The Basics of MLA Style A guide to student papers

Three areas of concern: Part I: Formatting your paper Part II: The reference list Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation

Part I: Formatting your paper

Part II: The reference list

Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation

Part I: Formatting your paper Use 8½ X 11 inch paper 12 point, New Times Roman, or similar font 1 inch margins Double-space your text Use a running header Number pages consecutively, starting on the first page

Use 8½ X 11 inch paper

12 point, New Times Roman, or similar font

1 inch margins

Double-space your text

Use a running header

Number pages consecutively, starting on the first page

Part I: Formatting your paper A title page is not necessary Your name Instructor Course number Date Title of paper

A title page is not necessary

Your name

Instructor

Course number

Date

Title of paper

Part I: Formatting your paper Indent the first line of each paragraph by five spaces (tab button) Place tables and illustrations as close as possible to their related text After the body of your paper comes the Works Cited page

Indent the first line of each paragraph by five spaces (tab button)

Place tables and illustrations as close as possible to their related text

After the body of your paper comes the Works Cited page

Part II: The reference list Reference sources used in your paper must be listed In MLA format, this page is labeled “Works Cited” List sources alphabetically by author’s last name (or title, if author not known)

Reference sources used in your paper must be listed

In MLA format, this page is labeled “Works Cited”

List sources alphabetically by author’s last name (or title, if author not known)

Example Works Cited Heinerman, John. Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs . Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988. Kowalchik, Claire and William H. Hylton. Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs . Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1998. Wardlaw, Gordon M. and Anne M. Smith. Contemporary Nutrition . Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006.

Works Cited

Heinerman, John. Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and

Herbs . Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988.

Kowalchik, Claire and William H. Hylton. Rodale’s Illustrated

Encyclopedia of Herbs . Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1998.

Wardlaw, Gordon M. and Anne M. Smith. Contemporary Nutrition .

Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006.

Part II: The reference list MLA is used mostly in the humanities disciplines (history, literature, fine arts) MLA style emphasizes brevity and clarity The purpose of a reference list is to: Identify and credit the sources you used Enable the reader to locate your sources

MLA is used mostly in the humanities disciplines (history, literature, fine arts)

MLA style emphasizes brevity and clarity

The purpose of a reference list is to:

Identify and credit the sources you used

Enable the reader to locate your sources

Part II: The reference list Books Lastname, Firstname. Title of book . Location: Publisher, Year. Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Books

Lastname, Firstname. Title of book . Location: Publisher, Year.

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Part II: The reference list Anthology or Compilation Carroll, Andrew, ed. Letters of a Nation . New York: Kodansha International, 1997. Book by two or more authors Walker, Geraldene, and Joseph Janes. Online Retrieval: a Dialogue of Theory and Practice . Englewood: Libraries Unlimited, 1999.

Anthology or Compilation

Carroll, Andrew, ed. Letters of a Nation . New York: Kodansha International, 1997.

Book by two or more authors

Walker, Geraldene, and Joseph Janes. Online Retrieval: a Dialogue of Theory and Practice . Englewood: Libraries Unlimited, 1999.

Part II: The reference list Article in a journal Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume (year): pp-pp. Sacks, Samuel. “Fraud Risk: Are You Prepared?” Journal of Accountancy 198.3 (2004): 57-63.

Article in a journal

Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume (year): pp-pp.

Sacks, Samuel. “Fraud Risk: Are You Prepared?” Journal of Accountancy 198.3 (2004): 57-63.

Part II: The reference list Article in a Magazine Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine day month year: pp-pp. Weintraub, Arlene, and Laura Cohan. “A Thousand-Year Plan for Nuclear Waste.” Business Week 6 May 2002: 94-96. Paul, Annie Murphy. “Self-Help: Shattering the Myths.” Psychology Today Mar.-Apr. 2001: 60-68.

Article in a Magazine

Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine day month year: pp-pp.

Weintraub, Arlene, and Laura Cohan. “A Thousand-Year Plan for Nuclear Waste.” Business Week 6 May 2002: 94-96.

Paul, Annie Murphy. “Self-Help: Shattering the Myths.” Psychology Today Mar.-Apr. 2001: 60-68.

Part II: The reference list References to Electronic Sources Basic entry Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Document.” Information about print publication. Information about electronic publication. Access information. Belli, Brita. “Nuking Food: Contamination Fears and Market Possibilities Spur an Irradiation Revival.” E Magazine July-Aug. 2007: 136-142. 8 Sept. 2007 <www.emagazine.com/view/?3790>.

