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23 MLA Research Paper

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317
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Write for College

MLA Research Paper Chapter Opener

Start-Up Activity

Ask students to envision the layout of a movie theater:

  • A ticket window fronts the building.
  • A ticket taker greets you at a turnstile or entry lane through which you enter a main atrium.
  • Straight ahead are concessions.
  • Beyond, you find hallways to doorways with signs marking which screens show which movies.

Moviegoers can easily navigate just about any theater.

Explain that the MLA system shares a similar goal. It provides a consistent format for research writing. In the past, student researchers could never be sure what format their instructors would want them to follow. That meant creating end notes and a complete bibliography in one class and a footnotes and a working bibliography in the next. The Modern Language Association alleviates some of the frustration and burden by establishing a stable set of rules for formatting papers and citing research. This chapter clarifies the rules outlined in the 8th edition of the MLA Handbook and provides a sample MLA paper so that students can see the rules in action.

Students should refer to these other chapters in the Research Center to help them complete their work:

Think About It

“Your consistency says a lot about your commitment.”

– Rasheed Ogunlaru

 

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.1112.W.3.8

LAFS.1112.W.3.7

LAFS.1112.W.2.6

LAFS.1112.W.1.2

LAFS.1112.RI.1.1

LAFS.1112.RI.1.2

LAFS.1112.RI.1.3

LAFS.1112.RI.2.5

LAFS.1112.W.3.9

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.38.c.11.E

110.38.c.11.F

110.38.c.11.G

110.39.c.11.E

110.39.c.11.F

110.39.c.11.G

110.38.c.11

110.39.c.11

110.38.c.9.E

110.39.c.9.E

110.38.c.9

110.38.c.10.B

110.39.c.9

110.39.c.10.B

110.38.c.4.F

110.38.c.5.C

110.38.c.7.D.i

110.39.c.4.F

110.39.c.5.C

110.39.c.7.D.i

110.38.c.4.G

110.38.c.5.D

110.39.c.4.G

110.39.c.5.D

110.38.c.7.D.ii

110.39.c.7.D.ii

110.38.c.7.E.i

110.39.c.7.E.i

110.38.c.4.H

110.39.c.4.H

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 318 from Write for College

Citing Sources: MLA In-Text Citations

During the drafting phase or afterward (since most students will work with computers), teach students the Modern Language Association (MLA) standards for creating in-text citations. Emphasize that citations do two jobs:

  • Give credit to sources for their ideas
  • Help readers find the sources to explore the topic further

Lead students  through the items on this page, pausing at the last bullet point, which discusses punctuating in-text citations. Student writers often struggle to remember where to place end punctuation near citations. Stress that the end punctuation comes after the final parenthesis of the citation. Share these common punctuation errors: 

Doubled end punctuation

  • Sherman Alexie has admitted he sees his reservation in Flannery O’Connor’s work. (Peterson 190).

Misplaced end punctuation

  • Sherman Alexie has admitted he sees his reservation in Flannery O’Connor’s work. (Peterson 190)

  • Sherman Alexie has admitted he sees his reservation in Flannery O’Connor’s work (Peterson 190.)

Missing parenthesis

  • Sherman Alexie has admitted he sees his reservation in Flannery O’Connor’s work (Peterson 190.
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.8
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11.E, 110.38.c.11.F, 110.38.c.11.G, 110.39.c.11.E, 110.39.c.11.F, 110.39.c.11.G
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.c, LA 12.2.1.i, LA 12.2.2.b

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 319 from Write for College

Model In-Text Citations

The next two pages list examples of in-text citations for common types of sources. Students can refer to these pages when they need to cite source material used in their MLA papers.

For any in-text sources not mentioned in Write for College, refer students to an online resource such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 320 from Write for College

Model In-Text Citations

Note the first sample citation on this page, "Work with No Known Author." Since Web sources often do not identify an author, students will follow this citation style for many of the Web sources cited in their papers. Let students know that the identifying word(s) they choose to include in quotation marks must clearly refer to an entry from the work-cited page but can be a shortened version of the source's title.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 321 from Write for College

Guidelines: MLA Works-Cited List

Teach students that the in-text citations point to a works-cited page, which gives complete information for each source. The MLA Style Manual, 8th Edition deemphasizes the mode of publication (print, Web, and so on) to instead focus on common elements across modes. This page and the next four describe the major parts of works-cited entries and offer examples of each one.

