A Guide to MLA Format(6th Edition)

Presented by:The Writing CenterThe College of Saint Rose

What is a Research Paper?

A document that allows the writer to become familiar with others’ ideas about a topic and to compare those ideas to the writer’s own interpretations and thoughts about the topic

Professors want to see how well the writer can use the work of others to advance the paper’s purpose.

What is MLA format?

• Modern Language Association• A system that specifies how your

paper should be set up and how any sources you use should be referenced

• Used most frequently in English and other Humanities

What is the purpose of MLA Format?

A. a silly system designed to drive students insane

B. allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily

C. gives you credibility as a writerD. helps you to use your sources

properly

True or False

MLA is…MLA is…

Answer: Only “A” is false

General Format for MLA Papers Typed Double-spaced Standard sized paper (8.5

x 11) 1 inch margins on all sides Times New Roman or Courier

New 10 or 12 size font Titles of longer works are

italicized or underlined, titles of shorter works are in “ ”

Header on all pages in upper right-hand corner, ½ inch from the top (your last name & page number)

A Sample First Page

Double-spaced heading in upper left corner of the first page that includes: your name professor’s name the course the due date

Center the title Everything is double

spaced! Nothing more, nothing less!

Doe 1 Doe 1

Jane Doe Jane Doe

Professor Smith Professor Smith

ENG 101 ENG 101

15 March 200615 March 2006

Tragedy in Shakespeare’s Comedies Tragedy in Shakespeare’s Comedies

Much can be said of the humor in Shakespeare’s Much can be said of the humor in Shakespeare’s

comedies, but what of the dark undertones? It is comedies, but what of the dark undertones? It is

necessary to view the Bard’s work with an ever-necessary to view the Bard’s work with an ever-

doubting eye, as he often intends the opposite of whatdoubting eye, as he often intends the opposite of what

is on the surface. Could it be that his comedies really is on the surface. Could it be that his comedies really

only display a mechanism for dealing with hardship only display a mechanism for dealing with hardship

in life? Is it possible that there really is no such thing in life? Is it possible that there really is no such thing

as isolated comedy for Shakespeare—that it exists as isolated comedy for Shakespeare—that it exists

only in the presence of tragedy, difficulties, and other only in the presence of tragedy, difficulties, and other

problems? When reading his plays, problems? When reading his plays, A Midsummer A Midsummer

Night’s DreamNight’s Dream and and …

Using MLA to Document Sources

Why do I have to cite my sources?– Have to give credit where credit is due

What is Plagiarism?– The College of Saint Rose Catalog of

Undergraduate Studies (2005-2007) defines Plagiarism:

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:– Purchasing, copying, down-loading, printing

or paraphrasing another’s book, article, paper, speech, exam, portfolio, creative work, argument or any other work and presenting it as one’s own, either in whole or in part.

– Incorporating portions of another’s work without proper acknowledgement and documentation. (48)

Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism can result in an F for the assignment, an F for the course, or your expulsion from school.

In your professional career, you can be sued, fired, or publicly embarrassed.

When to cite your sources…

– Quoting– Paraphrasing– Summarizing– Use of facts, statistics, or data

from an outside text – Referring to an idea in passing– Use of a visual (a photograph,

painting, chart, table, or graph) from an outside source within your paper

Setting up Parenthetical Citations

2 ways to use parenthetical citations:

Author’s name in text, page number in parentheses:Ex. Smith declares that “it is the uninspired …”

(76). Author’s name in reference:

Ex. It is argued that “Romeo and Juliet is not only…” (Smith 76).

Note: Quotation marks are placed before the citation, and

end punctuation is placed after the citationNo comma between the author and page number in

the 2nd example

Quoting

Used when you repeat another source word for word

Direct quotes aren’t fillers—they should be used because the author says something so well that it would lose meaning if you were to summarize or paraphrase it.

Author’s last name and page number(s) of the source must appear in your paper.

Sample Quoting

• Original Text– Romeo and Juliet is not only the tale of two young, doomed

lovers; it is the story of how youth can be destroyed when the banality of adulthood is imminent (Smith 76).

• Incorrect Quote– Shakespeare’s tragedies also feature lessons about youth

and aging. “Romeo and Juliet is not just the story of young lovers; it is the tale of how youth can be destroyed when the banality of being an adult is imminent” (Smith 76).

• Correct Quote– Shakespeare’s tragedies also feature lessons about youth

and aging. According to Smith, “Romeo and Juliet is not only the tale of two young, doomed lovers, it is the story of how youth can be destroyed when the banality of adulthood is imminent” (76).

