Research SkillsResearch Skills

““You have no say in MLAYou have no say in MLA””

Why Cite?

* To give credit where credit is To give credit where credit is

due: Avoid Plagiarismdue: Avoid Plagiarism* To establish your credibility as To establish your credibility as

an authoran author* To give readers access to the To give readers access to the

sources you citesources you cite* Provides consistent format within a Provides consistent format within a

disciplinediscipline

MLA FormatMLA Format* Times New Roman – 12 pt. fontTimes New Roman – 12 pt. font* Double SpacedDouble Spaced* 11”” Margins Margins* MLA Heading on first page onlyMLA Heading on first page only

* Not a header! Not a header! * Top Right Header Top Right Header

* Last Name Page #Last Name Page #* Jones 2Jones 2

* Centered TitleCentered Title* Creative TitleCreative Title* Not in quotation marks, underlined, Not in quotation marks, underlined,

bolded, bigger or different fontbolded, bigger or different font

MLA Heading HeadingNameName

TeacherTeacher

CourseCourse

DateDate

Joe Joe Smith

Ms. GuzdziolMs. Guzdziol

Junior I--3Junior I--311 November 200811 November 2008

* Align Left

*Double Space

Sample Title PageSample Title PageDwyer 1

Barb Dwyer

Pierceall / Benedetti

Advanced Freshman English

4 April 2011

Building a Dream: Emily and Homer

What would it be like to be with your beloved through eternity? How would it feel to

have the person with you, no matter how long you live? In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,”

the protagonist, Emily Grierson could probably tell you several ways to explore the answers to

those questions. . . .

Presenting Information Presenting Information

3 Different Ways to Present 3 Different Ways to Present Information or Facts in your Paper: Information or Facts in your Paper:

Direct Quote (DQ)Direct Quote (DQ)Summary (Summ.)Summary (Summ.)Paraphrase (Para.) Paraphrase (Para.)

Type 1: Direct QuotesType 1: Direct Quotes

* Quoting any words (word for Quoting any words (word for word) that are not your ownword) that are not your own

* Any part of a text can be directly Any part of a text can be directly quoted – not just a spoken quoted – not just a spoken quotationquotation

* Use Parenthetical CitationUse Parenthetical Citation* Direct quotes can NEVER stand Direct quotes can NEVER stand

alonealone

Quote WeavesQuote Weaves* Signal PhraseSignal Phrase

* Your own words setting up the Your own words setting up the quotationquotation

* 3 types of signal phrases (Complete 3 types of signal phrases (Complete thought, Speaker’s Tag, Incomplete thought, Speaker’s Tag, Incomplete thought) thought)

* QuoteQuote* Someone elseSomeone else’’s words set off by s words set off by

quotation marksquotation marks* Parenthetical CitationParenthetical Citation

* Source informationSource information

Signal Phrase – Complete Signal Phrase – Complete ThoughtThought

* Punctuation is a colonPunctuation is a colon* Examples:Examples:

* He knew he was grounded when the cop He knew he was grounded when the cop knocked on the front door: knocked on the front door: ““the tapping was the tapping was a commanding rap signaling the death of funa commanding rap signaling the death of fun”” (Jones 18).(Jones 18).

* The snow fell earlier than last year: The snow fell earlier than last year: ““August August is too soon to sledis too soon to sled”” (Miller 33). (Miller 33).

* Holden knew what he did had consequences Holden knew what he did had consequences and ready to face the music: and ready to face the music: ““looking through looking through the window seeing all the boys fence left the the window seeing all the boys fence left the feeling of abandonmentfeeling of abandonment”” ( (““Catcher losesCatcher loses””).).

Signal Phrase – SpeakerSignal Phrase – Speaker’’s s TagTag

* Punctuation is a comma* Use when separating the speaker from

what is being said* Introducing the speaker of the quote

Example:* When awakening from a nightmare, Carol

screamed, “Leave me alone” (Phillips 6).* According to Stephanie Bower, “kids like to

read” (Phillips 8).

Signal Phrase – Incomplete Signal Phrase – Incomplete ThoughtThought

* When blending your thoughts directly When blending your thoughts directly into the quotation no punctuation is into the quotation no punctuation is neededneeded

Example:Example:

Romantic poetry is characterized by the Romantic poetry is characterized by the ““spontaneous overflow of powerful spontaneous overflow of powerful feelingsfeelings”” (Wordsworth 263). (Wordsworth 263).

