Embedding Quotations & MLA Format Refresher

Embedding Quotations& MLA Format Refresher

MLA Format • Double spaced • 12 pt Times New Roman font • Heading: Flush left • Header Flush right • Tile centered (not bold, underlined, or italicized)

Heading Student Name Teacher Name Class Date (12 August 2011) NO COMMAS! Header Student’s Last name Page number (Use the # icon on the toolbar) Header & Heading

Focus on Quotes • Quote inserted into the middle of your own sentence. • Quote introduced with introductory element • Quote modified with brackets • Quote with the use of ellipses • Quote within a quote using single and double quotation marks • Quote using block indentation

Introducing Quotes • Always introduce quotations. Do not just insert a quotation in the middle of your text! • You can introduce quotations in two ways: (1) either write a complete sentence and clarify it with a quotation that follows--in which case you use a colon (:) between your sentence and the quotation--or (2) weave the quotation into your own sentence. • Examples: • In one of her most heroic scenes, Antigone points out her greater concern for the laws of heaven: "These laws--I was not meant to break them" (509-14). • Huckleberry Finn survives many dangerous situations that usually involve selfishness or brutality, and late in the novel he comes to the conclusion that "Human beings can be awfully cruel to one another" (Twain 450). OR Twelve-year old Betsy Smith felt that her diary “was the epitome of narrative writing” because it revealed so many personal thoughts and feelings (Blessman 13).

Helpful Tips • Do not use superfluous quotations. Use quotations that support your ideas, not ones that simply take up space. • Direct quotes should be vivid and memorable. Save direct quotations for brilliant comments, controversial statements, or personal testimony that strengthen your argument. • Paraphrase instead of quoting!!! BUT you will still need to credit your source!(page #). • Do not overuse block quotations: about two every five pages is enough. Your reader is more interested in WHAT you have to say and HOW you say it.

Punctuation Rules • End periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks if there is no parenthetical documentation. If you are using parenthetical documentation, periods and commas go after the documentation. • Examples: • The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds. • She said, "Hurry up." • She said, "Hurry up" (41).

BlockQuotations • More than 3 lines of text in your paper. • Quote is indented (like a paragraph) • Same rules for introducing the quote • Citation: Period after last sentence of quote. (Blessman 12)

Punctuation Rules for Block Quotes • You do not use quotation marks with block quotations, unless the quotations contain dialogue. End punctuation of block quotations comes beforedocumentation. • Use blocking for quotations which exceed three lines--typed or handwritten. These quotations should be indented two tab stops from the left margin. All block quotations should be double spaced. • Introduce the quotation with a complete sentence and a colon. • Example: • Rene Gallimard demonstrates to the audience the painful reality of his situation: I have not been able to sleep for day. The pressure is mounting so that my head feels like it is in a vice. I know it is only a matter of time before I shatter, break, and crumble into dust. The time for change is now. (42)

Punctuation Rules • Semicolons and colons always go outside quotation marks if they are used at the end of the quotation. • Example: Dan always said, "I think you're wrong"; he was always very arrogant (Aebischer 12). • Question marks and exclamation points go inside the quotations marks unless they are not part of the quotation. • Examples: • She asked, "Will you still be my friend?" • Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? • Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks. • He said, "Dania said, 'Do not treat me that way.'"

Using Ellipsis… • If you ellipse information within a sentence, use three periods with one space between each period, and place the ellipses in brackets. • Example: He wants to see the "Eskimo [. . .] catching those two fish“ (Salant 10). • If you ellipse from one sentence to another, you should indicate the first sentence has ended by using four periods. • Example: When he speaks of his sister, Holden says, "The trouble is, she's a little too affectionate [. . . .] She really is" (Salinger 68).

Using Brackets • Sometimes you need to change the verb tense, pronoun usage, or first letter of the quote to fit the context of your sentence. Put the changed part in brackets. • Managers from both generations will be able to find ways to work together by “[f]acing the issue squarely and approaching Gen X workplace issues as issues of cultural diversity” (Keaveney 103). • "It was in fact one of [the Osu] who in his zeal brought the church into serious conflict with the clan a year later by killing the sacred python" (Achebe 112)

Parenthetical Reference • If you do not give the author's name in your introduction to the quotation, it must go in the citation: (Morrison 57). • If you do give the author's name (or it is obvious from what you have previously written), it is not necessary to repeat it: (57).

Quoting Poetry • Use the forward/to indicate a line break and use line numbers in your documentation. • "In the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo" (Wylie 16-17).

Quoting Drama ( Act. scene. line number) (1.3.15) or if it is written poetry style (Act. line numbers) (1.509-14)

Quote, Paraphrase or Summarize? • Direct Quotes: less than 10% of your paper • Paraphrase: If a quotation is long, or if you can say it better or more concisely, you may wish to paraphrase (restate it in your own words). • Summarize: If you are primarily interested in major plot points or actions that illustrate your analysis.

Avoiding Plagiarism • Remember that you must credit your sources even when paraphrasing or summarizing. • Like direct quotations, keep paraphrasing to a minimum because it is your ideas and argument that will convince your readers. • Summary should only be used to further your analysis; in other words, you should not summarize every moment of the story but only those aspects that contribute to your thesis.

Works Cited Format • On a separate sheet of paper at the end of your paper. • Double spaced • Works Cited centered, not bold, underlined, or italicized. • Only include information you have cited within your paper!!

Works Cited Format • List sources alphabetically by author; title if no author available. • The first line should be flush against the left side, while the second line and consecutive lines should be indented (tab) • If you are citing more than THREE authors, list the first author followed by et al.

Embedding Quotations & MLA Format Refresher