Elements of MLA Style for Citations

1
Elements of MLA Style for Citations

• The Might of the Cite

2
What is MLA

• The MLA is short for the Modern Language
  Association.
• According to www.mla.org, the MLA was founded by
  teachers over 100 years ago to promote the study
  and teaching of English and literature.

3
Citing Your Sources

• Means telling your readers where the information
  came from.
• Is a courtesy to the original authors.
• Is a courtesy to your readers.

4
Why do we cite?

• Is this fair?
• No. This is called plagiarism or the
  unauthorized use or close imitation of the
  language and thoughts of another author and the
  representation of them as one's own original
  work (dictionary.com).

J. M. Kane
5
Not citing your sources
Is called plagiarism. Is a form of
dishonesty. Can bring severe penalties.
J. M. Kane
6
When do I cite?

• It is commonly known that when you quote material
  from a source, you must cite the source.
• But what about when you summarize or paraphrase
  material into different words do you have to
  cite the source?

YES
NO
7
Wrong Answer

• An idea can be plagiarized just as easily as a
  sentence. Changing the words does not matter.
• If you didnt know the information before reading
  the source, that information must be cited
  regardless of what words you use to write it
  down.

Try again!
8
Correct!

• An idea is the property of an author along with
  the words he/she used to communicate it. Good
  job!
• Ok, now that you know when to cite, it is time to
  learn how.

9
According to the Purdue University Writing Lab

• MLA Style has two parts
• Works Cited Page
• Parenthetical Citations

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Works Cited Page

• We have previously covered how to build an
  accurate works cited page using the MLA style.
• The next step is to learn how to use this page to
  identify your sources in the text.
• This step is called parenthetical citations.

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General Rules

• Parenthetical citations are used to
  cross-reference cited text with the proper works
  cited entry.
• Parenthetical citations appear directly after the
  cited text.
• They include the first word of the appropriate
  works cited entry (usually the authors last
  name) and a page number.
• They are part of the sentence and thus, they are
  followed with a period.

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Works Cited

• Look at this works cited entry
• Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth. New
• York Bantam, 1986.
• On the next page, you will see how to use this to
  make a parenthetical citation.

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Parenthetical Citations

• Read this quote from The House of Mirth.
• Why do you make the things I have chosen seem
  hateful to me, if you have nothing to give me
  instead? (Wharton 68).
• Notice
• End of quote
• 1st word of works cited
• No comma
• Page number
• period

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Which is correct?

• Trust thyself every heart vibrates to that iron
  string. (Emerson 148)           
• Trust thyself every heart vibrates to that iron
  string. (Emerson, 148)             
• Trust thyself every heart vibrates to that iron
  string (Emerson, 148).           
• Trust thyself every heart vibrates to that iron
  string (Emerson 148).
•            

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So close, but not quite.

• Remember, citations are part of the sentence
  they cant be left without punctuation.

Try again!
16
Sorry, wrong answer.

• Remember, citations are part of the sentence
  they cant be left without punctuation.
• Also, remember that no comma should separate the
  author from the page number.

Try again!
17
So close, but not quite.

• Remember that no comma should separate the author
  from the page number.

Try again!
18
Correct!

• Good job, you noticed all of the necessary rules
  for correct MLA citation.

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One Last Item

• Sometimes it suits a writing style to introduce
  the author before the quotation, paraphrase, or
  summary.
• In this case, your citation will only include the
  page number.
• Click ahead to see an example.

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Example

• Author not introduced before quote
• Romantic poetry is characterized by the
  spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings
  (Wordsworth 263).
• Author introduced before quote
• Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked
  by a spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings
  (263).

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Which is Correct?

• Welter argues that the True Woman of the
  nineteenth century was characterized by piety,
  purity, submissiveness, and domesticity (Welter
  152).
• Welter argues that the True Woman of the
  nineteenth century was characterized by piety,
  purity, submissiveness, and domesticity (152).

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Sorry, thats not correct

• Remember, if you introduce the authors name
  before the quoted material, the citation will
  only include the page number.

Try again!
23
Correct!

• Well done, you clearly understand the principles
  of MLA citation formatting.
• Now click here to open the final MLA assessment
  quiz.

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