ENG 2050: Business and

Technical Writing

Research Paper

Agenda.
What

is MLA
How To Write Your Paper
Pick A Topic
Your Presentation

Modern Language Association

What is MLA

Founded in 1883, the Modern Language Association of

America provides opportunities for its members to share
their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with
colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy. MLA
members host an annual convention and other
meetings, work with related organizations, and sustain
one of the finest publishing programs in the humanities.
For over a hundred years, members have worked to
strengthen the study and teaching of language and
literature.

Modern Language Association

The MLA at a Glance

Over 30,000 members in 100 countries
Programs serving English and foreign language teachers
An annual convention, with meetings on a wide variety of subjects, and smaller
seminars across the country
The MLA International Bibliography, the only comprehensive bibliography in
language and literature, available in print and online
A book publication program issuing about 12 new books each year and
maintaining a backlist of over 200 titles
4 major periodicals: the ADE Bulletin; the ADFL Bulletin; Profession; and PMLA,
one of the most distinguished journals in the humanities
A quarterly newsletter providing association news, lists of deadlines, and items
of interest to members
134 divisions and discussion groups for specialized scholarly and teaching
interests of members
45 membership committees overseeing association activities and publications
Leadership in the national education community

Modern Language Association

What is MLA
Parenthetical Documentation
Use anytime you
Quote
Summarize
Paraphrase
Listing the authors name (or title)
Identify the source
List the exact page number
This usually comes at the end of a sentence

Modern Language Association

For

example:

In the text of your paper:

The first gambling Web site appeared in 1995, and

online gambling has since become the most lucrative
Internet business (Will 92).or, George Will reported
that in 2002 Internet gambling surpassed pornography
to become the Internet's most lucrative business (92).

Modern Language Association

What is MLA
Bibliographic Documentation (Works Cited)
Includes anything you
Quote
Summarize
Paraphrase
Listing the authors name (or title)
Identify the source
List the exact page number
This usually comes at the end of a sentence

Modern Language Association

For

example:

In your Works Cited list:

Will, George F. "Electronic Morphine." Newsweek 25

Nov. 2002: 92.

Modern Language Association

But..what

about.

Footnotes (including citations at the bottom of each page) have not gone entirely
the way of the dinosaurs. In fact it is ironic that footnotes were declared outmoded
just before the era of the word-processors which make using footnotes so much
easier. Still, because of its relative ease in both writing and reading, parenthetical
documentation is greatly preferred by most instructors.
Endnotes (gathering citations and reference lists at the end of each chapter or at
the end of the paper) have enjoyed a popularity among academic writers,
primarily because they make the transition from a submitted manuscript to
published resource so much easier. Even so, parenthetical documentation has
supplanted both footnotes and endnotes in most academic disciplines.

FROM: http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/practical_guide.shtml#footnotes

Where do you begin??????

How To Write Your Paper

Identify what the assignment requires:

topic possibilities
number of sources
type of sources (journals, books, Internet
Morningstar, Hoovers, HBJ, WSJ)
citation requirements (MLA, APA, Chicago)
presentation requirements (oral or written)
length of paper
due date

Your Paper Format

Introduction
Brief

History
Competitors

Specific Competitive Advantages of Rivals

Future

Challenges
Conclusion
Works Cited Page

How To Write Your Paper

librarian can assist you with the process of

finding information sources for your
assignment.

Stop

by the library.
http://www.csmd.edu/Library/

Contact

the librarian at
http://www.csmd.edu/Library/contact.html
or in person

How To Write Your Paper

Organizing Your Research Using Note Cards

Read source actively by highlighting important

information.
Record quotes that you may want to use later and
include source and page number on card.
Create paraphrases and summaries on note cards
directly from your research.
Record on each note card the authors name and
page number for later reference.

Your Presentation
Microsoft

PowerPoint only
You may use other visuals
Limit slide to one thought, concept or idea
Limit to 40 words six lines of text or seven
words per line
Use short bulleted phases

Your Presentation
Only

use sentences when sharing a quotation

Use active voice
Use short, informative titles

Your Presentation
Three

(3) PowerPoint slides ONLY

The layout and design are your choice
End presentation with Takeaways..

Dont Forget to Proofread..

Don't rely entirely on spelling checkers.. For example, if you type

"your" instead of "you're," "to" instead of "too," or "there" instead of
"their," the spell checker won't catch the error.
Grammar checkers can be even more problematic. These programs
work with a limited number of rules, so they can't identify every error
and often make mistakes. They also fail to give thorough
explanations to help you understand why a sentence should be
revised. You may want to use a grammar checker to help you
identify potential run-on sentences or too-frequent use of the
passive voice, but you need to be able to evaluate the feedback it
provides.

And do not plagiarize..

No

need to.
There are online plagiarism
checkers that are free..