Documentation - Preparing a List of Works Cited

 Documentation - Preparing a List of Works Cited

Part I: Annotated Bibliography

Chosen Topic: Women Writers and Feminist Literary Discourse

This topic allows engagement with literary criticism, cultural debates, media, and theory while offering varied qualitative source types.

1. Journal Article

Elaine Showalter. “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 8, no. 2, 1981, pp. 179–205.

Annotation (≈85 words):

Showalter’s influential essay traces the evolution of feminist literary criticism and proposes gynocriticism as a framework for studying women’s writing on its own terms. She critiques male-dominated literary canons and argues for recognizing women’s literary traditions. This article is essential for understanding how women writers have been historically marginalized and how feminist criticism seeks to recover their voices. It provides strong theoretical grounding for research on women writers and gendered literary histories.

2. Book

Virginia Woolf. A Room of One’s Own. Hogarth Press, 1929.

Annotation (≈90 words):

Woolf’s extended essay examines the material, social, and intellectual conditions required for women to write. Through historical reflection and narrative experimentation, Woolf argues that economic independence and personal space are essential for women’s creative freedom. The text remains foundational to feminist literary studies, as it connects gender inequality with literary production. This book is valuable for exploring how patriarchal structures shape women’s authorship and literary visibility.

3. Book Chapter

Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar. “The Madwoman in the Attic.” The Madwoman in the Attic, Yale UP, 1979, pp. 3–44.

Annotation (≈85 words):

This chapter analyzes nineteenth-century women writers and the symbolic figure of the “madwoman” as a representation of suppressed female creativity. Gilbert and Gubar argue that women authors often encoded resistance within their texts due to restrictive gender norms. The chapter is important for understanding feminist reinterpretations of canonical literature and the psychological dimensions of women’s writing. It is widely cited in feminist literary criticism and gender studies.

4. Encyclopedia Entry

Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Feminist Literary Criticism.”

Annotation (≈60 words):

This encyclopedia entry offers a concise overview of feminist literary criticism, outlining its origins, major theorists, and critical goals. It situates women writers within broader literary movements and explains key concepts in accessible language. The source is useful for establishing foundational definitions and historical context for research on women’s writing and feminist theory.

5. News Article

The Guardian. “Why Are Women Writers Still Underrated?” 2021.

Annotation (≈70 words):

This article discusses the ongoing gender gap in publishing, literary awards, and critical recognition. Drawing on interviews, statistics, and contemporary examples, it highlights how women writers continue to face structural disadvantages. As a journalistic source, it connects feminist literary debates with present-day cultural realities, making it useful for contextualizing academic discussions within lived experiences.

6. Video (Lecture / Talk)

TED. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “We Should All Be Feminists.” 2012.

Annotation (≈75 words):

In this widely viewed talk, Adichie reflects on gender inequality, storytelling, and cultural expectations placed on women. While not strictly literary criticism, the talk provides insight into how women writers negotiate identity, voice, and representation. The video serves as an accessible qualitative source that complements theoretical texts by foregrounding personal narrative and contemporary feminist thought.

7. Webpage

Poetry Foundation. “Women Poets.”

Annotation (≈65 words):

This webpage curates biographical profiles, poems, and critical materials related to women poets across periods and cultures. It highlights the diversity of women’s poetic voices and literary contributions. The source is valuable for exploratory research, offering primary texts alongside contextual information that supports the study of women writers and gendered literary traditions.

8. Image (Visual Cultural Source)

British Library. Manuscript images of women writers.

Annotation (≈55 words):

Archival images of manuscripts by women writers visually demonstrate women’s historical engagement with literary production. These materials emphasize authorship, material culture, and recovery of marginalized voices. As a qualitative visual source, such images support feminist scholarship by making women’s literary labour visible and materially grounded.

Part II: Inclusive Language Analysis (MLA 9th Edition)

Selected Research Article (Identity Focus: Women Writers)

Showalter, Elaine. “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness.”

Application of MLA’s 7 Principles of Inclusive Language

Based on the MLA Handbook, 9th edition 

Respectful Representation:

Showalter discusses women writers without stereotyping or diminishing their intellectual agency.

Avoidance of Biased Terminology:

She avoids sexist or reductive language and critiques male-centered critical traditions.

Recognition of Historical Marginalization:

The introduction explicitly acknowledges how literary history has excluded women, aligning with MLA’s emphasis on naming systems of oppression.

Precision and Context:

Rather than universalizing women’s experiences, Showalter situates women writers within specific cultural and historical contexts.

Ethical Scholarly Responsibility:

The article foregrounds women as knowledge producers, not merely as subjects, which reflects inclusive scholarly practice.

