One of the difficulties students encounter when they are learning to document their sources by using the MLA style is that they must learn to do several things at once. Like jugglers, students writing research papers are required to manipulate at least three balls almost simultaneously: a research ball, a writing ball, and a documentation ball. The complex nature of the task—learning how to juggle research, writing, documenting—makes the first attempts difficult and sometimes frustrating.

Many instructors help students solve this problem by introducing documentation as early as possible so that students have an opportunity to practice, learn from their difficulties, and eventually demonstrate a high level of competence by the end of the semester. If, for example, you are writing a background report as your first writing project, you may be given several weeks to...