Death by MLA

1. Presented by: Natasha Olivera Death by MLA

2. Presentation Overview • 2009 updates to MLA • General MLA guidelines • First page format • Plagiarism • In-text citations • Formatting quotations • Works Cited page

3. What is MLA?? MLA (Modern Language Association) formatting often used in various Humanities disciplines

4. What does MLA regulate? Document Format In-text citations Works Cited

5. Recent Updates 2009 changes in MLA: • No more Underlining (only use italics) • Publication Medium (e.g. Print, Web, etc.) • New Abbreviations (e.g. “N.p.” for “no publisher given”)

6. #1 Rule For Any Formatting Style Always Follow Your Instructors Guidelines

7. Paper Formatting; Standards • 8.5” x 11” WHITE paper • BLACK ink • Double Space • Times New Roman Font • Size 12 Point • Pagination with last name; one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin • 1” Margins on both sides • No cover page unless otherwise specified • Left hand corner: Name, Teacher name, Class, Assignment name or Date • Title of paper center • Indent the 1st line of every paragraph one half inch from left margin (tab once) • Italicize all titles

9. Plagiarism

11. What is plagiarism? According to the FIU Student Handbook: “The deliberate use and appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the passing off of such work as the student’s own. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas or materials taken from another is guilty of plagiarism. Any student helping another to plagiarize may be found guilty of academic misconduct” (136).

12. In other words...

13. Yes, It Is Plagiarism When... • You quote an entire paper or page - whether you give credit or not. • You copy and paste text directly from a website without giving credit to the source, using quotation marks or paraphrasing. • You copy and paste a picture from the internet without citing the original source. • You use another student’s paper, change the name, and submit it as your own. • You rearrange or replace some words with synonyms when using another student’s paper. • You purchase a written paper from the internet, friends, or any other source that is not you. • You have a friend, girlfriend, boyfriend, classmate, teammate, or anyone else, write a paper for you.

14. What’s the difference? Student Material With FIU losing 21-15 and 2:14 remaining in the match, Hilton fumbled an end-around handoff from quarterback Paul McCall, picked up the ball as he was being pursued by Red Wolves, and discovered a wide open Mertile downfield for a touchdown to boost Fiu over Arkansas State. Original Material With FIU down 21-15 and 2:14 leftin the game, Hilton fumbled an end-around handoff from quarterback Paul McCall, scooped up the ball as he was being chased by Red Wolves, and founda wide open Mertile downfield for a touchdown to lift FIU over Arkansas State.

15. How do I avoid plagiarism? • Use your own words! Write your own thoughts, experiences, opinions, or conclusions about the subject. It’s your voice; use it. • Use MLA format and cite sources correctly

16. The Art of Quoting; Citations Quotations

17. Some problems; how much?

18. Writers assume that quotes speak for themselves Picture this: Quotes are like orphans When taken out of their original context and put into a new surrounding they need to be integrated properly of they’ll be confused (or confusing). Free Clipart of Children

19. Two Keys • Choose wisely; relevancy • CITE!!!! Give credit where it is deserved. Explain whose words they are, what they mean, and how it relates to your text

20. Build a Frame or Suffer a…… “Hit and Run” “Hit and run” quotations are like car accidents where the driver speeds away without taking responsibility for the dent in your fender or the smashed taillights.

21. “Hit & Run” Susan Bordo writes about women and dieting. “Fiji is just one example. Until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after programs from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there, 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting.” I think Bordo is right. Another point Bordo makes is that…

22. FAIL!

23. Sandwich it!

24. Quotation Sandwich To adequately frame a quotation you need to insert it into a “quotation sandwich,” with the statement introducing it serving as the top slice of bread, and the explanation following it serving as the bottom slice of bread.

25. In other words.... Introductory or lead-in claims should explain who is speaking and set up what the quotation says; the follow up statements should explain why you consider the quotation to be important and what you take it to say.

26. Signal Phrases and Verbs • Verbs • Acknowledges • Agrees • Argues • Believes • Claims • Contends • Illustrates • Observes • Reasons • Suggests Phrases • In the words of • As noted by • Points out that • Offers an argument that

27. Templates for Introducing Quotes • X states, “______.” • As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “_______.” • According to X, “_______.” • X himself writes, “______.” • In her book, ______, X maintains that “_____.” • Writing in the journal Commentary, X complains that “_________.” • In X’s view, “_____.” • X agrees when she writes, “_____.” • X disagrees when he writes, “_____.” • X complicates matters further when she writes, “______.” Note: language should accurately reflect the tone of the quoted passage. For instance note the difference between “Bordo states” and “Bordo is alarmed that…” or “Bordo complains…”

28. Albert Einstein once said… If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

29. Templates for Explaining Quotations • Basically, X is saying _______. • In other words, X believes ________. • In making this comment, X argues that _____. • X is insisting that _______. • X’s point is that ________. • The essence of X’s argument is that _______.

