Works Cited

My instructor says I need to use MLA format when creating a Works Cited page and I think…

MLA Format

• MLA stands for Modern Language Association.• MLA format, developed by the Modern

Language Association, provides the style most instructors in the humanities require for papers.

• There are other formats that can be used, such as APA (American Psychological Association) or the ASA (American Sociological Association). Each format has its own set of rules.

What does MLA regulate?

Document Format

In-text citations

Works Cited (a list of all sources used in the paper)

Format: General Guidelines Type on white 8.5“ x 11“ paper

Double-space everything

Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font (or similar font)

Leave only one space after punctuation

Set all margins to 1 inch on all sides

Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch

Header with page numbers in the upper right corner

Sample 1st Page

Now I need to learn how to use the information from my sources in my paper.But how can I use quotations and avoid

plagiarism!?

Citations!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyD4nrSbWAk

In-Text, Parenthetical CitationsUse 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 In-Text (Parenthetical) CitationsThere 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.

General Rules for Works Cited PagesMLA Format

• Double space evenly, no extra spaces between each citation.

• Center the title Works Cited (no bold, italics, or underlining) and place it at the top of the page.

• Use a “hanging indent” after the first line of each entry.

• Organize alphabetically

OK: so what does it look like?

“Hanging”

Indent

CenteredTitle

Everything is double-

spaced, and there are no line spaces between entries.