MLA Documentation Style Writing Resources Center

MLA Documentation Style

Writing Resources Center

http://wrc.uncc.edu/

Writing Resources Center (WRC)Locations:

149 Cameron109 Atkins LibraryCenter for Graduate Life (CGL)

Phone:

704-687-1899 E-mail:

[email protected]

Web:http://wrc.uncc.edu/

Appointments:

http://rich65.com/uncc/

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Integrating Sources & Avoiding Plagiarism

Writers need to understand current definitions of plagiarism, which have changed over time, and which differ from culture to culture.

Adapted from:Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer . 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. Print.

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What is “P lag i ar i sm ”?

In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source.

This definition applies to texts published in print or online, to manuscripts, and to the work of other students.

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What is NOT Plagiarism?

Most current discussions of plagiarism fail to distinguish between plagiarism and misuse of sources.

A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, the student has failed to cite and document sources appropriately.

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Plagiarism Is a Cultural Concept Many cultures do not recognize Western notions

of plagiarism, which rest on the belief that language and ideas can be “owned” by writers.

In many countries other than the U.S., using the words and ideas of others without attribution is considered a sign of respect as well as an indication of knowledge.

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Materials That Require Acknowledgement

Quotations, paraphrases, summaries Facts not widely known or claims that are

arguable Help provided by others

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Materials That Do NOT RequireAcknowledgementIn academic writing in the U.S., you should

credit allmaterials except:

Common knowledge Ideas available in a wide variety of sources Your own findings from primary or field

research

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Understand Why to Credit Sources Show that you are a knowledgeable and

credible researcher. Demonstrate fairness—that you have

considered multiple points of view. Provide background for your research by

placing it in the context of the work of others. Help readers follow your thoughts and

understand how your ideas relate to those of others.

Point readers where to go to find more information on your subject.

Avoid Misuse of Sources

Frequently, students unintentionally misuse sources when they attempt to paraphrase: to rephrase someone else’s ideas into your own words and sentence patterns.

Paraphrasing

“The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of thepopulation were the three great developments of late nineteenth

centuryAmerican history. As new, larger, steam-powered factories became afeature of the American landscape in the East, they transformed farmhands into industrial laborers, and provided jobs for a rising tide ofimmigrants. With industry came urbanization, the growth of large

cities(like Fall River, Massachusetts, where the Bordens lived), which

becamethe centers of production as well as of commerce and trade.”

Williams, Joyce G., Eric Smithburn, and M. Jeanne Peterson, eds. Lizzie Borden: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s.Bloomington, IN: TIS Publications, 1980. Print.

Unacceptable Paraphrase

The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the

population were three large factors of nineteenth century America. As

steam-driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the

country, they changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs

for the large wave of immigrants. With industry came the growth of large

cities like Fall River where the Bordens lived, which turned into centers of

commerce and trade as well as production.

An Unacceptable Paraphrase Is

Too Close to the OriginalThe increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the

explosion of thepopulation were three large factors of nineteenth century

America. Assteam-driven companies became more visible in the

eastern part of thecountry, they changed farm hands into factory workers and

provided jobsfor the large wave of immigrants. With industry came the

growth of largecities like Fall River where the Bordens lived, which turned

into centers ofcommerce and trade as well as production.

Acceptable Paraphrase

According to Williams, Smithburn, and Peterson, Fall River, where the

Borden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial cities of the

Nineteenth century. Steam-powered production had shifted labor from

agriculture to manufacturing, and as immigrants arrived in the U.S., they

found work in these new factories. As a result, populations grew, and large

urban areas arose. Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial centers (200).


What Makes a Good Paraphrase? Uses your own words and sentence patterns Demonstrates your inferential thought

processes Rather than being merely a faithful

reproduction of the ideas in source text, an effective paraphrase is one that expresses your perspective.

Includes a citation.

Acceptable Paraphrase with QuotationAccording to Williams, Smithburn, and Peterson, Fall River, where theBorden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial cities of thenineteenth century. As labor shifted from agriculture to

manufacturing, thedemand for workers “transformed farm hands into factory workers,”

andcreated jobs for immigrants. In turn, growing populations increased

thesize of urban areas. Fall River was one of these manufacturing hubs

thatwere also “centers of commerce and trade” (200).


Acceptable Paraphrase with QuotationFall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of northeasternindustrial cities of the nineteenth century. As labor shifted from

agricultureto manufacturing, the demand for workers “transformed farm hands

intofactory workers,” and created jobs for immigrants. In turn, growingpopulations increased the size of urban areas. Fall River was one of

thesemanufacturing hubs that were also “centers of commerce and trade”(Williams, Smithburn, and Peterson 200).


Paraphrasing Accurately

Include all main points, in the order of the original.

State the author’s meaning in your own words and sentence structures.

If you use language from the original, enclose in quotation marks.

Include an in-text citation. Provide a complete citation in your Works

Cited.

MLA is One—of Many—Citation Styles MLA – Modern Language Association

(humanities)

APA – American Psychological Association (social sciences, business)

CMS or Chicago Manual of Style (history)

CSE – Council of Science Editors (sciences)

IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (engineering)

Key Points

Citation machines are helpful, but can be inaccurate.

As you move from one field to another, find out the preferred citation style and practice it.

Citing sources is not about memorizing rules; it is about learning to use available resources to help you give credit to other writers for their words and ideas.

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Significant Changes in the 2009MLA Handbook, 7th ed. No Underlining. Titles of books, periodicals,

films, etc. are now italicized.

No URLs. Include the URL only if the citation information does not lead readers easily to the source.

Continuous Pagination? Who Cares? For all scholarly journal entries, both volume and issue numbers are now required, regardless of pagination.

Significant Changes in the 2009MLA Handbook, 7th ed. Publication Medium. Most will be listed as Print or

Web. Other possibilities include Performance, DVD, TV. Most designations appear at the end of entries; however, markers for Web sources are followed by the date of access.

New Abbreviations. Many Web entries now require a publisher name, a date of publication, and/or page numbers. When no publisher name appears on the website, write N.p. for no publisher given. When sites omit a date of publication, write n.d. for no date. For online journals that appear only online or on databases that do not provide pagination, write n. pag. for no pagination.

Print MLA Resources

The 2009 7th edition of the MLA Handbook (blue cover) is available; however, some instructors may still use the 6th edition (silver cover). Ask your professor.

Copies of these manuals are available in Atkins Library.

MLA Sample Papers

From the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed.

From Diana Hacker’s Research & Documentation Online

MLA Documentation Resources UNCC Writing Resources Center (WRC)

Purdue U. Online Writing Lab (OWL)

UNCC Atkins Library

Writing Resources Center (WRC)Locations:

220 Fretwell109 Atkins Library

Phone:

704-687-HELP (4357) E-mail:

[email protected]

Web:http://wrc.uncc.edu/

Appointments:

http://rich65.com/uncc/

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Documents

MLA Documentation Style Writing Resources Center