Research Skills Freshman Level MLA Format Notes Thesis Parenthetical Citations Works Cited Page Knight Cite Purdue University OWL Presentation designed by Oshkosh North High School English Department

MLA Paper format  Times New Roman font  12 point size  One inch margins  Double Spaced  Centered title  Heading in upper left corner  Last name and page number in upper right hand corner. Purdue University OWL

Thesis  Last sentence of the introduction  States what you intend to prove in your paper  Never phrased as a question  All arguments in paper should support the thesis Purdue University OWL

Parenthetical Citations  MLA style includes author’s last name and page number in parentheses  Citation located at end of sentence, inside end punctuation  Use whenever borrowing information in ANY form from another source (images, paraphrase, summary, quote, etc.) Purdue University OWL

Note Taking  Cornell Method notes are an effective method of organizing information for research and for class. Cornell Method Cornell Method  Purdue University’s “Reverse Outline” procedure for note taking and organization “Reverse Outline”“Reverse Outline”  Traditional Note cards Traditional Note cards Traditional Note cards Purdue University OWL

Works Cited Page  Appears at end of paper  Any source used must be indicated on this page  Check to make sure your citations match with sources on the WC page  Sources listed alphabetical order by author  Use Knight Cite to create citations  The words Works Cited should be centered on top of page (no bold or italics)  Double space the page like the rest of your paper Purdue University OWL

How do I create a heading?  Remember MYCD  My name (student)  Your Name (teacher)  Class name (English I)  Date in MLA format (28 April 2008)  Remember to place the heading in the upper left corner of the paper, double spaced. MLA Format Home page

How do I number pages?  In Microsoft Word, click on “Insert” on the top menu options.  Select “Page numbers”  For the Position, select “Header” with “Right” alignment, & click OK  Double click next to the page number and type our last name  Tab over to center, and space your name over until it is aligned right, separated by one space from the page number. See instructor for assistance. MLA Format Home page

How do I change text font and size?  Highlight the text  Select “Format” from the top menu  Select “Font” from the “Format” menu  Select Times New Roman and 12 point font size for papers unless otherwise instructed MLA Format Home page

How do I change margins?  Select “File” from the top menu  Select “Page Setup” from the “File” menu  Margins appear automatically. Make sure all margins read “1””, as all margins should be 1 inch MLA Format Home page

How do I align text?  Highlight all text to be aligned  Select “Format” from the top menu  Select “Paragraph” from the “Format” menu  In the “Paragraph” toolbox, under General, select the alignment needed (left, center, or right). Click OK. MLA Format Home page