English II – Fall 2011
Mrs. Frank
Research and Documentation Guidelines
General Guidelines
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Use MLA format or visit www.mla.org
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12pt Times New Roman or Arial font ONLY!
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DO NOT print the entire paper in italics or bold
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Double space the entire document
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1 inch margin on all sides
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Indent all paragraphs
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Number pages using header feature (Frank 1, Frank 2, Frank 3…)
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One space is needed after end punctuation
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Use black ink ONLY
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Pictures or graphics should only be used with prior teacher permission
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Use internal parenthetical documentation with works cited page
For additional help consult:
MLA 6th edition or visit these websites:
http://www.mla.org/publications/style/style_faq/style_faq4
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
http://www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/workshop/citmla.htm
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html
Sources
Any resource that you get information from is considered a source and MUST appear on the works cited page.
You should choose these wisely. Encyclopedias and dictionaries are wonderful places to start your research;
however, these books are to be used to gain general knowledge ONLY!! In depth research must be taken from
credible sources. For, this project you may only access school approved data bases and books, in which can also
be accessed from home as well. You may also want to check out the introduction and other ancillary parts of
the book as they usually contain very helpful information.
Even though the internet is a wonderful tool it should be used very carefully. A recent study stated “only one
fourth of the commercial sites are suitable for academic purposes” (Haycock, 2000). Unfortunately, not all of
the information on the web is accurate as no system of checks is in place. You must determine the veracity of
any site chosen as there is as much good information out there as bad. If you cannot determine the sponsor or
the author of a site, you should consider the information questionable and look in additional reputable sources
for confirmation. See the chart at the end of this packet for helpful information in choosing a website.
Generally sites associated with well-known news publications can be helpful. These reputable sites should
appear in your works cited page. BOTTOMLINE: Google and random internet searches WILL NOT be
permitted!!! If in doubt…ASK your teacher.
Internal Documentation
You must document both material that you paraphrase and direct quotes. Anytime you use someone else’s ideas
or thoughts, even if you don’t use their words, you must document it. The parenthetical citations within your
paper show the reader that a particular idea came from someone else and where to find it. Typically this
contains the author’s last name and the page number where the information can be found within a pair of
parenthesis at end of the sentence. Note that the period, or end punctuation, will be placed after the closing
parenthesis.
SAMPLE:
After learning of the fall of Vicksburg, Abraham Lincoln said, “Grant is my man and I am his for the rest of the
war” (Hebert 92).
Short Quotes: these are defined as quoted material that is shorter than four complete lines of type. These will
be placed inside of quotation marks with the period after the closing parenthesis. See sample above. All quotes
should have a few of your own words leading up to the quoted material. After the quote you should follow up
with the significance of that material or an analysis of it.
Long Quotes: these are defined as quoted material that is longer than four complete lines of type. If your quote
meets this criteria, you will need to introduce the quote and place a colon (:) after your last word then begin the
quote on the following line after tabbing in an inch from the margin. You will not use quotation marks around
this quote. You will place the citation in parentheses at the conclusion of the quote. Then you will continue
with your paragraph by returning to the left margin and begin typing.
SAMPLE:
Janis Herbert in her book Civil War for Kids describes unusual friendships between opposing sides with the
following example:
At Petersburg, Virginia, the soldiers sent a dog between the lines with a can filled with coffee
and tobacco hanging from this collar. One Rebel told of foraging with a Yankee picket guard.
The two raided a farmhouse together and enjoyed a feast of honey, milk and biscuits. The
next morning the Confederate was warned by his raiding companion of an upcoming attack
(92).
Unusual friendships were often formed between opposing forces when the common foe was hunger.
Plays and Poems require a slightly altered format. The parentheses should contain the title of the play then the
act, scene and line numbers separated by a period. For example: (Othello 3.4.52-56). When inserting lines of
text into your paper you should use a slash mark (/) to denote the end of a line in a play.
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SAMPLE:
Shakespeare uses an interesting metaphor for love in the following lines spoken by Romeo to Juliet, “Love goes
toward love as schoolboys from their books;/But love from love, toward school with heavy looks” (Romeo and
Juliet II.iii.156-157).
Poetry requires that you list the line numbers in the parenthesis not page numbers.
Works Cited Page
This page should include all resources used in writing your paper and will come after the conclusion of your
paper.
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Should be in alphabetical order by author’s last name or the first word in the entry
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Should use reverse indentation (the first line is flush with the left margin and the second and
succeeding lines are indented)
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Should have a period at the end of each entry
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Should have “Works Cited” centered at the top
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Do not number or bullet your entries
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Italicize the titles of works-do not underline
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Every source used in the parenthetical documentation should be listed on the works cited page
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Information for each entry should include: author’s first and last names, title or piece, title of larger
work, publishing company, city of publishing company, year of publication, page numbers for pages
used. Internet sources will also need the complete address and date of access.
SAMPLES:
Book:
Murphy, Jim. Inside the Alamo. New York: Delacorte Press, 2003.
Magazine:
Nash, David, J. “Rebuilding Under Fire.” Forbes 13 Feb. 2006: 44.
Reference Books: for a well-known one such as World Book you would use the following:
Smith, Jane. “China.” World Book. 6th ed.
For another reference book that is not well known do the following:
Jones, Tina. “James Thurber.” Encyclopedia of American Biography. New York:
Harcourt, 2003.
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Internet Sources
Compiling a complete work cited entry from the internet can be a daunting task. Try to find all the information
necessary but do not despair if it cannot be found. You should include the title and author of the material you
wish to use along with the title of the site, the author and/or editor, the date the site was uploaded or last revised,
the sponsor, version number, the date you accessed the site and the complete web address. Be sure to put carrots
(< >) around the address as this clearly tells the reader where the address begins and ends.
SAMPLES:
Data base
Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet. 19 June 2001. Lib. of Congress,
Washington. 18 May 2002 <http://thomas.loc.gov/>.
Book on the internet
Nesbit, E(dith). Ballad and Lyrics of Socialism. London, 1908. Victorian Women
Writers Project. Ed. Perry Willett. May 2000. Indiana U. 26 June 2002
<http://www.indiana.edu/letrs~/vwwp/nesbit/ballsoc.html>.
Article in a journal on the internet
Sohmer, Steve. “12 June 1599: Opening Day at Shakespeare’s Globe.” Early
Modern Literary Studies 3.1 (1997): 46 pars. 26 June 2002
<http://www.shu.ac.uk/emls/03-1/sohmjuli.html>.
Article in a magazine on the internet
Levy, Steven. “Great Minds, Great Ideas.” Newsweek 27 May 2002. 20 May 2002
<http://www.msnbc.com/news/754336.asp>.
Work from a Personal Subscription service
“Table Tennis.” Compton’s Encyclopedia Online. Vers. 2.0. 1997. America Online.
4 July 1998. Keyword: Compton’s.
Work from a library subscription service
Youakim, Sami. “Work-Related Asthma.” American Family Physician 64 (2001):
1839-52. Health Reference Center. Gale. Bergen County Cooperative Lib.
System, NJ. 12 Jan. 2002 <http://www.galegroup.com/>.
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