The Writing Process Pack: A Resource Guide



The Writing Process Pack: A Resource Guide

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Includes information on:

Correct MLA Format for Essays

My Writing Tips

The Thesis Statement

Introductions and Conclusions

Outlining Tips, Techniques, and Samples

How to Use Basic Punctuation

How to Integrate Quotations in Papers

Using Transitional Phrases

Avoiding Plagiarism

Parenthetical Documentation

MLA Bibliography Citations

Peer Editing

Copyediting Symbols

Basic MLA Format for all Essays

MLA Basic Format

➢ Use 8.5 X 11 inch white, twenty-pound paper. Use only black ink.

➢ All margins should be one inch wide.

➢ The paper must be typed in Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier fonts with a 10 to 12 point size.

➢ The paper must be double-spaced.

➢ Indent the first line of each paragraph 5 spaces or half an inch.

➢ Set off quotations should be indented an inch from the left margin.

➢ Number your pages consecutively throughout the manuscript in the upper right-hand corner of each page, one-half inch from the top. (Most word processing programs provide for a "running head," which you can set up as you create the format for the paper, at the same time you are establishing things like the one-inch margins and the double-spacing. This feature makes the appearance and consistency of the page numbering a great convenience.)

➢ Tables should be labeled "Table," given an arabic numeral, and captioned (with those words flush to the left-hand margin). Other material such as photographs, images, charts, and line-drawings should be labeled "Figure" and be properly numbered and captioned.

➢ A title page is entirely optional.

➢ Binders or elaborate folders are not needed. A staple in the upper left hand corner of the paper is fine.

Please include on a title page or in the upper left corner of the first page:

The paper’s title

Your name

Your professor’s name

Course name

Date

Sample MLA Paper Format

(should be some graphic here with the sample)

Writing Tips

Typos are your responsibility!!!!!! Proofread.

Underline book titles and play titles only. (ex: The Scarlet Letter)

Short stories and poems should be cited in quotation marks. (ex: “The Raven”)

Plays and movies should be in italics (on computer) or underlined unless it is a 1 act play or less. (ex: A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

➢ Mix up your verbs. Do not always use “is.” Use active, vivid, descriptive verbs.

➢ Avoid passive voice. Be direct and confident in how you write.

Passive voice: The ball was thrown by the boy.

Active voice (Better): The boy threw the ball.

Watch for run-ons. Avoid over- and/or under-use of commas.

Watch for fragment sentences. Make sure all sentences have a noun and verb.

Think sentence variety. A good mix of short and long sentences is easier on the reader.

Avoid slang and informal tone.

Avoid clichés and worn-out phrases.

[pic] Do NOT use abbreviations such as etc., +, &, vs.,

[pic] Write out numbers under 13.

[pic] “A lot” is two words, NOT alot

[pic] “Irregardless” is not a word, it’s just regardless.

[pic] No sentence should start with:

[pic] So

[pic] Because

[pic] This

Six Rules for Effective Writing (from George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language”)

1) Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech that you are accustomed to seeing in print. No one likes clichés in academic writing.

2) Never use a long word when a short one will do.

3) If it is possible to cut a word out, cut it out.

4) Never use the passive voice when you can use the active.

5) Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

6) Break any of these rules sooner than write anything outright barbarous.

The Thesis Statement

After you have decided upon an area you would like to focus on for the assignment, you should write your thesis statement.

The thesis statement IS:

similar to a hypothesis

a declarative sentence that states the main idea of your paper

an assertion, argument, or position

a proposition that needs research to test its validity

a statement that can be supported by evidence or facts

found in the paper’s introduction

The thesis statement IS NOT:

a fact or detail statement

an announcement

an emotional plea

a trite or irrelevant belief

vague

extremely broad or narrow

Examples of Thesis Statements

1) Weak (trite)

Shakespeare was the world’s greatest playwright.

Better (an argument)

Shakespeare’s romantic comedies place women in a submissive role.

2) Weak (vague, broad, no position)

T.S. Eliot wrote good and bad poems.

Better

T.S. Eliot uses foreign languages in his poems to show the loss of identity in modern culture.

3) Weak (fact statement)

John Steinbeck lived from 1902 to 1968, mostly in his beloved California.

