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A brief overview of the ins and outs of MLA writing.

Created by: Travis Lee, Jared Livesay, Jason Nicholas, Gage Solorzano

Table of Contents
Page 2: Table of Contents Page 3: Formatting of MLA Page 4-15: Language Mechanics Page 16-17: Researching Page 18: Effective Language Use Page 19-20: Abbreviations Page 21-22: Plagiarism Page 23: MLA Citations Page 24-25: Citing Sources Page: Works Cited

Paper Format
Format of paper Make sure your MLA paper is double spaced, with 12 point font and a professional font (times new roman). The title should be the same sized as everything else in the paper, no bolding, underlines, or

italics on the title. Center the title on the page, with no spaces infront or behind it. In your heading you should have the authors name, teacher name, course name, date with spelled out month (in order from top to bottom). Make sure you have one inch margins on each side of your paper. To place your name insert a header and place your name in the top right corner of the paper. In-text citation When you place a in-text citation in your paper make sure that it is after the sentence that you are quoting. Place the citation inside of parentheses, when you close the parentheses make sure that the period to end the sentence is behind the closing parentheses. What do you fill the parentheses with? In a MLA paper you should put the author of the document you are quoting along with the page that you have taken a sentence/quote from. Ex. (K Nakamura pg. 1) If you quote the same document twice or three times in a row you can just put the page number of the document. Ex. (pg. 2) If there is more than one author of a document/paper, you should write the names of the first two authors then put etc. behind them to signal that their are more authors. Ex. (Michael Ashburner, Catherine A. Ball etc. pg. 4)

Language Mechanics
Grammar

So what is Grammar? By definition grammar is the whole system and structure of a language or of languages in general, usually taken as consisting of syntax and morphology (including inflections) and sometimes also phonology and semantics. Sounds frustrating right? Well in simple terms Grammar is just basically a set of rule for which words, clauses, and phrases are governed in a natural language.

So now that the definition of Grammar is established we will go over some appropriate uses of grammar. In this section examples will be shown of the right and wrong ways to use grammar.

Ex 1. Adverb and Adjective Use: So what are Adverbs and Adjectives? Well anyone with a basic grasp on both the English Language and the Composition of it can tell you what that means, but just to reiterate the definitions they will be listed below.

Adverbs: A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word-group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc Adjectives: A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.

Now that that is out of the of the way we will go over the proper use of Adverbs and Adjectives.

Adverbs

AS noted before Adverbs are used to modify verbs, so they should be placed to where they complement the verbs while putting emphasis solely on the verb itself, here are some examples.

My grandmother quickly baked cookies. The word quickly is used to emphasize and explain How she baked the cookies.

The pianist flawlessly played the concerto. The adverb flawlessly is used to describe How the verb is used and describe the noun.

Ex 2. Correct Article Use: This section is based on the concept of articles , so now you are wondering what are these said articles are and how are they used. Well you came to the right place, this section will cover the correct way to use articles. Before moving on we must first explain what an article is, so here is a definition.

Article: An article is basically an adjective that is used to modify nouns and only nouns.

Now with articles there are two basic kinds, the and a/an. These both are rather different and are used under different circumstances.

So when should we use these different articles? Well, when working with nouns/pronouns, there are different times to use the articles. When you want to be specific about a certain

noun/pronoun you should use the definite article the. Likewise, when you wish to have a more broad spectrum over nouns/pronouns you should you the article a/an.

I want to eat the the fruit on the table The definite article the is used to specify both the table and the fruit.

I want a book from the library. There are two different articles used, a book is used to show that you want to read a book but not a specific book. When the library is used this specifies the particular library that the book is being held in, which is the correct way to use a definite article.

Ex 3. Prepositions Over the hill and through the bridge to Grandmothers house we go. Thats how the song goes right? The popular verse of that song contains a lot Prepositions, which we will cover in this section.

Preposition: a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause. So with prepositions you have a variety of words to describe place, to introduce objects of verbs, an object at one point in time, & extended time. Here is a list of prepostions and explanations of their uses.

