The detailed nature of a research paper requires one to have a proper outline of the main document. An outline is the guideline that one uses to fill in the details of any document. If one misses something in the outline, then the main document is bound to have issues. There are different formats of doing academic papers. Among the many is the MLA style which has its unique characteristics to distinguish it from other styles of writing. This is the generally acceptable style by the Modern Language Association. When a student is asked to present their paper in this style, they are being asked to put their work in a particular way governed by specific guidelines.
Research papers demand a lot of mind input from the writer and the MLA style is enough to jog the mind of the writer. One must be keen on details to put together a complete and sensible paper. The following are directions on how to do a paper outline in MLA.
- The title should be in block and of the of same font as the rest of the paper
- Citations are done both in the main body of the paper and again on a separate page at the end.
- There should be no extra space up and below the topic
- Parenthetical citation must appear outside the quoted material
- Paraphrased ideas must also be cited
- There should not be a comma between the page number and the author’s name.
- Citations should be sorted alphabetically unless otherwise instructed
- The paragraph format used should be the hanging indent one
- The title should contain a general topic and the precise opinion of the writer
- Wordy introductions should be avoided when citing quotations
Completing a research paper is usually a major milestone in the academic life of every student. This is especially so for those who choose to do it all without seeking any professional assistance. It’s quite a process from choosing a topic, doing the proposal and finally the main paper characterized by a lot of literature review and data collection. Doing an accurate outline makes work easier.