Journal Topic for Tuesday, November 7th: What is MLA format? What is it used for? Why is it even a thing? What are the individual components?

What is MLA anyway? Modern Language Association Founded in 1883 Discussion & advocacy group for literature & modern languages 30,000 members in 100 countries worldwide Annual 4-day convention Academic study of language Language mapping Job placement

Why would you want to? - Quotations, paraphrases, and summaries - Support claims or add credibility - Give examples of POV - Call attention to position - Highlight something powerful - distance yourself from the original - expand the breadth or depth of your writing

Summarizing Summarizing = put main idea(s) into your own words, including only main point(s) - significantly shorter than original - take a broad overview - must be attributed

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing = put it in your own words Attribute paraphrases to their original sources - usually shorter than the original - Condense a broader source - must be attributed

Quoting Quotations = exact words! - narrow segment - must match source document word for word - must be attributed to the original author Use quotes when: - Author makes a solid point - Precisely & accurately stated - You can’t say it better yourself

Signal Phrases and In-Text Citation introduce someone else’s work In-text citations (also known as parenthetical citations) Usually appear at end of quote Give credit where credit is due A simple rule: Author or Title and Page: what isn’t signaled up front must be cited at the end.

Signal Phrases and In-Text Citation (continued) Limited signal, everything in citation . . . end of paraphrased sentence, in which you convey the author's ideas in your own words (Williams 103). " . . . end of quoted sentence" (Williams 103). Author in signal, page in citation In 1985, Williams reported that . . . (103). Williams tells us that . . . (103). According to Williams, ". . ." (103).

What to put on a Works Cited page? Whatever you’ve got! Should look like this: Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." The New York Times, 22 May 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/science/earth/22ander.html?_r=0. Accessed 12 May 2016. Start with author If no author, go to title of article Name of book/magazine/website Publisher Publication date Web address (if you have it) Date accessed (if a web source)