MLA Format

(and other info you need to know for formal writing)

*All clip art is courtesy of Microsoft Power Point

Writing Numbers: When to Write it Out

• Always write out numbers one to nine, including zero

• Always write out the number if it is starting a sentence. – For example, “Twenty-four years after her death,

Jehanne d’Arc was declared innocent”.

Writing Numbers: When to use Figures

• talking about money. – For example, “The meal cost $7.50”.

• using dates.– For example, “Scooby was elected to office on July

14, 2009”.

Let’s Practice!1. Mary Kate went to the mall _____ times this

week and spent _______ on jeans.

2. _________ years ago, texting didn’t even exist!

3. I’ve been on the Rockin’ Roller Coaster _____ times.

three

$178.23

Twelve

36

Dos and Don’ts of Formal Writing: • Do correctly use apostrophes in possessives and

plural possessives -For example: Caesar’s military

• Do capitalize historical events and documents-For example: the Civil War and the Magna Carta

• Do use sophisticated vocabulary and complex sentences

-For example: It is incredulous that the Romans, who consider themselves the most advanced and refined civilization, would partake in such bloody and mindless entertainment.

Dos and Don’ts of Formal Writing:

• Do not use abbreviations or contractions-For example: u can’t write in this manner b/c

it’s not appropriate in formal writing pieces.

• Do not narrate -For example: I will now tell you the reasons why the

Roman Empire collapsed.

• Do not use “I” or “me” unless you are writing from another person’s perspective (like a RAFT). -For example: Imagine you are a wealthy Roman girl writing a letter to your father; explain why you should be able to continue your formal education

A paragraph is _?_ well-written sentences

5 - 8

Quotations

• Short quotes- go inside quotation marks

– For example: “Boston has the highest IQ in the nation” (Bradshaw www.mensa.org/citiesiq).

Quotations•Long quotes- more than four lines or 40+ words

William Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar :

Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come (Shakespeare 117).

indent all lines

skip a line

no quotation marks

Citing Sources

• Every source you use must be in your bibliography

• Use in-text citations for:– quotes– dates– numbers/statistics

Citing Sources: In-text Citations

“Math is the best subject in the world” (McVey www.mommamcvey.com).

Last year, 200 people started following the La La religion (Smyth 52).

Seventy-five percent of the population say social studies is their favorite class (Rogers www.socialstudiespoll.com).

Snoopy was born on December 3, 2004 (McGann 25).

Bibliography

• Alphabetical order according to author’s last name (if no author is given, use the title for alphabetizing)

• use hanging indents

• if no author is given, write “Anonymous”

BibliographyDagg, Anne. “Giraffes.” World Book Encyclopedia. 2008.

Smith, John. “Polar Bears.” Sea World Education Department. 2002. http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Pbears.

Verne, J. Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. New York: Imaginary Publishing, 1880.

Anonymous. “Water Animals.” Sea Creatures Encyclopedia. 2011.

Hanging indent

no author given

ABC order

Let’s Practice!

What’s Wrong Here?!? worksheet

(Encyclopedia)Author: noneArticle title: Hamsters in the

NewsEncyclopedia BritannicaJuly 25, 2014

(Book)Title: How to Care for Your

HamsterAuthor: noneCity of publication: New YorkPublisher: Bronx Zoo PublishingCopyright: 2010

(Website)Title: Alvin, King of All Hamstershttp://www.hamsters.comDate: 2004-2011Date accessed: March 20, 2011Author: Peter Brady

(Book)Title: The Book of HamstersCity of publication: ChicagoPublisher: World BooksCopyright 2009Author: Judy Jetson

Bibliography

Brady, Peter. “Alvin, King of All Hamsters.” Hamsters. 2011. http://www.hamsters.com. March 20, 2011.

Anonymous. “Hamsters in the News.” Encyclopedia Britannica. July 25, 2014.

Anonymous. How to Care for Your Hamster. New York: Bronx Zoo Publishing, 2010.

Jetson, Judy. The Book of Hamsters. Chicago: World Books, 2009.