Learn and Generate Bibliographies, Citations, and Works Cited
MLA Style is created by the Modern Language Association for use in humanities studies. The MLA Handbook is the official manual for MLA citation format style. As well, there is online access to MLA style rules. The eighth edition was published in 2016 and includes a major revision to MLA rules by introducing the container system using nine core elements. Middle schoolers and high schoolers will learn this style first in English and Language Arts classes. MLA is flexible and easy to use.
Source
MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition
Every citation format includes a list of sourced references at the end of your school research paper. These references detail the elements of the sources you used to conduct your research in the form of a bibliography. When formatting the MLA works cited page for your humanities paper, be sure to follow these guidelines and rules for proper citation. Citation Rules for MLA Works Cited In MLA 8...
Creating citations in MLA format is meant to be easy and flexible. When studying the humanities, you’ll rely heavily on sources from art, historical records, film and video. As you can find these sources on different platforms, the container system was developed to accommodate flexible MLA citation formats. MLA In-Text Citation Format Use in-text or parenthetical citations when you...
As you enter middle and high school English classes, you will be asked to write papers in the MLA style. Using MLA may seem confusing at first; however, as you gain skills, you’ll realize that writing in this style actually helps you organize your paper, do research and avoid plagiarism. Understanding MLA style is the first step to a successful research writing experience. Overview of MLA...
Students start writing essays in middle school English classes. Their first assignments will be short essays, like the standard five-paragraph essay. As they progress through high school and college, they will learn how to research and write longer papers for different subjects. Teachers who assign these papers will ask for a certain citation style. Usually, MLA format is the first style that...
Including quotations to your MLA school essay or research paper adds strength to it. Quotes help the reader understand the original sources while also reinforcing your thesis. Although you don’t want to overuse long quotations in your paper, it is sometimes necessary, particularly for poems. To properly set the quote off from the rest of the paper, you’ll need to format it correctly. In MLA, use...
You’ll need to know when and how to write out numbers in your MLA style school essay. The rules are easy to follow as MLA tries to make it simple to write and organize papers in this style. Arabic or Roman Numerals Although you will use Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3) for numbers that are not spelled out, you may use Roman numerals (e.g., I, II, III) in certain cases. For example, the...
No matter what style you’re using for your school paper, you should cite from authoritative sources. Verify the information comes from a valid, authoritative source by checking the authenticity of the website, author, and/or the organization that published it. This includes citing an afterword or preface in your MLA paper. Establishing Authority in Your School Paper Many times, you can tell...
It’s pretty common to have a slideshow presentation in a meeting or classroom lecture. These visuals help attendees view graphs and follow along with the lecturer. It also makes it a little easier to take notes. Many times, presentations are even uploaded to websites for later viewing. If you want to reference a PowerPoint presentation in your MLA paper, you’ll need to know how to cite it...
Formatting your MLA paper is important to the overall presentation of your paper. As part of the learning process, your teacher will require you to format your essay by following MLA rules. The cover page is critical to your overall paper, as it’s the first impression your instructor and readers will see. However, in MLA, a formal cover page is not required. MLA Cover Page Formatting Rules...
Arranging your MLA works cited page properly with the correct punctuation is an important part of finalizing your school research assignment. Your teacher will provide guidance as to any particular formatting issues; however, in general, you should adhere to the following rules. Basic Works Cited Punctuation MLA doesn’t have a lot of fancy punctuation rules. For the most part, it’s simply using...
When writing a school paper in MLA style, you will need to know how to format your works cited page. Hopefully, you’ve created a working or preliminary bibliography as you did your research. Now, you simply take your preliminary works cited page and start arranging it as required. One common question is whether numbers come before letters. The quick answer is “no.” Instead, follow...
If you’re writing a school essay using MLA style and need to cite films, movies or television shows, you can do so easily. MLA 8 is designed to be flexible to accommodate different platforms and versions. The container system enables you to emphasize relevant details, so your citations will always be on point. Films or Movies? “Films” and “movies” are synonymous, so you...
Most citation styles, such as APA and Chicago/Turabian, do not require you to include entries for the Bible in bibliographies or reference lists. MLA style, on the other hand, does require a works cited entry. Cite the Bible or other religious texts using the MLA container system. Creating an MLA Entry for a Bible Source Using the nine core elements of MLA style, the first element will be the...
Anthologies are collections of writings published in a book or journal. The writings center around a similar theme, time or subject matter. Oftentimes, this involves various authors. However, collections of poems or short stories by the same author are also anthologies. How you cite an anthology in MLA style depends on whether you are referencing the whole anthology or a single entry in it. Types...
As you organize your MLA works cited list, you will notice that each entry should be formatted with hanging indents. If you’re not familiar with this term, you may feel puzzled and unsure what to do next. Thankfully, it’s actually quite straightforward. The Hanging Indent Explained A hanging indent simply means that the second line is indented five spaces from the first line. If your works...
As you research your academic paper, you may find that using interviews of prominent researchers in your field is a good source of information. You may even decide to interview someone yourself! Depending on the type and manner of publication, interviews may be considered primary sources. Use the container system with the nine core elements when you cite an interview in MLA style. Primary Source...
