MLA Style Center

Summary: We learned more about and formatting Modern Language Association (MLA) Works Cited. Then, collaboratively, we made sure you know more about the steps of the research process, the key terms of academic writing, narrowing down a research topic, finding reliable and solid research material, and taking useful notes. We also carefully considered and followed the activities of Alex Essay Writing Tool, steps 4 -6.

“The best time to plan a book is while you’re doing the dishes.”

~ Agatha Christie

Alex Essay Writing Tool Step 04 – Parts of your essay

Alex Essay Writing Tool Step 05 – Now you can read

Alex Essay Writing Tool Step 06 – Balance

Homework due by 4PM on 06/21/2023 by taking photos of your notes and insert all the photos in your Google Document under the titles Research Article #3 in your shared Google document, which should be general or wide readings.

Note-taking Sample A on the Death Penalty and COVID-19

Amnesty International, “Death Penalty 2020: Despite Covid-19, Some Countries

Ruthlessly Pursued Death Sentences and Executions.” Amnesty International, 20

04 2021,  https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/death-penalty-2020-despite-covid-19-

some-countries-ruthlessly-pursued-death-sentences-and-executions/ 

MLA Note-taking Sample B on Freedom of Speech:

Miklaszewska, Justyna. “Freedom of Speech in Modern Political Culture.” Avant: Journal

of the Philosophical-Interdisciplinary Vanguard 10, 77-88, 30 June 2019, pp. 77-88,

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7513/20f2b891b74388e4fb533f948b18dd71c14d.pdf?

_ga=2.106479559.577207015.1622045798-1412271447.1622045798.

Instructions for Homework Content:

1. Researching and taking notes on one issue: Please, research the SAME research issue using one Internet, book, newspaper, or journal articles about a topic that you are passionate to write. Focusing on the causes and also the basic information if needed. There are five search engine links below with many materials and themes. Then take two or more pages of notes for each article using the keywords on the pages. Remember to write the author’s name(s), the date, and page or paragraph numbers if you use direct quotations. Try to summarize your work. Could you put the pictures of your notes in your shared Google Document under Research Article #3 in your shared file so I can edit your MLA Works Cited?

Documents:

Quick Guide to Citing in MLA 9th Edition

MLA 9th Quick Guide

Student-Sample-MLA-Paper

How to Find an Issue to Research

Free Database Engines off Campus to collect research for your MLA Paper: 

New! Zenbird Media: Topics & Issues: Do you often think about researching issues related to your local community, or Japan in general, but find the data in the Japanese language. Then, Zenbird Media is for you! They make a beautiful website for professors, so we can focus on giving students feedback rather than building websites.

Carrot 2 Carrot helps you find topics related to your search term. After entering the term you enter and then click on ‘search,’ you can choose to see the results as a list, treemap, or pie chart that helps you visualize your issue and narrow your search at the same time.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): DOAJ is a community-designed and maintained online journal directory that provides you access to robust, open access, peer-reviewed journals. This search engine is independent, and it is free including being indexed in DOAJ. Please use this engine for topical issues and authors, and you might find research that provides evidential content for your academic essay. DOAJ is an educational outreach search engine that focuses on high-quality applications and submissions.

Google Scholar: Google scholar helps you do a broad or narrow search of articles. It also helps you cite your “references” for APA and “work cited” for MLA!

CORE Research Engine UK: This research search engine claims to be the largest open-access research database in the world giving free access to 1-This website is very informative and easy to understand, where you might find research on your issue from Professor Andy Barfield:

Global Issues Resources –Specifically in relation to Chuo University Faculty of Law English courses, this website has been designed by Andy Barfield and his research team for supporting student research from 2014 in the Basic Research and Writing (English ‘C’)  and Introduction to Communication and Research (Listening and Speaking ‘P’ Level). More generally, his team hopes that this website is useful for students and other people in Japan (and in other countries) to develop our knowledge and critical understanding of different global issues. Thank you, Andy!

Yippy gives you lists of related issues to the left. For example, if you search for ‘poverty’, then Yippy can also find information on poverty + children, poverty + hunger, poverty law, extreme poverty, and other related issues.

2. An option to do Write & Improve practice essay:

 Please follow the instructions as best you can following one of the five essays you chose to write this quarter. You can write again and again following the guidance to improve your score. All essays are due on 07/31/2023.