Conclusion of Analysis

The introductory section of Showalter’s article strongly aligns with MLA’s inclusive language principles, particularly in its ethical framing, respectful terminology, and critical awareness of power structures. Although written before the MLA 9th edition, the article anticipates contemporary standards of inclusivity, making it an excellent example of responsible feminist scholarship.

Long Question :

Discuss the difference Between MLA 7th and 8th Edition

The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides a standardized documentation style widely used in the humanities, especially in literature, cultural studies, and language studies. The MLA 7th Edition (published in 2009) was designed mainly for print-based sources, while the MLA 8th Edition (introduced in 2016) represents a major shift to accommodate digital, online, and multimedia sources. The differences between the two editions reflect changing research practices and technological developments.

1. Citation Philosophy and Structure

• The most fundamental difference lies in their approach to citation.MLA 7th Edition follows a source-specific citation system, meaning each type of source (book, journal article, website, film, etc.) has its own fixed format.
• MLA 8th Edition adopts a universal citation framework applicable to all types of sources.

This change simplifies citation rules and reduces confusion, as students no longer need to memorize different formats.

2. Introduction of Core Elements (MLA 8)

MLA 8 introduced nine Core Elements, which form the foundation of every citation:

• Author
• Title of Source
• Title of Container
• Other Contributors
• Version
• Number
• PublisherPublication Date
• Location

• MLA 7 had no such unified system; details varied according to the source.
• MLA 8 requires arranging these elements in a fixed order, ending each with punctuation.

This framework allows flexibility and consistency across traditional and digital sources.

3. Concept of “Container”

• MLA 7th Edition does not use the concept of a container.
• MLA 8th Edition introduces containers, referring to the larger work in which a source appears.

For example:

• A journal article is contained within a journal.
• A video is contained within YouTube.
• An article accessed through a database has two containers.

This concept reflects modern research practices involving databases and online platforms.

4. Medium of Publication

• MLA 7 required specifying the medium of the source, such as Print, Web, DVD, etc.
• MLA 8 eliminates the medium entirely.The rationale is that in the digital age, the medium is often obvious and unnecessary.

5. Use of URLs and DOIs

• MLA 7 discouraged the use of URLs unless the source was difficult to locate.
• MLA 8 encourages the inclusion of URLs or DOIs, especially for online sources.

This enhances transparency, accessibility, and ease of verification.

6. Place of Publication

• MLA 7 required mentioning the city of publication for books.
• MLA 8 removes this requirement, except for works published before 1900 or by lesser-known publishers.

This change reduces redundancy and simplifies book citations.

7. Abbreviations and Bibliographic Shortcuts

• MLA 7 used numerous abbreviations such as n.p. (no publisher), n.d. (no date), and n.pag. (no page numbers).
• MLA 8 discourages excessive abbreviations and prefers clarity over shorthand.

This makes citations easier to read and understand.

8. Treatment of Digital and Non-Traditional Sources

• MLA 7 was primarily print-oriented and struggled to accommodate social media, blogs, and online videos.
• MLA 8 is designed to include tweets, podcasts, online videos, apps, and digital archives.

Thus, MLA 8 reflects contemporary research environments.

9. In-Text Citations

• Both editions follow the author–page format for in-text citations.
• However, MLA 8 allows flexibility when page numbers are unavailable, such as using author names alone for web sources.

This ensures consistency without forcing inaccurate details.

10. Overall Flexibility and User-Friendliness

• MLA 7th Edition is rigid, complex, and requires memorization.
• MLA 8th Edition is flexible, adaptable, and principle-based.

It empowers researchers to think critically about sources rather than mechanically follow rules.

Conclusion

The shift from MLA 7th Edition to MLA 8th Edition represents a significant modernization of academic documentation. By replacing rigid source-specific formats with a universal template based on Core Elements and containers, MLA 8 simplifies citation practices and accommodates the realities of digital scholarship. As a result, MLA 8 is more inclusive, accessible, and suitable for contemporary academic research than MLA 7.

Short Question : 

Citation 

Citation refers to the systematic practice of acknowledging the sources from which ideas, arguments, facts, quotations, or data are taken in academic writing. It is a fundamental component of scholarly work, as it ensures intellectual honesty and gives proper credit to original authors. By citing sources, writers avoid plagiarism and demonstrate respect for others’ intellectual contributions.

Citations generally appear in two forms: in-text citations, which briefly identify the source within the body of the text, and a Works Cited or References list, which provides complete bibliographic details. Standard citation styles such as MLA, APA, and Chicago promote consistency, clarity, and credibility in academic communication.