Place Prepositions: To express location or placement of the object in the English Language.

In

There is an Elephant in the room.

Inside

Please put the bread inside the oven.

On

Your Chromebook should be on the table.

At

I will be at the Eastwood Mall.

Over

Don't make a noise, the bear is over there!

Above

Please put the box above the shelf.

Under

That kitten was under the bed!

Underneath

The crab lives underneath the rocks

Beneath

She is buried 6ft beneath the ground.

Below

What's below the couch?

Near

Its near the bank.

By

Thats by Georgies house!

Next to

Whats next to Pizza Hut?

Between

Im stuck between Grandma and Aunt Shelly.

Among

I am among idiots.

Opposite

My bedroom is opposite the bathroom.

Point in time Prepositions: These literally express one point in time.

On I will see you on the 21st!

At

The clock struck at 6 A.M.

In

The accident happened in Spring 1999

Extended time Prepositions: These express an extended point in time.

Since

He has been missing since February.

For

I'm going to Russia for 3 years.

By

I must be home by 12!

From-to

The boat left from Brussels to Stuttgart.

From-until

The heat will last from spring until fall.

During

I watch movies during summer break.

Within

The bridge will be completed within a year.

Introduction Prepositions: These are used in English to introduce objects of the following verbs.

At

She stares at her kittens shadow.

Of/About

Can you think of the address?/ I dreamt about his handsome face.

Of

He came home smelling of alcohol.

For

I'm looking for my phone.

Ex 4. Pronouns A person, place, or a thing, this is the simple explanation of nouns right? Well what if there was something that could be used to make nouns a whole lot simpler. these magical fix alls for nouns are called pronouns, here is a proper definition below.

Pronoun: a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I , you ) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse

Now before you go all pronoun crazy you should maybe want to understand how they work first, here are 3 examples of how pronouns should be used.

10 1. Pronouns must agree in number, meaning that if the noun is singular the pronoun must

also be singular.
a. If a leaseholder wishes to park on the street, he or she must obtain a permit. 2. Pronouns must agree in person, meaning that the context of either 1st Person (I), 2nd

Person (You), & 3rd Person (He, She, They, It, e.t.c.) must carry over to the pronoun.
a.

When a leaseholder enters the building, he or she must lock his or her door.
2. Pronouns must clearly refer clearly to a specific noun. You cannot be vague!

a.

Although Whittaker lost the house, he was not deterred.

Punctuation
Punctuation is a crucial component in the written English Language. Think of how when you speak you often pause or alter words to put emphasis towards something. In the written language this is what punctuation is used for. With that out of the way here is how to use said punctuation.

Comma With commas there are many uses for it so this area will be your go to section for how to use a comma, so lets get started!

Use a comma to join 2 independent clauses (and, but, or, for, nor, so).

Construction can be inconvenient, but it is needed. The new apartment has a large living room, so I am sure our family will enjoy it.

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Use a comma after any phrase whether its introductory,prepositional, or a dependant clause.

To get a good report, you must complete projects on time. Because Dad passed away, we canceled our trip to Africa. After the party, the people went home.

Use a comma to separate elements in a series.

On her study abroad, Lisa partook classes in Greece, Spain, and Italy. In their protests, many of the people voiced opinions on the environment, world peace, and world hunger.

Use a comma to separate nonessential elements from a sentence.

John's station wagon, a gold Volvo, needs new tires. When he realized he had forgot papers at work, Matt rushed to his car and hurried back.

Use a comma between coordinate adjectives.

The frantic, crazed crowd waited impatiently for the speech. The sturdy, compact car passed all tests.

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Use a comma after a transitional element.

For example, Manchester Utd., Arsenal, and A.C. Milan are popular futball teams. If you really want to get a good grade this semester, however, you must complete all assignments, attend class, and study your notes.

Use a comma with quoted words.

"Yes he promised. Terry replied, saying, "I will be back in August."

