How to Write an Abstract

by Joseph Wallace

An abstract of a work, usually of an essay, is a concise summary of its main points . . . Read More

What percent of a source may I directly quote in my paper?

Writers, including student writers, should quote only what is necessary to make their point. Relying on a percentage to determine what’s necessary is unlikely to… Read More

When I use too in the sense of “also,” should I use a comma before it?

In most cases, you need not use a comma before too at the end of a sentence or commas around it midsentence: She likes chocolate chip… Read More

How do I style percentages?

The general guideline is to use the percentage symbol with numerals and to use the word percent with spelled-out numbers. In statistical copy that calls… Read More

I am writing my thesis in British English. Can I still use MLA style?

Yes. The MLA’s system for documenting sources is used throughout the world and may be adapted to many contexts. Follow the guidelines in the MLA Handbook… Read More

If I repeatedly use a quotation from the same source, do I need to use quotation marks each time?

You should generally use quotation marks if you repeat a quotation from the same source, but you may omit quotation marks when referring back to a… Read More

How do I eliminate back-to-back parentheses in a sentence?

To eliminate back-to-back parentheses in a sentence, you should generally reword:   Original:  The General Franco Institute published the most important Spanish colonial work on Andalusi… Read More

Does MLA style allow the use of slashed terms?

The slash is rarely necessary in formal prose. It mainly appears when two terms are paired as opposites or alternatives and used together as a… Read More

If I cite a work that has no page numbers and I give the author’s name at the beginning of my sentence, how does the reader know where the author’s idea ends, since there is no parenthetical citation?

As the MLA Handbook notes, when you borrow an idea from a source, “it is important to signal at the end . . . that you are… Read More

Should I italicize titles not written in the Latin alphabet?

No. Note that there are many languages in the world that do not have an italic font—Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Armenian, for example. Arabic sometimes uses a… Read More