How to Write a Research Paper MLA Style
Now that you have chosen a topic area, you need to turn that topic into a question you can research. There are five basic types of Research Questions: fact, definition, cause, value and policy. Most issues or topics can actually be turned more than one kind of research question. For example, on the topic "
- Fact: Do football players today have more concussions than in the past?
- Definition: What is the right way for a player with a concussion to be treated?
- Cause: What causes players to have concussions?
- Value: How important is it for football players to avoid concussions?
- Policy: How can football players in the NFL avoid the hazards of concussions?
Is training, equipment or recruiting making it possible for athletes to continue to break records? (fact). What events should be added to the Olympics? (policy).
Shows you are reasonable and gives alternative ideas. One of the hardest things about writing an essay is remembering how to correctly site a source. Students should keep in mind the writer's rule of thumb: If it is not sourced properly, it is plagiarized. When students forget to adequately source the quote, the teacher may consider their essay plagiarized. Even if this was not the intent, it is a very real risk for students. Instead of taking this chance, students should make sure that they have properly cited every statistic, quote and idea that is not their own.Stuck with essay or term paper? Go to an expert homework writing service.
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A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations: A guide to MLA format
An MLA paper is a joy to read, but it can be a challenge to write one. Whichever paper you’ve been assigned to write, if the required style is set as Modern Language Association—or MLA—then play close attention to the methodology of this writing style.
What is the reason for placing parenthetical citations?
Wherever a source is referenced within your text, an in-text citation must be present to tell the reader:
- That the sentence or paragraph is a source and not your own information.
- The pertinent information about the source, such as surname of the writer, web URL, publication firm, etc.
- Where he or she can find the published source that you’ve referenced by referring to your list of sources.
This is the whole point of writing in MLA: Your reader wants to be able to recognize referenced material, as well as know where you found it.
What forms the parenthetical citation?
When referencing a source, always look at how it is presented in your list of sources. The first visible word is what should be used as your in-text citation. This can be anything such as:
- The last name of an author
- A web URL or website name
- The name of the company that publicised the source (like a magazine, or a public journal)
The important thing to remember is that you use the first word or name that appears in your reference, because this is the most important—available—info that is listed.
How should these in-text citations be placed?
There are two ways you can place a parenthetical citation:
- The first method involves writing the information you got for from the source (or quoting it if you prefer), and then placing the in-text citation at the end of the sentence in brackets.
- The second is a simple reference within the sentence. The reference is formed part of the sentence so there is no need to place it in brackets again at the end of the sentence.
How should references be listed?
Finally, your references must be contained in one place so that your reader can source this during or after reading your paper. This helps the reader to explore other information pertinent to the topic. Wherever relevant, references are listed in the following order:
- Last name followed by the author’s initials
- The title
- The website URL
- The publication firm’s name
- The date it was published
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Finally, your references must be contained in one place so that your reader can source this during or after reading your paper. This helps the reader to explore other information pertinent to the topic. Wherever relevant, references are listed in the following order: