Documenting Sources from the World Wide Web

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Guide for Elementary Grade Students

MLA Style

APA Style

 

 

 

 

 

Guide for Elementary Grade Students

All students need to learn to respect the intellectual property of others. Even young students can create simple bibliographies or works cited documents.  

Young students can write or type the name of the author and the name of the book, magazine, or article. For a Web site, it is easy to learn how to copy and paste the URL and locate the name of the site.

Following are some online resources:

First Grade Bibliographic Format*

Second Grade Bibliographical Format*

Third Grade Bibliographical Format*

Fourth Grade Bibliography*

Fifth Grade Bibliography*

Sixth Grade Bibliography*

Creating Citations with Online Tools

The following Web sites allow you to paste or type information about the Web site you wish to cite. Then with a click of a button, it will provide the appropriate formatting, which you can then copy and paste into your Works Cited document.

NoodleBib MLA Starter*

You need to create a free account to access the citation tool. Allows the user to create different lists for different projects, save the completed works cited page as a Word file or email the list in Rich Text Format (RTF) that can be opened by any word processing program.

Landmarks for School: Citation Machine*

Provides citation format for both MLA and APA. Copy and paste the citation into your own document

 

MLA Style

A Works Cited document is an alphabetical listing of all sources cited in a scholarly research document or presentation.  This document only details the MLA (Modern Language Association) citing style.  Information for APA style is available in “Documenting Sources–APA Style”.

Web Sites for Citing Online Sources - MLA Style

Modern Language Association (MLA)* (Select MLA Style from the menu)

Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab*

 

Writer’s Workshop: Bibliography Styles Handbook, MLA Format*

 

LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE: Citation Guides for Electronic Documents*

A large list of style guides and resources on the Web for different types of citation styles, including MLA.

 

Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism: Documentation Guidelines*  

Although geared toward higher education students, this has helpful information for middle school and high school students, or their teachers. Gives examples of APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian citation styles.

Creating MLA Citations with Online Tools

The following Web sites allow you to paste or type information about the Web site you wish to cite. Then with a click of a button, it will provide the appropriate formatting, which you can then copy and paste into your Works Cited document.

NoodleBib MLA Starter*

At the site, click on MLA Starter. NoodleBib MLA Starter is designed for students in grades 1-5 (but would work fine for older students as well), introducing students to the basics of citing a source. MLA Starter gives the student clear, color-coded examples of how to cite the sources they are most likely to encounter (printed and online books, reference sources, magazines, newspapers, etc.). Students can access their list later and  continue to add to it, as well print, download, or email their complete works cited list (as an RTF document).

NoteStar*

Teachers can assign this online note-taker tool to their classes for an internet project, creating a roster for the assignment. Students will be issued a user name (for individual student use or group use), and will keep track of their notes and web sites used while conducting research on the internet. Registration is required. The program was designed for 4th thru 12th grade students. When notes are completed, students can create a bibliography in MLA or APA format with a click of a button.

Landmarks for School: Citation Machine*

Provides citation format for books, journal articles, newspapers or magazine articles, Web sites, email messages, and interviews. It appears to be MLA format, but it does not state what style it uses. Once you paste it into your Works Cited document, you will still need to double-space and create a hanging indent.

Microsoft Template Gallery: Publications and Education*

You can download templates for use in Microsoft Word*, PowerPoint* and Excel. Examples of available templates include research paper template in APA or MLA format, graph paper, student certificates, essay test, grade book, seating chart, tests, back-to-school presentation, and more.

Resources for Documenting Electronic Sources*

 

General Rules for Citing Electronic Sources – MLA Style

• When listing an online source originally printed in a book or journal or other printed format, use the general guidelines you would use to cite the printed form. Then follow it with information that tells where you found the source on the Internet.
• Indent ½” after the first line of each entry (hanging indent) and double-space.
• Alphabetize entries by author; if no author is given, begin with title.
• When citing electronic sources, you should include both the date of original publication (if available) and the date that the material was accessed. 
• Add the electronic address (URL) used to access the document (e.g., <http://www.nhmccd.edu/lrc/kc>.)  NOTE: The address should be given inside angle brackets: <http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook>.  Put a period at the end of the bracket.
• For more help, refer to the new MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 4th ed (rules 4.9.3 and 4.10.7)

 

 

Citing Web Pages – MLA Style (Sites or pages originally created for publication on the Internet)

Include the following items if available in this order (the most often used elements are in bold):

1. Name of the author (if given; includes names of people, companies, organizations, agencies).
2. Title of the poem, short story, article, or similar short work within a scholarly project, database, or periodical (in quotation marks).
3. Title of the original print book (underlined).
4. Name of the editor, compiler, or translator of the text (if relevant and not cited earlier), preceded by the appropriate abbreviation, such as Ed.
5. Publication information for any print version of the source.
6. Title of the scholarly project, database, periodical, or professional or personal web site (underlined) or a description if no title, such as Home page (not underlined).
7. Version number of the source or other identifying number (volume, issue, etc.).
8. Date of creation, publication, or copyright, and date last updated.
9. Name of subscription service, discussion list, or forum.
10. The number range or total number of pages, paragraphs, or other sections, if they are numbered.
11. Name of person, agency, institution, or organization sponsoring or associated with this site.
12. Date you accessed this web site or page.
13. Internet address in angle brackets; or, for a subscription service, the URL of the service’s main page (if known) or the keyword assigned by the service.

