left-hand corner of the In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and instructor's name, the course, and the date. Use double-spaced text. the date. Use double-spaced text.

Guidelines for Formatting Guidelines for Formatting PAGE ONEPAGE ONE of Your Paper of Your Paper

Double space again and center the Double space again and center the title. Don't underline your title or put title. Don't underline your title or put it in quotation marks; write the title it in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case, not in all capital letters. in Title Case, not in all capital letters.

Double space between the title and Double space between the title and the first line of the text.the first line of the text.

Sample Page OneSample Page One Smith 1

Elliott Smith

Dr. Karen Rose

English 3

January 27, 2010

Essay Title

Text of essay text of essay text of essay text of essay text of

text of essay text of essay text of essay text of essay text of essay text

of essay text of essay text of essay text of essay text of essay text of

Guidelines for Formatting Your Guidelines for Formatting Your PaperPaper

Create a Create a headerheader that numbers all pages that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. flush with the right margin.

Set the Set the marginsmargins of your document to one of your document to one inch on all sides. inch on all sides.

Indent the first line of a paragraph one Indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch (five spaces or press tab once) half-inch (five spaces or press tab once) from the left margin.from the left margin.

Double-space the text of your paper, and Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font like Times New Roman use a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial.or Arial.

Guidelines for Formatting Your Guidelines for Formatting Your PaperPaper

Long QuotationsLong Quotations Place quotations longer thanPlace quotations longer than four-typed four-typed

lineslines in a free-standing block of text. in a free-standing block of text. Omit quotation marks.Omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the Start the quotation on a new line, with the

entire quote indented one inch from the entire quote indented one inch from the left marginleft margin; maintain double-spacing. ; maintain double-spacing.

Your parenthetical citation should come Your parenthetical citation should come afterafter the closing punctuation mark. the closing punctuation mark.

Two Components that Two Components that Work TogetherWork Together

In-text CitationsIn-text CitationsWorks Cited PageWorks Cited Page

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations WHERE:WHERE: Within the text of your paper Within the text of your paper

WHAT:WHAT: Source information placed in parenthesis Source information placed in parenthesis– Just enough info for your reader to find the source on your Just enough info for your reader to find the source on your

list of Works Citedlist of Works Cited– Usually just the author’s name and the page numberUsually just the author’s name and the page number

WHY:WHY: To signal that the material has been quoted, To signal that the material has been quoted, summarized, or paraphrased from a specific sourcesummarized, or paraphrased from a specific source

HOW:HOW: Follow the conventions for the type of Follow the conventions for the type of source you are usingsource you are using

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations

When you have When you have notnot already named the already named the author in your sentence, provide the author in your sentence, provide the author’s last name and the page number author’s last name and the page number in parentheses.in parentheses.

Ex: “Santa Cruz bookseller is selling a clock that Ex: “Santa Cruz bookseller is selling a clock that counts down the minutes until President Bush counts down the minutes until President Bush leaves office” (Glionna 3).leaves office” (Glionna 3).

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations

If the author’s name is already given in If the author’s name is already given in your text, you need not repeat it in the your text, you need not repeat it in the parenthetical citation. The citation just parenthetical citation. The citation just gives the page number.gives the page number.

Ex: According to John Glionna, “People were Ex: According to John Glionna, “People were depressed after Bush was reelected and needed a depressed after Bush was reelected and needed a reason to laugh again” (13).reason to laugh again” (13).

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions

What do I do when a source has What do I do when a source has no no named authornamed author? ?

Use a shortened title of the work instead Use a shortened title of the work instead of an author name. Place the title in of an author name. Place the title in quotation marks if it's a short work, or quotation marks if it's a short work, or italicize or underline it if it's a longer work.italicize or underline it if it's a longer work.

– Ex: “Marijuana is the nation’s most commonly Ex: “Marijuana is the nation’s most commonly used illicit drug” (used illicit drug” (Drug AddictionDrug Addiction, par. 1)., par. 1).

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions

Where does the punctuation belong?Where does the punctuation belong?

If the quote ends with a period, place it If the quote ends with a period, place it after the parentheses.after the parentheses.– Ex: “Reserving judgments is a matter of Ex: “Reserving judgments is a matter of

infinite hope” (Fitzgerald 2).infinite hope” (Fitzgerald 2).

In-text CitationsIn-text Citations Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions

Where does the punctuation belong?Where does the punctuation belong?

If the quotation ends with a If the quotation ends with a question markquestion mark or or exclamation pointexclamation point, put the , put the ?? or or ! ! inside of the quotation marks. Place a sentence-ending period after the parenthetical citation.after the parenthetical citation.

– Ex: Sigmund Freud posed the question, “What Ex: Sigmund Freud posed the question, “What do women want?” (78).do women want?” (78).

Works Cited PageWorks Cited Page WHERE:WHERE: A new page at the very end of your A new page at the very end of your

paper, numbered in sequence with the preceding paper, numbered in sequence with the preceding pagespages

WHAT:WHAT: Complete bibliographic information about Complete bibliographic information about each source that you mention in your papereach source that you mention in your paper

WHY:WHY: To enable your reader to find the To enable your reader to find the information needed to find the sourceinformation needed to find the source

HOW:HOW: Arrange your sources in Arrange your sources in alphabetical orderalphabetical order by the last name of the author. If the source has by the last name of the author. If the source has no author, alphabetize it by the first main word of no author, alphabetize it by the first main word of the title (excluding A, An, or The)the title (excluding A, An, or The)

Works Cited PageWorks Cited Page

Follow the specific MLA format for Follow the specific MLA format for the types of sources you use.the types of sources you use.

