The Dreaded MLA!

1. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 1: Intro aka: The research paper

2. You learn to write research papers in English class, but - • Physical Science classes • Psychology classes • Tech and Math classes • Speciality classes in your field of major • Pretty much everything except English! In college you’ll write them for -

3. Like shoes - research papers come in lots of different styles! • MLA - Modern Language Association • APA • Chicago • Turabian • Harvard • CGOS-Columbia Guide to Online Style • CBE, ACS, ASCE, LSA, AMA, AIP, etc.

4. As Maria would say... • Let’s start at the very beginning • A very good place to start • When you read you begin with A, B, C • So - here are the ABC’s of MLA!

5. How much do you know? • Some of you know nothing about MLA • Some of you know a little • Some of you know just enough to make you dangerous • Some of you think you know all you need to - don’t tune out; you don’t!!

6. http://www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/ #1 Rule - as with ANY paper, plagiarism results in a 0. I don’t expect any of you to try and cheat. You’re all better people than that! However, on the outside chance you’re tempted, please keep in mind: With today’s technology, it’s easier for me to find where you got your paper than it is for you to find a paper! Plus my topics are weird and there aren’t many papers out there on these topics!!

7. Components of MLA Research Paper • Title Page • Outline • Body • Works Cited Page

8. USE the 6-12 Writing Handbook! • http://www.usd358.com/webpages/TBrowning/ • http://www.usd358.com/webpages/TBrowning/index.cfm?subpage=1076818 • http://www.usd358.com/webpages/TBrowning/resources.cfm This late in the year, everyone knows this, but I’ll remind you where it can be found!!

9. Select 3 Topics You Like • Narrow it down to your favorite. Don’t stress! You have topics for back-up and plenty to time to gather information about the topic. Your teacher will always provide some guidelines about the topic.

10. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 2: Do the Research! aka: The research paper

11. Let’s get ready! • You should already have an English I or II folder on your computer; if not, make one. • Within that English folder, make an MLA folder.  • Within the MLA folder make 3 more folders.  Label them as follows:  Drafts, Source Info, Images. EVERYTHING for this paper goes into the appropriate folder. TRUST ME!! :-)

12. Gather Your Sources http://citationmachine.net/ but don’t over do!!

13. How many sources are enough? • First, check to see how many your teacher requires you to use in the final draft of your paper. • Next, a good rule of thumb is to add 2. Based on previous experience - and I’ve been doing this a looooong time - You’ll end up with one or two that are of absolutely no use. • By having the 2 extras, you’ll still have plenty of information

14. Well, that depends! (Don’t you just love a vague answer?) • If the assignment is for 3-5 pages of body, include 3 or 4 good sources. • “Include” means you should have an equal balance of information from all 3 or 4 of those sources. • Above and beyond that, you can have 1 or 2 pieces of information from other sources How many sources does this teacher want?

15. The MLA Page • http://www.usd358.com/webpages/TBrowning/index.cfm?subpage=1273629 Here you’ll find topic information and paper requirements. It’s also where this PPT is located!!!

16. It’s credible • .com .gov .edu .net . org • It’s current • Don’t use stats 20 years old! • It’s reliable • Why is 14 year old Bob of “Bob’s Home Page” an expert on hybrid cars? • It’s a source, not a “clearinghouse”! • NOT google.com, wikipedia, ask.com, ehow.com, NOTthe library! What is a “good” source?

17. Pictures! Charts! Watch for interesting images that help to support your topic Maps! Graphs!

18. I can’t stress this enough Build your Works Cited page as you collect your sources! Trust me!! http://citationmachine.net/

19. Every time you find a source • Print then write a number in the top right corner • IMMEDIATELY create a Works Cited page entry for the source using http://citationmachine.net/ • Copy and paste the entry to the Rough Draft Works Cited page you have begun! • Correct the spacing/style Save it as a PDF into your “Source” folder tMLA tEnglish

20. Sample RD Works Cited To make the 2nd and additional lines indent, you will need to put a “Return” at the end of this line.

21. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 3: Start Taking Notes aka: The research paper

22. Notes on Taking Notes! • http://teachnotetaking.blogspot.com/

23. Your Note Cards How they’ll look The key to a successful paper!

24. What a note card should look like!

25. What’s the Difference? When to Use Which • Quoting • Paraphrasing • Summarizing http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/01/hyperlink

26. Your Note Cards Sort your cards by outline topic. The key to a successful paper!

27. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 4: Begin the Rough Draft aka: The research paper

28. The Worst RD Mistake • Not including your citations within your rough draft! • You canNOT go back and do it later! • Forget to put them in? It’s plagiarism and thus a 0. Period. No questions asked.

29. Work your factoids and direct quotes smoothly into your paper. http://www.aresearchguide.com/sampleparenth.html Use variety - you have numerous choices of ways to do this!

30. Integrating Factoids • The World Book Encyclopedia defines “taboo” as "an action, object, person, or place forbidden by law or culture" (Dundes). • As pointed out in the Occultopedia, another word for taboo is "tabu" a Polynesian word meaning that which is banned. The Occultopedia also points out that taboo is found among many other cultures including the ancient Egyptians, Jews and others ("Taboo").  • Mary Douglas has analyzed the many facets and interpretations of taboos across various cultures. In her view, taboos could be considered a kind of "brain-washing" (2549) as they are transmitted to individuals along with an entire cultural system made up of a pattern of values and norms. 

31. Integrating Factoids, con’t • In reference to Freak Shows at circuses, an interesting observation is made that people who possess uncommon features and who willingly go out in public to display such oddities to onlookers are acting as "modern-day taboo breakers" by crossing the "final boundary between societal acceptance and ostracism." (Rothenberg).  • In traditional British East Africa, between the time of puberty and marriage, a young Akamba girl must maintain an avoidance relationship with her own father (Freud 17).  • Looking at taboo in a modern society, Marvin Harris gives an interesting example of the application of cultural materialism to the Hindu taboo against eating beef (qtd. in McGrath).

32. Integrating Factoids - Works Cited for these In your Bibliography, Works Cited, or References page, you must include all of the above parenthetical citations. See sample below. Works Cited Douglas, Mary. "Taboo." Man, Myth & Magic. Ed. Richard Cavendish. New ed.  21 vols. New York: Cavendish, 1994. 2546-2549. Dundes, Alan. "Taboo." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed. Freud, Sigmund. Totem and Taboo. New York: Random, 1918. McGrath, Stacy. "Ecological Anthropology." Anthropological Theories: A GuidePrepared by Students for Students. 19 Oct. 2001. U. of Alabama. 18 Jan. 2005 <http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/Faculty/Murphy/ ecologic.htm>.  Rothenberg, Kelly. "Tattooed People as Taboo Figures in Modern Society." 1996. BME/Psyber City. 18 Jan. 2005 <http://www.bme.freeq.com/tattoo/ tattab.html>. "Taboo." Occultopedia: Encyclopedia of Occult Sciences and Knowledge.  Site created and designed by Marcus V. Gay. 18 Jan. 2005 <http://www.occultopedia.com/t/taboo.htm>.

33. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 5: Work on Editing and Revisions aka: The research paper

34. http://www.dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker/

35. The Dreaded MLA! You can do this! Just prepare! Part 6: Get Your Stuff Together! aka: The research paper