Guide for In-Text Citations of Movies in APA Style

APA (American Psychological Association) method of citing sources in Social Sciences is very common. Students are supposed to submit term papers at the end of every semester and they are critically examined by the professors for plagiarism and source detection. If you’re a student of any such field you must have gone through the long hours of reviewing and writing researches and then scratching your head in order to cite the sources according to the demanded pattern of your professors. Here is a guide on how to cite the movies in your papers with APA styling.

Firstly understand the basics of APA. Citation & referencing is usually used for books, journals and other published material. In that case author’s surname is followed by year of publication, and sometimes the page number writer of the research paper is referring too. These all are written in a bracket & separated by a comma for example (Peter, 1990, pg#61). Learn this basic method of citation and proceed further. When citing a movie, we use the dialogue in inverted commas as a direct quote. This is similar to the use of a sentence from any published source.

Director/Producer name: In case of citing a movie you will have to use the surnames of director/producer followed by the year your referenced movie was released. If you want to clarify further, you can also add the name of the scene in place of the page number (as done for books).

Movie name: Another method used for in-text citation of movies is to use the name of the movie and the year of release, for example (Titanic, 1997). This is comparatively more convenient method of citing movies and will be clearer to the reader as well.

Actors and characters: You can also use the name of actor/character who has spoken the dialogue if that is the reason of fame. In APA styling we must use the reference as past tense so when quoting a dialogue write it as; Johnny Depp stated ‘’not all treasure is silver and gold mate’’ (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, 2003)

Timestamp: Timestamp is another very effective method that can be used to cite a movie or any other visual material. In place of author name you just have to add the timestamp along with the name of the movie/director/actor in APA style. 

A Guide for Parenthetical Citation in MLA Style

Researchers in Liberal art and Humanities most commonly use MLA (Modern Language Association) style citations in their research works. The practice is done to acknowledge the sources that researchers are referring to, in a specific part of the research. Following are the basic formats through which works are cited.

1.  Author Name: Generally the researcher provides last name of the author and page number that is being quoted. In example one the author name is given in single phrase so the parenthetical citation doesn’t repeat the information. However, in example two author’s name is mentioned in citation.

Example 1: Wilson wrote, ‘’due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (243). 

Example 2: ‘’Due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (Wilson 243).

In the above mentioned case, if anyone wants more information about the referenced source, they can find it on referencing page researcher has given in the end.

2.    Unknown Author: In a scenario where the author is unknown, the name of the book, article, journal or any other source can be cited along with the page number.

For example: ‘’Due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (‘’Relation of crime to the society’’ 243)

3.    Multiple Authors: When citing a work that has more than one author, MLA style uses last names of all the authors either in a single phrase or in parenthetical citation.

For example: Wilson, Murray & Spector stated, ‘’due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (243). 

‘’Due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (Wilson, Murray & Spector 243).

4.    Multivolume Work: You may come across information that has been given in multiple volumes of publication. In that case you can cite the source according to the following examples.

‘’Due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (Wilson 3:243).  Or ‘’Crime & poverty are two inseparable phenomenon’’ (Wilson 4:14)

5.   Indirect Sources: While researching you may find important information with no source mentioned. In such case, use the secondhand source and mention its author’s name followed by the page number.

For Example: Wilson claims that ‘’due to the increase in poverty, crime rate has also increased over the years’’ (qtd. in Ross 266). 

Tips and Techniques to Write a Good Plot Symbolism Essay

Teachers in colleges often asked their students to produce an essay on plot and symbolism of a book or novel. I hope that these tips will help you to get through your assignment next time.

Understand the basic: To write a good plot & symbolism essay, you need to understand what these terms actually mean. Plot is the central idea around which the whole story revolves and symbolism is the support writer gives to the plot through words, actions & circumstances. Strong plot and symbolism play a vital role in the uplift of any literary piece. If the plot is weak or the symbols are poorly connected to the plot, the writing work loses its charm.

Read the Story: In order to write a good plot symbolism essay you must read the story thoroughly. You need to know what happens from the first page till the last. If you show even a little bit of reluctance in doing so, your analysis on the story will be weak and the essay will turn out to be low quality.

Take notes: While reading the story there will be various things you will find interesting and some things that are repeatedly mentioned. Remember! These are important things. Note them down in rough work, this will help you later. If there’s anything that you’re unable to understand or find irrelevant write that down too. You will be able to produce a better writing piece if you add both positive & negative remarks in your rough work.

