1) Limit paper topic (I want an in-depth consideration of a narrow topic, not a shallow survey of issues)

2) Paper should be approximately 5 pages (I’m flexible, but aim for 5)

3) Paper should be double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point type, with margins of 1.5 inch on the left and 1 inch on top, bottom, and right.

4) Pages must be numbered in the top right.

5) You should try to use at least five sources. Again, I’ll be reasonable, but try.

6) You must thoroughly research BOTH sides of the issue, and you must discuss the opposition perspective.

7) Use MLA parenthetical documentation style

8) No more than 50% of your citations to sources may be in the form of direct quotation; at least 50% must be paraphrases. Citations that combine direct quotation and paraphrase count both ways.

9) Never end or start a paragraph with a quotation or paraphrase.

10) In your paper, you must cite EVERY paraphrase AND direct quotation by placing a parenthetical citation directly after the paraphrase or quotation (not at the end of the paragraph

Sample parenthetical references:

According to Donne, "No man is an island" (23).

–Note that if the author’s name is included in the introduction to the quotation, it doesn’t need to be repeated in the citation. Note that the punctuation comes after the paranthetical reference.

According to one author, "No man is an island" (Donne 23).

--Note that there is no comma after Donne and no "p." to indicate that this is a page number.  We will assume it is a page number; if it is a paragraph number instead, identify it as such with the abbreviation "par."

Donne claims that individuals should not feel that they are isolated from one another (23).

--Note that with paraphrases, there are no quotation marks to indicate where the paraphrase begins. As a result, it is a good practice to introduce your paraphrases as coming the source.

There are those who suggest that individuals should not feel isolated from one another (Donne 23).

--Note that if you do not identify the source in the introduction to your paraphrase, you must indicate it in your paranthetical reference.

Bibliography Formats

            Book:

Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of publication: publisher,    year.

Seyler, Dorothy U. Read, Reason, Write. Fifth edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill College, 1999.

 

Scholarly journal:

Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Title of Journal 45:1 (1999): 43-87.

Magazine:

"Article Title." Title of Magazine November 1999: 14-15.

Proquest:

Lastname, Firstname. "Article Title." Title of Magazine November 1999: 14-15. Proquest. 28 February 2000 <internet address for database, not for article>.

Cite in parenthesis: (Lastname par. 23).

 

Elements to note:

1) Bibliography must fit the form EXACTLY, including all punctuation (it IS important when you leave out tiny little bits of punctuation, because the punctuation is a signal to your readers)

2) Since bibliographies are the "index" by which we locate your parenthetical references, it is vital that you alphabetize them by the last name of the author, and that you use that author’s name in the parenthetical reference.

3) In articles without an author, you will start the entry with the first words of the title of the article. (DO NOT cite it to "anonymous"). Alphabetize by these first words, and put the first words in the paranthetical reference instead of the author's last name.

4) When citing articles from electronic databases, it is vital that you indicate that you are using the database; don’t just cite it to the original article.

5) You may often have to combine forms

6) You will have to become familiar with what the options are

7) Whenever you are unsure, simply ASK

 

Sample of combination entry (for an article in our book):

Bedau, Hugo Adam. "Death Is Different." Death is Different: Studies in the Morality, Law, and Politics of Capital Punishment. Northeastern University Press: 1987. Rpt. in Dorothy L. Seyler. Read Reason, Write. Fifth Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill College, 1999. 449-59.