Using correct MLA format in your research papers

Formatting • Your final draft (and your rough draft, if you’d like me to

Use Microsoft Word to type your paper • If you don’t have a computer

Typing the body of your paper… • Your paper should be written in Times

Cont. • You should not have more than 1 -2 quotes per page, and

To give credit to your sources… • After the quote or paraphrase, you need

Odds and ends • Spell out all numbers from one through one hundred. •

Cont. • Do not say “I think, ” or “in my opinion, ” “in

Slides: 8

Download presentation

Using correct MLA format in your research paper’s rough/final draft

Formatting • Your final draft (and your rough draft, if you’d like me to grade it) MUST be typed. Handwritten papers will not be accepted for the final draft. • You MUST complete note cards and an outline before I will accept your rough and final drafts.

Use Microsoft Word to type your paper • If you don’t have a computer and/or printer at home, you have a number of libraries available to you in the county, or you can use the school library before school, after school, and/or during lunch. • Start by opening Microsoft Word. For your cover page, see page 9 of your research packet. This does not count as one of your 4 -6 pages.

Typing the body of your paper… • Your paper should be written in Times New Roman, 12 pt. font. • It needs to be double-spaced. • Indent at the beginning of each new paragraph. • Do not put an extra space in between paragraphs.

Cont. • You should not have more than 1 -2 quotes per page, and they should not be too long either. • You may split quotes to use only the relevant or important information. Put a “…” for the part you are leaving out. • Speaking of using quotes, when you use a quote OR PARAPHRASE in your paper, you must give credit to the source of information. • Not giving credit to the source is plagiarism.

To give credit to your sources… • After the quote or paraphrase, you need to put either the author’s last name, or the title of the article. • For example: “Teenagers who pick up smoking before they turn eighteen are four times more likely to get lung cancer than those who don’t smoke” (Johnson).

Odds and ends • Spell out all numbers from one through one hundred. • Do not use contractions- spell out the words (for example can not instead of can’t). • Do not use shortened or texting language. No becuz, wanna, gonna, shoulda, etc. • Do not use slashes- spell out the words and & or. • DON’T use YOU or YOUR

Cont. • Do not say “I think, ” or “in my opinion, ” “in this paper I will talk about, ” etc. We know you think it- it’s the paper you wrote. • LOOK AT YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN BEFORE YOU PRINT OUT YOUR PAPER- spellcheck does NOT catch every error. Find a classmate/peer/adult to read it. Sometimes we don’t catch our own mistakes.