Some Notes and Reminders Proper MLA Citation: Some Notes and Reminders

Parenthetical Citations: The Basics: (author’s last name page number). (Ibsen 1735). For SHAKESPEAREAN PLAYS: (ACT scene line #s). (IV.iii.16-20).

Parentheticals DO’s and DON’Ts: DO put a PERIOD after the last parenthesis, NOT at the end of the quote: Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263). DO NOT include the author’s name if you already said it in the sentence: Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).

About Question Marks: Do NOT put a question mark after the last parenthesis UNLESS the whole sentence is a question. Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (Foulkes 184)? Kurt Koffka, a Gestalt psychologist, asked "Why do humans see their minds in terms of elementary parts?" (Gray 74). (You still need that final period.)

The Works Cited Page: ENTIRE page must be DOUBLE-SPACED. Works must be LISTED ALPHABETICALLY by AUTHOR’S LAST NAME. Use REVERSE (HANGING) INDENTATION: Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 1713-1761. Print.

About Titles: Titles of books (novels, plays) must ALWAYS be ITALICIZED when typing (underlined when hand-writing). (EXCEPTION: a play that can be read in one sitting) THE RULE: Long works, divided into parts, that cannot be read in one sitting: italicize (underline) Short works that can be read in one sitting: use quotations marks

Quoting our Textbooks: For your Hamlet quotes – write down the LINE NUMBERS from the Orange Hamlet book – borrow one from me, but DO NOT REMOVE IT FROM THE CLASSROOM. For Trifles and A Dollhouse quotes – write down the PAGE NUMBERS from your textbook.

Use Transitions! Connect paragraphs with appropriate transitional words and phrases. Here's a List

Hamlet and A Doll House on the Works Cited Page: Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 1713-1761. Print.

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Print.

Glaspell, Susan. “Trifles. ” Literature: An Glaspell, Susan . “Trifles.” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Eds Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Simon Schuster, 1998. 1149-1160.

About Using Quotes: EVERY quote in your paper must have a “tag” – an introductory word or phrase that connects it to ANOTHER sentence. NO TAG: “Claudius is a greedy and lustful man” (Williams 20). A TAG: Some critics say that “Claudius is a greedy and lustful man” (Williams 20).

USING quotes: MOST of this paper should be YOUR words. THUS, what you SAY about each quote should be AT LEAST TWICE AS LONG as the quote itself.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR PART BE? “She sees herself not only as a catalyst for change, but also as the source of masculine power, which will transform Macbeth into the epitome of the heroic ideal. Rather than being a moral compass, leading her husband back from his errant ways, Lady Macbeth becomes instead the instrument of his corruption.” (Howell 11) AT LEAST FOURTEEN LINES!

Block Quotes: The Rule: If your DIRECT QUOTE is 4 lines of typed text or longer, you must indent it in “block” form. (This means indent the whole quote two tabs over.) A sample is one the next slide. REMEMBER: your explanation must be TWICE as long!

Block Quotes: Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration: They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78) The use of the pronoun “it” to refer to Heathcliff here clearly serves to demote him to a less-than-human status as he is

The Title of Your Paper: MUST indicate your TOPIC and your OPINION; CANNOT be a sentence; CANNOT be a question How’s this? Women in Macbeth and A Doll’s House

Literary Analysis: Your paper MUST be written in PRESENT TENSE. INCORRECT: When Hamlet murdered Polonius, he was temporarily insane. CORRECT: When Hamlet murders Polonius, he is temporarily insane.

Use These Resource: Formatting the First Page of Your Paper Inserting Quotes Search here for any MLA formatting questions you may have. Use this resource to help with your Works Cited page, but it is only as accurate as the information you input!