This document represents the standards followed by writers when constructing a written text. This document can be referenced and used in any class, not just Language Arts. Consider it a digital textbook, a guide to answering questions when something just “doesn’t seem right” in your writing. This will prevent using classroom time on basic writing mechanics.

It is important to note that this document represents MLA format; although, this is the most widely accepted format, it is one of many and you may need to reference other standards in your future educational experiences. The greatest advice is to simply read the directions, which should always state the format your writing is expected to follow. If you do that, and maintain the habit of researching the standards of that format (like with this document!), your writing will continue to improve toward greatness.

Étude Group Integrity Statement

Relationships between people and ideas are fundamental to the educational experience in The Etude Group Schools. We are committed to fostering integrity in these relationships through authentic, disciplinary projects and a democratic, participatory culture. We intentionally establish and maintain a professional learning community that promotes ethical and responsible interactions with diverse ideas. In preparation for success in a world that increasingly values creativity and innovation, students must engage with and appropriately attribute the ideas of others: professionals, scholars, and colleagues. In doing so, they will develop critical worldviews and build their own capacity for scholarship - making meaningful contributions to global culture and disciplinary conversations.

Any form or act of academic dishonesty will undermine our culture of decency and violate the trust that bonds all members of our community. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators share responsibility for restoring integrity if it is lost.

Definition

Academic dishonesty is using ideas (work, concepts, designs, data, ideas, research, or documentation) without giving due credit to the source. Plagiarism, lying, cheating, theft, and falsification are forms of academic dishonesty.

Evaluating Sources

When you find a source that is related to the topic you are researching, you need to consider the authority, accuracy, and timeliness of the source. Do this by considering the following questions before you add it to your Annotated Bibliography:

Who is the author? If there is not an author list, you need to find out information about the publication or organization producing the information.
What is the genre of writing? If it is a blog, you need to recognize the information is probably opinion based. If it is a scholarly journal, the information is probably based off of scholarly research and experimentation.
Is the argument biased? You may not have to remove a biased source from your annotated bibliography, but you must recognize that it is very one sided and does not provide the full scope of the topic.
What evidence does the source use to support the argument? If you think the evidence might be sketchy, Google it. If the evidence comes from other scholarly sources, you might want to pursue those sources and add them to your annotated bibliography.
How old is the source? Timeliness is a major factor in research. An article on technology in the English classroom from 1970 is probably not going to be as valuable as an article from 2013.

Once you have verified the source, gather information from it using:

Close Reading Strategies

General Formatting

Font

With academic writing it is appropriate to use Times New Roman or Arial font. Font size is 12 points.

Paragraphs

Paragraphs are doubled spaced with no space present between paragraphs. Margins are one inch. The first line of each paragraph is indented using the TAB key on the keyboard. Do not use the spacebar.

Header

Page numbers should appear in the Header. When in Google Documents or Word, click Insert in Menu Bar. Select Page Number and Header. The programs will do the rest. It is appropriate to also include your last name along with the page number (available in Word not Google).

Page 1

Do not create a title for your paper unless the directions require one.
In the upper left-hand corner of the first page (this is not in the Header), list your name, your teacher’s name and their appropriate title, the course, and the date. This information should be double spaced along with the rest of your paper. Example:

Sally Johnson

Ms. Addie Degenhardt

Language Arts

August 27, 2014

Internet Format

Internet format is slightly different than MLA format because of its digital needs. When constructing an email, writing a blog post, or creating a website, please follow these guidelines:

Paragraphs should be block format (do not indent), with spaces between them
All titles are italicized, not underlined (an underline indicates a hyperlink on the internet): Catcher in the Rye
do not copy and paste URLs, hyperlink them
use font that is legible

Formal Titles

Books, Poems, Plays, etc.: “Italics and underlining generally serve similar purposes. However, the context for their use is different. When handwriting a document--or in other situations where italics aren't an option--use underlining. When you are word processing a document on a computer, use italics. The important thing is to stay consistent in how you use italics and underlining.

Italicize the titles of magazines, books, newspapers, academic journals, films, television shows, long poems, plays, operas, musical albums, works of art, websites.

I read a really interesting article in Newsweek while I was waiting at the doctor’s office.
My cousin is reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for two different classes.
I have every album from Dave Matthews Band, except for Crash.” (Purdue OWL)

Proper Names: The general rule is that if you are placing the person’s title before their proper name, it should be capitalized. If you are referring to their position without attaching it to their name, do not capitalize.

Principal Ted Hamm believes in Habits of Mind.

Ted Hamm, who is the principal of The Etude Group, believes in Habits of Mind.

Another example, notice that school is capitalized in conjunction with the proper name of the school and is not when it is not associated with a specific name:

South Sheboygan High School is on the south side of Sheboygan.
There is a school on the south side of Sheboygan.

