MLA and You: An Afternoon with the Purdue Owl
Step 1: Visit the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) to get assistance with MLA formatting (or other kinds of
formatting as well).
The URL is: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html or you can simply Google Purdue OWL.
Step 2: Scroll down and click on the MLA Guide link on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: Complete the MLA formatting Scavenger Hunt Below. The subheadings to each section gives you a
hint where to find the answer on the web site.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: General Format
1. The margins of your paper should be set at what length?
2. True or False: You need to create a “header” in the upper right hand corner with your last name and
page #? (If false provide the correct answer)
3. What is the rule for putting a “header” on the first page?
4. What font type was suggested and what size font must you use?
Suggested Font Type:
Font Size:
5. True or False: In MLA format you should italicize all titles? (If false provide the correct answer)
6. Do you need a title page? If no, explain
7. When typing the heading information for an MLA paper, in what order do you type the date?
(for example: month/day/year)
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Formatting and Style Guide
8. What is a “container”?
9. What are the “core elements” core elements MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. What is a “DOI”?
MLA in-Text Citations: The Basics
11. Circle the incorrectly formatted in-text citation and provide proper corrections:
The following three in-text citations come from a book written by William Wordsworth.
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings" (263).
Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" Wordsworth stated
(Wordsworth 263).
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).
12. True or False: In-text citations do not need to correspond to the work cited page. (If false, provide the
correct answer)
13. In MLA style, referring to the works of others in your text is done by using what is known as
citation.
14. For a print source with a known author what two items must you include in your in-text citation?
15. If you are citing a print source from an unknown author (Author’s name is not provided) what
information must you provide in your in-text citation first?
16. Create hypothetical in-text citations in which the signal word/phrase was NOT used in the sentence for
each of the following (Use examples found on the Purdue Owl):
Print Source with known author:
Print Source with NO known author and no page number available:
Print Source with two authors:
17. When citing non-print sources or sources from the internet, do you need to include paragraph/page
numbers?
18. Multiple Citations: How do you cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference? (What
punctuation mark is used to separate the sources?) Write down the example used on the Purdue
OWL web site.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Formatting Quotations
19. How do you format long quotations? (Quotes that are longer than four lines of prose or three lines of
verse?)
20. If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put
that they are not part of the original text.
around the words to indicate
21. If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using
punctuation marks called:
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format
22. True or False: Your work cited page should be in alphabetical order according to the
author’s last name?
23. Your citations listed on your works cited page should have what type of indention?
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
24. List the common features you should try to find before citing electronic source in MLA style.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
25. Will every electronic source you use provide you with all of the information you just listed in #s 1-8 above?
Additional MLA Formatting Questions:
I did not include the links to use to find these. You need to try to go find these last few questions the OWL web
site without any guidance.
26. Where can you find a sample MLA style paper? (Write out the complete URL)
27. Where can you find a sample MLA style works cited paper? (Give me the links you go through after the first
one.)
Link #1: MLA Style
to Link #2:
to Link #3:
28. How do you cite a periodical (such as a newspaper or magazine article) on a works cited page? (Write out
the general format.)
29. In a Tweet, what is your title?
30. What does MLA stand for?
31. Why do people use MLA style? (Write a summary of what the OWL web site explains.)
32. What type of paper should your research paper be printed on? (size and color)
33. Are section headings mandatory?
34. Is including the URL mandatory when documenting an online source on the works cited page? Explain.
35. Where do you place endnotes in your research paper?
MLA and You: An Afternoon with the Purdue Owl
Step 1: Visit the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) to get assistance with MLA formatting (or other kinds of
formatting as well).
The URL is: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html or you can simply Google Purdue OWL.
Step 2: Scroll down and click on the MLA Guide link on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: Complete the MLA formatting Scavenger Hunt Below. The subheadings to each section gives you a
hint where to find the answer on the web site.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: General Format
1. The margins of your paper should be set at what length?
1-inch
2. True or False: You need to create a “header” in the upper right hand corner with your last name and
page #? (If false provide the correct answer)
True
3. What is the rule for putting a “header” on the first page? It
is not mandatory.
4. What font type was suggested and what size font must you use?
Suggested Font Type: Times New Roman
Font Size: 12 pt
5. True or False: In MLA format you should italicize all titles? (If false provide the correct answer)
False--you italicize titles of larger works such as books and use
quotation marks on smaller works such as magazine article titles.
6. Do you need a title page? If no, explain
No--do not make a title page unless you are specifically told to do so
7. When typing the heading information for an MLA paper, in what order do you type the date?
(for example: month/day/year)
Day/Month/Year
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Formatting and Style Guide
8. What is a “container”? The
title of the larger work, such as the web site, that “contains”
the smaller work such as the article.
