Overview of MLA Formatting • Used in humanities fields, such as English, writing, philosophy, and modern languages • Expressed by in-text, parenthetical documentation • Includes a Works Cited page Definitive Source: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Edition, 2009.
Why Document Sourcesin MLA Format? • To give credit where credit is due: avoid plagiarism • To establish your credibility as a careful scholar within the field • To ensure consistency within the discipline: readers know what to expect • To give readers access to the sources you cite
How Documentation Works • In-text citations refer to a Works Cited page • Works Cited page gives readers bibliographic information to locate sources themselves
Works Cited Page • Provides bibliographic information so readers can find sources themselves • Each entry includes this basic information: • Name of author, editor, compiler, or translator • Title of work • Publication information: Source of work, date published, volume and issue numbers, page numbers, and medium of publication consulted Quick Tip: All sources cited in the paper must be listed on the Works Cited page. All sources listed on the Works Cited page must have been cited in the paper itself.
A Sample Works Cited Page Works Cited Davis, Barbara, Michael Scriven, and Susan Thomas. The Evaluation of Composition Instruction. New York: Teachers College P, 1987. Print. Hanson, F. Allan. Testing Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life. Berkeley: U of California P, 1993. Print. Huot, Brian A. “The Literature of Direct Writing Assessment: Major Concerns and Prevailing Trends.” Review of Educational Research 60 (1990):237-63. Print. Yancey, Kathleen. “Looking Back as We Look Forward: Historicizing Writing Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 50.3 (1999): 483-503. Print.
Sample Citation • Book: Davis, Barbara, Michael Scriven, and Susan Thomas. The Evaluation of Composition Instruction. New York: Teachers College P, 1987. Print. Quick Tip: Simply write “P” to stand for “Press.” Although you should begin the entry with the last name of the first author, you should write the names of the other authors in first-name/last-name format, for easier readability.
Sample Citation • Article in a scholarly journal: Yancey, Kathleen. “Looking Back as We Look Forward: Historicizing Writing Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 50.3 (1999): 483-503. Print.
Sample Citation • Scholarly article from a database: Walstad, William. “Improving Assessment in University Economics.”Journal of Economic Education 32.3 (2001): 281-94. Proquest. Web. 20 July 2009. Quick Tip: Include a URL only if readers probably cannot locate the source without it or if your instructor requires it. See page 182 in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers for further web documentation information. Quick Tip: Each type of electronic source is documented differently. Consult the MLA Handbook for information about how to format correctly each source you cite.
Sample Citation • A source with no known author: “Squeezing the Poor for Votes.” New York Times on the Web. New York Times,18 February 2004. Web. 20 July 2009. <http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/ opinion/18WED2.html>. Quick Tip: Since there is no author’s name listed, you’ll list the citation on the Works Cited page alphabetized by the first key word in the title (in this case, “Squeezing”).
In-Text, Parenthetical Citations Use them to: • Quote directly • Summarize material • Paraphrase material Quick Tip: Plagiarism is using someone’s words or ideas without giving the source proper credit.
In-Text, Parenthetical Citations • Are brief • Refer readers to the Works Cited page • Avoid repetition
Formatting An In-Text, Parenthetical Citation • There are two common ways of writing an in-text citation: • Integrate the author’s name into the sentence itself • Include the author’s name in a parenthetical citation at the end of the passage in which you quote, summarize, or paraphrase the work
Sample In-Text Citation Example 1: Paulson and Paulson concede that their student-teachers “discovered that the need to tailor a portfolio was influenced by how much personal risk could result were they to bare their own perspectives” (289). • The author’s name appears within the text of the sentence itself; the page on which the quotation can be found is in parentheses at the end of the quotation.
Sample In-Text Citation Example 2: One study found that teachers “discovered that the need to tailor a portfolio was influenced by how much personal risk could result were they to bare their own perspectives” (Paulson and Paulson 289). • The author’s name, the publication date, and the page number on which the quotation appears are included in the parentheses after the quotation.
Special Cases • More than one author with the same last name: • (K. Sutherland 255); (D. Sutherland 440) • Two or more works within the same parentheses: • (Cruise 24; Cruz 58; and Kidman 600) • A work by more than three authors: • (Brady et al. 25) --Adapted from Purdue’s OWL presentation on MLA documentation
Special Cases • Source has unnamed author • Use first key word from the title • “Squeezing the Poor for Votes” is the title of the article, so (“Squeezing” para. 4) is the parenthetical citation • General reference to a web site • GVSU’s Writing Center is the source, so (Grand Valley State University Writing Center para. 7) is the parenthetical citation --Adapted from Purdue’s OWL presentation on MLA documentation
Sample Passage with Parenthetical Citations More recently, however, scholars have begun to register possible concerns about teaching portfolio use. Robert Yagelski, for instance, cautions that teacher educators should make careful choices about the design of their portfolio systems in order to address the tensions teachers experience in an evaluative context. P. R. Paulson and F. L. Paulson concede that their student-teachers “discovered that the need to tailor a portfolio was influenced by how much personal risk could result were they to bare their own perspectives” (289). Another study found that it is desirable to use separate portfolios for development and credential purposes, suggesting “that efforts to combine the dual purposes of support and accountability in a single portfolio do not always result in constructive tension” (Snyder, Lippincott, and Bower 139). And Leverenz and Goodburn warn teacher educators about the problems with professionalizing teaching too quickly.
Where Can You FindMLA Documentation Help? • MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Edition, 2009. • Mr. Lucy’s Classroom • OWL at PURDUE (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01) • Updated information about citing sources