Teachers frequently assign essays on William Shakespeare in English literature and humanities classes. Thus, it’s important to know how to cite Shakespeare using the MLA citation style. Learning about Shakespeare’s works can be a lot of fun, too. There are many resources available to help you research and write about this topic. Creating In-Text Citations for Works by Shakespeare While...
Using scholarly journal articles in your MLA essay is a good way to find authoritative sources to back up your thesis statement. Depending on their content, journal articles can be primary or secondary sources. When searching for relevant articles, read the abstract first. This will help you determine whether the article will be a useful addition for your paper. Using Journal Article Databases...
In MLA’s latest update, MLA Handbook, Eighth Edition, a container system was developed to help students figure out how to cite sources, like magazine and newspaper articles, correctly. MLA style is used in the humanities, which includes bibliographic entries for art, music, film, movies and video. With rapidly evolving technology, it became difficult for MLA editors to keep up with the changes...
Learning to research and write MLA college papers is an essential skill as you leave the comfort of high school classes. One frequent complaint by college professors is that high school students come unprepared for college level writing. Gearing high school classes towards standardized tests encourages teachers to teach the five-paragraph essay. Thus, students don’t really learn how to...
In today’s digital age, it seems strange that organizing your research sources would be done on index cards. Instead of a mobile app or Google Doc, writing your sources on separate 3″ x 5″ index cards may still be a better way to help organize your citation sources. Although some teachers provide Word document templates that follow the same pattern, note cards make it easier to sort...
In high school, you’ll learn how to write a five-paragraph essay. This skill comes in handy as you learn to develop a thesis statement and organize an essay. Writing a five-paragraph essay is a part of standardized testing, which means it is a useful skill to learn. Organizing a Five-Paragraph Essay When you write a five-paragraph essay, you follow these steps: Introductory paragraph including...
Writing thesis statements for your MLA style school paper can seem intimidating to high school and college students. You may have practice in understanding thesis statements when you prepared five-paragraph essays. Maybe you have even written short five page research papers in your English classes. Writing MLA College Papers However, now you are entering college and you will be writing a lot of...
Students often use terms such as reference, citation and bibliography interchangeably, but there are differences between these terms. A bibliography (or reference list) is the list of all the sources you used to create your paper. The citation is actually the combination of your in-text source and the full entry listed at the end of your paper. This list, titled a bibliography, works cited or...
As you learn about using MLA for citing your sources, you’ll notice the term “container” being used. You may wonder what that means for you as you create your works cited page. There’s a simple reason why MLA developed the container style. While updating the MLA Handbook, the editors realized they needed to create an easier way to format entries. Since information is found in so many...
MLA style is designed to be flexible, since it’s used in the arts and humanities. The eighth edition of the MLA Handbook provides an easy way to create entries for different sources, such as artworks, videos and printed materials. Simply follow the core elements framework to create the entries in your MLA works cited list. MLA Core Elements There are nine core elements to each entry in an MLA...
You may use abbreviations and acronyms in your MLA works cited list. However, when you are writing your paper, you should always spell out the words in full. Instead of using abbreviations such as etc., i.e. and e.g., write them out completely. For example, instead of using e.g., write out “for example.” When you use acronyms in your paper, write them out in full first. Then, you can put the...
As you start to prepare your paper, you hit a crossroads. Should you use the seventh edition or the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook? You may think there’s not much difference. However, the MLA 8th edition introduced a shift in creating entries for your works cited list. In 2016, the Modern Language Association (MLA) decided it was time to revise its guidelines to reflect ever-changing...
You finally finished your research paper and your sources have been created into entries. Now, you can start putting it all together. You’re almost done. Alphabetizing your MLA works cited list is easy as it follows the letter by letter method. Read on to understand how this method works when you’re dealing with multiple authors, no author or other cases. List Items Alphabetically The first step...
Unlike a bibliography, a works cited list only lists the sources you cite in your research paper. Every citation in your paper should match up to an entry in your works cited list. This means you need to review your paper to make sure the in-text citations are properly sourced at the end of your paper. If your instructor asks you to prepare a bibliography in MLA style, title it as “Works...
Your paper is perfect! All your in-text quotes have a citation, the formatting is top-notch and you’re now breathing a sigh of relief. Until you realize you don’t have a works cited. Don’t lose your cool. You have the research and the paper. Now, just follow the works cited page example below as guide to create your own. How to Do a Works Cited Page A works cited page is the last page of your MLA...
Is your professor asking you to write an annotated bibliography? Are you clueless? You’ve come to the right place. The world of bibliographies can be a difficult web to weave, especially when you are talking about annotated bibliographies. Take a deep breath and get ready. You’re going to learn everything you need to know to make an annotated bibliography in MLA style. What Is an Annotated...
Images add diversity and visual information that sometimes just isn’t possible with words alone. But, how do you cite a picture and add it to your MLA works cited list? Learn the ins and outs of citing a picture in your work and a little about the legalities. Adding a Reproduced Image in Text Sometimes, it makes sense to reference images visually to prove a point. This is especially true if you...
Hath thou ever cited a poem before? Citing a poem in MLA format isn’t life or death; it’s simply a matter of knowing the format. Not only will your writing be flawless, but your poem quotations will be impeccable too. Citing a Poem In-Text Poems come in all shapes and sizes. They can be the size of a novel or as few as two lines. Therefore, it makes sense that citing a poem in the text of an MLA...