MLA Tips

[Supplement to the 6th edition of the MLA]

Part 1--Basics

Read the first 3 chapters of the MLA for general background, especially preventing plagiarism (chapter 2 with full explanation and samples; see also my Academic Honesty document), and understanding the scholar's role in research along with helpful suggestions from the editors to execute the project; study ch. 4 on essay format, which you'll find is duplicated in my Essay Format lecture included with every writing assignment.  I'll have more to say about ch. 5 & 6 later in Parts 2 and 3 below.

Titles of movies, TV programs, paintings, novels, epic poems, CDs, plays, musicals, etc. are underlined or italicized.  Titles of short stories, short poems, essays, songs, etc. (works published 'inside' other works), go in quotation marks.

Buildings, monuments, sacred writings, series, political documents, seminars etc. carry no special treatment. Never bold, italicize, or place quotation marks around your own title as your essay is not a published work.

Refer to artists, writers, painters, actors, etc. by full name the first time you mention them; then by last name after, with no 'Mr' or 'Miss'. For more tips, see the MLA, ch. 2.  Space between initials just as you would between names.

In chapter 3 of the MLA, you will see important sections on quoting both prose and poetry--be sure you read them and note that in prose you always incorporate four typed lines or less into your sentence; in poetry it's 3 typed lines or less (with a blank, slash, blank between the lines).  This slash is used also if you're analyzing a play (like Antigone or Hamlet) that is set up in lines.

Otherwise, longer quotes are set off from the text by 10 spaces on the left only (two right indents), double-spaced, and documented with the period in front of the parentheses instead of after.  No quotation marks.  I'm not looking for set-off quotes, however, and I've limited you to 1 in CAs and 2 in the Research Paper so we don't have a problem with padding.  Be sure when you quote that you comment on these passages: don't let them begin or close your paragraphs and take over the paper.  Though you must quote in these papers to support your arguments, quotations must not be excessive.  Review "Tips for Writing the Critical Analysis."

Square brackets [ ] may be used to clarify; ellipses ( [ . . . ] three spaced periods with a space before and after) to leave material out.  Use either sparingly: it's best to quote precisely and use only phrases rather than have to do a lot of qualifying.  For how to work them into your sentences (colon [:] if it's a long quote and your intro is a sentence, comma or nothing if it simply finishes your sentence; the semicolon [;] is not used to incorporate a quotation), see ch. 3 and ch. 6 as well as examples below.  They must be worked in, and they must fit grammatically into your sentences, without writing run-ons or comma splices.  For documentation, use author's last name and page number (line number if poetry or verse play) in parentheses (no comma) with the period after.  Omit final period, semicolon, and the like in the quotation.   See below examples for what to do with more than one author.  If you frame the quotation with the author's name, then only put the page number in the parentheses.  If more than one work by the same author, then use last name, comma, first major word of the title, space and the page number.  If no author is provided, then use the first major word of the title, which is alphabetized by title on your WC page.

Be sure you study how MLA uses the square brackets within quotations (to indicate material added or explained), the ellipsis (three spaced points) to indicate material left out.  Smith writes, "he was the greatest President of the United States."  Your reader wouldn't know who 'he' is, so you would write, "[Lincoln] was the greatest President of the United States" (Smith 249).  If you left 'greatest' out, you would write "[Lincoln] was the . . . President of the United States" (Smith 249).  Be careful about brackets and ellipses; it's best to quote appropriately and accurately without too much altering of the source.

If there are more than three authors of a book or article, use only the name of the first author and et al. (which means 'and others') in the Works Cited page and parenthetical documentation.  That saves you having to type all those names.  Look this up in the MLA, ch. 5 and 6 for more examples.

If you are quoting an author quoting ANOTHER author (the indirect quotation), use qtd. in (short for 'quoted in').  Example: "Lincoln calls this a country 'of the people, by the people, for the people' (qtd. in Smith 234).  You are quoting Lincoln from Smith's book, which is on your WC page.  See 'indirect quote' in ch. 6 of the MLA.