Better

Many of Steinbeck’s characters show an interest in being connected to the land, not to money.

4) OK (however, not overly ambitious)

Creon is both the protagonist and tragic hero of the play, Antigone, because he is the central force of the plot’s action and meets the qualifications of the tragic hero.

Better

Creon fails to be a true villain because while his internal desires favored leniency towards Antigone, the expectations of being King forced his external actions towards Antigone to be excessively hostile.

Good thesis statements:

signal to the reader what the main points of the paper will be.

should indicate the structure and presentation of your paper’s ideas.

should be reflected in the content of every following paragraph.

should be potentially interesting to you and your audience.

Myths about thesis statements:

1) You can’t start writing an essay until you have a perfect thesis statement.

- Your final thesis statement may not be written until after you have concluded your research and written the body of your paper.

- You should change your thesis a few times.

2) A thesis statement must be one sentence in length.

- Clear writing is more important than rules like these.

- Use two or three sentences if you need them.

3) A thesis statement must come at the end of the first paragraph.

- This is the traditional position, but theses can be stated in the opening sentences of the paper or, if your paper has more than one introductory paragraph, the thesis can be stated at the end of the introduction.

REMEMBER!!!

A thesis statement is not written in stone. Changes should be made if the focus of your paper and/or research changes.

Good analytic/research papers are not wishy-washy or a collection of facts about an author or issue. TAKE A STAND!

It is a good idea to restate your thesis in the conclusion to show how you proved it to be valid. (The primary purpose of the paper is to prove to the reader that your thesis is valid.)

A clear, well-focused thesis statement is the foundation of a clear, well-focused research paper.

Still having topic writing a thesis statement?

Ask yourself:

• What central idea emerges from the work I have done or will do?

• How can you frame that idea as an assertion about your topic?

• How can you give it an argumentative edge?

• Have you written other papers with good thesis statements? Go back and review them.

Thesis Samples (Antigone)

Vague, Broad, Trite

Gender roles play a big role in Antigone.

Better

Although strong-willed, Antigone is beaten down by the oppressive masculine nature of the Greek political structure, the lack of support from other females, namely Ismene, and her own inability to compromise.

Broad, Trite

Although they were quite different, the main characters of Antigone, a short play by the Greek playwright Sophocles, were also very much alike.

Good

When Sophocles titled his play, “Antigone,” he should have been more careful about who he chose as his true tragic hero.

Good

Antigone and Creon were the worst of enemies, but, as ironic as it may seem, were not all that different as people.

(reduce - ironically)

OK (good position but needs more structure)

I believe that this passage is Antigone’s high point, her everlasting words to Creon.

Better

This passage illustrates Antigone’s core beliefs such as the supremacy of divine law, the importance of civil disobedience, and her willingness to be a martyr for what she believes.

Thesis Samples (Poe)

Very Good

The two stories, “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” are very similar in that both tales deal with death and horror, yet they are different in the way both death and horror occur.

Good

I believe the one scheme that ties all of Poe’s stories together isn’t the physical aspect of blood and guts, but the psychological aspect of the conscience.

(first person, informal lang (scheme, guts))

Weak

Edgar Allan Poe’s had a wife who died young, and this reality also appears in his fiction in “The Raven” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.”

(fact statement)

Better

The male figure’s mourning over the death of the female in “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Raven” reflect Poe’s own emotional torment in his inability to save his own wife from death.

Weak

Poe was an excellent writer of horror who wrote about what he knew from his own life.

(too broad, trite, vague)

Better

Poe altered the idea of the Gothic tale by incorporating more aspects of horror and less religious references.

Setting up structure:

“The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” are similar in how they incorporate and discuss the issues of death, disease, and the building to a “single effect.”

Thesis Sentence

Characteristics of a thesis sentence

• It is a sentence

• It names the topic of your paper and contains an interpretive assertion about your topic—in other words, you are saying something about the topic

that is an opinion-based statement about the meaning of the work

• It is debatable—it is not merely factual or obvious but requires convincing proof of its validity. A factual statement is verified by data or merely

reflects the facts of the work (such as plot). An obvious statement is

an idea that anyone who reads the work would agree with; its validity has

been established by general consensus and requires no additional proof.

