Writing an Excellent Research Paper: MLA Style

Writing an Excellent Research Paper:

MLA Style

Goal

Students will develop an understanding of the importance of research writing. In

addition, they will have a foundation for writing a proficient research paper in MLA

format.

Objective

Students will be able to write a interdisciplinary research paper at the

proficient level.

Why write a research paper?

• It is a requirement for English III, your majors (vocal, theatre or dance) and Performing Arts Internship.

• It is the standard form of communication in the academic world.

• Connect the academic world with your major.• To provide you and your instructors with hours of

thought provoking work.

Selecting a topic

• Selected in your major classes.• Related to major and can integrate 3 or more academic

areas seamlessly.• Begin with a general topic and then refine to more

specific one that can be more fully explored.• Narrow topic by focusing on aspect of subject or

approach to it. (e.g. Roaring 20’s—Isadora Duncan—Contribution to art of dance.)

• Availability and quantity of resources.

Conducting Research

• Where can I go to obtain information? (e.g. school, local libraries, renowned institutions)

• What type of reference works will you use?– Reference works—Magazines, books, journals,

encyclopedias, biographical resources.

• How much money will it cost?

Publication Forms of Reference:Print and Electronic

• General Reference: Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Biographical sources, Atlas, almanacs, etc.

• Electronic Forms—CD ROMS, Database, EBSCO, Professional/Reliable Websites.

Working Bibliography

• Keep track of sources (Bibliography)

• Will evolve into your “Work Cited” that appears at the end of your research paper.

Books Scholarly Journals• Author’s full name• Full Title, including

sub-titles.• Edition• Number of Volume, and

total number of volumes.

• City of Publication• Publisher• Year of publication

• Author’s full name• Title of the article

(quotations)• Name of journal.• Volume number.• Year of publication.• Page number/s for

article.

Budden, Julian. The Operas of Verdi. Rev. Ed. 3 vols.

Oxford: Clarendon, 1992.

Vartanov, Anri. “Television as Spectacle and Myth.” Journal of Communication 41 (1991): 162-71

Newspapers, Magazines Internet Sources

• Author’s name• Title of article (quotation

marks)• Title of periodical

(underlined or italics)• Date of publication.• Page number/s of article

• Author’s name• Title of document• Title of project, database,

periodical, or professional or personal site.

• Name of editor• Date of electronic

publication or last update.• Name of institution

sponsoring site• Date you accessed source• Network address or URL.

Shea, Christopher. “The Limits of Free Speech.”

Chronicale of Higher Education 1 Dec. 1993: A37-38

Oakley, John H. “The Achilles Painter.” The Perseus Project. Ed.

Gregory Crane. Mar. 1997. Tufts U. 14 May 1998 http://www.perseus.turfts.edu/SecondaryPainters_Essay/Achilles_toc.html.

Note Taking• Essential to research• By hand on index cards or sheets of paper• Author’s full name and complete title of source.• 3 Methods of note taking

– Summary—record general ideas

– Paraphrase—Detailed notes on specific sentences, but specific wording is not needed.

– Quotation--Believe sentence or passage in original wording will make paper more effective transcribe material word for word, comma to comma. When quote per verbatim use quotation marks in your notes to distinguish quotations from summary or paraphrase.

Plagiarism

Refers to form of cheating defined as “the false assumption of authorship: the wrongful act of taking the product of another person’s mind, and presenting it as one’s own.” (Alexander Lindy, Plagiarism

and Originality, New York: Harper, 1952

•Intellectual Theft•Punishable by failure of course to explosion from school•Borrowed material must not appear to be your creation.•Document everything you borrow, not only direct quotes, but paraphrases also.•Anything that is not common knowledge (when in doubt document)

Outlines

• Overall view of paper.

• Establishes relationships between sections.

• Provides logical progression.

• Keep track of important aspects of topic.

• Keep focus.

Thesis Statement

• Purpose—What are you try to accomplish with your paper? – Describe, explain, or persuade?

• Audience—Who are you writing for?– Specialist on topic– Someone who supports or refutes your point of

view– Someone who shares an interest or not.

Example from MLA Handbook, 5th edition

Students who wish to write successful research papers must know as much as possible about the modern academic library—its central information system, reference works, online catalog of holdings and other resources and services—and must be knowledgeable about finding useful Internet sources.

Final Outline• Help organize ideas into a logical, fluent and effective

paper.• Delete everything on your working outline that is not

relevant to your thesis statement.• Include only the ideas/information that enables you to

accomplish what you have set out to do in your thesis.• Bring related materials together under general headings.• Arrange sections so that they logically connect with each

other.• Plan an effective introduction and conclusion.• Which is expected? Topic (Bullets, short phrases) or

Sentence (More detailed, complete sentences) Outline.

Writing Drafts• Successful paper is the culmination of a series of drafts.• Helpful Hints:

– Follow outline closely– Revise outline when new ideas occur to you– Eliminate, add and rearrange material– If material seems sketchy or unclear, expand by writing new

sentence, or if need be new paragraph.– Find appropriate transitions between sentences and paragraphs.– Delete irrelevant material, repetitive information or unimportant

facts.– Vary sentence patterns and word choice ( See a Thesaurus)– Correct technical errors---punctuation, grammar and usage using

a standard dictionary– Proofread

Language and Style

• Scholarship requires objectivity• Avoid language that implies unsubstantiated or

generalized statements about such personal qualities as age, SES, sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs.

• Avoid the He/Him/His/Her to express gender, use, make pleural and use they or change structure altogether to omit those words.

• Avoid gender-based job descriptions (policeman-police officer, stewardess-flight attendant, anchorman-anchor)

Organizing Principles• Chronology (Historical Events) time order

• Cause and Effect (Scientific Discoveries)

• Process (How political elections work)

• Deductive/Deduction—General principle to specific (Violence in US to Use of Handguns)

• Inductive---From specific argument to general (Violence using handguns to violence overall)

Senior Interdisciplinary Paper (SIP)

• Begins sophomore year with researching possible topics (Includes topics connection to no less than 3 academic areas).

• Junior year—submit a proposal for approval of topics; writing paper; (Failure to complete paper will result in failing English III)

• Senior year—product/demonstration that reflects paper.