SummarizingSummarizing* Taking ideas from a large passage of Taking ideas from a large passage of

another source and condense them using another source and condense them using your own wordsyour own words

* Use Parenthetical CitationUse Parenthetical CitationExample: Example:

Wheaton North High School is ranked 39th out of 670 schools Wheaton North High School is ranked 39th out of 670 schools within Illinois. Students have the opportunity to take AP within Illinois. Students have the opportunity to take AP course work and exams. The AP participation rate at course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Wheaton North High School is 41 percent.Wheaton North High School is 41 percent.– ISBE.net– ISBE.net

Summarized Example: Wheaton North High School Summarized Example: Wheaton North High School is ranked 39/670 best school within the state is ranked 39/670 best school within the state because of the multiple AP opportunities and high because of the multiple AP opportunities and high participation rate (ISBE.net). participation rate (ISBE.net).

Paraphrasing* Using the ideas from another source but changing the Using the ideas from another source but changing the

phrasing into your own wordsphrasing into your own words* How To:How To:

Keep the source out of sight as you paraphrase, so Keep the source out of sight as you paraphrase, so you will not be tempted to use any of the sentence you will not be tempted to use any of the sentence patterns or phrases of the originalpatterns or phrases of the original

Do not substitute synonyms for some or most of the Do not substitute synonyms for some or most of the words in an authorwords in an author’’s passage. This practice will result s passage. This practice will result in plagiarismin plagiarism

Use your own sentence structure as well as your own Use your own sentence structure as well as your own words. Your writing will be regarded as plagiarized if it words. Your writing will be regarded as plagiarized if it resembles the original too closely in sentence resembles the original too closely in sentence structure as well as in wordingstructure as well as in wording

Check your text against the original source to avoid Check your text against the original source to avoid inadvertent plagiarism.inadvertent plagiarism.

Use parenthetical citationUse parenthetical citation

Paraphrasing ExampleParaphrasing Example

Wheaton North High School is ranked 39th out of 670 Wheaton North High School is ranked 39th out of 670 schools within Illinois. Students have the opportunity to schools within Illinois. Students have the opportunity to take AP course work and exams. The AP participation take AP course work and exams. The AP participation rate at Wheaton North High School is 41 percent.rate at Wheaton North High School is 41 percent.– – ISBE.netISBE.net

Paraphrasing Example: Wheaton North High Paraphrasing Example: Wheaton North High School, home of the Falcons, is one of the best School, home of the Falcons, is one of the best high schools in the state of Illinois. This honor high schools in the state of Illinois. This honor is greatly contributed to its successful AP is greatly contributed to its successful AP program which 1/3program which 1/3rdrd of the student body of the student body participates in because it has a wide variety of participates in because it has a wide variety of classes offered (ISBE.net). classes offered (ISBE.net).

Blocked QuotationsBlocked Quotations* 4 or more typed lines of text –Not sentences * End the signal phrase with a colon* Double indent the entire quote 1 inch (1

inch = Double Tab or 10 spaces) * Do NOT use quotation marks* Continue Double Spacing* Cite the source after the end punctuation of

the quote

Blocked QuotationsBlocked QuotationsAt the conclusion of Lord of the Flies, Golding has Ralph and

the other boys realize the horror of their actions:

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave

himself up to them now for the first time on the island;

great shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench

his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke

before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected

by that emotion, the other little boys began to shake and

sob too. (Golding186)

EllipsesEllipses* Indicates the original passage has material that Indicates the original passage has material that

has been omitted.has been omitted.* Ellipses are not necessary at the beginning or Ellipses are not necessary at the beginning or

end of a quotation when taken from a large end of a quotation when taken from a large passagepassage

* If you use ellipses at the end of your sentence If you use ellipses at the end of your sentence you use a 4you use a 4thth dot to illustrate you have finished dot to illustrate you have finished your sentenceyour sentence

* Example: Example: During English class I learned During English class I learned ““Shakespeare was Shakespeare was born in 1564 . . . . He died 1616born in 1564 . . . . He died 1616”” (Jones 46). (Jones 46).

