WR 103 MLA Style Source Integration and Citation

Lecture Hours: 1
Credits: 1

Covers MLA style paper format, clear source integration, and citation as a supplement to upper level college writing and writing intensive courses requiring research papers.

Prerequisite: Placement into WR 115; or completion of WR 090 (or higher), with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Identify the goals of formal citation and documentation.
Use a writer’s handbook to locate MLA paper format as well as appropriate in-text and works cited citation models.
Identify when and where citations are needed in-text.
Identify commonly required information for a variety of MLA in-text citations.
Identify and locate the required works cited information for different types of sources (print, electronic and online).
Apply principles of MLA style to properly signal source use as well as format in-text citations and works cited entries.
Format an MLA style paper.
Use a variety of methods to clearly and grammatically integrate sources (paraphrase, summary, quotations).
Identify appropriate versus inappropriate summary and paraphrase.
Use technology critically and effectively to acknowledge sources and format paper.

Content Outline

Citation in Academic and Scholarly Discourse
- Citation as a language system with standardized patterns to facilitate participation in academic and scholarly conversations
- Avoiding plagiarism
- Building ethos
Handbook Use
- Difference between general handbook and the full citation guides
- Using table of contents to locate citation models
- Structure and organization of the citation models
- Structure of paper format models
In-text Citations
- Information requiring citations (paraphrase, summary, quotations)
- Placement of in-text citations
- Contents of and format within in-text citations
- Relationship between in-text citations and works cited
- In-text citation of illustrations, charts and pictures
Integrating and Blending Sources
- Signal phrases and verb tense
- Quotations
  - Quotation marks (placement and double versus single)
  - Punctuation (commas and colons)
  - Embedding quotations
  - Brackets
  - Ellipses
  - Blocking
  - Secondhand quotations
- Paraphrase and summary
  - Accuracy
  - Appropriate versus inappropriate
  - Signaling boundaries and citing
- Placement of illustrations and visuals
Works Cited Entries
- Basic citation information requirements for a variety of common print, online, and visual source types
- Location of citation information within library database entries, original print and online sources
- Organization and format of information in common works cited entries
- Handbook works cited models
- Opensource materials
Electronic and Online Citation Tools
- Microsoft Word
- Library databases
- Internet citation tools
- Accuracy of citation tools
Editing Citations
- Color coding in-text source use during drafting
- Search and find function to double check in-text citations against works cited citations
- Comparison against citation models
Paper Format
- Organization and appearance of MLA style paper (first page, header information, placement and organization of works cited page, etc.)
- Using word-processing software to format
  - First page
  - Headers
  - Font
  - Paragraph indents
  - Page breaks
  - Insert (graphics and visual)
  - Hanging indents