Basic Web Page Citing:

Last name, First name of Author and any other Authors. “Title of Work.” Name of Site. Date of Posting/Revision. Organization. Date of Access <URL>.

E-Mail

1. Writer
2. Subject or title of document if given (enclosed in quotation marks.)
3. A description of the document that includes the recipient's name (e.g. "E-Mail to Peggy Whitley")
4. Date of the document

 

E-mail Citing Example:

 

Author. "Title of the message (if any)." E-mail to recipient’s name. Date of the message.

 

APA Style

A Reference document is an alphabetical listing of all sources cited in a scholarly research document or presentation. This document only details the APA (American Psychological Association) citing style. 

Web Sites for Citing Online Sources - APA Style

Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological Association*  

Using APA Style to Cite and Document Sources*

Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format*  

Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism: Documentation Guidelines*

Although geared toward higher education students, this has helpful information for middle school and high school students, or their teachers. Gives examples of APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian citation styles.

 

Creating APA Citations with Online Tools

The following Web sites allow you to paste or type information about the Web site you wish to cite. Then with a click of a button, it will provide the appropriate formatting, which you can then copy and paste into your Works Cited document.

NoteStar*  

Teachers can assign this online note-taker tool to their classes for an internet    project, creating a roster for the assignment. Students will be issued a user name (for individual student use or group use), and will keep track of their notes and web sites used while conducting research on the internet. Registration is required. The program was designed for 4th thru 12th grade students.  When notes are completed, students can create a bibliography in MLA or APA format with a click of a button.

Microsoft Template Gallery: Publications and Education*

You can download templates for use in Microsoft Word*, PowerPoint* and Excel*. Examples of available templates include research paper template in APA or MLA format, graph paper, student certificates, essay test, grade book, seating chart, tests, back-to-school presentation, and more.

Resources for Documenting Electronic Sources*

 

General Rules for Citing Electronic Sources – APA Style

·         Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited. Whenever possible, refer to specific Web pages, rather than home or top menu pages.

·         Double-space the reference list with a hanging indent.

·         APA style recommends the use of italics, rather than underlining, for titles. However, if the instructor requires adherence to older rules, use underlining.

·         Invert all authors’ names using only the initials of the first and middle names (e.g., Smith, J. J.). Use commas to separate multiple authors.

·         An author could be an organization or group. If there is no author, move the title to the author position before the date of publication or posting.

·         Alphabetize the list of citations by each entry’s first significant word (not an, the, etc.). Alphabetize entries with numbers as if the numbers were spelled out.

·         The publication or posting date is to be placed within parenthesis. If there is no date, include “n.d.” in parenthesis, for example: (n.d.).

·         An article, subtitle, or chapter is typed in plain text (no italics or quotation marks). Capitalize only the first word.

·         A title of a book, periodical, brochure, report, or Web site is typed in italics.

·         For non-Web resources, include the city and the publisher of the work in the following format: City: Publisher. If the city could be confused with another or is not well-known, include the state and/or country.

·         For a Web site citation, include the words “Retrieved from” before the Web address (URL). Do not type a period after the URL; however, any other type of source requires a period at the end.

 

Citing Web Pages – APA Style (Sites or pages originally created for publication on the Internet)

Include the following items if available in this order (the most often used elements are in bold):

1. Name of the author (if given; includes names of people, companies, organizations, agencies). Last name comma then first initials (Smith, J.J.). If there is an editor or translator include: (Ed.) or (Trans.)
2. Date of publication or posting in parenthesis
3. Title of the poem, short story, article, or similar short work within a scholarly project, database, or periodical in plain text.
4. Title of the scholarly project, database, periodical, or professional or personal web site in italics.
5. Version number of the source or other identifying number (volume, issue, etc.).
6. The number range or total number of pages, paragraphs, or other sections, if they are numbered.
7. The word Retrieved then the date of access (formatted as: month, day, year,) and the word from.
8. The name of the agency, institution, or organization sponsoring or associated with this site. If this is included, add the words Web site:
9. The Internet address in plain text with no period at the end of the URL.

 

Basic Web Page Citing:

Author, A. A. (date of posting). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from organization name Web site: URL