Short Quotations

4 typed lines or fewerMarked by “ ”

Ex. It can be argued that “the two young lovers are symbolic of the dangers inherent in prejudiced behavior” (Johnson 45).

Short quotes are preferred over long quotes!

Long Quotations More than 4 typed lines Indented 10 spaces from the left margin Double-spaced No “ ” used Parenthetical citation goes after the period

Many scholars have explored how the characters of Romeo and Juliet reject their families’ prejudices. As Johnson notes:

The two young lovers are symbolic of the dangers inherent in prejudiced behavior. Both teens have parents who reject the possibility of young love because they have forgotten how to love one another as friends and neighbors. The parents are firmly resolved to live only within the confines of their own families, refusing to understand, forgive, and accept those who have wronged them. Romeo and Juliet refuse to give in to this way of life, not wanting to believe that this is the fate that will befall them. (45)

Summarizing Taking information from a large passage of a source or from

an entire source and condensing it into your own words Not a word for word quotation of a source Gives a “book report” effect to the source Authors of the source should be mentioned within the text

Ex. Summary of Romeo and Juliet In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, two young teens of disputing families fall in love. They face the repercussions of such a relationship through the deaths of Romeo’s friend Mercutio and Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt. Despite these tragedies, Romeo and Juliet are united under a clandestine marriage ceremony. The two lovers decide to fake their deaths in order to permanently be together away from their families. However, because of miscommunication, Romeo believes that Juliet has truly died. Upon observing her seemingly dead, but really only unconscious body, Romeo decides to drink poison so that they will be together in death. Juliet suddenly wakes up and observes Romeo’s tragic act. When she realizes what he has done, she stabs herself to reunite with him in the afterlife.

Paraphrasing & Parenthetical Citations

The most preferred method! Usually work with a small

section of text, such as a specific idea

You may use the ideas from the source, but you’re using your own words and phrasing.

In order for a paraphrase to be successful, you must not only use alternate wording, but also change the structure of the original sentence(s).

Sample Paraphrases

Original Text– Romeo and Juliet is not only the tale of two young,

doomed lovers, it is the story of how youth can be destroyed when the banality of adulthood is imminent (Smith 76).

Incorrect Paraphrase– Romeo and Juliet is not only a story of a young pair of

tragic lovers, it is a story of the destruction of youth in the face of the monotony of adulthood (Smith 76).

Correct Paraphrase– It is the uninspired lifestyle of being an adult, and the

destruction of one’s childhood innocence that results from its onset, that truly characterizes Romeo and Juliet, not simply the story of tragic unrequited love (Smith 76).

Handling Parenthetical Citations(Sometimes more information is necessary)

2-3 Authors– Smith and Jones state………(78).– It was believed that……(Smith and Jones

78).3 or more Authors

EITHER list all of the authors OR list the first author’s last name, followed by the abbreviation, et al.

– According to Smith, Johnson, and Harris in their pivotal work…..(88).

– This is discussed…….(Smith et al. 88).

Handling Parenthetical Citations, cont’d

No author listedUse the first word or two of the title by which it is

alphabetized on your Works Cited page

– Full title: “Youth and Age in Romeo and Juliet”

– Ex. Juliet’s indifference is seen…(“Youth” 47).

Authors with the same last nameAdd the first initial of each author’s name when

mentioned in your paper

– According to J. Smith……(89).– One item that….(M. Smith 154).

Handling Parenthetical Citations, cont’d

More than one work by the same author

Add a shortened form of the title to your citation

– This inconsistency is addressed….(Jones, Feminist Ideals 45).

Two or more works in the same parentheses

This situation may occur when multiple sources address the same idea. Separate each source with a semi-colon (;)

– (Smith 75; Jones 43; Harris 158).

Handling Parenthetical Citations, cont’d Website

Use the author’s last name, if known, or a shortened form of the exact title of the page from where the idea originated. No page number is needed.

– Title of website: The Truth about Romeo: Shakespeare’s Secrets

– Ex. Despite his actions, Romeo actually…(The Truth).

Indirect Source When you use a quote from another person that appears in

the text in front of you, be certain to mention that this indirect quote appears in the text you have in the following way:

– Ex. According to Henderson, Shakespeare is said to have written some of his comedies “while in an euphoric state stimulated by the warmth of the sunshine in April” (qtd. in Johnson 55).

(Johnson is the author of the text you have in front of you, and he has a quote from Henderson in his book on page 55. Johnson should also be the source you list on your Works Cited page)

Works Cited Page

A complete list of every source that you make reference to in your paper

Provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any sources cited in your paper

Each source referenced within your paper must appear on the Works Cited page, and vice versa.

