MLA Documentation: The Essentials

1. MLA Documentation:The Essentials Paper setup: • Do not use a title page • Double spaced (your software may be defaulted to something different; be sure you change it!) • 12 pt. Times New Roman • One-inch margins all around (including top and bottom) • Your first and last name, date, and assignment title in the top left corner (NOT as a header) • The title of the piece centered as the fist line of the work • DO NOT skip lines between your name and the title of the piece, or between the title and the first line of the first paragraph. • DO NOT skip lines between paragraphs. Current versions of Word are defaulted to skip a line. YOU MUST REMOVE THIS DEFAULT. • Your last name and the page number AS A HEADER in the top right corner of every page EXCEPT the Works Cited page. • Note: it is your responsibility to use this formatting, regardless of the type of computer or software you have.

2. Citing • Every time you use information you found from a source (i.e. you didn’t know if before you started researching), you must have a parenthetical or in-text citation. This is the case whether you rephrase the words or use them verbatim! You will likely have multiple citations in a paragraph. • A parenthetical citation usually identifies the author and page number from which you got the information • (Smith 52) • The format for parenthetical citations differs depending on the type of source. See the “MLA Cheat Sheet” or the Purdue University OWL for more information on formatting parenthetical citations.

3. In-text citations refer to the author (and often the title of the source) in the text of your paper, so you don’t have to use a parenthetical citation except to identify a page number, if applicable. In his book Cocker Spaniels, Dr. James Morrison explains that cockers often hide their toys in order to trick their owners into thinking they don’t have any, thus increasing the chances that they will receive new ones (52). • If you cite the same source more than once in a row in the same paragraph, you may include only one parenthetical citation at the end of the paragraph. • Note: If your paragraph is very long, it is best to include a few citations throughout, to ensure that the reader knows you are citing your material.

4. Every source used in your paper must have a subsequent Works Cited entry on the Works Cited page: the last page of your paper. • Every Works Cited entry in your paper must have at least one citation in your paper. In other words, you muse use all of the sources listed in your Works Cited page. • Your Works Cited page is double-spaced with one-inch margins. Do not skip lines between entries. Do not include the page number or your name on the Works Cited page. The words “Works Cited” should appear centered at the top of your page. All entries are alphabetized. • The Works Cited page is left-justified with a hanging indent.

5. Formatting Citations and Works Cited Entries • The format for citations and works-cited entries varies depending on the type of source. • See the “MLA Cheat Sheet,” the Purdue University OWL, or Easybib.com for more information on formatting citations for different types of sources. • Note: Easybib.com is a great resource! (I wish I’d had it when I was writing research papers). However, YOU are responsible for correctly citing sources, even if Easybib.com tells you something different. • When you use Easybib, vertical lines will be included in the Works Cited entry. YOU MUST REMOVE THESE LINES MANUALLY!