Download Yellowjacket 1 Sting Yellowjacket Dr. Joe Smith Composition I 4

Yellowjacket 1
Sting Yellowjacket
Dr. Joe Smith
Composition I
4 October 2011
Comment [A1]: MLA papers begin with
the following identifying information.
Sample MLA Passage
MLA style may seem unwieldy and complex at first, but whether you are a student or a
professional, it is essential to your ability to ethically and accurately document sources. John
Smith, author of “Avoiding Plagiarism At All Costs,” likens plagiarism to identity theft. He
writes, “when someone steals your identity, they rob you of a life that you have worked for:
Comment [CH2]: Source is introduced
in full at first use. MLA citations are
formatted according to author-page.
your name, your money, your credit standing, and your integrity. Likewise, when someone
steals a writer’s words or ideas, they are robbing that writer of his or her identity as well, as
writing is so personal and a product of hard work” (34). MLA allows for a standard of
documentation that clearly and accurately gives credit where credit is due. In this way, “the
Comment [CH3]: “Smith” is not included
because of the previous author lead-in.
writer maintains his or her integrity and likewise his or her hard work is recognized by fellow
writers, instead of recklessly and disrespectfully stolen,” notes the site “MLA and You.” Thus,
when a writer’s words or ideas are used, MLA documentation requires writers not only to
indicate when they are using a source’s information, through source introductions or attributive
Comment [CH4]: This is a web source
without a listed author; thus, we use the
title here and a shortened version (“MLA”)
after this point. There are no page
numbers listed for websites.
tags like “According to Author Jones,” but to also indicate, through parenthetical citations, where
those ideas end (Smith 35). In those parenthetical citations, readers receive the very important
information of the source and page number so that they, too, might research and find that same
information. Finally, the source, and all of its relevant information, is documented in a works
Comment [CH5]: Because we’ve used
another source between Smith’s work, we
must include both the author and page
number.
cited list, further identifying and crediting the work. This, as Smith notes, keeps writers honest
and sources recognized (36-38).
Betty Jackson states that writers will do well to remember that MLA documentation is a
four-step process (qtd. in Smith 38). The first time a source is used, he or she should be
introduced in full: full name and full article or book title. After that point, the author’s or
authors’ last name(s) can be used. Second, all directly quoted material must be enclosed in
quotation marks. Remember, however, that it is not enough to change only a few words; either
directly quote the text, or rewrite it completely in your own words and writing style through
summary or paraphrase (Jackson qtd. in Smith 38-39). No matter what kind of source treatment
Comment [CH6]: Jackson is our indirect
source, found in Smith’s work (our original
source); only Smith appears in the works
cited list.
Yellowjacket 2
you use, all three require citations in the text; this is the third step. Unfortunately, it is a step that
many writers forget. According to Irene McKibbin:
all paraphrases, summaries, and quotes require a parenthetical
Comment [CH7]: Block quotes are used
for quotes that are four or more lines in
YOUR text; they are introduced with a colon.
citation with page number, and some will require the addition of the
source’s name if he or she is not introduced in the sentence lead-in, or
if readers might be confused as to which source is being used. Even if you
use your own writing, you are still using the source’s ideas, and these
ideas must be credited. (26)
Finally, all sources that appear in the essay must appear in a correctly formatted works cited page
at the end; likewise, all sources that appear in the works cited list must appear in the essay itself
(“MLA”). These are the four steps that will help keep you safe when citing; if you are in doubt,
it is better to over-cite than risk unethical source treatment, which carries heavy consequences in
Comment [CH8]: Notice the formatting
for the block quote: indented twice; no
quotation marks; punctuation is included at
the end of the statement, creating a
“hanging citation.”
Comment [CH9]: The shortened version
of the website article is used here, as no
author is available.
academia.
Works Cited
McKibbin, Irene. “Tips for Successful MLA Documentation.” The Student’s Handbook
for College-Level Writing 2nd ed. Ed. Eric Fullerton. Boston: Longman, 2009.
20-42. Print.
“MLA and You.” Online Writing Lab. Scholastic Writing Society. 2010. Web. 20 Jan.
Comment [CH10]: entry in an edited
anthology. Notice that we supply the name
of the author and title of the essay before
the anthology’s information. “Ed.” indicates
that Eric Fullerton is the editor of the
collection.
Comment [CH11]: website without
author
2011.
Smith, John. “Avoiding Plagiarism At All Costs.” The Writer’s Guide to MLA
Documentation. New York: Penguin, 2010. 32-40. Print.
Comment [CH12]: chapter in a book—
no editor.
Yellowjacket 3
MLA Quick Reference: Common Source Formats
Recent MLA Changes:
• Underlining has been fired: Titles of larger texts such as books and magazines are placed in italics.
