mla formatting
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PDF Power Point on MLA Formatting GuidelinesTRANSCRIPT
MLA Formatting
MLA Guidelines• To be used as a guide, not
read cover to cover• Check on citing examples,
parenthetical documentation, formatting questions, etc.
Formatting• Margins
– 1” on all sides–½” from header (on right)
• 12 point font, Times New Roman• Double spaced throughout• Indent ½” from left margin = 5 spaces• Paper clip, do not staple or bind
Formatting• Long Quotations
– Indented 1” (10 sp from left margin)if over 4 lines of prose
– Double spaced– Do not add an extra space above
or below it• Heading
– Left Aligned– Starting 1” from top, double spaced
MLA Formatted Paper
• Examples– MLA Paper Example (Bb)– Sample Paper (Bb)– pg 104-154
A Pocket Style Manual
Titles of Stories• Short Stories in Quotation Marks
– “The Metamorphosis”
• Titles of books or long works in Italics– Norton Anthology of Short Fiction– Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Quoting from Story• Generally try to use a signal phrase
– NOT: “He was thirty-five and good to look at.”THIS: Fitzgerald uses direct characterization when he writes “He was thirty-five and good to look at.”
• Do not just put in quotations from the story without context. Tell your reader exactly what you mean by quoting that particular excerpt.
Parenthetical Documentation• When quoting only from a single source story
(from our textbook), all that is needed is a page number (517)
• When quoting from an external source or more than one source story, last name and page number. Ex. (Kafka 395)
• Period after parenthetical
“Norma Jean has never complained about his traveling; she has never made hurt remarks” (501).
Works Cited
• To practice, we’ll be making a “works cited” bibliography list on every paper
Ex:Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis.” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Ed. Bausch, Richard and R. V. Cassill. 7th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2006. 386-418. Print.
• On at least one formal paper, you will be using outside sources as well as the textbook
Punctuation• Quotes
– When a quote is within a quoted text, use a single quotation mark
• EX: Norma Jean was patient with Leroy as shown in this line: “she has never made hurt remarks, like calling his truck a ‘widowmaker’.”
– punctuation goes inside the quotation marks unless followed by documentation.
• EX: Mason uses direct characterization when she writes “Leroy is a truckdriver,” and “Norma Jean is going to night school.”
• EX: Mason uses direct characterization when she writes “Leroy is a truckdriver” (500).
Commas
• In between two independent clauses connected with a conjunction.
• Gregor woke up as a bug.• He couldn’t get his waving legs to cooperate.• Gregor woke up as a bug, and he couldn’t get his
waving legs to cooperate
Ellipses
• Only use ellipses in the middle of a quote is something is left out
• It is not necessary to use them at the beginning or end of a truncated quote.
“quote…quote”
You’re Responsible
• Use your Handbook for grammar• Use your Handbook for MLA• Double check every little detail, because
that’s what MLA guidelines are about• CHECK YOUR EMAIL EVERY DAY,
because I will likely send you an email between each class after I see what weaknesses need to be addressed.
Bibliography
Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook. 8th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 491-620. Print.