Use a comma in a date.

August 10, 1995 Monday, August 10, 1995 10 August, 1995

Use a comma in a number.

4,000,000 2504, E. Stanton Cr.

Use a comma in a personal title.

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Georgie Marlow, MD Reggie Fils-Amie, CEO of Nintendo North America, reported the quarter's earnings.

Use a comma to separate a city name from the state.

Tulsa, OK Sioux Falls, SD

Colon Use a colon to join 2 independent clauses when you wish to emphasize the second clause.

Construction in Chicago has hindered travel around town: parts of Main, Second, and North Street are closed during the construction.

Use a colon after an independent clause when it is followed by a list, a quotation, appositive, or other idea directly related to the independent clause.

Craig went to the store for some food: oranges, chicken nuggets, tea, and milk.

Use a colon at the end of a business letter greeting.

To My Friends:

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Use a colon to separate the hour and minute(s) in a time notation.

1:43 p.m.

Use a colon to separate the chapter and verse in a Biblical reference.

John 3:16

Parentheses Parentheses are used to emphasize content.

Buzz Aldrin (1930-present), arguably the bravest man of all time, for his heroic efforts in the first moon landing.

Dashes Dashes are used to set off or emphasize the content enclosed within dashes or the content that follows a dash.

Perhaps one reason why the computer circuit failed -not only cause of the faulty wiring and lack there of power- was due to negligence of building standards.

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Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotations.

He asked, "Where are my pants at?" I answered, "Over in the bathroom!"

Use quotation marks to indicate the novel, ironic, or reserved use of a word.

The restaurant is described a kitschy and trendy, the perfect place for Hipsters

Use quotation marks around the titles of short poems, song titles, short stories, magazine or newspaper articles, essays, speeches, chapter titles, short films, and episodes of television or radio shows.

Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. She Wolf by Shakira. Through the Wormhole starring Morgan Freeman.

Spelling
With spelling its really just the process of going through your paper and double checking that everything is spelt correctly. You can also use this time to review everything you have written and make sure that the reader of the paper will be able to fully understand what you are attempting to write.

Researching

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Where to start little info- try to conduct a survey national vs. local trends- conduct a local survey and compare new topic, little info- go with what you got and keep updated on the topic

Types of research Interviews: Interviews are one-on-one or small group question and answer sessions. Interviews will provide a lot of information from a small number of people and are useful when you want to get an expert or knowledgeable opinion on a subject. Surveys: Surveys are a form of questioning that is more rigid than interviews and that involve larger groups of people. Surveys will provide a limited amount of information from a large group of people and are useful when you want to learn what a larger population thinks .

Observations: Observations involve taking organized notes about occurrences in the world. Observations provides you insight about specific people, events, or locales and are useful when you want to learn more about an event without the biased viewpoint of an interview.

Analysis:
Analysis involves collecting data and organizing it in some fashion based on criteria you develop. They are useful when you want to find some trend or

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pattern. A type of analysis would be to record commercials on three major television networks and analyze gender roles.

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Effective Language Use

Language Effective Language Use is vital to a writer for the fact that without it we would write aimlessly. So now you are most likely wondering Ok guy, teach me how to write like a professional!. Just follow these simple guidelines and in no time you will become a writing professional!

1. 2. 3. 4.

Be direct and concrete with language. Be concise with word use. Be crystal clear with meaning. Use constructive language. a. With that use the correct language formality.

See, this is simple and direct, but by following these guidelines you will effectively use language like a pro!

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Abbreviations
Uppercase Do not use periods or spaces in abbreviations composed solely of capital letters, except in the case of proper names Examples: P. D. James, E. B. White, US, MA, HTML

Lowercase When using lowercase abb. you need to put the period after the abb. unless its an internet suffix such as .com, .gov, and .edu.

