Using MLA Style and Incorporating the Work of Others
Exercise 1
Directions: Rewrite the following citations in the MLA Style format. Use your handbook as a reference (pp. 329-362).
Book
History of the Byzantine State. By George Ostrogorsky. Rutgers University Press, New Jersey. 1957
Magazine Journal Article
Nasty Little Wars. By: Lieven, Anatol; National Interest, Winter2000/2001, Issue 62, p65, 12p, 1bw
Newspaper Article
Aboard the 'Serb Train,' Bitterness, and Hope Too. By: McNeil Jr., Donald G.; New York Times, 12/27/2000, Vol. 150 Issue 51615, pA4, 0p, 1 map, 1bw
FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE FROM THE LIBRARY’S ONLINE DATABASE, SEE ENGLISH COMPOSITION WEBSITE.
Exercise 2: The Correct Use of Borrowed Information
Directions: A. Write the correct MLA citation for the source below:
Title:
Do Video Games Lead to Violent Behavior in Children?
Do Video Games Lead to Violent Behavior in Children?Authors:Walling, Anne D. Source:American Family Physician; 4/1/2002, Vol. 65 Issue 7, p1436, 2p Document Type:Abstract
Walling, Anne D. Source:American Family Physician; 4/1/2002, Vol. 65 Issue 7, p1436, 2p Document Type:AbstractSubject Terms:AGGRESSIVENESS (Psychology) in adolescence
AGGRESSIVENESS (Psychology) in adolescenceVIDEO games -- Psychological aspects Abstract:Presents an abstract of the study 'Video Games and Real-Life Aggression: Review of the Literature,' by L. Bensley and J. van Eenwyk, published in the October 2001 issue of the 'Journal of Adolescent Health.'
Presents an abstract of the study 'Video Games and Real-Life Aggression: Review of the Literature,' by L. Bensley and J. van Eenwyk, published in the October 2001 issue of the 'Journal of Adolescent Health.'Full Text Word Count:640
640ISSN:0002-838X
0002-838XAccession Number:6513713
6513713Persistent link to this record: http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=6513713&db=f5h
http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=6513713&db=f5hDatabase: MasterFILE Premier
MasterFILE PremierB. ACADEMIC VOICE AND MLA CITATION
Incorporating borrowed material into your own writing is not simply a matter of avoiding plagiarism. You must also create smooth transitions between your own words and ideas and those borrowed from other sources. These transitions should introduce and identify your sources and should evaluate the borrowed material. Frequently, inexperienced writers will simply drop a summary or a quotation into the middle of their own writing and rely on only a parenthetical citation to help the reader make sense of it.
DIRECTIONS: In the following excerpt of a student draft titled, “Make Way for the Bad Guy,” For each sentence, identify the source of the information that the author relates. Where does the writer use his own “academic voice?” Which ideas belong to Weinraub? How do you know? Does the writer correctly use citations? Note any other stylistic or mechanical errors as well.
Some argue that music and youth respond to crime movies in an alarming way to society. In “A Foul Mouth with a Following,” Bernard Weinraub writes that Scarface attracted the younger audience, especially rap stars and college students and was rated X for extreme violence and language (Wenraub). Weinraub explains that Americans are interested in gangster films like Scarface and adds that major rappers like Snoop Dog and Eve talk about how the movie shows similarity with their lives (Weinbraub). Weinraub shows that the director of Scarface, Brian Depalma, stated, “he believed that the movie stirred younger audiences, especially those in the hip-hop world, because many of them had grown up in poor neighborhoods and had become almost rich overnight. (Weinraub)” The new era of gangsta rap was born a few years after Scarface came out in theatres, Gangsta rap contained violent and explicit lyrics, and critics disagreed with the negative comments and abuse toward women along with its negative image toward authorities. Critics believe gangsta rap spawned a new generation of music that causes controversy today. Weinraub reports that Scarface was so influencing that many hip hop artists have used phrases within the movie in their music and one in particular named himself Scarface (Weinraub). Mr. Bregman, the producer of Scarface, stated that “it’s not just the hip-hop community—white college students have ‘Scarface parties’”(Weinraub). Many college students agree to have some sort of Scarface memorabilia, and they enjoy the power and respect a mobster like Tony Montana in Scarface possessed.Work Cited:
Weinraub, Bernard. “A Foul Mouth With a Following.” New York Times 23 Sep. 2003.
