The Term
Paper
MLA Style
WHY?
LIKE A PERSONAL ESSAY
REQUIRES YOU TO CHOOSE A TOPIC
THINK ABOUT IT . . .
HOWEVER, YOU
– locate source material and take notes
– analyze, evaluate, and interpret materials
– handle problems of quoting and
documenting
FINAL FORMAT
•
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Outline
Text
Works Cited
Blank sheet
Rubric
MLA Format
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12 pt. Times New Roman
Double space EVERYTHING!
1” margins
Heading
Page number
• begin numbering with 1 (will have at least 5 pages in
essay)
Source
Cards
Source cards = Works Cited
Print
___________________________________________________________
Call Number (spine of book)
Personal Code
___________________________________________________________
Author’s Last Name, First Name.Title. City: Company,
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Date of Publication. Print.
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Try it!
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245.9SN
#+
___________________________________________________________
Pietrusza, David. Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997. Print.
___________________________________________________________
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More than 1 author
___________________________________________________________
245.9SN
#+
___________________________________________________________
Pietrusza, David, Regular Name, and Regular Name.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
“The Assassination.” Mysterious Deaths:
___________________________________________________________
John F. Kennedy. San Diego: Lucent Books,
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
1997. Print.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Collection or Part of a Book
Additional Information
___________________________________________________________
245.9SN
#+
___________________________________________________________
Pietrusza, David. Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Vol. 3. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997. Print.
___________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________
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Issues
No Copyright – p. 24
___________________________________________________________
245.9SN
#+
___________________________________________________________
Pietrusza, David. Mysterious Deaths: John F. Kennedy.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
San Diego: Lucent Books, n.d. Print.
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No Publication Information Chapter/Index Title
___________________________________________________________
245.9SN
#+
___________________________________________________________
Pietrusza, David. “Day of Death.” Mysterious
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Deaths: John F. Kennedy. N.p., 1997.
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Periodical
___________________________________________________________
Magazine (Optional)
Personal Code
___________________________________________________________
“
”
Author’s Last Name, First. Title of Article.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Title of Magazine Day Month Year: ##. Print.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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Try it!
Magazine Information:
Name of Magazine: People
Article Title: My Life with JFK
Author: Joe Smith
Pages: 23-26
Publication: June 1977
Magazine

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___________________________________________________________
Smith, Joe. “My Year with JFK.” People June 1977:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
23-26. Print.
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No author Multiple pages scattered throughout
Magazine

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“My Year with JFK.” People June 1977: 56+.
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Print.
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No Author
No Page Numbers
Magazine

