1. The documentation format of the Modern Language Association
MLA
The documentation format of the Modern Language Association

2. The Three Components of MLA
This documentation style has three basic components:
Layout
In-text citation
Works Cited

3. Layout
The first page should have the following in the top left corner in precisely this order:
Your name
Name(s) of your instructor(s)
Class (for us, it’s English 110)
Due date of your paper written in the following format: Day (as a number) Month (as a word) Year (as a number)
Next, the title should be on the next line and centered.
Next, double space the whole paper (format, paragraph, double space, ok)

4. Layout: Example Heading
John Doe
Ms. Lynde
English 110
17 July 2012
My Ever so Clever Essay Title

5. Layout Adding a Header Go to the VIEW menu Select Header and Footer
Click on the Right Justify Icon
Type in your last name and a space after your last name
On the text box, click on the page # icon.
Finally, select close on the text box and you will be able to type on your document.
This will have the effect of putting your last name and a page number in the upper right hand corner of each page.

6. In-text Documentation
This part of MLA deals with how you use sources in your essay.
There are two main ways to correctly introduce sources into your paper:
Direct quotations
Paraphrase

7. Using Quotations
Quotations are the author’s words exactly. Therefore, if you use a direct quotation, you must make sure that you copy the words of the author exactly as they appear in the source and put quotation marks around them. You must also introduce them with a signal phrase and use appropriate parenthetical references.

8. More on In-text Citations
If you use the author’s name in the signal phrase, then cite only the page number in parentheses.
Paul Thompson says, “The biggest surprise in recent teen-brain research is the finding that a massive loss of brain tissue occurs in the teen years” (5).
Signal Phrase=Blue
Parenthetical Reference= Red

9. More on Using Quotations
If you do not use the author’s name in the signal phrase, then use the name and page number in parentheses.
Research shows that “a massive loss of brain tissue occurs in the teen years” (Thompson 5).
You should always introduce the author fully the first time, then refer to him or her only by last name after that.
Signal Phrase=Blue. Author name=Green

10. More on using Quotations
If the source doesn’t have an author’s name, substitute it with the title.
Research shows that “a massive loss of brain tissue occurs in the teen years” (“Brain Tissue and its Loss” 5).
Signal Phrase=Blue
Source Title=Green
Note that the source title must be punctuated correctly. Short works like articles are put in quotation marks. Long works like books or entire journal or periodical titles are italicized.

11. More on Quotations
If the source doesn’t have a page number, simply omit it.
Research shows that “a massive loss of brain tissue occurs in the teen years” (“Brain Tissue and its Loss”).
Signal Phrase=Blue
Source Title=Green

12. Paraphrase Paraphrases are cited and introduced just like quotes.
When you paraphrase, you must put the author’s ideas in your own words.
Paraphrases are usually about the same length as the original source.
Do not include your own opinion in the actual paraphrase. Remember, you are incorporating the author’s words to support your opinion.
Paraphrases are cited and introduced just like quotes.
According to Bell Hooks, loving parents are essential to our culture, but they must reconsider aligning discipline with punishment (30).
Loving parents are essential to our culture, but they must reconsider aligning discipline with punishment (Hooks 3).

13. Works Cited
The Works Cited page comes at the end of your document and lists the works (sources) that you’ve actually cited (used) in your paper.
Each type of source is different and has different rules regarding how they are presented and formatted on a Works Cited page.
However, there are some common things to be aware of:
A works cited page is reverse indented. This means the first line of the source information sticks out and all subsequent lines are indented. The first line in the next source then sticks out and the pattern repeats.
A Works Cited page, like the rest of the document, is double spaced.
A Works Cited page is alphabetized by the last name of each author (or by the first large word of a title if no author is given).

14. An Example Document
Open your Quick Access text to the example student MLA paper at the end of the MLA section of the book.
Note the features of this document as I point them out.