Literary Criticism for Students (and anyone else)
Avoiding Plagarism
According to the Council of Writing Program Administrators, plagiarism in an instructional setting occurs "when a writer deliberatley uses someone else's language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowleding its source." It is considered to be academic dishonesty. It can lead to suspension or expulsiion and should be avoided. Learn more about what it is and how to avoid it at the links below:
- Plagiarism.orgProvides guidance on avoiding plagiarism, citing sources, and more.
- Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab): Avoiding PlagiarismPurdue OWL explains what plagiarism is, ways to avoid it, and provides practice exercises to reinforce the message.
- You Quote It, You Note It!A tutorial on plagiarism created by Vaughn Memorial Library, Acadia University.
Citation Management Tools
Consider using Zotero, a free citation management tool. Zotero is a Firefox web-browser extension and is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.
- Zotero GuideAn extensive resource on using Zotero created by Jason Puckett of Georgia State University.
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
Each discipline has its own citation style. For literature, the citation style is The Modern Language Association (MLA) Style. The MLA is a scholarly organization devoted to the study and teaching of language and literature. The MLA produces guidelines for the proper formatting and documentation of research papers in English and some disciplines in the humanities. Their guidelines are published in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing.
Why Cite Your Sources?
It is important to cite sources used in your research paper for the following reasons:
- To acknowledge the work of authors you have used in creating your paper.
- To add credibility to points made in your paper.
- To enable readers who would like additional information on the topic locate the sources used.
The video below, from North Carolina State University(NCSU), explains what a citation is, and why we cite.
Internet Resources
- Cite it Right: MLAA guide to MLA style from the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries.
- Frequently Asked Questions About the MLA HandbookThe Modern Language Association provides the answers to some commonly asked questions.
- MLA Citation GuideBrief descriptions on citing different sources using MLA style from Ohio State University (link opens PDF)
- MLA Sample Works-Cited PageA sample works-cited page using MLA style from the University of North Carolina.
- Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab): MLA Formatting and Style GuideAn introduction to using MLA style with examples and links to their MLA vidcasts on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel.
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style Guides
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Edition by
Widely adopted by universities, colleges, and secondary schools, the MLA Handbook gives step-by-step advice on every aspect of writing research papers, from selecting a topic to submitting the completed paper. For over half a century, the MLA Handbook is the guide millions of writers have relied on. The seventh edition is a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to research and writing in the online environment. It provides an authoritative update of MLA documentation style for use in student writing, including simplified guidelines for citing works published on the Web and new recommendations for citing several kinds of works, such as digital files and graphic narratives.
Call Number: REF LB2369 .G53 2009
MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing by
Reorganized and revised, the third edition of the MLA Style Manual offers complete, up-to-date guidance on writing scholarly texts, documenting research sources, submitting manuscripts to publishers, and dealing with legal issues surrounding publication.
Call Number: REF PN147 .G444 2008
