Modern Language Association MLA Formatting Wando High School

Modern Language Association “MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Work Cited pages.” Why should you use MLA? Builds credibility of author Shows accountability for source material Protects against accusations of plagiarism

Paper Formatting Font: Times New Roman; 12 sized font Spacing: Double space throughout entire paper Margins: 1 inch on all sides (default) Paragraph indentions: one half-inch Upper left hand corner of first page: student’s name, teacher’s name, the course, and the date Header in the upper right hand corner: student’s last name followed by a space with a page number (1, 2, 3, etc.) (ex. Brown 3) Title of document: centered, not in all capital letters; not underlined, bolded, or italicized No title page (unless specifically requested)

In-Text Citations When referring to the work of others in your text, use parenthetical citation. Citation immediately follows a quotation from a source or a paraphrase of a source’s ideas. (Author’s last name page number). Example: Human beings have been described as “symbol-using animals” (Burke 3). If there are multiple citations, separate citations using a semi-colon. Example: Human beings have been described as “symbol-using animals” (Burke 3 ; Dewey 21).

In-Text Citations Author-Page Style The style means that the author’s last name appears in the sentence itself, and the page number appears in the parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase The page number should NOT be in the text of your sentence. Example: Wordsworth states that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263).

In-Text Citations Multiple Authors Multiple authors are cited like a single author citation; however, both names are included and joined by the word "and.” Example: (Cortez and Jones 56) Multiple authors should be cited by the order in which their names appear in/on the resource.

In-Text Citations Websites In-Text Citations: Cite the writer’s last name in parenthesis following the quote or paraphrase. Example: “These original features of the sonnet suggest a fruitful approach from which to begin our exploration of the ways African Americans have employed one of Europe’s most refined poetical forms…” (Francini). If there is no author cited on the website, the electronic address should serve as the parenthetical citation. Example: (

In-Text Citations Interviews –For personal interviews, parenthetical citations include only the subject’s last name. Example: (Smith).

Works Cited Page Basic Format Use same paper format as the rest of the paper (margins, header, page number). Center the title – Works Cited (not underlined or italicized or in all capital letters). Place Work Cited page on separate piece of paper (last page in report). Double space all citations. Do not skip additional spaces in between entries. Use hanging indentation. Do not bullet, number, or label entries.

Works Cited Page Cont. Single Author of Book Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House. Denver: MacMurray, 2007.

Works Cited continued Two Authors Last name, First Name, and First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Learner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2008.

Works Cited continued Multiple Authors Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Wysocki, Anne Francis, et al. Writing New Media: Theory and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition. Logan, UT: Utah State UP, 2008.

Work Cited Page Cont. Article in a Newspaper or Magazine Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical. Day Month Year: pages. Poniewozik, James. “TV Makes a Too-Close Call.” Time 20 Nov. 2005: Article in a Scholarly Journal Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal. Volume. Issue (Year): pages. Kanner, Bernice. “The Peeve Scale.” American Demographics (2007): 35.

Works Cited Page Cont. Interview Last name, First Name. Personal Interview. Date of interview. Smith, Joe. Personal Interview. 20 August 2008.

Work Cited Page Cont. Electronic Sources Name of Site. Date of Posting/Revision. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sometimes found in copyright statements). Date you accessed the site.. The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. 26 Aug The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. 13 July