Read the explanation for each major element and lead students through the examples.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 322 from Write for College

Elements of Works-Cited Entries

Discuss the common elements of works-cited entries. All applicable elements should appear in a given entry, but some entries will not include one or more element.

Make sure students understand the difference between the "Title of Source" and "Title of Container." Every works-cited entry must include a source title, but not every entry will include a container. For larger works, like books and entire Web sites, the source title can stand alone because it also serves as the container.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessWriting

Page 323 from Write for College

Elements of Works-Cited Entries (Cont.)

Note the "Optional Elements" at the bottom of this page. Previous MLA Style Guides included many of these optional elements, when mode of publication was key. Now, with the lines blurred for mode of publication (for example, Isaac Newton's first-printing markup of Principia Mathematica digitally scanned into Project Gutenberg), researchers have many routes to a single source. As with all other MLA citation rules, remind students that they should include optional elements that will help readers find the cited materials.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research Paper
21st Century Skills:
Researching
English Language Arts:
Writing

Page 324 from Write for College

Sample Work-Cited Entries: Print Sources

Refer students to this page to create works-cited entries for print sources (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.). If students use an online service such as EasyBib to generate their works-cited entries, make sure they check each entry against those on this page because errors may exist.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessWriting

Page 325 from Write for College

Sample Work-Cited Entries: Electronic Sources

Refer students to this page to create works-cited entries for electronic sources (Web page, online newspaper, blog post, etc.). Students should visit the Purdue OWL for further information on any source type not listed on this page or the last.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing ProjectResearching
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessWriting

Page 326 from Write for College

MLA Formatting Guidelines

Closely review the MLA formatting guidelines with students. Point out each element in the sample MLA research paper on pages 327–334. Note: The sample paper does not include a block quotation.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.2.6
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9.E, 110.39.c.9.E
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.j

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Writing Project
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessPublishing

Page 327 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper

You can have volunteers read the research paper aloud, paragraph by paragraph, as you point out the features indicated in the side notes. However, because of the length and complexity of the report, you can also have students read it silently. Let them know that they will be expected to participate in a class discussion of the report afterward.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 328 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

Continue to review the sample paper.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.RI.1.1
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.4.F, 110.38.c.5.C, 110.38.c.7.D.i, 110.39.c.4.F, 110.39.c.5.C, 110.39.c.7.D.i
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.1.6.g, LA 12.1.6.k, LA 12.1.6.n

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 329 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

Continue to review the research paper.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 330 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

Continue to review the research paper.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 331 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

Continue to review the research paper.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Persuasive Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 332 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

Continue to review the research paper.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 333 from Write for College

Sample MLA Research Paper (Cont.)

After students finish reviewing the sample research paper, lead a discussion with questions like these:

  • How does the writer get readers' attention at the beginning? (By comparing local tragedies to global tragedies, offering striking statistics, and introducing a way for individuals to apply business acumen to solve global problems.) Discuss how it is not uncommon for a writer to use multiple paragraphs to develop a thesis statement for a research paper, as demonstrated in the sample. 
  • What causes led to the birth of social entrepreneurship?  (Industrialization separated business and social systems, breaking up multi-generational rural families into urbanized nuclear families. As a result, social systems suffered a crisis in cost-effectiveness. To solve the crisis, social sectors applied business lessons.)
  • Which example of social entrepreneurship from the paper was most compelling to you? How so?
  • What body paragraph is most effective? Cite evidence to defend your choice. (Answers will vary. However, direct students to the first full paragraph on page 329, which elaborates key ideas with multiple levels of details based on sourced material and original thinking.) 
  • How does the writer wrap up the ideas in the final paragraph? (By relating the future of social entrepreneurship to its origins)
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.B, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2, LA 12.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
Reading
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 334 from Write for College

Works-Cited Page

Instead of having students read this page, lead them through the side notes, using the entries as examples. Students can find many more examples and deeper information on pages 321–325.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.1112.W.3.7
TEKS Standard:
110.38.c.11, 110.39.c.11
NE ELA Standard:
LA 12.2.2.c

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 11Grade 12
Mode:
Research Writing
Form:
MLA Research PaperResearch Paper
21st Century Skills:
ReadingResearching
English Language Arts:
Reading