The Term Paper MLA Style
The Term PaperMLA Style
WHY?
LIKE A PERSONAL ESSAY REQUIRES YOU TO CHOOSE A
TOPIC THINK ABOUT IT . . .
HOWEVER, YOU
– locate source material and take notes– analyze, evaluate, and interpret materials– handle problems of quoting and documenting
FINAL FORMAT• Outline
• Text
• Works Cited
• Blank sheet
• Rubric
MLA Format• 12 pt. Times New Roman• Double space EVERYTHING!• 1” margins• Heading• Page number
• begin numbering with 1 (will have at least 5 pages in essay)
Source Cards
Source cards = Works Cited
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Call Number (spine of book) Personal Code
Author’s Last Name, First Name.
Date of Publication.
Title.
Print.
City: Company,
Try it!
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245.9SN #+
Pietrusza, David.
San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997. Print.
Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
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245.9SN #+
Pietrusza, David, Regular Name, and Regular Name.
1997. Print.
John F. Kennedy.
“The Assassination.”
More than 1 author
Collection or Part of a Book
Mysterious Deaths:
San Diego: Lucent Books,
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245.9SN #+
Pietrusza, David.
San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997. Print.Vol. 3.
Additional Information
Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
Issues
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245.9SN #+
Pietrusza, David.
San Diego: Lucent Books,
Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
No Copyright – p. 24
Print.n.d.
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245.9SN #+
Pietrusza, David.
N.p., 1997.Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
No Publication InformationChapter/Index Title
“Day of Death.” Mysterious
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Magazine (Optional) Personal Code
Author’s Last Name, First.
Periodical
Title of Magazine Day Month Year:
##.
“Title of Article.”
Print.
Try it! Magazine Information: Name of Magazine: People Article Title: My Life with JFKAuthor: Joe SmithPages: 23-26Publication: June 1977
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Magazine
Smith, Joe. People June 1977:
23-26. Print.
“My Year with JFK.”
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Magazine
“My Year with JFK.”
Print.
People June 1977: 56+.
No authorMultiple pages scattered throughout
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Magazine
“My Year with JFK.” People June 1977:
No Page Numbers
No Author
Print.
n. pag.
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URL Address Personal Code
Author’s Last Name, First.
Non-print Source
Name of Site. Publisher name, Publishing Date.
Web. Access Day Month Year.
“Title of Article.”
Try it! Web Information: URL: jfk library.comArticle Name: Once He Was YoungWebsite Name: The John F. Kennedy PagePublisher: KennedyFamily.comPublication: 2001-2002Acess Date: April 39, 2504
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jfklibrary.com MK1
KennedyFamily.com, 2001-2002. Web. 39
“Once He Was Young.” The John F. Kennedy Page.
Apr. 2504.
Databases
• These are books, magazines, etc. – THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED INTERNET SITES!
• Use citation supplied on site.
SIRS
Example:
Book: SIRS 2004 Health
Article # 17
Article Title: “Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens”
Source: Newsweek
Date: March 24, 2003
Author: Janet Avett
Pages: 5659
Avett, Janet. “Prescription Drug Abuse Among
Teens.” Newsweek 24 March 2003:5659.
Boca Raton: SIRS, 2004. Art. 17. Print.
Note Cards
• before plunging in decide what to look for and why you need it = formulate a preliminary thesis question
• jot down ideas (words or questions) about topic – make a rough outline including only 5-8 topics
• These topics become the topics on your note = left on red line/personal code on right
• 3 types of note cards:– Summary– Paraphrase– Quote
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$+
“Born to a politically active Irish Catholic family, Kennedy was groomed for leadership.”
family
P. 56
Quote card
• long quote (4 or more typed lines in the essay) required
File Setups
Essay• double space• page number (header)
– ½”– upper right corner– last name 1
• Student information– Name– Instructor name– Course name– Date due
• title– center– initial caps.– no underline or italics
Works Cited • Source cards are used for this typed page.• separate page after the essay/paper• Continue #ing with the correct pg. #• Works Cited title centered • hanging indention = indent EVERY line after the 1st line• Double space all LINES/ENTRIES• alphabetical order
Write the Outline
Outline• Page 1 of your Research Paper• Title
– center– initial caps.– no underline or italics
Example: Outline
• Thesis Sentence– begin at left margin
Outline
Thesis Sentence: Thesis Statement Follows– Copy/Paste directly from Intro (same)
Margins = 1”
• Classifies research into categories• Usually a work in progress until the essay is complete• Standard Outline
I. Note card topics (Biography)
A.
1.
2.
a. Seldom do you go beyond the 3rd degree
b.
II. History
A. Early Education
B. College Education
1. NCSU
2. ECU
• 2 options of Outlines:
– TOPICS/KEY WORDS -- every heading is a phrase
• Example: Biography
– SENTENCE -- uses full sentences
• Example: Biographical information about Elvis Presley.
• Do not mix options. Choose 1!
• Everything should be parallel.