References to Electronic Sources

Basic entry

Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Document.” Information about print publication. Information about electronic publication. Access information.

Belli, Brita. “Nuking Food: Contamination Fears and Market Possibilities Spur an Irradiation Revival.” E Magazine July-Aug. 2007: 136-142. 8 Sept. 2007 <www.emagazine.com/view/?3790>.

Part II: The reference list Periodical article from a library subscription database Paul, Annie Murphy. “Self-Help: Shattering the Myths.” Psychology Today Mar.-Apr. 2001: 60-68. Academic Search Elite . Ebsco. Brown Mackie College, Tucson, AZ. 1 Jan. 2008 < http:// search.epnet.com >.

Periodical article from a library subscription database

Paul, Annie Murphy. “Self-Help: Shattering the Myths.” Psychology Today Mar.-Apr. 2001: 60-68. Academic Search Elite . Ebsco. Brown Mackie College, Tucson, AZ. 1 Jan. 2008 < http:// search.epnet.com >.

Part II: The reference list Entire Web site, no author Title of Web site. Editor. Electronic publication info including version #, date of publication or latest update. Name of any sponsoring organization. Date of access <URL>. Jane Austen Information Page . Ed. Henry Churchyard. 6 Sept. 2000. 15 June 2002 <http://pemberly.com/janeinfo/janeinfo.html>.

Entire Web site, no author

Title of Web site. Editor. Electronic publication info including version #, date of publication or latest update. Name of any sponsoring organization. Date of access <URL>.

Jane Austen Information Page . Ed. Henry Churchyard. 6 Sept. 2000. 15 June 2002 <http://pemberly.com/janeinfo/janeinfo.html>.

Part II: The reference list Page on a web site, with author. Firstname, Lastname. “Title of Page.” Name of Web site . Date of publication or latest update. Sponsoring organization. Date of access <URL>. Stolley, Karl. “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” The OWL at Purdue .10 May 2006. Purdue University Writing Lab. 12 May 2006 <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/>.

Page on a web site, with author.

Firstname, Lastname. “Title of Page.” Name of Web site . Date of publication or latest update. Sponsoring organization. Date of access <URL>.

Stolley, Karl. “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” The OWL at Purdue .10 May 2006. Purdue University Writing Lab. 12 May 2006 <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/>.

Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation Within the body of your text, you must cite your sources as you use them. You must cite any and all data, facts, information, opinions, ideas, tables, charts, graphics, photographs, etc. that you obtained in your research.

Within the body of your text, you must cite your sources as you use them.

You must cite any and all data, facts, information, opinions, ideas, tables, charts, graphics, photographs, etc. that you obtained in your research.

Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation References in the text must clearly point to specific sources in the list of works cited. Identify the location of the borrowed information as specifically as possible. Readability is important. Keep citations as brief as clarity and accuracy permit.

References in the text must clearly point to specific sources in the list of works cited.

Identify the location of the borrowed information as specifically as possible.

Readability is important. Keep citations as brief as clarity and accuracy permit.

Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation Author’s name in text Lipson has argued this point (38-40). Author’s name in reference This point has already been argued (Lipson 38-40). Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Author’s name in text

Lipson has argued this point (38-40).

Author’s name in reference

This point has already been argued (Lipson 38-40).

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Part III: Parenthetical, or in-text citation Author’s name in text Lipson’s first rule of academic honesty is, “When you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it” (3). Author’s name in reference “ When you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it,” is a good rule to keep in mind (Lipson 3). Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Author’s name in text

Lipson’s first rule of academic honesty is, “When you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it” (3).

Author’s name in reference

“ When you say you did the work yourself, you actually did it,” is a good rule to keep in mind (Lipson 3).

Lipson, Charles. Doing Honest Work in College . Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2004.

Conclusion Formatting rules make research papers uniform and easy to read The ability to verify facts through proper citation of sources is essential to good scholarship In-text citation and the reference list: Identify and credit the sources you used Enable the reader to locate your sources

Formatting rules make research papers uniform and easy to read

The ability to verify facts through proper citation of sources is essential to good scholarship

In-text citation and the reference list:

Identify and credit the sources you used

Enable the reader to locate your sources