9. What are the “core elements” MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Author
Title of source.
Title of container,
Other contributors,
Version,
6. Number
7. Publisher
8. Publication date
9. Location
10. What is a “DOI”? digital object identifier--a series of digits and letters that represents the location
of an online source
MLA in-Text Citations: The Basics
11. Circle the incorrectly formatted in-text citation and provide proper corrections:
The following three in-text citations come from a book written by William Wordsworth.
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings" (263).
X
Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" Wordsworth
stated (Wordsworth 263).
Corrected Version: Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful
feelings" Wordsworth stated (263).
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).
12. True or False: In-text citations do not need to correspond to the work cited page. (If false, provide the
correct answer)
False,any author/source cited within paper MUST be on works cited page.
13. In MLA style, referring to the works of others in your text is done by using what is known as
parenthetical
citation.
14. For a print source with a known author what two items must you include in your in-text citation?
Author’s last name and page number
15. If you are citing a print source from an unknown author (Author’s name is not provided) what
information must you provide in your in-text citation?
Title of source (and page number if available)
16. Create hypothetical in-text citations in which the signal word/phrase was NOT used in the sentence for
each of the following (Use examples found on the Purdue Owl):
Print Source with known author:
(Burke 3)
Print Source with NO known author and no page number available:
("Impact of Global Warming")
Print Source with two authors:
(Best and Marcus 9)
17. When citing non-print sources or sources from the internet, do you need to include paragraph or page
numbers?
No
18. Multiple Citations: How do you cite multiple sources in the same parenthetical reference? (What
punctuation mark is used to separate the sources?) Write down the example used on the Purdue
OWL web site.
separate the citations by a semi-colon
example: (Burke 3; Dewey 21).
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Formatting Quotations
19. How do you format long quotations? (Quotes that are longer than four lines of prose or three lines of
verse?)
Start the quotation on a new line--the entire quote should be indented ½ inch from the left
margin, double-spaced. Place your parenthetical citation after the closing punctuation mark.
If you are quoting verse, keep the original line breaks.
20. If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put
that they are not part of the original text.
brackets
around the words to indicate
21. If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using
punctuation marks called: ellipsis
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Works Cited Page: Basic Format
22. True or False: Your work cited page should be in alphabetical order according to the
author’s last name?
True
23. Your citations listed on your works cited page should have what type of indention?
Hanging Indention
MLA Formatting and Style Guide: MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources
24. List the common features you should try to find before citing electronic source in MLA style.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Author and/or editor names (if available); last names first.
"Article name in quotation marks."
Title of the website, project, or book in italics.
Any version numbers available, including editions (ed.), revisions, posting dates, volumes (vol.), or
issue numbers (no.).
Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
Take note of any page numbers (p. or pp.) or paragraph numbers (par. or pars.).
URL (without the https://) DOI or permalink.
Date you accessed the material (Date Accessed)—While not required, it is highly recommended,
especially when dealing with pages that change frequently or do not have a visible copyright date.
25. Will every electronic source you use provide you with all of the information you just listed in #s 1-8 above?
No
Additional MLA Formatting Questions:
I did not include the links to use to find these. You need to try to go find these last few questions the OWL web
site without any guidance.
26. Where can you find a sample MLA style paper? (Write out the complete URL)
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_sample_pap
er.html
27. Where can you find a sample MLA style works cited paper? (Give me the links you go through after the first
one.)
Link #1: MLA Style
to Link #2: MLA Style and Formatting Guide
to Link #3: MLA Sample Works Cited Page
28. How do you cite a periodical (such as a newspaper or magazine article) on a works cited page? (Write out
the general format.)
Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or
editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publisher Date,
Location (pp.). 2nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher,
Pub date, Location.
29. In a Tweet, what is your title? Begin with the user's Twitter handle in place of the author’s name.
30. What does MLA stand for? Modern Language Association
31. Why do people use MLA style?(Write a summary of what the OWL web site explains.)
Answers will vary, but should include some of the following:
●
makes it easier for readers to navigate/comprehend with familiar cues
●
consistency of style
●
Minimizes unfamiliar or complicated formatting that might distract readers
●
Establish writer’s credibility
32. What type of paper should your research paper be printed on? (size and color)
White
8.5 x 11-inch paper.
33. Are section headings mandatory? No
34. Is including the URL mandatory when documenting an online source on the works cited page? Explain.
It is recommended to include URLs when documenting an online source. However, if your
teacher prefers that you do not include URLs in your works-cited list, be sure to follow her/his
instructions.
35. Where do you place endnotes in your research paper?
on a separate page before your Works Cited page