BracketsBrackets* Use brackets when you are inserting material into Use brackets when you are inserting material into

sentences that are not originally in the sentence--sentences that are not originally in the sentence--in other words, not done by the original authorin other words, not done by the original authorExample:Example:While reading the newspaper While reading the newspaper ““he [unexpectedly] he [unexpectedly]

died of shockdied of shock”” (Kade 83). (Kade 83). * Add brackets in sentences where you need to Add brackets in sentences where you need to

clarify informationclarify informationExample:Example:While reading the newspaper While reading the newspaper ““he [Brian] died of he [Brian] died of shockshock”” (Kade 83). (Kade 83).

Quote within a QuoteQuote within a Quote To indicate that you are quoting a person To indicate that you are quoting a person

or a fact that your source quoted use “qtd. or a fact that your source quoted use “qtd. in” and then your source. in” and then your source.

Make sure you provide significant Make sure you provide significant information in the signal phase. information in the signal phase.

Female abductees, especially, report being taken to Female abductees, especially, report being taken to nurseries to see these children. Barbara Archers, nurseries to see these children. Barbara Archers, for example, claims “[The babies] sacred me… for example, claims “[The babies] sacred me… because they looked odd” (qtd. in Jacobs 116). because they looked odd” (qtd. in Jacobs 116).

Fact CardFact Card

Topic – Sub Topic Source #

Quote Weave

(Sum., Para., DQ)

Source Type Type of Fact

Example NotecardExample Notecard

Colleges – University of Iowa 4

The number one school for school spirit in the Big Ten (Smith 31).

Magazine Summ.

Source CardSource Card

Source Type Source Number

MLA citation. “Exactly How it Will Appear in Your Works Cited and Bibliography” 2014.

Example Source CardExample Source Card

Magazine (Print) 4

Smith, John. “Bleeding Black and Gold.” Entertainment Weekly. 10 April 2007: 31-33. Print.

Works CitedWorks Cited* A complete list of every source that you A complete list of every source that you make make

reference to reference to in your essayin your essay* Provides the information necessary for a reader Provides the information necessary for a reader

to locate and retrieve any sources cited in your to locate and retrieve any sources cited in your essayessay

* Each entry includes this basic information:Each entry includes this basic information: AuthorAuthor’’s names name Title of workTitle of work Publication information: Source of work, date Publication information: Source of work, date

published, volume and issue numbers, and published, volume and issue numbers, and page numberspage numbers

Works CitedWorks Cited* Center the words Works Cited at the top – no

quotes, italics, or underline* Pagination continues from your previous paper* Arrange sources alphabetically with the first letter

of the entry – Do NOT number your sources* If the entry goes onto a 2nd lines you must use a

hanging indent. Go to the end of the 1st line and press tab twice.

* Each Individual Entry Is Double Spaced* Within the entry* Between entries* Do not put extra spaces in-between each entries

Bibliography Bibliography A bibliography is a list of the sources you used to get A bibliography is a list of the sources you used to get

information for your report. It is included at the end of information for your report. It is included at the end of your report, on the last page after the Works Cited. your report, on the last page after the Works Cited.

What’s the difference?What’s the difference? All sources looked at/read All sources looked at/read while researching should be included in the Bibliography. while researching should be included in the Bibliography. All sources cited/used within the paper should be All sources cited/used within the paper should be included in the Works Cited. This mean all sources on the included in the Works Cited. This mean all sources on the Works Cited will also be listed in the Bibliography. Works Cited will also be listed in the Bibliography.

Sample Works Cited Sample Works Cited PagePage

Smith 12Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. Bleak House. 1852-1853. New York: Penguin,

1985. Print.

Miller, J. Hillis. Charles Dickens: The World and His Novels.

Bloomington: U of Indiana P, 1958. Print.

“Squeezing the Poor for Votes.” New York Times on the Web. 18 February

2004. Web. 20 March 2004. <http://www.nytimes.com>.

Zwerdling, Alex. “Esther Summerson Rehabilitated.” PMLA 88 (May

1973): 429-439. Print.

Additional HelpAdditional Help

* Purdue Writing Center* Modern Language Association* Noodle Tools* Easybib.com Easybib.com