MLA Style
 Choose several topics;
but only select the one on
which you can find several
resource materials.
 i.e.. Books, magazines,
encyclopedia, online
sources, film, radio,
authority figure and so
on.
 Searching for sources
takes a lot of work; please
do not just stop at the
WCHS library; try the
Provincial library, UPEI,
credible online articles
(World Book Online &
EBSCO) and various
organizations.
 Narrow your topic and
write up several possible
thesis statements.
 Books
 Magazines
 Pamphlets
 Newsletters
 Newspapers
 Films
 Personal/Authority
Figure
 Encyclopedias
 Radio Program
 Online Sources –
articles, journals and so
on
 A thesis statement is your
main claim or main argument
of your paper. All of the
evidence that you collect
should support your thesis.
 Thesis represents a narrow
scope of your topic.
 For constructing a thesis,
ask a question about the
topic, and the specific
answer could be your
thesis. (See next slide)
 For the topic of “Hockey Night in Canada”, one
possible question is “is hockey skill increasing among the
majority of players in the professional league compared
to 20 years ago?”
 An answer and possible thesis could be the following:
 “Professional hockey players today are displaying
more skill than those in the NHL twenty years ago.”
 An outline is a blueprint which helps to direct you. A
sample outline is as follows:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Introduction – Introductory paragraphs including
your thesis.
Description of hockey skills.
Major current hockey players and their skills.
Major current hockey players 20 years ago and their
skills
Comparison
Conclusion
 A valuable method is to use index cards to compile your
notes so you can rearrange and organize them.
 Begin by writing the name of your source (book) and
author on the top of the page. Include page #s.
 Write a sub-heading so you know what type of
information will be on the card(s) at a glance.
 Notes are paraphrased.
The History of Hockey by Wayne Gretzky and Gordie
Howe
pp. 65-70
“Hockey Skills” – subtopic
Skills such as balanced, speedy skating, slick stick
handling and sharp awareness of the action are still
necessary skills for professional hockey. Currently, the
NHL is more competitive so players come fairly skilled
and train harder.
 After you have researched
and written at least 20 note
cards focusing on your
thesis, you can begin a
rough draft. It will follow
your outline.
 Since this is a research
paper, and none of it will be
your opinion, you will have
to cite your sources (state
where you attained the
information).
 You should write or type
your draft in 1.5 or 2
spacing to make
numerous corrections.
At least 2 drafts with
revisions/editing
notations are required; so
print off each copy and
handwrite notations.
 Revise, revise, revise!
 A citation is text that states where you received your
information. You would include this after your last
source and before your new one.
 Generally, it can be inset at the end of each paragraph
or couple of paragraphs depending upon the source.
 However, if you use two different sources for one
sentence, you will have two in-text citations within.
 See the following examples:
 Assume the following is a paragraph in my paper
Sidney Crosby, no doubt, is one of the most skilled
hockey players today in the NHL; critics state that
he will surpass Wayne Gretzky in legendary status.
Each year, new drafts exhibit finer skills and smooth
tactics (Gretzky & Howe 23-30).
 The citation is the part in brackets containing
authors’ last name and page nos. Be sure to follow
exact order.
 See another example on next slide.
 Twenty years ago, there were fewer methods to train
competitive hockey players (Cherry 131); today, young
athletes have fitness clubs, hockey schools, personal
trainers and better nutrition to raise their level of skill
(MacLean 22).
 Look at the sentence above to see that I have used two
sources for one sentence.
 If you are using a source with no author, use the title in
quotation marks for the citation.
 If you are using a film, use the Director’s name.
 If you are using an encyclopedia article, look at the
bottom to see if there is an author; if not, use the title in
quotation marks.
 The last page of your paper consists of a bibliography
which is entitle d “Works Cited”.
 Follow the MLA format in A Canadian Writer’s
Reference by Diana Hacker in hard copy or online at
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/
 The library will have a copy, ask Ms. MacKendrick.
 Follow the directions exactly. See the next slide for an
example.
Dryden, Ken. “Hockey”. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Vol. IV.
Gretzky, Wayne & Gordie Howe. Hockey: Then &
Now.
Toronto: McClelland Publishers. 2006.
“Hockey in the 80’s”. Hockey History. 11 November
2007. www.hockeyhistory.ca .
 Each page has to be numbered with the exception of
the Cover Page. You would include your last name and
page number “right justified” at the top.
 See the next slide for example.
MacDonald 1
 The title page should include the following:
 1/3 of the way down the page – Title (size 12/14 font),
no bold.
 Another 1/3 of the page – your name.
 Bottom 1/3 – Title of course on one line, teacher’s name
on the next line and date (day, month, year) on the next.
 See example.
NHL Hockey Skills in 2008 and 1987
Nathan MacDonald
English 621
Mr. C. Murphy
12 December 2008
 Use size 12 or 14
conservative font such as
Arial or Times New
Roman.
 1.5 spacing
 Tab indents between
paragraphs.
 Enter one between
paragraphs.