Part 2--Quoting and Documenting Sources (Ch. 4, MLA)

(Be sure to read the plagiarism document in the eClassroom.) All word-for-word quotations must include quotation marks and must be integrated into your sentences with lead-in sentences or phrases and must be documented with the original source and the period after the parenthetical documentation (you are 'nailing' the quotation and citation with the period).  Do not 'strand' them, and do not write comma splices when you incorporate.  Use colons, not semi-colons between your sentence and the quotation when both are independent clauses.  Paraphrases must be in your own style and language, no quotation marks, and also documented.  If you have a lot of material paraphrased, clearly frame the selection with the author's name, then the page number where the paraphrase ends; you must make this clear to the reader.  It is far better to quote short passages from a source rather than paraphrase at length.  You must use direct quotations with quotation marks or brief paraphrases with sources after all borrowed material, even if that means there are several instances of documentation in every paragraph.  If you have a lot of material coming from several sources, you can put all of them in the parentheses, separated by semicolons (Smith 29; Baker 101; Jackson 52).  But paraphrases need to be very careful not to use direct quotations without quotation marks.  Again, I prefer that you use direct documented quotations rather than long paraphrases. ALL background material (historical, biographical, statistical, etc.) must be documented, and you must use ALL your sources on the Works Cited page. There are no exceptions to these requirements.  If you frame a quotation with the author's name, you do NOT have to include his book/article title: that is not strict MLA; besides those titles are on the WC page.  Quotations and paraphrases may NOT be used as thesis, topic or closing sentences in any paragraph.  They support you; don't let them dominate you.  If you use a block quote (more than four typed lines of prose), use the right indent button in the Word tool bar; press it twice; then press Indent when you're finished to return to the right margin.  Do not overload with block quotations: only two are allowed.  There are no quotation marks around a set-off quotation, and the period comes before the parenthetical documentation.

What if you quote a source in another source (called an "indirect quotation" in the MLA)?  Frame the quotation with the person who said it; give the source in the parentheses.

Example:  John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" (qtd. in Smith 45).

You're quoting Kennedy; but you found the quote in Smith--who appears on your Works Cited page.  'qtd. in' means "quoted in."  This is very helpful to know when you cannot find the original source but really want to use the quotation.

Electronic sources (5.9+).  You may use them if they are written by authorities (they should provide a biography), though I do not want you to use only Internet sources; you also need to use the library.  MLA is very clear that you give the author, title, access date where possible and the URL--web address, which is the element MOST necessary for the reader to find an Internet source you've referenced.  When you quote on-line sources (or media), you may not have page numbers; in that case document with the author or the title if you don't have an author.

Part 3--Setting up the Works Cited Page (chapters 5 and 6, the MLA)

Read the opening ten pages of chapter 5 that give a sketch of how Works Cited (WC) is done; also the example at the back of the MLA. 

First -- It is titled Works Cited, not bibliography, because this is a technological age that allows for many
types of sources other than books and articles (which is a bibliography). The word is WORKS, not Work--you have more than one. The word is CITED, as in the sources you are ACTUALLY USING IN THE PAPER. There must be nothing on that page you don't cite in the paper; a source on the WC page not cited in the paper indicates the work was used and not documented, which is plagiarism. You must double check your WC page against the paper before submitting it. By the way, I've had papers where students spelled cited as
'sited' and even 'sighted,' both of which would be incorrect for obvious and humorous reasons. You don't want
to do that.

Second, the WC page is double spaced throughout with 1" margins. The 2nd lines are indented, with the first lines flush against the left margin. The idea is to make the authors' names clear to the reader. Sometimes URLs for Internet sources are hard to indent. Use the ENTER key to get them to come down to the next line, then indent or tab. It is also true that the word wrap feature in the software forces the wrapping: to get 2nd and 3rd lines in the Works Cited page to indent, use the ENTER key; then indent or tab.  When you're finished with the entry, then ENTER again to begin the next entry.

Third, the WC page is set up alphabetically by AUTHORS' LAST NAMES ONLY.  Do not number the entries on the WC page; do not group them in any way. Also, if your source does not have an author listed, include that source alphabetically on the page with the rest of the sources, but by the TITLE of the article in quotation marks.  

