A Ramble Through the MLA By Brian Yablon

It’s not as complicated as it seems. I promise!

What is this all about? Readers and writers have unspoken agreements about how words should look on a page. When talking about grammar, those agreements are called “conventions.” When talking about the overall look of a paper, those agreements are called “styles.” Since these are unspoken agreements, readers and writers expect certain things from one another. For example, if a writer takes 100 words and places them on the paper so they look like a poem, the reader will read them as a poem. If the writer takes the same 100 words and writers them as a paragraph, the reader will read them as a paragraph.

Styles There are three dominant styles practiced in the United States: MLA (Modern Language Association) APA (American Psychological Association) CMS (University of Chicago Manual of Style) MLA style is the most commonly used in high school and undergraduate colleges.

What are they? They are NOT: They ARE: Suggestions on what to write. Suggestions on how to write. Remarkably interesting (but they are useful). They ARE: Accepted ways of putting your words down on the page (so writers meet the expectations of readers). A method of formatting your written work.

The three things to consider The beginning stuff: overall formatting of the entire paper, especially the identification information on page 1. The middle stuff: how to cite sources within your paper. The ending stuff: how to list sources at the end of your paper.

The beginning stuff

The basics Ideally, the essay should be typed on a computer and printed on white paper. Format the margins so they are one inch on all sides: the top, bottom, left, and right sides. Insert a “header” in the upper-right-hand corner of the paper that has these items: Your last name, A space, and then The page number (hint: hit the “automatic pagination” button) The header appears on every page When you format the margins of the paper, you’ll have to reset the left-hand margin from the default in the computer. (Your computer defaults to 1 1/2 inches on the left to enable a three-hole punch.)

Page one There is no “cover sheet” to an MLA document. Instead, all identifying information is found on the first page of the essay. After that, the “header” continues to identify the writer and page number.

Page one details Everything is double-spaced, so format the entire document to double space the text. The identifying information goes on the upper-left-hand side. On the first line, put your complete name. On the second line, put the name of the teacher for whom you are writing. On the third line, put the name of the class for which you are writing. On the fourth line, put the date.

Titles You can recognize a title because it is centered on a line by itself. Titles are written in the same font and size as the rest of the essay. Titles are not bold-faced, italicized, or underlined Titles are capitalized appropriately. They are interesting -- not merely labels.

Text All paragraphs begin with a five-space (one tab) indent from the left-hand margin. Margins are set as “flush left, ragged right” so the left-hand side looks straight while the right-hand side does not.

A sample first page Notice that the essay begins right after the identification information is given. Also, notice that the full identification information is only given on the first page. All other pages have just the header with the name and page number.

The middle stuff

Citing sources In order to avoid plagiarism (a form of cheating), you have to tell the reader where you got your sources. Sources that you need to cite include: Another person’s exact words (quotations) Another person’s ideas (paraphrases) It is usually wiser to cite more often rather than less often.

The basic concept WITHIN A TEXT, you give a hint, a clue, to the reader as where you got your source. You do this by providing an in-text citation. This points the reader to the “Works Cited” page. At the END of the TEXT, you provide the reader with all the information he/she would like to know about the source -- enough information so that he/she could find it, if desired. This information is given on a “Works Cited” page.

A sample WITHIN TEXT - AN IN-TEXT CITATION: Human beings have been described as “symbol-using animals” (Burke 3). END OF TEXT - WORKS CITED PAGE: Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1966.

What’s the difference between a Bibliography and a Works Cited page? A Bibliography lists all of the information and sources you looked at, even if you did not cite (refer to) them in your paper. A Works Cited page lists all of the information you actually cited (referred to) within your paper.

Three ways to write in-text citations Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263). [Author mentioned within the text, page number only in parenthesis] Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263). [Author and page number in parenthesis] Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263). [Paraphrase, but page number of original idea in parenthesis]

The long and short If you are using a quotation that is less than four lines long (that’s four lines within your document, not four sentences), then incorporate that quotation within the rest of your text. For example…

Longer quotations If you are using a quotation that is longer than four lines of text, then set it off separately. Indent five spaces both left and right Do not use quotation marks.

How much do I quote? The MLA suggests that you should limit your use of quotations to roughly 10% of your paper. The reader is usually more interested in reading your words rather than someone else’s.

How about paraphrasing? When you paraphrase, you put the ideas or words of the original source into your own words. These can be as long as you want, as long as you cite the original source.

The ending stuff The “Works Cited” page is where you provide all the information so your reader can get in touch with your sources.

Works Cited Page: overall formatting Entries are listed in alphabetical order. They are not numbered. They are not grouped by genre. Line indentation is the opposite of the rest of the paper. The first line is flush left. All additional lines are indented.

What do I put in my entries? There are four basic types of entries on the Works Cited page: Books Periodicals Electronic sources Other sources For each entry, put as much information as you can find. You may not find everything, but try to give the reader as much help locating your source as possible.

Books

Books: what to list Put what you can find in the following order: Author’s name “Title of a part of a book” Title of the book Name of the editor, translator, or compiler Edition used Number of the volume used Name of the series Place of publication Name of publisher Date of publication Page numbers Supplementary bibliographic information and annotation

Periodicals

Periodicals: what to list Put what you can find in the following order: Author’s name “Title of the article” Name of the periodical Series number or name Volume number Issue number Date of publication Page numbers Supplementary information

Electronic sources Internet A home page Online book Online articles and periodicals CD ROM Online video Online blog or chat Database Library subscription service You will need to look up each of these entries -- there are too many formats to list here.

Internet entries Put what you can find in the following order: Name of the author, editor, compiler, or translator “Title of article or posting” Title of the book Name of the editor, compiler, or translator Publication information for print version of source Title of the internet site Name of the site editor Version number of the source Date of electronic publication Name of subscription service Name of list or forum Number range, page numbers Name of institution or organization sponsoring the site Date of access URL

Other sources

Other sources include: Television or radio program Sound recording Film or video recording A performance A musical composition Painting, sculpture, or photograph An interview A map or chart An advertisement A lecture, speech, address, or reading Manuscript or typescript Letter or memo Legal source Cartoon or comic strip You will need to look up each of these entries -- there are too many formats to list here.

Good references (and used in this presentation) http://www.mla.org/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ http://www.lausd.net/kids/ http://telecollege.dcccd.edu/library/Module5/Sample.htm MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, sixth edition

Now you can rest!