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
n. pag.
“My Year with JFK.” People June
___________________________________________________________
1977:
___________________________________________________________
Print.
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Non-print Source
___________________________________________________________
URL Address
Personal Code
___________________________________________________________
“
”
Author’s Last Name, First. Title of Article.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Name of Site. Publisher name, Publishing Date.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Web. Access Day Month Year.
___________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Try it!
Web Information:
URL: jfk library.com
Article Name: Once He Was Young
Website Name: The John F. Kennedy Page
Publisher: KennedyFamily.com
Publication: 2001-2002
Acess Date: April 39, 2504
___________________________________________________________
jfklibrary.com
MK1
___________________________________________________________
“Once He Was Young.”________________________________
The John F. Kennedy Page.
__________________________
___________________________________________________________
KennedyFamily.com, 2001-2002. Web. 39
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Apr. 2504.
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Databases
• These are books, magazines, etc. – THEY
ARE NOT CONSIDERED INTERNET
SITES!
• Use citation supplied on site.
SIRS
Example:
Book: SIRS 2004 Health
Article # 17
Article Title: “Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens”
Source: Newsweek
Date: March 24, 2003
Author: Janet Avett
Pages: 5659
Avett, Janet. “Prescription Drug Abuse Among
Teens.” Newsweek 24 March 2003:5659.
Boca Raton: SIRS, 2004. Art. 17. Print.
Note
Cards
• before plunging in decide what to look for and why you
need it = formulate a preliminary thesis question
• jot down ideas (words or questions) about topic – make
a rough outline including only 5-8 topics
• These topics become the topics on your note = left on
red line/personal code on right
• 3 types of note cards:
– Summary
– Paraphrase
– Quote
Quote card
$+
family
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
“Born to a politically active Irish Catholic family, Kennedy was
___________________________________________________________
groomed for leadership.”
___________________________________________________________
P. 56
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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
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• long quote (4 or more typed lines in the essay) required
File
Setups
Essay
• double space
• page number (header)
– ½”
– upper right corner
– last name 1
• Student information
–
–
–
–
Name
Instructor name
Course name
Date due
• title
– center
– initial caps.
– no underline or italics
Works Cited
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Source cards are used for this typed page.
separate page after the essay/paper
Continue #ing with the correct pg. #
Works Cited title centered
hanging indention = indent EVERY line after the 1st line
Double space all LINES/ENTRIES
alphabetical order
Write the Outline
Outline
• Page 1 of your Research Paper
• Title
– center
– initial caps.
– no underline or italics
Margins
Example: Outline
= 1”
• Thesis Sentence
– begin at left margin
Outline
Thesis Sentence: Thesis Statement Follows
– Copy/Paste directly from Intro (same)
• Classifies research into categories
• Usually a work in progress until the essay is complete
• Standard Outline
I. Note card topics (Biography)
A.
1.
2.
a. Seldom do you go beyond the 3rd degree
b.
II. History
A. Early Education
B. College Education
1. NCSU
2. ECU
•
2 options of Outlines:
– TOPICS/KEY WORDS -- every heading is a phrase
• Example: Biography
– SENTENCE -- uses full sentences
• Example: Biographical information about Elvis Presley.
•
•
•
Do not mix options. Choose 1!
Everything should be parallel.
Avoid these labels:
– Intro
– Body
– Conclusion
Outline begins with 1st BODY PARAGRAPH & ends with LAST BODY
PARAGRAPH
HEADER =
ST
1 pg. of Essay
HEADER INSTRUCTIONS:
• Include this info in this exact order:
Student Name
Teacher Name
Course
Due Date of Paper
Title of Paper Centered
• 12 point, Times New Roman, DOUBLE SPACED
• Titles are usually optional. But required for my class.
– Choose a unique title. (blue = good / red = bad)
– Example: The Magic that is Walt Disney
– Example: Walt Disney
Example:
• This link will show you a model of the 1st page of the research paper
– https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
• Example Header:
Zach McGowan
P. Hatcher
English III
24 October 2014
Jackie Robinson: More than a Baseball Player
Write the Essay
Introduction
It’s just a big – really big – gigantic – ESSAY!
Has an introduction, body and conclusion
• approaches
– relate to the well known
– provide background info.
– Quote = beginning or middle NOT end
– challenge an assumption
– provide a brief summary
– supply data, statistics, or special evidence
– General statements
• mistakes
– purpose statement -- "The purpose . . "
– repetition of title
– NO Questions anywhere!
– NO simple dictionary terms
– humor
Body
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•
•
•
write what you know
write from note cards
use a factual style
write portions when you are ready – leave blank space to
remind you to add more
• leave plenty of space – wide margins, double-spaced,
blank spaces to make notes and add stuff
Common Knowledge – found in 3 or more sources (eg.
biographical, statistical information)
• the bulk of the essay
• do not cite unless it is a direct quote
Weaving in Quotes/Paraphrases
• rephrase source material into your own style or use a
direct quote
• give credit for any paraphrased ideas or direct quotes
• use a direct quote if wording is exceptional, even if it
repeats common knowledge
• cite only one source at a time
• can cite more than one source in a paragraph
Avoid Plagiarism
• rephrase common knowledge into your own style or use
a direct quote
• give credit for any paraphrased ideas or direct quotes
• cite when information is not
– not common knowledge
– quoted or paraphrased
• provide in-text documentation
• provide a Works Cited
Conclusion
• restate the thesis
• approaches:
– quotation
– compare past to present
– offer a directive or solution
– discuss results
• mistakes:
– afterthoughts or additional ideas
– closing transitional words ("thus," in conclusion") at
the beginning of paragraph
– stopping at an awkward spot
– questions
Quotations
or
Paraphrases
Direct Quote
• if the information is unique to one or two sources
• if the information is said in a unique or great way
Paraphrase
• if information is not said in a unique or great way
• if information is common knowledge (found in 3 or more
sources)
Summary
• 100% your own words
• do not need author’s last name or pg. #s
Punctuation
• use quotation marks
• period/comma after the parenthetical citation
• question marks and exclamation marks inside if the mark
is part of the quote –
• single quotation marks for quotes within quotes
• if part of sentence = do not capitalize the first word
even if it is in the original source
• if quote follows a comma or signal phrase =
capitalize
• ALWAYS introduce paraphrase – with the author’s
name or according to one source . . .
Long Quote
ONLY 1 ALLOWED!
• 4+ lines of typed text
• indent left margin 1 inch = (press TAB key 2x)
• Intro with a colon:
– NO quotation marks = SPACING is the VISUAL
• must go WITHIN a body paragraph
– NOT @beginning or end
• period goes before parenthetical citation
– This is my long quote. It is really long. It is 4 or more lines long.
It is super interesting. I have to format it a certain way. MLA
research papers have way too many rules for a normal human
being to remember. This is an example only. (Turner 4)
Parenthetical
Citations
10-16
NO MORE THAN 16
• BASIC RULES:
– It all depends on the source your using!
– @ end of quote/paraphrase, use parenthesis
– see 1st item on Works Cited for direction
– if a long title (more than 3 words): shorten
• “The Life & Times of Elvis Presley King of Rock-n-Roll”
• (“Life & Times” 45).
– BOOK (print) source: page number
– WEB/VIDEO/AUDIO (non-print) source: no page
number
– period after final parenthesis
• Extra Info:
– multiple authors with same last name: use 1st initial
• Polly Hatcher
• Dustin Hatcher
• (P. Hatcher 22) or
(D. Hatcher)
– same author with multiple sources: use title of work
• MISTAKES:
– not punctuating the source like on the Works
Cited/source card
• Options to use within essay
– 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 263).
– Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the
creative process (263).
• If you provide the signal word/phrase in the sentence,
you do not need to include it in the parenthetical citation.
– Human beings have been described by Kenneth Burke as
"symbol-using animals" (3).
– Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals"
(Burke 3).
Graphic
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
must have 1 (only 1)
student generated – not a graphic you copied
size must be less than ½ page
simple and brief
no artwork
graphic comes after textual discussion
explain the significance so that the reader may
understand without reference to the graphic
• do no use vague references (“the chart below”)
• label with a number
• table = uses columns
– refer to table and number in-text
• do not capitalize table
• place in parentheses (see table 1)
– table comes after in-text reference
– align left
– title goes above graphic
• Table 1 Dates of Research
• initial caps.
• no punctuation between table and title
– citation
• below table
• use bibliography format
– Source: Author, Title, Publisher, Copyright date, Print Source, page #.
• do not include on WC
• figure = non-text item that is not a table (chart, graph,
diagram)
– refer to figure and number in-text
• do not capitalize figure
• place in parentheses (see figure 1)
– MLA has no alignment rule – place as writer chooses
– title/citation goes below graphic
• Figure 1. bibliography format
• do not include on WC