Capitalization

First Word: Capitalize the first letter of every sentence. Remember, unlike with Microsoft Word, Google Docs will not auto-capitalize these words for you.
Proper Titles: If you are naming a school or introducing someone based on their title, you capitalize the word (examples: Sheboygan Area School District, Principal Ted Hamm). If you are simply referring to these things in general, do not capitalize (examples: I will go to the school. I will talk to the principal).

Capitalization Quick Guide

Days of the week ....................................... Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Months.....................................................................June, July, August

Holidays, holy days ..........................Thanksgiving, Easter, Hanukkah

Periods, events in history......................Middle Ages, the Renaissance

Special events ............................................... the Battle of Bunker Hill

Political parties ................................ Republican Party, Socialist Party

Official documents .................................Declaration of Independence

Trade names........................... Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Pontiac Sunbird

Formal epithets .....................................................Alexander the Great

Official titles............................Mayor John Spitzer, Senator Feinstein

Official state nicknames .................. the Badger State, the Aloha State

Planets, heavenly bodies....................... Earth, Jupiter, the Milky Way

Continents.................................................... Australia, South America

Countries...................................................Ireland, Grenada, Sri Lanka

States, provinces ............................................Ohio, Utah, Nova Scotia

Cities, towns, villages..........................El Paso, Burlington, Wonewoc

Streets, roads, highways ................................. Route 66, Interstate 90

Sections of a country or continent .............the Southwest, the Far East

Landforms.............................the Rocky Mountains, the Sahara Desert

Bodies of water.................Nile River, Lake Superior, Pumpkin Creek

Public areas...............................Yosemite, Yellowstone National Park

Bodies of water.................Nile River, Lake Superior, Pumpkin Creek

Public areas...............................Yosemite, Yellowstone National Park

Common Capitalization Questions

Internet vs. internet

Punctuation

Apostrophe

Apostrophes are used in several ways. They are used to show possession or ownership. They are used for contractions, combining two words into one. In academic writing, though, you actually want to avoid these and instead use both words.

Ownership examples:

I love Allison’s earrings.
I want to go to Abbie’s house today.

Contraction examples:

Let’s (Let us) go to the zoo.
It’s (It is) going to be a rainy day.
I can’t (cannot) go to track practice tonight.

Comma

Just like with the apostrophe, there are several ways to use a comma.

Items in a series (it is acceptable to use or leave out the comma before “and”)

I love to dance, swim, and write.

Quotations: use a comma to set off quotations

Sally said, “I love ballet!”

Two independent clauses (two sentences that can stand alone), with a conjunction

I love watching soccer, but I don’t know how to play it.

Set of adjectives

Carla is a bright, sophisticated young woman.

Appositives ( words or phrases that repeat or clarify the nount)

Vera Wang, a fashion designer, partners with Kohl’s Department Store.

Dates

On September 1, 2014, I will be attending Columbia University.

Semi-colon

Use a semi-colon to combine two independent sentences that are related.

Emerson was the teacher; Thoreau was the student.

Compound sentence joined by a conjunctive adverb (notice the comma after the conjunctive adverb “however”)

You can go to the movies; however, you must first finish your homework.

Series of equal elements which themselves include commas.

Our tour included overnight stops in Paris, Texas; and Denver, Colorado.

In-Text Citation

An in-text citation gives credit to the original creator of a piece of information. The general rule for in-text citation is that the citation must match the first word in the Works Cited.

Direct Quotations

Direct quotations happen in your writing when you cite a phrase or sentence word for word from another source. Direct quotations require proper citation of the source to avoid plagiarism. Follow these rules for proper citation:

One text/author: If you are only referring to one text and author in your writing, you simply put the page number of the text in parentheses, because the audience already knows the the text and author supplying the quotation. Notice how there is not any punctuation until after the parentheses.

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” (564).

Two texts/authors: If you are referring to more than one text and author in your essay, be sure to include a Works Cited at the conclusion of your essay (refer to Works Cited for directions). After the quotation, include the author’s last name and the page number. Notice how there is not any punctuation inside the quote or after the author’s name.

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” (Thoreau 564).

Website w/an Author: If you are referring to information obtained from a website that has an author, simply put the author’s last name in parentheses (Thoreau).
Website w/o Author: If you are referring to information obtained from a website that does not have an author or a specific article title, put the url name of the website in parentheses. Begin with the direct website name, do not include http://www. Follow the standard punctuation rules, of no punctuation inside the quote, period after parentheses.

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” (henrydavidthoreau.com).

