MLA Research Paper Questions

What does MLA stand for?

Modern Language Association

What are outlines?

Formal ways to organize information using an alternating alpha numeric structure.

What size paper should you use?

8.5×11 inch paper

What are the rules for text?

• Double space

• Legible font (Times New Roman)

• Font size 12

How many spaces do you leave after form of puncations?

One

What are the rules for margins?

Set the margins of your document to 1 inch in all sides.

• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half inch by using the tab key.

What should a header include?

Numbers of all pages consecutively in the upper right hand corner.

When should you use italics?

To indicate the titles of longer works.

Where is your heading located?

In the upper left hand corner of the first page.

What should the heading include?

1. Your name

2. Instructors name

3. The course

4. The date

How should you set up your title?

• Double space again and center your title

• Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks

• Write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capitals

When can you use quotation marks in your title?

When referring to other works

• Example: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play; Human Worry in “After Apple Picking”

What should you do between the title and the first line of text?

Double space

What should be included in the header in the upper right-hand corner?

Last name, followed by a space with a page number.

What is embedding quotes into your sentence?

Using a direct quote to finish or continue your own thinking.

What two things must you have for citations?

1. Must use quotation marks around borrowed words

2. Must include a citation at the end of your sentence that reveals the source of your information

How do you complete a citation with an Author?

Use last name only of author + page number inside parentheses

• This is unfair and goes against the United States Constitution and “what was promised in the First Amendment- the freedom of speech”(Rivas 2).

• Periods always go after the parenthesis.

How do you complete a citation with no Author?

Use the first two key words in the title with quotation marks + page number inside parentheses

• This is unfair and goes against the United States Constitution and “what was promised in the First Amendment - the freedom of speech”(“Linguistic Discrimination” 2).