30. Revised use of quotes The feminist philosopher Susan Bordo deplores the hold that the Western obsession with dieting has on women. Her basic argument is that increasing numbers of women across the globe are being led to see themselves as fat and in need of diet. Citing the island of Fiji as a case in point, Bordo notes that “until television was introduced in 1995, the islands had no reported cases of eating disorders. In 1998, three years after programs from the United States and Britain began broadcasting there, 62 percent of the girls surveyed reported dieting” (149-50). Bordo’s point is that the West’s obsession with dieting is spreading even to remote places across the globe. Ultimately, Bordo complains, the culture of dieting will find you, regardless of where you live. Bordo’s observations rings true to me because a friend of mine from a remote area in China speaks of the cult of dieting among young women there…

31. Some basic guidelines to remember • Introduce quote with Title and Author; place page number in parentheses at the end of quote. • Introduce quote with Author; place page number in parentheses at the end of quote. • Place quote first, end with Author and page number in parentheses. • Place a period at the end of the sentence after a parenthesis.

32. Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is a way of presenting a text, keeping the same meaning, but using different words and phrasing. Paraphrasing is used with short sections of text, such as phrases and sentences. • does not match the source word for word • involves putting a passage from a source into your own words • changes the words or phrasing of a passage, but retains and fully • communicates the original meaning • must be attributed to the original source

33. Example The original passage: • Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

34. Example paraphrase A legitimate paraphrase: • In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

35. How to Paraphrase • Read the source carefully. It is essential that you understand it fully. • Identify the main point(s) and key words. • Cover the original text and rewrite it in your own words. Check that you have included the main points. • Write the paraphrase in your own style. • Consider each point; how could you rephrase it?

36. When to Paraphrase • Paraphrase short sections of work only; a sentence or two or a short paragraph. • As an alternative to a direct quotation. • To rewrite someone else’s ideas without changing the meaning. • To express someone else’s ideas in your own words. • To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your own writing.

37. Summarizing • does not match the source word for word • involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, but including only the main point(s) • presents a broad overview, so is usually much shorter than the original text • must be attributed to the original source A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but details, examples and formalities are left out. Used with longer texts, the main aim of summarising is to reduce or condense a text to it’s most important ideas.

38. Example The original passage: • Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

39. Example Summary An acceptable summary: • Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).

40. How To Summarize • The amount of detail you include in a summary will vary according to the length of the original text, how much information you need and how selective you are. • Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points as you read. • Reread the text and make notes of the main points, leaving out examples, evidence etc. • Without the text, rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major points.

41. When to Summarize • Summarize long sections of work, like a long paragraph, page or chapter. • To outline the main points of someone else’s work in your own words, without the details or examples. • To include an author’s ideas using fewer words than the original text. • To briefly give examples of several differing points of view on a topic. • To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing.

42. Direct Quotes A quotation is an exact reproduction of spoken or written words. Direct quotes can provide strong evidence, act as an authoritative voice, or support a writer’s statements. • match the source word for word • are usually a brief segment of the text • appear between quotation marks • must be attributed to the original source

43. How To Quote • Make sure that you have a good reason to use a direct quotation. Quoting should be done sparingly and should support your own work, not replace it. For example, make a point in your own words, then support it with an authoritative quote. • Direct quotations should appear between quotation marks (“ “) • A short quotation often works well integrated into a sentence. • Longer quotations (more than 4 lines of text) should be in block quote format. • Appears exactly the way it is in the original text and exactly reproduce text, including punctuation and capital letters. • Cited with a page or paragraph number in parentheses. Citation at the end of the sentence is placed before the period. • Can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of sentence. Can be divided by your words.

44. When to Quote • When the author’s words convey a powerful meaning. • When you want to use the author as an authoritative voice in your own writing. • To introduce an author’s position you may wish to discuss. • To support claims in, or provide evidence for, your writing.

45. What kind of quote is this?

46. Block Quotations • Longer than four lines • No quotation marks • Page number placed in parentheses at the end, after the period • One paragraph – all lines indented 10 spaces from the left

47. Think about this way….. Citations are like hyperlinks in online articles. If you click on the hyperlink it takes you to the original source. You always want to find out where the information came from and you want to find it easily. Granted, on the internet its only a click away, that’s why in writing it’s so important to make sure you cite your sources correctly.

48. Works Cited • Separate page and last page of essay • Titled – “Works Cited” centered • Hanging indent for each entry • First line flush left • Subsequent lines indented • Alphabetized by author’s last name, if no author editor, if no author or editor, start with title • Author’s last name followed by comma and first name. If multiple authors, subsequent authors names appear first name first. • Italicize titles of books and long works, titles of articles in quotation marks. • Use a period and a space after each element of the entry.

50. Basic Formats: Book: Author last name, first name. Title. City of publication: Publisher, Publication Date. Print. Example: Crystal, David. Language Play. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1998. Print.