Sample Works Cited Page:

Hanging indent Double-spaced Header continues to

appear on each page Alphabetical order by

author’s last name

Doe 7Works Cited

Coonradt, Nicole M. “To Be Loved: Amy Denver and Human

Need—Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved.” College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): 168-187.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Plume, 1988. - - -. The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume, 1994. Werrlein, Deoborah T. “Not So Fast, Dick and Jane:

Reimagining Childhood and Nation in The Bluest Eye.”

MELUS. 30.4 (Winter 2005): 53-72. Academic Search

Premier. EBSCO. The College of Saint Rose, Neil

Hellman Library, Albany, New York. 22 May 2006.

<http://search.epnet.com>.

Wills, Joy. “Genealogy of Rejection in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.” Anniina’s Toni Morrison Page. 2000.

Luminarium. 23 May 2006. <http://www.luminarium.org/

contemporary/tonimorrison/wills.htm>.

Sample Works Cited Page

Information to include: Author’s name Title of work Publication

information Capitalize all important

words Italicize or underline

longer titles Put titles of shorter

works in “”

Doe 7

Works Cited

Coonradt, Nicole M. “To Be Loved: Amy Denver and Human

Need—Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved.” College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): 168-187.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Plume, 1988. - - -. The Bluest Eye. New York: Plume, 1994. Werrlein, Deoborah T. “Not So Fast, Dick and Jane:

Reimagining Childhood and Nation in The Bluest Eye.”

MELUS. 30.4 (Winter 2005): 53-72. Academic Search

Premier. EBSCO. The College of Saint Rose, Neil

Hellman Library, Albany, New York. 22 May 2006.

<http://search.epnet.com>.

Wills, Joy. “Genealogy of Rejection in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.” Anniina’s Toni Morrison Page. 2000.

Luminarium. 23 May 2006. <http://www.luminarium.org/

contemporary/tonimorrison/wills.htm>.

Basic Forms for Sources A Book:

Last name, First name. Title of Work. Location:

Publisher, Year.

Example: Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York:

Plume, 1994.

Basic Forms for Sources, cont’d Part of a Book:

Last name, First name. “Title of Essay/Chapter.”

Title of Book. Editor’s Name. Location: Publisher, Year.

Pages.

Example:

Covino, William A. “Rhetorical Pedagogy.” A Guide to

Composition Pedagogies. Eds. Gary Tate, Amy

Rupiper, and Kurt Schick. New York:

Oxford,

University Press, 2001. 36-53.

Basic Forms for Sources, cont’d An Article in a Scholarly Journal:

Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of

Periodical volume.issue (Year of Publication): Pages.

Example: Ritter, Kelly. “Buying In, Selling Short: A Pedagogy

Against the Rhetoric of Online Paper Mills.”

Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching

Literature, Composition, and Culture 6.1 (2006):

25-51.

Basic Forms for Electronic Sources An Article or Section from a Website

Last Name, First Name of author (if known). “Title of Section.”

Title of Larger Website. Editor of the website (if known). Date of

posting, publication, etc. Sponsoring organization. Date of

access. Web address.

Example:

Felluga, Dino. "General Introduction to Postmodernism."

Introductory Guide to Critical Theory. 2003.

University of Purdue. 21 September 2006.

<http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/

postmodernism/modules/introduction.html>.

Basic Forms for Electronic Sources, cont’d An Article Retrieved from a Library Subscription Service:

Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal

volume.issue (Publication Date): page

number range. Database Name. Service

name. Library name, City, State. Date of access

<electronic address of the database>. Example:

Brown, Carolyn. “Juliet’s Taming of Romeo.” Studies in

English Literature 36.2 (1996): 333-355. Academic

Search Premier. EBSCO. The College of

Saint Rose, Neil Hellman Library, Albany,

New York. 21 September 2006

<http://web.ebscohost.com>.

For Additional Help with MLA:

The Writing Center 454-5299 Located in the Academic Support Center, 2nd floor

of Saint Joseph Hall. Purdue University’s online writing lab:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu Prentice Hall Reference Guide, 6th edition.

Edited by Muriel Harris. Bedford St. Martin’s website (by Diane Hacker)

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/rewriting/rc2.html

www.mla.org Joseph Gibaldi’s MLA Handbook for Writers of

Research Papers, 6th edition

Resources• The following resources were used in making

this presentation– Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of

Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.

– “Using Modern Language Association Format” The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University. 2003. Purdue University. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ handouts/research/r_a.html>.