Place holder 1 MLA Modern Language Association Workshop Part II: The Mechanics of Writing

Place holder 2 Overview 1. Language 2. Spelling 3. Punctuation 4. Italics 5. Numbers 6. Quotations 7. Basics of scholarly writing

Place holder 3 1.Language  Match your language to your audience  Use direct, clear, and persuasive language  Avoid repetitions and unnecessary words  Use active verbs whenever possible  Avoid offensive or biased language

Place holder 4 2.Spelling  Spelling, including hyphenation, should be consistent  Your computer’s spelling check is not always reliable  A good dictionary is your best resource

Place holder 5 3.Punctuation  Punctuation makes your sentences clearer  It makes them easier to read  Review the basic rules of punctuation  A good source is the University of Purdue’s page on punctuation 6/01/ 6/01/

Place holder 6 4.Italics  Italicize the names of books, periodicals, Web sites, online databases, films, TV and radio broadcasts, operas, works of visual art…  Italicize foreign words in an English text  Avoid italicizing for emphasis, particularly in research papers

Place holder 7 5.Numbers  Spell out numbers written in one or two words (one, three hundred, three million)  Use numerals for all others (101 and 1,563)  Do not begin a sentence with a numeral  Spell out centuries in lowercase (twentieth century)  Always be consistent throughout your paper

Place holder 8 6a.Quotations  Prose  For a quotation of four lines or less: make it part of your text and put it in quotation marks  For more than four lines: set them off from the text with a new line, one inch from the left margin, double-spaced, and without quotation marks

Place holder 9 6b.Quotations  Poetry  Three lines or less are in quotation marks, and part of your text. Use a slash with a space on each side to separate them.  Three lines or more begin on a new line, double-spaced, and one inch from the left margin.

Place holder 10 6c.Quotations  Use an ellipsis whenever you omit words from the source  Within a sentence: “I came, … I conquered.”  At the end: “I came, I saw, ….”  At the end + reference: “I came, I saw, …” (52).  Use square brackets whenever you add your own comment/explanation within the quotation.

Place holder 11 6d.Quotations (and punctuation)  Generally use a colon or a comma before the quotation  For a quote within a quote, use single quotation marks within double quotation marks  Usually, commas and periods belong inside the quotation marks, whereas all other punctuation marks go outside

Place holder 12 7.Basics of scholarly writing  Start on your project early  Read the assignment carefully  Prepare a solid outline  Pay special attention to the Introduction and to the Conclusion  Avoid generalizations  Be willing to revise several times

Place holder 13 For more information The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7 th edition). The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3 rd edition).