Austen is turning over in her grave

My 9th graders are working on research papers. I put "MLA" on the board the other day, and then asked if anyone knew what it meant. Um, does the "A" stand for Association?

Yes, I will be nitpicking these papers for every comma, period, and indent.

They have to write their papers on an author, one who is significant to the field of literature. I even gave out a list of authors they're likely to encounter in their coming years as high school students. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Hawthorne, Twain, Dickinson.

Oh, Miss Ruffner, can I write about Nicholas Sparks?

Thankfully, I have a "the author must be dead" clause in the requirements.

And so, no, dear, you may not write about Nicholas Sparks.