Website w/an Article: If you are referring to a specific article on a website that does not have an author, put an abbreviated version of the article title with quotation marks in parentheses (“About Thoreau”).
Multiple Authors: If your direct quotation is from a source with multiple authors, but the authors in the order that they appear in the source. Place a comma between them. Follow general punctuation guidelines.

“Life is a novel, with intense character, interesting settings, and themes that transcend time and space” (Degenhardt, Johnson 36).

One Author/multiple texts: If you are using multiple texts from the same author, use the author’s last name, place an abbreviated version of the text in quotation marks, and if necessary page number.

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” (Thoreau “Conclusion” 564)

Page and Paragraph Numbers

Book: supply the page number
Website: just supply the first piece of information from the Works Cited
Digital Document (PDF): supply the page number
Paragraphs: if the document has number the paragraphs, then supply the paragraph number

Paraphrasing

If you do not directly quote a source, but you utilize the terminology of the source as well as the source’s principle ideas, you must cite it to avoid plagiarism. Follow the same general rules from Direct Quotations. SInce your writing will not appear in quotation marks, simply put the parentheses at the conclusion of the last sentence.

Genius and drill is the process by which educators simultaneously drill students on basic information such as punctuation, spelling, and general grammar rules, while allowing them to explore their own genius by studying topics of personal interest (Emerson 63).

If you have additional questions about in-text citations that were not answered in this basic guide, refer to Purdue OWL.

Citations

Works Cited

A Works Cited is used when noting cited information from your essay. A works cited should be present with every formal essay constructed. Some general rules:

Works Cited appears on its own separate page. Create this page by selecting Insert from the Menu bar and then select Page Break. This will ensure that your Works Cited not only remains on its own page, but also that the informations begins at the top of the page. If you merely hit enter a bunch of times to get to a new page, the information will move around as you edit and revise your paper.
The title Works Cited needs to appear at the top of the page and centered using the Center Alignment from the Menu bar.
This page is also double spaced, 1-inch margin, 12-point font, same font style as the rest of your paper (in Google Docs font should be Arimo).
There are no additional spaces between each citation entry.
Citations are submitted using a hanging indent meaning the first line is not indented and the rest of the lines are indented (this is opposite of how you format paragraphs in your paper). If you need to add a hanging indent, place your cursor at the beginning of the second line. Hit the ENTER button, the hit the TAB button on the keyboard. Do not use the spacebar.
Citations are listed in alphabetical order by author’s last name. If there is not an author, than the citation begins with the title of the document, following alphabetical order.

Consider this example:

Works Cited

Kakutani, Michiko. "Light Out, Huck, They Still Want to Sivilize You." Critic's Notebook. The

New York Times, 6 Jan. 2011. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.

Tom and Huck. Dir. Peter Hewitt. Perf. Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro. Walt

Disney Studios, 1995. DVD.

Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

Bibliography

A bibliography is identical to a works cited, with one exception. Rather than only listing the sources you reference in your paper, you list all of the sources you gathered and considered during the research process. If you teacher does not indicated whether or not they want a works cited or a bibliography, please ask them.

Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is identical to a bibliography; however, each source has an annotated paragraph associated with it. Annotated bibliographies are written in academic third-person. This means no personal pronouns like I, me, us, we, you, ours, etc.

Citation

Use a hanging indent. This is opposite of how you would construct a paragraph in your bridge paper. The first line of the citation is not indented. All lines after the first, are indented. If this formatting is erased when your annotated bib is uploaded into Google Drive, simply click your cursor on the second line of the citation. Hit the enter button on your keyboard. Hit the tab button on your keyboard. This will properly indent the line. DO NOT hit the spacebar a bunch of time.
Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the author's last name.

If there is not an author, use the first word of the text's title.
If there are multiple authors, you do not list them in alphabetical order. Instead list them in the order in which they are presented within the text.

Paragraphs and Quotes

The annotated paragraphs begin on a new line after the citation; however, there is not an extra space between the citation and the paragraph. Paragraphs also need to be indented. If Google Docs reformats your work, simply follow the same indentation guidelines as above.

Text must be in Times New Roman or Arial font, 12-point, 1-inch margins.
Text is singled space; however, add an addition space between the end of an annotated paragraph and the next citation.
If your annotation is more than one paragraph, add an additional space between the two paragraphs.
Your first and last name, IDEAS block advisors and my name, the date place in the top-left corner at the beginning of the document. Do not put this information in the header.
Add page numbers into the top-right corner of the header.
Direct quotes from the texts that are used in the annotations must be formatted as such:

"Quote" (65).
Notice how the punctuation is on the outside of the parentheses and no punctuation appears within the quote.
The page number of where the quote can be found follow the quote in parentheses. Not that page or pg is not used. Simply enter the number. If the quote carries onto another page use a dash and include both page numbers (65-66).