Lesson Plan-Proper Citation for Research Paper

Introduction
8 min.

Focus/Objective
2 min.

Because most university foreign language departments and

foreign language teachers require students to cite their
resource sources in MLA format, I would like to introduce or go
over this format with my students to make sure they will be
able to use the MLA format when they do their research
papers for my Spanish class. I will begin by explaining to
students the requirements of their research paper. I broke the
due dates of the research paper components into sections so
that students will not procrastinate.
These objectives come from the NC Standard Course of
Study.
6.1

Acquire information from a variety of authentic sources.

6.4

Transfer information acquired in the foreign language

class for uses in other disciplines

6.5

Recognize and apply learning strategies, processes, and

skills from other disciplines.

Teacher Input
20 min.

The teacher will explain the research paper details to the

students that are found on the handout following this page.
Then the teacher will pass out the following hand out to
students and will go over the information on it, answering any
questions that students may have regarding citation.
Guided Practice
Then, students will complete the activity at the bottom of the
10 min.
worksheet along with the help of the teacher.
Independent Practice
Next, students will go to the library with the teacher. They will
30 min.
be allowed to search on the Internet or in any books or
journals for information that could be useful to them for their
research paper. They must make note cards with the
information they hope to include in their paper on one side and
then how they will put it on their works cited page on the back.
Evaluation/Assessment The teacher will meet individually with students to determine
13 min.
how many possible sources they have found. Students must
have chosen a topic and found at least two possible sources
by the end of the class period.
Conclusion
The teacher will remind students of the paper due dates and
2 min.
that if they need any assistance they need to ask her.
Students must then take out a sheet of paper and write in their
own words why it is important for them to cite their sources.
They must turn in this sheet of paper before leaving the
classroom.
Approximate length of lesson/activity: 1 hr 30 min.

Research Paper Directions

This course requires all students to write a 3-5-page research paper
in English on any topic of their choice related to Spanish language or
culture. Students could write about a cultural aspect of a Spanish-speaking
country, a popular celebration in one of these countries, food of the
countries, dialects, important political events or time periods during the
history of one of the countries, or an important person from that country.
Use what you have learned in class to decide what topic you would like to
choose. Try to remember something that interested you. If you need help
choosing a topic, please come see me.
Requirements
This paper should be double-spaced, with a 12-point font in Times
New Roman. Students should consult at least one book source and one
Internet source with the third source being any source of their choice.
Students are required to have three sources but may have more. Students
must use MLA format to document their sources. Students will also be
required to make a 5-minute presentation to the class based on their
research on the date the paper is due. This presentation should include a
visual aid. Dont just read your paper!! Be creative and ask for help if you
need it!! I cant wait to hear what you have learned!
Important Dates
September 30-Choose a topic
Locate 2 possible sources and make 4 note cards (2
for each source) (10 points)
October 15- All sources and note cards must be checked by
teacher. (10 points)
October 30- Rough draft of paper is due. (10 points)
November 5- Rough drafts will be returned to you.
November 12-Final drafts (50 points) are due along with presentation
(20 points).

Total points: 100

For each day that an assignment is late the student will lose 5
points off of the final grade for the paper.
Approximate length of lesson/activity: 1 hr 30 min.

Useful Tips for MLA Citation

Remember, citing your source is important because it gives credit to the original author.
It is important to give credit so that you are not plagiarizing. Here are some commonly
used examples of how to correctly cite your sources in the paper and then how to put
them on your works cited page.
Fiction Books
The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won
a handful of converts, and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding
towns and villages. That was a source of great sorrow to the leaders of the clan;
but many of them believed that the strange faith and the white mans god would
not last. None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the
assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title (Achebe 143).
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. 1959*. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.
*Note: The reason this date is located here is because this book was first published in
1959 and then republished in 1994.
Nonfiction Books
The history of religions teaches us that, at one time or another, almost everything has
been considered sacred (Carrasco 65).
Carrasco, Davd. Religions of Mesoamerica.
Publishers, 1990.

San Francisco: Harper & Row,

The pelucones, or bigwigs, as the conservatives were called, were the realists of
revolutionary Chile (Worcester 54).
Worcester, Donald E. & Schaeffer, Wendell G. The Growth and Culture of Latin
America: The Continuing Struggle for Independence. 2nd ed. 2 vols. New York, Oxford
University Press: 1971.
Journal Articles
A learning style can be defined as a cognitive, affective, physiological trait that is a
relatively stable indicator of how learners perceive, interact with, and respond to the
learning environment (Park 443).
Park, C. Crosscultural Differences in learning styles of secondary English learners.
Bilingual Research Journal 26.2. (Summer 2002.) 443-461.

Approximate length of lesson/activity: 1 hr 30 min.

Internet Sites
It may be trickier to find information for an Internet site than for books, magazines, or
journals. If you have a problem, find as much of the information listed as you can.
Title of the site. Ed. Name. Date of publication/update. Name institution. Access Date
& URL.
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2002. Encyclopedia Britannica. 10 December 2005
http://www.britannica.com/.

Now, you try to fill in the following information. We will go over the activity in 10
minutes. You may work in pairs.
1. How would you put the information from this book on your works cited page?
Author: Charlotte Bronte
Copyright date: 1960
Publisher: New American Library
Place of publication: New York
Title: Jane Eyre

2. How would you cite information from your textbook and add it to your works cited
page?

3. How would you put the information from this website on your works cited page?
Author: none
Organization: Oxfam
Access date: 12/5/05
Title: Cool Planet for teachers
URL: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/

4. Which of the following is the correct way to cite your source within the document?
___Make sure you cite your sources correctly. (Hayworth 2)
___Make sure you cite your sources correctly (Hayworth 2).
___Make sure you cite your sources correctly (Hayworth 2).
___Make sure you cite your sources correctly, Hayworth 2.

Approximate length of lesson/activity: 1 hr 30 min.

Approximate length of lesson/activity: 1 hr 30 min.