Next, go to the section on books in chapter 5.  Note that all WC entries have at least three sections with a period at the end of each: author. title.  publication.  Keep the first line flush with the left margin and indent 2nd and 3rd lines--this keeps the author visible.  Reverse the author and set up the page in alphabetical order by author (by title if no author, but that should not be occurring with academic sources).  If you have more than one author, DO NOT switch them around to alphabetize -- the first author is first -- and reverse only that author's name.  If you have more than one title by the same author, continue alphabetizing first by author, then by first major word of the title.  [Do not number the Works Cited page or set up some kind of 'grouping'; it is alphabetized by authors.]  Underline or italicize the title (sub-title takes a colon between main and sub-titles).  Publication:  city first; a colon, then the publisher, comma, and date.  More than one city?  Choose the first one. More than one date?  Choose the last one (that's the edition you're quoting).  Publishers' names are shortened to the first surname (Barnes & Noble is Barnes etc.) or to UP (U of Texas P).  There are samples of all these in the MLA, chapter 7.  Chapter 6 shows you how the WC pages look AND how the sources look when documented. Note that I have also uploaded sample CAs and research papers for all classes.  Study how they are put together as well as how they are focused, defended, and styled.  Be sure to ask questions: I am strict about precise MLA work.

While I am not treating newspapers and magazines in this course (supposed to have been taken care of in 1301), the MLA does handle these in the periodicals section of ch. 5. You may need this information for future research papers. You are allowed to use newspaper and magazine articles for the research assignment, but they will NOT count among the required three original scholarly/critical journal articles.  1302 students are also allowed to use TWO articles from the back of the Norton edition of our novel--but they count as two articles from an anthology (see the MLA), not as original journal articles.  The idea here is to get students to become familiar with and use journals in their fields.  Journals are the cutting edge of research; thus, you'll not find them in bookstores, but in college/university libraries, databases, and occasionally on the Internet. You need to focus on scholarly journals, which are produced by universities and professional organizations.  They come out usually monthly or quarterly and include essays written by scholars in those fields. They are listed in the library's Periodical Holdings Lists -- usually scattered around the reference sections of most college and university libraries. But the librarian can also help you determine if you are looking at journals, though I am the final arbiter if they are English journals, so double check with me. Note that your concern is the author and article in the journal; also note what to do with vol. numbers and years (don't worry about months/seasons), and what to do when the journal paginates through the year versus through individual issues. Titles of articles go in quotation marks with the period inside the quotes, while the journal titles are underlined or italicized; no period between the journal title and the volume number.  Use Arabic numerals for journal vol. numbers, not roman numerals; do not type 'vol' before the numbers.  Put the year in parentheses (you don't need the month or season), a colon after, a space, and the inclusive page numbers for the article.  Ask me if you get confused.

In addition to these tips, be sure to study the MLA itself.  Also, the wonderful folks who bring us the LRC on campus have handouts you can pick up; they are also linked at http://kingwoodcollegelibrary.com/mlastyle.htm

Finished Format

Please note: when you submit the prewriting, you will have thesis+ outline and works cited pages (see the Outline instruction document).  Do not run the Works Cited page off the bottom of the Outline page.  Likewise, when you submit the final draft, you will have essay, works cited, and then outline.  You're reversing the works cited and outline pages for the final draft.  You'll also have full heading on the first page only; headers (last name and page number in upper right corner) are on all subsequent pages, though I don't mind if you have a header on the first page as well.  Do not run the Works Cited page off the bottom of the essay, or the Outline page off the bottom of the Works Cited page.  For both pre-writing and final draft, do a page insert for each new section of the finished assignment.  See the Word Toolbar under the Insert Menu.  Next, if you are doing your outline and works cited for the pre-writing; and then the final draft, outline, and works cited for the final draft as separate Word documents, they all have to be put together.  Here's how: open all of the documents; then, choosing one, either use the EDIT toolbar in Word, choosing 'select all', then 'copy,' or right click button on the Mouse and highlight the document; then choose 'copy'.  Next, move to the end of the document you want to copy the first procedure to; choose 'paste.'  Your selected and copied document will then appear where you want it.  When you complete this procedure, you will have one document; then save it right away.

Examples of Incorporated, Documented Quotations

Example of incorporated, documented quotation from a novel, where the quotation finishes the frame (no punctuation):  The narrator begins A Tale of Two Cities with the famous observation that "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" (Dickens 1).

Example of incorporated, documented quotation from a novel, correctly using a comma: As the narrator begins A Tale of Two Cities he sagely comments, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" (Dickens 1).