Works Cited PageWorks Cited Page

General format for General format for booksbooks::– Author. Author. TitleTitle. City of publication: Publisher, . City of publication: Publisher,

Year of publication.Year of publication.

General format for General format for newspaper/magazinenewspaper/magazine articlearticle::– Author. “Article Title.” Author. “Article Title.” Magazine/Newspaper Magazine/Newspaper

TitleTitle, Month Year: Page numbers., Month Year: Page numbers.

Works Cited PageWorks Cited Page

General format for General format for web sourcesweb sources::– Author of page (Author of page (if availableif available). “Title of ). “Title of

page.” Title of overall site (page.” Title of overall site (if available – if available – often found on home pageoften found on home page). Date of last ). Date of last update of web site, if available. Date update of web site, if available. Date you accessed the site. <URL of the you accessed the site. <URL of the specific page>.specific page>.

Sample Works Cited PageSample Works Cited PageSmith 11

Works Cited

Drug Addiction. 4 Aug. 2010. <http://www.drugaddiction.com>.

Freud, Sigmund. Totem and Taboo. Trans. James Strachey. New York:

Norton, 1950.

Glionna, John M. “He Has a Sense of Timing with Bush.” Los Angeles

Times. 29 Jan. 2007: B3.

Thomas, Jessie. “Is Your Job Going Abroad?” Newsweek 19 Aug. 2009:

28-32.

Guidelines for Guidelines for QuotationsQuotations

Adding Words in QuotationsAdding Words in Quotations

If you add (or change) a word in a If you add (or change) a word in a quotation, put quotation, put bracketsbrackets around the words around the words to indicate that they are not part of the to indicate that they are not part of the original text.original text.

– Jan Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: Jan Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: "some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a "some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).

Omitting Words in Omitting Words in QuotationsQuotations

If you If you omitomit a word or words from a a word or words from a quotation, indicate the deleted word or quotation, indicate the deleted word or word by using word by using ellipsis marksellipsis marks, which are , which are three periods (...) preceded and followed three periods (...) preceded and followed by a space. by a space.

– In an essay on urban legends, Jan Brunvand notes that In an essay on urban legends, Jan Brunvand notes that "some individuals make a point of learning every recent "some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale ... and in a short time a lively exchange of rumor or tale ... and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs" (78).details occurs" (78).

Quotations within Quotations within QuotationsQuotations

Use Use double and single quotation double and single quotation marksmarks to indicate quotations within to indicate quotations within quotations.quotations.

– According to Jack White, career counselor at According to Jack White, career counselor at Long Beach City College, “Socrates taught us Long Beach City College, “Socrates taught us ‘Know thyself.’ This is a good thing to keep in ‘Know thyself.’ This is a good thing to keep in mind when selecting a career path” (15).mind when selecting a career path” (15).

Integrating QuotationsIntegrating Quotations

Avoid creating a “scotch tape Avoid creating a “scotch tape special.” Don’t pad your text with special.” Don’t pad your text with long quoted passages. long quoted passages.

Integrating QuotationsIntegrating Quotations

Strive to incorporate sources Strive to incorporate sources gracefully into your own prose.gracefully into your own prose.

SummarizingSummarizing

Involves putting a source’s Involves putting a source’s main main idea(s)idea(s) into your own wordsinto your own words. .

It is necessary to attribute It is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original summarized ideas to the original source. source.

Summaries are significantly shorter Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and present a broad than the original and present a broad overview of the source material. overview of the source material.

ParaphrasingParaphrasing

Involves putting a short passage from Involves putting a short passage from source material into your own words. source material into your own words.

Writers often paraphrase when they want Writers often paraphrase when they want to use specific information from a brief to use specific information from a brief passage in the source and don’t want to passage in the source and don’t want to interrupt the flow of their own voice.interrupt the flow of their own voice.

A paraphrase must be attributed to the A paraphrase must be attributed to the original source. original source.

QuotingQuoting

Quotes must match the source Quotes must match the source document document word for wordword for word and must be and must be attributed to the original author.attributed to the original author.

Use Attributive TagsUse Attributive Tags

Use attributive tags to signal to Use attributive tags to signal to reader which ideas are your own and reader which ideas are your own and which ideas are taken from another which ideas are taken from another source.source.– According to the American Council on Science According to the American Council on Science

and Health . . . and Health . . . – Dr. James Goodwin claims that . . . Dr. James Goodwin claims that . . . – As linguist Noam Chomsky has suggested . . . As linguist Noam Chomsky has suggested . . .

Use Attributive Tags to Use Attributive Tags to Shape Reader ResponseShape Reader Response

If you want your reader to respect the If you want your reader to respect the expertise of a source:expertise of a source:– According to noted chemist, Marie Jones . . . According to noted chemist, Marie Jones . . .

If you want your reader’s to discount a If you want your reader’s to discount a source’s view:source’s view:– According to Marie Jones, an industrial chemist According to Marie Jones, an industrial chemist

on the payroll of a major corporate polluter . . .on the payroll of a major corporate polluter . . .

The EndThe End