Fun with MLA
(ooh, babe, ooh. You know it’s true!)
Exercise Part I: Find the Errors
The following is a list of citations in MLA style. Your mission is to find the errors in
each of these citations.
1. Aristotle. Oh Rhetoric. Translated by George A. Kennedy. NY: Oxford, 1991
2. “Oedipus Complex ANalysed,” School of Psychology On-line, Victoria University,
Accessed Feb. 26, 2003. http://www.vuw.ac.nz/psyc/nornikFreud/oedip.htm
3. Steve Bauer, “Sex and the City Flaunts This Fall’s Most Stylish Accessorry,” Business
Wire. August 28, 2002
4. Jhally, Sut. “The Codes of Advertising.” New York: Routledge 1990.
Hint: there are 16 errors.
Exercise Part II: Find the Policy
Go to the official White House website and find information on Bush’s proposal for after
school programs for the 2003/2004 school year. Then create an annotated bibliographic
entry (MLA style) for that site and the information you found.
Exercise Part III: Find the Craziness
Play MLA citation trivia quiz. The winners of the quiz will win A NEW HUMMER in
your choice of colors (powder blue or Barbie pink) and a monkey wearing a chauffeur
outfit! For ten bonus points: can you find a photo on the web of a monkey wearing a
chauffeur outfit?
MLA Trivia Quiz Questions:
1. What does MLA stand for and what disciplines primarily use MLA?
Bonus points: Who stumped us with their description of something in the room?
What was the description of? (this student cannot help answer the question)
2. T/F All (every single one!) MLA citations end in a period.
a. Bonus points: How many sources do you need for your research project on
after school funding for your annotated bibliography?
3. T/F When writing dates in an MLA citation you use a three letter month
abbreviation for all dates except April and July.
a. Bonus points: What is unique about Carol Talley in relation to this class?
4. What punctuation follows a book title in an MLA citation?
a. Bonus points: Who is Paula?
5. What do you underline and what do you put in quotes when using MLA citations?
a. Bonus points: What are the three elements of argument?
6. When using a web site as an MLA citation, what date must you include in the
citation? Bonus points: how is this date different that a date that represents a
magazine date that you would include in an MLA citation about a magazine
article?
a. Bonus points: What the heck is a warrant?
7. When there are two authors for a text, how are they listed?
Bonus points: Who always, always, always wears a cap to class?
8. If you were a famous author, how would your name be represented for the citation
for the book you wrote, Uncle Bob’s Cabbage Patch?
a. Bonus points: When in Reed’s birthday?
9. What is the order of the information regarding the place and year of publication
for a book (including punctuation)?
Bonus Points: What is unique about Trent in relation to this class?
10. What is the first and last name of the student you work with at TLC?
a. What is the first name of at least three other students we work with?