Documentation

"You may certainly use other persons' words and thoughts in your paper,
but the borrowed material must not seem your creation"

-- Joe Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Paper, 5th Ed., p. 31.

What constitutes borrowed material?

     Most teachers at HMHS require students to use the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) format to document sources cited in their research papers.  The format is based on MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Ed..  Our library has copies shelved in the Reference Area (REF 808.027 MLA).

     The MLA "format" was written for documenting research in English and the humanities.  There are several other formats that have been created for specific disciplines.  The webpage Research and Documentation Online by Diana Hacker is very useful in learning about these other formats (e.g. American Psychological Association (APA), University of Chicago, and Council of Biology Editors (CSE)).

     Online tools known as "bibliography generators" are available to support writers.  The HMHS library subscribes to NoodleBib.  Instructions to create a NoodleBib account are located below.  NoodleBib also supports the creation of notecards and outlines.

     There are several other generators available for free via the web such as EasyBib and BibMe.   Links to additional web-based resources that support MLA, and other documentation styles, are listed below.

NoodleBib

     Guides the user through the creation of a "Works Cited" list in MLA style or a "Reference List" in APA style.  Our school subscription allows students and staff to establish a personal account where they can save numerous lists.  Ask the librarian for the password needed to establish an account.  This password is also listed on the subscription database webpage.  This secure webpage can be accessed with a Haddonfield School District computer network username and password.

 MLA Formatting and Style Guide
by the
Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Documenting Sources:
MLA Style: English and Other Humanities
based on the print booklet Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age, Fourth Edition, by Diana Hacker.

MLA and APA Style Guides
by Valencia Community College,
Orlando, Florida.