Once you have made a decision, you should generate keywords. Keywords are search terms that you use when searching for information about your topic. The above video explains how you can write keywords. Watch it, then continue reading this section.
Let's pose an example: you're writing about virtue ethics. Your keywords could include:
When writing keywords or even starting philosophical research, it can be very helpful to get some background information first. A database like CREDO Reference is perfect for this task. Read an article or two about your topic so that you become more familiar with it. This will make it easier to select keywords and to know if information sources that you find are actually relevant. I want to stress how important and useful it is to do this step. Philosophy, like many academic fields, has its own specialized vocabulary. A short article summarizing your topic, such as a few paragraphs on virtue ethics, clues you into that vocabulary.
Most of the library's resources, including news articles, journal articles, videos, ebooks, and print books, can be searched through this single search portal. This video shows you how to use it.
You must cite your sources according to the MLA style of documentation.
This is our video that introduces MLA documentation. I urge you to watch the entire video carefully before starting to write your paper. It is much easier to cite correctly as you go along, rather than try to fix your documentation after you have written your paper.
This is our sample paper. You can model the formatting of your paper after this one. If you are unsure how to set up the formatting in Microsoft Word so that it fits the requirements for MLA formatting, you could instead download this blank Word document that has the formatting already set up for you.
This is our 2-page handout that summarizes the MLA style. It includes most of the types of sources that students commonly use.
