1. USING MLA STYLE:
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Brought to you by the Learning Commons
2. What is MLA Style?
Created by the Modern Language
Association
Provides writers with credibility
Protects writers from accusations of
plagiarism
Allows writers to cross-reference sources
Allows readers to easily locate source
material
3. Here’s what we’ll cover:
Basic format
In-text citations
Works Cited page
4. Basic Format
1” inch margins all around
12 point font, Times New Roman or Arial
Double spaced
Identification in upper left corner of first page
Use a running header to number pages in top
right hand corner, include your last name;
i.e., McNair 2
5. What should I cite?
“Unique words or phrases” - use sparingly
Paraphrases and summaries
6. Quotes
“Quotation” (Author page number).
One of McNair’s grading criteria includes,
“summary states title and author in first
sentence,” (2) which will be examined in a later
slide.
7. Paraphrases, summaries
With an author
Nancy Nakano’s article, “From Internment
to Indiana,” portrays how an Indiana church
took a lead role relocating Japanese
Americans from internment camps.
No author
“Election Officers Visit Internment Camps”
examines the potential votes that will be cast
by people living in internment camps.
9. Creating Works Cited
Separate page, end of paper
Include both works referenced in your paper
Label it Works Cited (centered)
Double space both entries
Alphabetized by last name – don’t reorder
names!
10. Article from Database
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Journal
Title volume, issue (year): pages(s). Database
Name. Medium. Date of access.
“Ray Charles.” The Columbia Encyclopedia.
(2008).
Credo Reference. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
11. Popular Magazine - online
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.”
Journal Title. Date of Publication. Database.
Medium. Date of Access.
Parshall, Jonathan and Michael J. Wenger.
"Pearl Harbor's Overlooked Answer." Naval
History. 13 Dec. 2011. MasterFILE
Premier. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
12. Newspaper Article - online
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.”
Newspaper Title. Date of Publication.
Database. Medium. Date of Access.
"Joe Sixpack: How Prohibition Played Out in
Philadelphia - 'Last Call' Author to Speak at
Constitution Center." Philadelphia Daily News.
18 Oct. 2012. NewsBank. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
13. Works Cited
"Joe Sixpack: How Prohibition Played Out in
Philadelphia - 'Last Call' Author to Speak at
Constitution Center." Philadelphia Daily News.
18 Oct. 2012. NewsBank. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
Parshall, Jonathan and Michael J. Wenger.
"Pearl Harbor's Overlooked Answer." Naval
History. 13 Dec. 2011. MasterFILE Premier.
Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
“Ray Charles.” The Columbia Encyclopedia.
(2008).
Credo Reference. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
14. Want More Info?
Diana Hacker’s, A Pocket Style Manual, Sixth
Ed.
Class LibGuide
MLA Citation Website
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