Example of incorporated, documented quotation from a novel, correctly using a colon to prevent comma splice or run-on (both the frame and the quotation are sentences): Dickens begins A Tale of Two Cities with one of the most famous opening lines: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" (1). [Author's name is in the frame; not repeated in the parentheses]

Sample WC Entries

I'm providing these as very basic samples of the form and punctuation.  I show you how the source looks on the Works Cited page and then how to document it in the paper.  But see also many more examples and types of entries in the MLA (ch. 5 & 6) and sample student papers as well as the excellent handouts in the LRC.

Book with one author (except for changes in entry format, the authors are handled the same way for articles)

Smith, Jack.  Jane Eyre and the Mother Image.  Boston: Harvard UP, 1929.

[Document as Smith and page number; no comma; period after (Smith 63).]

[if title of book being analyzed (primary source) is part of title of a critical book, don't italicize the primary book title]

A work as primary source with both author and editor (such as the novel for English 1302)

Shelley, Mary.  Frankenstein.  1818.  Ed. Paul J. Hunter.  New York: Norton, 1996.

Cite the author, not the editor: (Shelley 223).

Two or more books by the same author (would apply to articles and multiple authors as well; alphabetize by author, then by title)

Smith, Jack.  Character and Setting in Jane Eyre.  Boston: Harcourt, 1948.

---.  Imagery in Wuthering Heights.  New York: Harcourt, 1941.

[Document as Smith and page number; period after; in this case you must also include the first word of the title as the reader needs to know which source because they are both by Smith; there is a comma between the author's name and the title (Smith, Imagery 125). ]

Book by two authors

Smith, Jack, and Helen Brown.  Character in Frankenstein.  London: U of London P, 2001.

[Document as both authors and page number; no comma; period after (Smith and Brown 367).]

Book by three authors

Smith, Jack, Helen Brown, and Miriam Rosenbloom.  The Romantic Novel.  New York: Norton, 1968.

[Document as all three authors and page number; commas between, with 'and'; period after (Smith, Brown, and Rosenbloom 125).]

Book by more than three authors

Smith, Jack, et al.  The French Revolution and the Romantic Novel.  Boston: Harvard UP, 1959.

[Document as first author and et al. and page number; no comma; period after (Smith et al. 437).]

A Work in an Anthology (such as a collection of essays and essays at the back of the Norton edition of the novel)

Essay is in a collection:

Johnson, Barbara. "My Monster/Myself." Essays on Frankenstein.  Ed. Paul J. Hunter. New York: Barnes,

     1989. 129-140.

[Document the author of the article, not the editor; no comma; period after (Johnson 148)].   

Essay is in a Norton edition of the novel (include the novel's author after the title):

Johnson, Barbara.  "My Monster/Myself." Frankenstein.  By Mary Shelley.  Ed. Paul J. Hunter.

    New York: London, 1996. 241-251.

[Document the author of the article, not the editor or novelist, no comma; period after (Johnson 136).]

Journal Article [see the MLA for magazines and newspapers]

Smith, Jack.  "Dream Imagery and Landscape in Frankenstein."  Novel 14 (1976): 22-26.

[Journal paginates throughout the year]

[Document just as you do for a book (Smith 26).]

Smith, Jack.  "A Character Study of Victor Frankenstein."  Nineteenth-Century Fiction 71.2 (1987): 321-67.

[Journal re-paginates each issue; you must include page numbers; if in the same digits, you do not have to repeat the first one]

[Document just as you do for a book (Smith 26).]

Internet or Electronic Database Article [see the MLA and library handouts for more examples)

Smith, Jack.  "A Character Study of Victor Frankenstein."  Nineteenth-Century Fiction 71.2 (1987).

     Proquest. 21 May  2002 < http://www.romanticism.org>.

[Document as (Smith)]

"Imagery in Frankenstein." Novel 3 (1992). Proquest. 25 June 2004 <http://www.novel.org>.

[No author given; document by the first major word in the title ("Imagery") .

[Note: you may not be able to access a page number; you must give the date of access (your access of the site). If the article does not have an author designated, set up on the works cited page by the title in quotation marks; cite in the paper as the first major word in the title, in quotation marks. When you don't have a page number, it's wise to frame the quotation with the author's name and add again in parentheses just to make sure the documentation is clear.]