MLA Format

And How to Make Some Sense Out of it

Overview

➲ We will discuss the main parts of formatting an essay in MLA format. This includes:

The front page Parenthetical citing Works Cited page

Major Hint!

➲ None of this needs to be memorized and you shouldn't try to do so. Only remember a few key points about the format and know where to find the rest.

The First Page➲ The first page is formatted like this: The first five lines:

Name Instructor's name Course title Essay due date Title (centered)

In the upper right hand corner: Last name and page number

Why do we need this information? This makes it easy for instructors to locate your essay, keep track

of all the pages, and shows formality. It's like going to a formal dance: you have to look nice for people

to take notice. The dazzling parts will come in the essay itself.

Parenthetical Citing: Why?

➲ We cite for a few simple reasons: So people know where our information is coming

from. So we show proper respect to who we got the

information from. So people can locate the information if they want

to do follow-up research themselves.

➲ Remembering to cite shows that you are a respectful person and a smart scholar.

Parenthetical Citing: Where?

➲ We cite whenever we use information from a source.

Summaries: An essay from Mother Jones proves using anecdotes why violent media is good for kids (Jones).

Paraphrases: Without the help of Tarzan and his “flashing knives”, Jones' son would never have climbed the tree (37).

Quotes: According to Jones, “Pretending to have superhuman powers helps children conquer feelings of powerlessness that inevitably come with being so young and small” (37).

Parenthetical Citing: Where?

When in doubt, cite!

Parenthetical Citing: How?

➲ As you saw in earlier examples, parenthetical citing occurs at the end of the sentence.

➲ If you are citing a quote, the period goes outside the quotation marks.

Usually the period is a part of the sentence and not the quote itself, so it belongs outside the quote.

Parenthetical Citing: How?

When you cite, you use the author's last name and the page number: (Jones

37).

But Ms. Glaum, my source...

➲ There are many works that won't have one author and/or page numbers. Here are some variations to the main pattern, but if you aren't sure check a source:

Has two or three authors: Use all their names: (William and Westrich 466)

Has four or more authors: Use the first name followed by et. al.: (Weisburg et. al. 879)

Has no author: Use a short version of the title: (“Violent Media” 37)

A source quoted in another source: Use qtd. in followed by the author of the source you got it from: (qtd. in Jones 37)

Has no page numbers: Just list the author (Jones).

➲ Pause.➲ Take a deep breath.➲ Any questions?

Works Cited Page: Format

➲ Here's the general format of the works cited page:

Put “Works Cited” at the top and align it in the center. Then place all your works in alphabetical order by the first

item that appears in each entry (Usually the author's last name).

All entries are set in hanging indent which you can set up in the paragraph section of your word processor.

➲ The works cited page is always put on a separate page and is the last page of your essay.

Works Cited Page: General Entry Format

➲ All entries in your works cited page will follow a general rule:

Last name, first name. “Work the author wrote.” Larger work it appeared in.

➲ Keep note of this as we look through how to cite four common works:

a book an article or chapter from a book an article from a periodical a webpage

Works Cited Page: Book

Last name, first name. Title of the book. City of publication:

Publisher, year of publication. Print.

Ex:Gardner, Traci. Designing Writing Assignments.

Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 2008. Print.

Greenwood, Ed. Elminster: The Making of a Mage. Lake Geneva: TSR, 1994. Print.

Works Cited Page: Article or Chapter from a Book

–Last name, first name. “Article or chapter title.” Book title. Edition number (if it has it). Ed. Editor(s) (first name last name). City of publication: Publisher, year of publication. Page numbers. Print.

Ex.Eberstadt, Mary. “Eminem Is Right.” The Little, Brown

Reader. 12th ed. Ed. Marcia Stubbs and Sylvan Barnet. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. 171-184. Print.

Standage, Tom. “Bad to the Last Drop.” Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 24-26. Print.

Works Cited Page: Article from a Periodical

•Last name, first name. “Title of article.” Title of periodical. Volume number.Issue number (Month Year): Page numbers. Print.

Ex.Mare, Estelle Alma. “There is no Hero Without a Dragon:

A Revisionist Interpretation of the Myth of St. George and the Dragon.” Religion and Theology. 13.2 (2006): 195-203. Print.

Nownes, Nicholas and Michael Stebleton. “Reflective Writing and Life-Career Planning: Extending the Learning in a Learning Community Model.” Teaching English in the Two-Year College. 38.2 (December 2010): 118-131. Print

Works Cited Page: Webpage

•Last name, first name. “Webpage title.” Website title. Publisher (n.p. if none), Date of publication (n.d. if none). Web. Date you visited. Ex.

Wald, Matthew L. “Republicans Suggest White House Rushed Solar Company's Loans.” The New York Times. New York Times, 14 Sep. 2011. Web. 14 Sep. 2011

Webley, Kayla. “How One Teacher's Angry Blog Sparked a Viral Classroom Debate.” Time. Time, 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 15 August 2011.

But Ms. Glaum, I'm missing...

➲ Typically, if you're missing something, you can skip it.

➲ If you are missing an author, the article/webpage/chapter title becomes the first part of your entry.

➲ If you aren't sure of what to do, you can always look it up.