Documentation in MLA Format

1. Documentationin MLA Format NFHS Media Center (Adapted from: Grand Valley State University)

2. Overview of MLA Formatting • Used in humanities fields (English, writing, philosophy, and modern languages) • Works using in-text, parenthetical documentation • Includes a Works Cited page Definitive Source: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th Edition, 2003.

3. Why Document Sourcesin MLA Format? • To give credit where credit is due: avoid plagiarism • To establish your credibility as a careful student • To ensure consistency: readers know what to expect • To give readers access to the sources you cite

4. How Documentation Works • In-text citations refer to a Works Cited page • Works Cited page gives readers information to locate sources themselves

5. Works Cited Page • Provides bibliographic information so readers can find sources themselves • Each entry includes this basic information: • Author’s name • Title of work • Publication information: Source of work, date published, volume and issue numbers, and page numbers Rule: All sources cited in the paper must be listed on the Works Cited page. All sources listed on the Works Cited page must have been cited in the paper itself.

6. A Sample Works Cited Page Works Cited Davis, Barbara, Michael Scriven, and Susan Thomas. The Evaluation of Composition Instruction.New York: Teachers College P, 1987. Hanson, F. Allan. Testing Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life.Berkeley: U of California P, 1993. Huot, Brian A. “The Literature of Direct Writing Assessment: Major Concerns and Prevailing Trends.” Review of Educational Research 60 (1990):237-63. Soda, Francis A. “Looking Back as We Look Forward: Historicizing Writing Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 50.3 (1999): 483-503.

7. Sample Citation • Book: Davis, Barbara, Michael Scriven, and Susan Thomas. The Evaluation of Composition Instruction. New York: Teachers College P, 1987. Quick Tip: Simply write “P” to stand for “Press.” Although you should begin the entry with the last name of the first author, you should write the names of the other authors in first-name/last-name format, for easier readability.

8. Sample Citation • Article in a scholarly journal: Soda, Francis A. “Looking Back as We Look Forward: Historicizing Writing Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 50.3 (1999): 483-503.

9. Sample Citation • Scholarly article from a database: Walstad, William. “Improving Assessment in University Economics.”Journal of Economic Education 32.3 (2001): 281-94. Proquest. Niagara Falls High School Library, Niagara Falls N.Y. 18 Feb. 2004 <www.proquest.com>. Quick Tip: Each type of electronic source is documented differently. Consult the MLA Handbook for information about how to format correctly each source you cite.

10. Sample Citation • A source with no known author: “Squeezing the Poor for Votes.” New York Times on the Web. 18 February 2004 <http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/18/opinion/18WED2.html>. Quick Tip: Since there is no author’s name listed, you’ll list the citation on the Works Cited page alphabetized by the first key word in the title (in this case, “Squeezing”).

11. In-Text, Parenthetical Citations Use them to: • Quote directly • Summarize material • Paraphrase material Quick Tip:Plagiarism is using someone’s words or ideas without giving the source proper credit.

12. In-Text, Parenthetical Citations • Are brief • Refer readers to the Works Cited page • Avoid repetition

13. Formatting An In-Text, Parenthetical Citation • There are two common ways of writing an in-text citation: • Put the author’s name into the sentence itself • Put the author’s name in a parenthetical citation at the end of the passage in which you quote, summarize, or paraphrase the work

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Special Cases • More than one author with the same last name: • (K. Sutherland 255); (D. Sutherland 440) • Two or more works within the same parentheses: • (Cruise 24; Cruz 58; and Kidman 600) • A work by more than three authors: • (Brady et al. 25) --Adapted from Purdue’s OWL presentation on MLA documentation

17. Special Cases • Source has unnamed author • Use first key word from the title • “Squeezing the Poor for Votes” is the title of the article, so (“Squeezing” para. 4) is the parenthetical citation • General reference to a web site • GVSU’s Writing Center is the source, so (Grand Valley State University Writing Center para. 7) is the parenthetical citation --Adapted from Purdue’s OWL presentation on MLA documentation

18. Sample Passage with Parenthetical Citations More recently, however, scholars have begun to register possible concerns about teaching portfolio use. P. R. Paulson and F. L. 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). Another study found that it is desirable to use separate portfolios for development and credential purposes, suggesting “that efforts to combine the dual purposes of support and accountability in a single portfolio do not always result in constructive tension” (Soda 139).

19. Where Can You FindMLA Documentation Help? • The Diana Hacker website (http://www.dianahacker.com/writersref/pdf/Hacker-DocSources.pdf) • Purdue Owl (http://owl.english.purdue.edu) • NFHS Library Home Page (look under English Language Arts)

20. Questions?