Scholarly abbreviationsHere is just a list of examples for reference if needed anon. for anonymous c. or ca. for circa comp. for compiler fwd. for foreword jour. for journal lib. for library sec. or sect. for section ser. for series var. for variant

20 writ. for written by or writer

Publisher namesShorten publisher's names as much as possible in book citations. You only need to provide your readers with enough information for them to identify the publisher. Lots of publishers can be noticed by only acronyms or a shortened version of their names.

don't use business abbreviations (like Corp. or Inc.), and descriptive words (e.g. Press, Publishers, House) Cite only the last name of the person and only the first name in their last name example: McGraw for McGraw-Hill

Use standard abbreviations when possible (e.g. Assn. or Soc.) Use the acronym of the publisher if the company is commonly know by that abbreviation (e.g. MLA, ERIC, GPO)

Use only U and P when referring to university presses (e.g. Cambridge UP or U of Chicago P)

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Plagiarism
Taking someone elses work or ideas and passing them off as ones o wn is plagiarism. Numerous consequences arise from plagiarism. You can hurt your student reputation, destroy your professional reputation, destroy your academic reputation, you can get into legal repercussions, and you can get into monetary repercussions.

You could be expelled or suspended. It will show on your academic record. You might not be able to go to college. It can follow your entire career. They will most likely have to step down in positions or get fired. There are copyright laws out there that you can get in trouble for, for plagiarism. You can get sued by the author. You can get a criminal offense and might end up going to prison. If a person plagiarized they might have to pay monetary fees for it.

There are two types of main plagiarism. There are accidental/unintentional plagiarism and there is intentional plagiarism. There are small categories in each of these bigger section. Accidental plagiarism consist of paraphrasing poorly or changing a few words. There is also quoting poorly and there is citing poorly. Unintentional plagiarism consist of passing ones paper from one person to another, copying essays or articles from the internet. Cutting and pasting from articles or essays. The last one includes words or ideas from the author.

There are five types of plagiarism that fall into both unintentional and intentional plagiarism. They are plagiarism of words: using ones words without writing sources, plagiarism of structure: plagiarizing by using ones words while changing sentence structure, plagiarism of ideas: presenting an authors ideas without citing sources, plagiarism authorship: turning in someones work, and plagiarism of self: which includes using your own work from before.

22 Some ways to avoid plagiarism is to develop a topic that is based on past written material but while writing something new. Rely on opinions of experts on the topics. Give credit to researchers, and follow standard documentation such as MLA and APA format. No one is immune to plagiarism.

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MLA Citations
Active voice- The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb. (webnetweb.prinston.edu)

Active voice is the best type of voice to use when writing with MLA.

MLA- Modern Language Association When using MLA there are a few things that you need for your paper to meet MLA standards. This paper should definitely include in-text citations, accompanied by a work cited page at the end of your paper. On the work cited page there should be a list of all of the authors, websites, you have gotten your information from along with the date that the article/webpage was published/last updated. You should also include the title of the article or book you are quoting in the citations that are in the work cited page, Just so people could go and find that book/website and use it for their future papers or projects.

Example of good MLA citation (on work cited page) Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, and Elizabeth Angeli. "MLA Formatting and Style Guide." The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 4 Apr. 2010. Web. 20 July 2010.

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Citing Sources
Basic rules: Works cited page must be on a separate page at the end of your paper. It should have one inch margins and have the page number and header of the rest of your paper. It should be labeled Works Cited with works cited centered. It should be doubled spaced. You must have the main article first then you have the next lines following it indented. Citing authors name: Entries must be listed alphabetically by authors last name. Authors names are written last name first than middle names and finally their first name. Example: Burke, Kenneth Levy, David M. Wallace, David Foster Citing books Basic rules The authors name or a book with a single author's name appears in last name, first name format. The basic form for a book citation is: Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication Citing online Basic rules:

25 For citing sources online you must have the author and editor names if available. You must also have the article name in quotation marks if applicable. Title of the website, project, or book in italics. You must have any version numbers which include posting dates, volumes or issue numbers. You must have publisher information including the publishers name and publishing date. You should also take not of any page numbers. Last but not least you must have the URL.