LPC Library - Term Papers! Research Papers! Works Cited!

Term Paper Information, Format, & Sample Works Cited List

Citation Examples

Format

Format: typed, double spaced, including the works cited list; with 1 inch margins all around; student's last name and page numbers at the top right margin, ½-inch from the top (see sample).

Title Page: Center the title of the paper in capital letters and either underlined, bolded or italicized; about 3 inches from the top of the page. Center your name, about 3 inches below that; then about 1 inch lower, center the date and put the instructor's name is directly below the date; next the class for which the paper is written is directly below that.

First Page of Text: should begin about 1-1/2 inches from the top; the rest of the pages should return to the 1 inch margin.

Cite Sources: all direct quotes must be cited; all ideas or facts taken from some other writer, even though in your own words, must be cited. It is PLAGIARISM if you copy another's words without quoting! If you paraphrase another's ideas or words without giving credit to the author, it is also PLAGIARISM! A good student guide from Indiana University's Writing Tutorial Services can be found at Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It and an LPC guide can be found in Las Positas College Academic Honesty Statement.

Works Cited: start the list of works cited (bibliography) on a new page, following the body of the paper. Double space between the title and the first entry. Double space the entire list, between entries as well as within entries. Begin the entry flush with the left margin. If an entry runs more than one line, indent the subsequent lines five spaces from the left margin. Alphabetize the citations by the first word of each entry, ignoring A, AN and THE. See below for sample "Works Cited List."

Common Abbreviations Used in Works Cited Lists

comp. - compiler, compiled by
ed. - editor, edition, edited by
eds. - editors
n.d. - no date of publication
n.p. - no publisher given
n.p. - no place of publication
n.pag. - page numbering not available
prod. - producer, produced by
pt. - part
qtd. - quoted
rept. - report, reported by
rev. - review, reviewed by, revision, revised, revised by
rpt. - reprint, reprinted by
trans. - translator, translation, translated by
U - University
UP - University Press
vol. - volume
writ. - writer, written by
Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec.

Other Important Information

Remember that works cited lists are alphabetized by the first word of each citation.

Ignore A, AN, or THE when alphabetizing.

Double space your Works Cited List within and between entries.

Abbreviate the names of all months in dates except May, June and July.

Title your works cited list "Works Cited".

The punctuation and hanging indentation for each citation is quite important.

A printed copy of this guide is available at the Las Positas College Library at the Reference Desk for Library use.

Works Cited Sample Page

The following shows a complete works cited page for a paper on aids. Includes appropriate citations for print and online encyclopedia articles, books, magazine, newspaper, and journal articles from the actual periodicals or full-text databases, videorecordings, and a web site.

Student Last Name 15

Works Cited

"Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome." Encyclopedia Americana. Danbury CT:

Scholastic Library Pub., 2005.

Alic, Margaret. "Women and Their Health." Women's Changing Roles. Farmington Hills,

MI: Gale Group, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. LPC Library, Livermore.

27 Apr. 2003 <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/>.

Altman, Lawrence K. "Aids Rate Will Triple in 20 Years." Contra Costa Times 3 July 2002: A1.

NewsBank. LPC Library, Livermore. 24 Apr. 2003 <http://infoweb.newsbank.com/>.

Bayer, Ronald. "AIDS: Social Issues." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier, 2003. Grolier Online.

LPC Library. Livermore. 11 Aug. 2005 <http://go.grolier.com>.

"Comprehensive Guide To HIV Testing." AIDS.ORG. 27 Jun. 2003. 20 Nov.2003

<http://www.aids.org/info/testing.html>.

Cooper, Mary H. "Combating AIDS." CQ Researcher 21 Apr. 1995: 345-367. CQ Researcher

Online. LPC Library, Livermore. 25 Apr.2003 <www.thecqresearcher.com/>.

Gerhard, Susan. "Pregnant Women and Newborns Should Not Be Treated with AZT."

AIDS: Opposing Viewpoints. Eds. Tamara L. Roleff, et al. San Diego:

Greenhaven Press, 2003.

Harmon, John. AIDS in the New Millennium. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: New Media Press, 2000.

"HIV/AIDS Among US Women: Minority and Young Women at Continuing Risk."

CDC: National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention Fact Sheets. Atlanta, GA:

27 Mar. 2003. 26 Apr. 2003 <http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/women.htm>.

"HIV/AIDS in Women." AIDS Sourcebook: Health Reference Series. Ed. Karen Bellenir.

2nd ed. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 1998.

Hoskin, Fran. "Women and Health: The Pai Report Card 2002, Condoms Count in the

Era of HIV/AIDS." Women's International Network (WIN News) 31 Jan. 2003: 23.

ProQuest. GenderWatch. LPC Library, Livermore. 27 Apr. 2003

<http://proquest.umi.com/>.

"Study Analyzes Causes of Death among Women with AIDS." Women's Health Weekly

22 Aug. 2002: 17+. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. LPC Library, Livermore.

25 Apr. 2003 <http://search.epnet.com/>.

Surviving Aids. Videorecording. Prod. Elizabeth Arledge. WGBH Boston Video, 1999.

"United States HIV & AIDS Statistics: Women." AVERT.ORG. Horsham, UK: AVERT,

6 Feb. 2003. 27 Apr. 2003 <http://www.avert.org/womstata.htm>.

Use the following links to access the LPC Library short guides to citing specific types of resources in the MLA style.

Citation Examples

Email a Librarian

Library Telephone: 925.424.1150
Library Fax: 925.606.7249