• Avoid these labels:
– Intro
– Body
– Conclusion
Outline begins with 1st BODY PARAGRAPH & ends with LAST BODY PARAGRAPH
HEADER = 1ST pg. of Essay
HEADER INSTRUCTIONS:
• Include this info in this exact order:
Student Name
Teacher Name
Course
Due Date of Paper
Title of Paper Centered
• 12 point, Times New Roman, DOUBLE SPACED• Titles are usually optional. But required for my class.
– Choose a unique title. (blue = good / red = bad)– Example: The Magic that is Walt Disney– Example: Walt Disney
Example:
• This link will show you a model of the 1st page of the research paper– https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
• Example Header:
Zach McGowan
P. Hatcher
English III
24 October 2014
Jackie Robinson: More than a Baseball Player
Write the Essay
Introduction It’s just a big – really big – gigantic – ESSAY!
Has an introduction, body and conclusion
• approaches – relate to the well known – provide background info. – Quote = beginning or middle NOT end– challenge an assumption – provide a brief summary – supply data, statistics, or special evidence– General statements
• mistakes– purpose statement -- "The purpose . . "– repetition of title– NO Questions anywhere!– NO simple dictionary terms– humor
Body• write what you know• write from note cards• use a factual style• write portions when you are ready – leave blank space to
remind you to add more• leave plenty of space – wide margins, double-spaced,
blank spaces to make notes and add stuff
Common Knowledge – found in 3 or more sources (eg. biographical, statistical information)
• the bulk of the essay• do not cite unless it is a direct quote
Weaving in Quotes/Paraphrases• rephrase source material into your own style or use a
direct quote• give credit for any paraphrased ideas or direct quotes• use a direct quote if wording is exceptional, even if it
repeats common knowledge• cite only one source at a time• can cite more than one source in a paragraph
Avoid Plagiarism• rephrase common knowledge into your own style or use
a direct quote• give credit for any paraphrased ideas or direct quotes• cite when information is not
– not common knowledge– quoted or paraphrased
• provide in-text documentation• provide a Works Cited
Conclusion• restate the thesis • approaches:
– quotation – compare past to present – offer a directive or solution – discuss results
• mistakes: – afterthoughts or additional ideas– closing transitional words ("thus," in conclusion") at
the beginning of paragraph– stopping at an awkward spot– questions
Quotations or
Paraphrases
Direct Quote• if the information is unique to one or two sources• if the information is said in a unique or great way
Paraphrase• if information is not said in a unique or great way• if information is common knowledge (found in 3 or more
sources)
Summary • 100% your own words• do not need author’s last name or pg. #s
Punctuation• use quotation marks• period/comma after the parenthetical citation• question marks and exclamation marks inside if the mark
is part of the quote – • single quotation marks for quotes within quotes• if part of sentence = do not capitalize the first word
even if it is in the original source• if quote follows a comma or signal phrase =
capitalize• ALWAYS introduce paraphrase – with the author’s name
or according to one source . . .
Long QuoteONLY 1 ALLOWED!
• 4+ lines of typed text• indent left margin 1 inch = (press TAB key 2x)• Intro with a colon:
– NO quotation marks = SPACING is the VISUAL
• must go WITHIN a body paragraph– NOT @beginning or end
• period goes before parenthetical citation– This is my long quote. It is really long. It is 4 or more lines long. It is
super interesting. I have to format it a certain way. MLA research papers have way too many rules for a normal human being to remember. This is an example only. (Turner 4)
Parenthetical Citations
10-16NO MORE THAN 16
• BASIC RULES:– It all depends on the source your using!– @ end of quote/paraphrase, use parenthesis– see 1st item on Works Cited for direction– if a long title (more than 3 words): shorten
• “The Life & Times of Elvis Presley King of Rock-n-Roll”• (“Life & Times” 45).
– BOOK (print) source: page number– WEB/VIDEO/AUDIO (non-print) source: no page
number– period after final parenthesis
• Extra Info:– multiple authors with same last name: use 1st initial
• Polly Hatcher• Dustin Hatcher• (P. Hatcher 22) or (D. Hatcher)
– same author with multiple sources: use title of work
• MISTAKES:– not punctuating the source like on the Works
Cited/source card
• Options to use within essay– Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a
"spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).– Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow
of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263). – Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the
creative process (263).
• If you provide the signal word/phrase in the sentence, you do not need to include it in the parenthetical citation.– Human beings have been described by Kenneth Burke as
"symbol-using animals" (3). – Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals"
(Burke 3).
Graphic
• must have 1 (only 1)• student generated – not a graphic you copied• size must be less than ½ page• simple and brief• no artwork• graphic comes after textual discussion• explain the significance so that the reader may
understand without reference to the graphic• do no use vague references (“the chart below”)• label with a number
• table = uses columns– refer to table and number in-text
• do not capitalize table• place in parentheses (see table 1)
– table comes after in-text reference– align left– title goes above graphic
• Table 1 Dates of Research• initial caps.• no punctuation between table and title
– citation• below table• use bibliography format
– Source: Author, Title, Publisher, Copyright date, Print Source, page #.
• do not include on WC
• figure = non-text item that is not a table (chart, graph, diagram)– refer to figure and number in-text
• do not capitalize figure• place in parentheses (see figure 1)
– MLA has no alignment rule – place as writer chooses– title/citation goes below graphic
• Figure 1. bibliography format• do not include on WC