Serendipity35

Print is no longer the default medium. That is the message, according to the seventh edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, which was released this week.

The Modern Language Association no longer recognizes print as the default medium, and suggests that the medium of publication should be included in each works cited entry. They no longer recommend that writers include URLs when citing Web-based works. (Well, unless the instructor still has the sixth edition and requires it, or if a reader would not be able to find the source without the URL.)

“Inclusion of URLs has proved to have limited value… for they often change, can be specific to a subscriber or a session of use, and can be so long and complex that typing them into a browser is cumbersome and prone to transcription errors. Readers are now more likely to find resources on the Web by searching for titles and authors' names than by typing URLs.”

In fact, this new seventh edition takes a few less trees to print because it has a (password-protected) website that includes the full handbook, and "web-exclusive" examples, step-by-narratives on the writing process and model papers with sample instructor comments. (Teacher Alert: Be sure to take a look at those papers and NOT to assign those topics.)