• Web addresses have been fired: Web addresses for databases and web pages are not needed
unless the professor instructs you to use them. If required, enclose web address in brackets <url>.
• All entries require a listing of the source’s format (print, web, CD-ROM, etc.).
• Missing information is noted: If the date of publication is missing, write n.d. If there is no
publisher, write n.p. If the site doesn’t have page numbers write n. pag.
• All scholarly journal articles now require both volume and issue numbers.
Online Newspaper Article
Johnson, Amber. “Animal Wisdom.” New York Times. New York Times, 15 May 2011. Web. 19 May
2011.
Article on Web Site
Smith, Jennifer. “Academic Research in the 21st Century.” HigherEducation. Higher Education, Inc.
2009. Web. 26 March 2012.
Notice that for online sources we provide the author of the article, the title of the article, the website
name, the sponsor, date of last update, the medium, and the date of access. You may have to search for
some of this information, even returning to the main URL site of the page to find publisher and sponsor.
Online Periodical
Sequoi, Jules. “Birds of a Feather.” New Yorker.com. New Yorker, 14 Sept. 2008. Web. 1 Feb. 2009.
Google Scholar Article or Book Chapter
Smith, John. “Adorno Is the Bane of My Existence.” Google Scholar. Google Books, 30 Oct. 2009.
Web. 15 Nov. 2009.
Scholarly Journal Article from Database
Jenson, Kent, and Holly Kristines. “Understanding Contemporary Horror.” The Journal of Popular
Culture 45.3 (2001): 45-60. JSTOR. Web. 15 March 2012.
Periodical in an Online Database
Hermick, Steve, Saphron, James, and Chelsea Chere. “Obamacare Because Obama Cares.”
Washington Post 15 March 2012, final ed.: A3. EBSCO Host. Web. 27 Mar. 2012.
Online-only Publication (Or Database articles that do not provide page numbers)
Rose, Daniel. “Effects of Reality TV on Young Minds.” Psychology & Society 8.3 (2009): n. pag.
Web. 5 Dec. 2009.
Online Book
Sartre, Charles. Americana in Young Adult Literature. Boston: U of Boston P, 2001. 2 June 2007. Web.
Map
“Spearfish, South Dakota.” Map. Google Maps. Google, 13 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 May 2012.
Book by Two or More Authors
Twist, Michael, Fish, Jason, and Samantha Premish. Monsters of the Midwest in Film and Literature.
Boston: St. Martin’s Press, 2003. Print.
Comment [A13]: For online sources, list
the website name, the sponsor, and the date
of publication. The date that follows the
medium “web” is the date that you accessed
the information.
Comment [A14]: volume and issue
number, plus the publication year
Comment [A15]: Original publication
information: name of journal, volume and
issue, year of publication, and page span.
Comment [A16]: Database name,
medium, and the date of access
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Selection from an Anthology or Edited Collection
Cohen, Jeffery Jerome. “Monster Culture: Seven Theses.” Monsters, Creatures, and Spectres. Ed.
Michelle Spatz. Boston: Houghton, 2010. 48-66. Print.
More Than One Selection from An Anthology or Edited Collection
Phillips, Jane Ann. “The Roller Coaster.” Smith 1-27.
Smith, Jennifer, ed. Best American Reading 2000-2010. Boston: Norton, 2011. Print.
Michaels, John. “In the House of the Rat.” Smith 250-68.
Article in a Reference Work
“Postmodernism.” The Literary Encyclopedia. 5th ed. Boston: Norton, 2011. Print.
Scholarly Publication (Journal)
Malarks, Kent. “Ghosts of Shakespeare’s Past.” Literary 56.8 (1999): 56-70. Print.
Newspaper Article
Ryan, Carrie. “The Health Insurance Crisis.” Rapid City Journal 16 May 2009, final ed.: A2. Print.
Article by an Unknown Author
“Politics Losing Out to Spectacle.” The Globe 8 March 2010: A7. Print.
Government Publication
For government publications that name no author, start with: 1. The name of the government or
government body; 2. The government agency; 3. Use GPO (government printing office) for the
publisher
United States. Cong. House. Committee on Resources. Oil Pipelines in Alaska. 106th Cong., 2nd sess. H.
Rept. 19. Washington: GPO, 2001. Print.
Online Video Clip
YouTubeForU. “Cinnamon Challenge.” Video. YouTube. 9 October 2010. Web. 6 April 2011.
Interview (indicate whether in person, by email, or by phone)
Dyson, Amy. Personal Interview. 10 Oct. 2000.
In-text citations: Introduce source in full at first use, including credentials. For second and
subsequent uses, the last name appears in the citation: (Dyson).
Writing Assistance Center at BHSU
www.BHSU.edu/WritingCenter
Comment [A17]: Notice that you
provide the information for the author’s
work before the citation information for the
anthology or collection. This is the same
structure you would use for an article from
a textbook.