(MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION) MLA Documentation

What It Is MLA is a documentation style that tells readers what sources you used in a paper and how to find them. You must document your sources in two ways: Parenthetical citation Works Cited

What to and not to Document Two items do not require documentation 1. Common Knowledge: What the average person is expected to know 2. Your own thinking DOCUMENT EVERYTHING ELSE!

Parenthetical Citation Also known as in-text citation Use whenever you quote, summarize, and paraphrase As the name suggests, use parentheses: “My father loved books, and since I loved my father with an aching devotion, I decided to love books as well” (Alexie 363). Author’s name and page number are outside “” and punctuation follows

Paraphrasing When you paraphrase, you restate the words or ideas of someone else in your own words Do not add anything to the paraphrase; simply restate the info in your words End a paraphrase with a parenthetical citation

Original Text Paraphrase Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe, born in Boston, Jan. 19, 1809, died Oct. 7, 1849 in Baltimore, deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story from anecdote to art. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of the most influential literary criticism of his time -- important theoretical statements on poetry and the short story -- and has had a worldwide influence on literature Written by: James Southall Wilson l l Although he only lived 40 years, Edgar Allen Poe had an enormous impact on literature. His credits include elevating the status of the short story, establishing the detective story, advancing the psychological thriller and producing lasting literary criticism and theory (Wilson). Paraphrasing Example

Summarizing A summary is when you restate, in your own words, the sources main points or ideas Again, do not add your own thoughts or opinions, simply restate the main points End a summary with a parenthetical citation

Original Text: Summary: Best known for his poems and short fiction, Edgar Allan Poe, born in Boston, Jan. 19, 1809, died Oct. 7, 1849 in Baltimore, deserves more credit than any other writer for the transformation of the short story from anecdote to art. He virtually created the detective story and perfected the psychological thriller. He also produced some of the most influential literary criticism of his time -- important theoretical statements on poetry and the short story -- and has had a worldwide influence on literature. By: James Southall Wilson Although Poe lived only forty years, his influence on literature was broad and long- lasting (Wilson). Summary Example

Quoting When you quote a source, you use the source’s exact words placed in quotation marks. The citation goes after the quotes, but before the punctuation. “Six times now have I looked Death in the face” (Sagan 365).

Using In-Text Citations Use citations only to support what you say—do NOT use citations as your essay. I frown upon it. Do not use citations in THESIS, as a TOPIC SENTENCE, or at the END OF A PARAGRAPH. Select sources from authorities and that fit your message.

Using In-Text Citations Choose a source only if one or more of the following apply:  Its language is particularly appropriate or distinctive  Its idea is hard to paraphrase accurately  The authority of the source is especially important to support your essay  The source’s words are open to more than one interpretation, so your reader needs to see the original

Using In-Text Citations Do not use citations in more than one-quarter of your paper. Rely mostly on paraphrase and summary. Quote accurately. Integrate citations smoothly into your prose, paying special attention to verbs that help you do so effectively. (These guidelines were taken from the Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers)

Indirect Citation An indirect quote is when you are quoting what your source quoted. Cite your indirect quotes one of these two ways: Raymond Carver said “Blah, blah, blah” when asked about his trouble with alcoholism (qtd. in Smith 205). Smith quotes Raymond Carver responding to questions regarding his trouble with alcoholism: “Blah, blah, blah” (205).

Works Cited Every citation in your essay must appear in a Works Cited page. It serves as a road map for your readers to find your exact sources.

Absolutes about Works Cited If you only use one source, it’s a Work Cited Entries always begin with author last name, then first name, when available. Entries are in alphabetical order (by the author’s last name) “articles and shorter works” are in quotation marks; italicize titles of longer works

More Absolutes Use a hanging indent Publication date is always included So are volume and issue numbers ALL entries end with a period If you’re not sure what it should look like, look it up Seriously (*coughcough* EasyBib *cough*) …or mlacitation4u

Still More Absolutes If you can’t find citation format online, try a book Yes, I know, there’s no pictures Remember what happens to Gaston? He dies

Tips The works cited page is the last page/slide of your paper/PowerPoint and should be numbered as such. Every source mentioned in your paper/PowerPoint must also be listed on your works cited page, and vice versa. In a paper–Just like the rest of your paper, the works cited page is double spaced only (no exceptions). The title, Works Cited, should be centered on the first line of the page/top of the PowerPoint slide. If you use one source, it’s Work Cited. Note that it is NOT in “”

Works Cited Example Works Cited Allen, Charles A. “Katherine Anne Porter: Psychology as Art.” Southwest Review 41.2 (Summer, 1956): Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Feb Brandt, Deborah. “Sponsors of Literacy.” College Composition and Communication 49.2 (1998): JSTOR. Web. 3 Mar Penrose, Ann M., and Cheryl Geisler. “College Composition and Communication 45.4 (1994): JSTOR. Web. 6 May 2010.

Practice Start with figuring out what you’re dealing with (journal article, magazine, book, etc) and where you got it (web or a hard copy in your hand, from a website, course homepage, etc.). Look up online or in the Everyday Writer the specifics. Look for other relevant issues, such as how to cite multiple authors.

Plagiarism Plagiarism is defined as using someone else’s words and/or ideas as if they were your own. Whether plagiarism is accidental or intentional, the result is the same: failing the assignment and possibly the course. 