MLA Format

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MLA Format
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MLA says

• Double space your essay. No extra spacing
  required.
• Use 12 point font.
• Times New Roman is the preferred font.
• Even though Courier or Arial might space things
  out, it doesnt actually make your paper any
  longer.
• Use BLACK ink only.
• Include an original title.
• One inch margins.

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Header

• Last name and page number
• Header should be ½ inch from the edge of the page

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Heading

• Your name
• Your teachers name
• Your class title
• The date (day, month, year)
• Original title, centered

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Parenthetical Reference

• Roger is a very poverty stricken young man. For
  example, in the story Roger is described as
  fourteen or fifteen frail and willow-wild
  (Hughes 88). This shows that Roger may be broke
  and lacking money. He looks like he is dirt poor
  and hasnt eaten in days. For example, Mrs.
  Jones says I believe youre hungryor been
  hungryto try to snatch my pocket-book (89).
  Roger disagrees and says he wanted blue suede
  shoes. So, Roger may be so beggared and wants
  those shoes so bad that he tries to steal
  peoples pocketbooks. He may also just be a
  thief, but it is unlikely because he is just a
  boy who is poor and steals for need, not for fun.
  Roger is just a young man lacking money and is
  destitute.

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• After you quote you need (with authors last name
  and page number).
• Place your reference after the entire sentence,
  your words and the authors.
• Place the punctuation after the ).
• CORRECT Roger is described as fourteen or
  fifteen frail and willow-wild (Hughes 88).
• INCORRECT Roger is described as fourteen or
  fifteen frail and willow-wild. (Hughes, 88).
• Use authors last name only on the first
  reference.
• You will only use authors name multiple times
  when there is MORE than ONE author discussed.

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You try fix these parenthetical references
(citations)

• Cisneros characterizes Salvador as a child who
  struggles with a difficult lifestyle, but still
  remains hopeful. Cisneros describes Salvador as a
  young boy who doesnt have much of a childhood as
  he, lives where homes are the color of bad
  weather and behind a raw wood doorway---page
  10 His poverty makes it so that he is put in
  charge of his brothers and is left with little
  child hood for himself. Despite this, he still
  makes the best out of what he and his brothers do
  have seen through his collecting crayons. She
  also characterizes Salvador as a perseverant boy
  who regardless of his geography of scars and
  history of hurt,---page 10 in the end is still
  the same kid he was, and that there is hope for
  better things for him. She characterizes him as
  very caring for his family and unselfish as he
  shakes the sleepy brothers awake, ties their
  shoes and combs their hair ,---page 10 She
  describes him as a boy who is hurt, and does not
  have the best past. Yet, he is able to cope
  because of the something that throbs with both
  fists and knows only what Salvador knows
  ,---page 11 Cisneros shows Salvador as a strong
  person in the face of many obstacles.