Point out the plot: Once you’re done with the reading, identify the plot and be critical in its analysis. A good plot must not be vague, predictable or far from reality. If you find any of these characteristics in the plot then you can mention the weaknesses of writer in your essay.

Investigate interaction: Plot and symbols will continuously interact throughout the story. If you find these two things disconnected then you must know that the writer didn’t fulfill his job of satisfying the readers. On the contrary, a good writing piece will have a smooth flow between plot and symbols. Carefully analyze this relationship.

Start writing: Once you’re done with the analysis process pick up your pen and start writing your essay. In introductory paragraph give a brief introduction of the story you’ve read and then give your analysis in the body paragraphs. Conclude your essay with your remarks on how satisfactory the story was, and mention the flaws (critically evaluated) if you claim otherwise.

Steps to Write a Good Concept Essay for College English

This blog discusses steps to produce a good concept essay that will be adding a little to knowledge of both you and your readers.

Choose Topic: The best thing about concept essays is that they give us information that we’re generally unaware of or too uninterested to know. These essays are usually written on abstract topics such as feelings, values and ideas due to their vast possibilities of exploration. So when you’re about to start an essay choose a topic that interests you. It can be anything you’ve thought about for a long time or you may opt for an unexplored ground.

Audience: Selection of essay topic and audience (which you may or may not select) go hand in hand. If you’re given opportunity to select the audience then choose people who would be interested in reading about your topic. In other scenario where you’re writing for pre-decided audience, choose a topic that will suit your audience’s taste. Remember! Your readers are your biggest asset and they will determine the success of your essay.

Extensive Research: Research is the most important step of any writing procedure. Make sure you do plenty of research and homework before you start the journey of your brilliant concept essay. You need to have command on what you’re about to write, that will reflect on the quality of your essay. Concept essays with poor research do not stand a chance of becoming reader’s favorite.

Introduce: Start writing with a strong introduction of your topic. Use attention grabbing yet easy words. Engage with your readers from the very first paragraph and explain to them the topic you’re writing about. Remember! A good introduction will determine the interest of reader throughout the writing piece. In case your introduction is weak readers will lose interest in rest of the writing piece, no matter how hard you’ve worked. Introduction is the backbone of any essay.

Create the flow: After the introduction it’s the body paragraphs that will lift up your topic. Write supportive or explanatory sentences related to your topic. Try not to drag one explanation for very long. With each paragraph create a flow of ideas and relate it to the previous paragraph which will ultimately support the topic you’ve chosen.

Conclude: It is said that best concept essays end with a thought provoking note. Conclude your essay with a strong point on which your reader can ponder upon. Make your readers feel that you’ve put in hard work and thought process in writing & that they have also gained something from reading your essay and let them explore the concept further.

5 Simple Steps to Tackle the Monster of Mathematics

Math can be intimidating for a lot of people. Here are a few ways to overcome your math block and acing the subject next time.

Fight the fear: The very beginning of math block is when you start fearing the subject. The very core of the problem is the anxiety and negative belief you have regarding the subject. It might be due to a failed test in early classes or a teacher that made you hate math. The good news is that if only you try and fight your fear you can become a champ at the very subject you’re scared of. Yes, mathematics can be excelled by every human on this planet due to the smartest brain given to mankind. The need of the day is to open the chamber of intelligence and get rid of your fear. This is the first step to success.

Skip the myths: You think that you don’t have the innate capability of learning math? Do you believe that mathematics is just not your forte? Or are you a female who thinks that men are generally better at math? Well if you’re saying yes to any of these above stated questions then we’re glad to inform you that you’re wrong and these are just myths. Experts believe that mathematic learning ability is equal in each individual and it’s just a learning procedure one needs to fulfill. If you get rid of your believes in these myths today you can score a 10/10 on math test tomorrow. Believe in your ability and nothing else!

Practice the problems: We know that if you hate/are scared of Mathematics, you’ve always left your math homework for the last minute and often didn’t do it. Quit that practice today and start prioritizing math. The best way to tackle math problem is to practice its problems. Dedicate an hour or two of your daily routine to math and practice a lot. You’ll see that a month of this practice will result in miracles and you’ll be the topper in mathematics exam next time.

Phone a friend: They say that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Well, now mathematic will strengthen this bond of your friendship even more. You must have friends that you secretly envy due to their flair in math skills. It’s time to seek their help in your math problems. Spend time with your math champ buddy, ask them to teach you, practice together and learn better. You can also count on your parents, your teachers and other people who you’ve seen beating mathematics. Learn from the people around you.

In any case, don’t quit mathematics. Practice, learn & beat it!