In this video, we will look at how to format a Works Cited list following MLA style using Microsoft Word 2010.
We will look at how to format all Works Cited list entries as hanging indent paragraphs the easy way.
And how we can have Word sort our entire Works Cited list into alphabetical order for us.
Let me turn on the non-printing paragraph and spacing marks so we can see more clearly the paragraphs with which we’ll be working.
Let me also turn on the page ruler so we can see paragraph measurements.
So here we have on-screen an example of a Works Cited list formatted in MLA style.
In MLA style, if you have written an essay in which you have included or cited (meaning directly quoted or paraphrased or summarized)
...someone else’s words, data, original ideas or insights, you MUST include a Works Cited list of the sources of that borrowed information.
This list of Works Cited entries appears at the very end of the essay and consists of a list of works or sources...
... (such as books, articles, web pages, etc.) from which you borrowed in your essay.
How to construct an actual individual source entry in a Works Cited list is a large, complex topic for another video.
You can find the full details of MLA style in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. found at http://www.mlahandbook.org.
I’m going to limit this video to looking just at how to use Word 2010 to easily format and sort the paragraphs in a Works Cited list.
So let’s take a quick look at the formatting features of this sample MLA Works Cited list.
First, we notice that the title of the list “Works Cited” is in its own paragraph which is centered on the page.
Second, we notice that each list entry is in its own paragraph.
Next, we notice that all the paragraphs in the list are double-spaced. And there are no extra spaces between paragraphs.
Next, if an entry is longer than one line, then the second or subsequent lines wrap around and are indented 1/2 inch from the left margin.
This special paragraph format is called a hanging indent.
This format is used in a Works Cited list lets us clearly see the authors' last names to visually separate each entry in the list.
Finally, we notice that the entire list is alphabetically ordered by the authors’ last names.
The list entries are NOT numbered.
Also notice that the entries are NOT segregated by type of source. All the entries are included in a single list.
For example, the first two entries of this list are print books...
... the third entry is a signed article in an anthology...
...the fourth entry is another print book...
...while the fifth entry is a definition in a dictionary, and so on.
To demonstrate how we actually format these Works Cited paragraphs, let me zoom out so we can see both pages of our example text.
On the right is the example Works Cited list we’ve just been looking at.
On the left I have a group of paragraphs with no special formatting at all.
The list entry paragraphs contain “dummy text” so that we can focus just on formatting the paragraphs.
When we’re done, the left-hand page will look just like the right-hand page.
First, let’s give all these paragraphs double-line spacing.
Select all the list entry paragraphs we want to format by holding down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse.
(You can also select text by holding down the Shift Key and tapping the Arrow keys.)
Then click the right mouse button and on the pop-up menu select Paragraph to bring up the Paragraph Dialogue Box.
You can also invoke the Paragraph Dialogue Box by clicking on the arrow at the bottom of the Paragraph Group on the ribbon’s Home Tab.
On the Indents and Spacing tab in the Spacing group, set Line Spacing to Double.
Be sure that the Before and After controls are set to Zero. There are no extra spaces before or after any paragraphs in MLA style.
Click OK.
I click anywhere to unselect the text.
Next we need to center the “Works Cited” title paragraph.
I click anywhere inside the paragraph and then in the Paragraph Group I click the Center icon.
(You can also use the Ctrl+E keyboard shortcut to center any selected paragraph.)
Now we need to apply the hanging indent format to all the list entry paragraphs.
First we select all the list entry paragraphs we want to format.
Then click the right mouse button and on the pop-up menu select Paragraph to bring up the Paragraph Dialogue Box again.
On the Indents and Spacing tab in the Indentation Group, set the Special menu to Hanging. The BY default should be 0.5”
Notice below we can see a little Preview of the paragraph format as we work.
The Left and Right Indentations should be set to 0”.
Click OK and now all our list entries appear as hanging indent paragraphs.
The last task we can have Word do for us is sort all our list entry paragraphs alphabetically by the first word in each paragraph.
I’ve started each of these dummy list entries with an author’s name… last name comma first name period.
With the paragraphs selected, go to the Paragraph Group (Home Tab) and click on the Sort button to open the Sort Text dialogue box.
In the Sort By section, select Sort By Paragraphs… Type Text… in an Ascending order. Keep the default No Header Row.
Click OK and Word sorts the paragraphs into alphabetical order.
One note of caution when sorting...
Be careful that you have actually selected exactly the paragraphs you wish to sort.
If you do not select any paragraphs, then Word will sort ALL of your essay’s paragraphs… NOT what you want, I am sure!
And that is how to format the Works Cited list in MLA style using Word 2010. Thanks for watching.