• It is specific—it is expressed in language that focuses on one or more particular aspects of the work rather than a generality

• It controls everything that goes into your paper (the assertion is also

known as the “controlling idea.”

The thesis of an essay is expressed in a declarative sentence

NOT: Who is the protagonist of The Crucible?

BUT: The real protagonist of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is not an

individual but the town of Salem.

The thesis of a literary essay makes an assertion (an opinion-based interpretive statement) about the topic of the essay.

NOT: The Crucible is a great play.

BUT: The greatness of The Crucible lies in its incisive exploration of the forces

that combine to destroy a community.

The thesis of a literary essay is debatable rather than factual

NOT: The Crucible is a play about the Salem witchcraft trials.

BUT: The Crucible uses the Salem witchcraft trials to explore the conflict

between conscience and conformity.

The thesis of a literary essay targets a specific rather than a general aspect of its topic.

NOT: The Crucible is a play about hidden sin.

BUT: The Crucible demonstrates the effects of hidden sin on John Proctor’s

character, on his family, and on his community.

Patterns for Thesis Statements of Literary Essays

1. Analysis

What it does: separates a topic into its individual parts, examines

the parts, and shows how the parts relate to the whole

Answers the question: How does understanding this part

[section(s), character(s), symbol(s), image(s)]

help me to understand the whole work ?

Example: The three scaffold scenes in The Scarlet Letter dramatize

the three major conflicts in the novel, man vs. society,

man vs. himself, and man vs. man.

2. Cause and Effect

What it does: explains how or why something happens or exists,

or identifies what may have led up to something,

or shows what the result of something is

Answers the questions: What are the causes of this situation?

What are the results of this situation?

Example: The Scarlet Letter explores the physical, emotional,

and psychological effects of hidden sin.

3. Comparison/Contrast

What it does: shows how two things are alike and why this is significant or

shows how two things are different and why this is significant

Answers the questions: In what ways is X similar to Y?

In what ways is X different from Y?

Why is this important?

Example: Abigail Williams and John Proctor are well matched antagonists

because they are both emotional, rebellious, and stubborn.

4. Key Concept

What it does: identifies and explains how an important idea functions

in the work

Answers the questions: What is an important idea in this work?

How does the author develop it?

Example: Hawthorne’s “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” develops the theme

that second chances are wasted on most people.

5. Literary Technique

What it does: isolates one or two literary devices used by the author and

explains how they function in the work

Answers the questions: What important literary device does the

author use in this work?

What is its function?

Example: In “The Pit and Pendulum” Poe uses suspense and irony to

show how a man’s fate is influenced by a combination of

intellect and luck

6. Refuting an Accepted Idea

What it does: argues against a traditional or commonly held idea about

a literary work or reveals a different cause/effect than is

generally accepted

Answers the question: Why is this common assertion incorrect?

Example: Although John Proctor is generally held to be the “hero” of

The Crucible, the town of Salem is actually the play’s protagonist.

INTRODUCTIONS

1. Use of a startling statement – use a shocking or surprising fact that pertains to your topic.

EX: “While you're reading this notice, millions of vulnerable people are being ripped off on cars, homes, clothes, jewelry, businesses, and every other type of purchase you can imagine. And it doesn't stop there!” (How to protect).

2. Make a comparison – Use a metaphor or simile comparing your topic to something else.

EX: My love is a rose – just watch out for the thorns.

3. Use of a quote – Use a quotation from someone else that pertains to your topic. Check out Bartlett’s Quotations:

EX: “Nothing was ever so unfamiliar and startling to a man as his own thoughts.” -- Thoreau

4. Ask a pertinent question – Begin the thought process of your audience by asking a question or a series of questions.

EX: When in a moral dilemma, do we really try to do the “right thing” because it is the right thing to do? Or do we do the “right thing” just to get something in return?

5. Definition – Define your topic

EX: “Usenet is the name given to the computer network which carries newsgroups - newsgroups are arranged in hierarchies based loosely on subject matter - the USENET is often confused with the INTERNET in the news media - started by two students at Duke University.”

6. Direct general statement

EX: "I underwent, during the summer I became fourteen, a profound religious crisis."--James Baldwin, from "Letter from a Region in My Mind."

7. Immediate revelation of purpose

EX: Because Americans are so culturally isolated, we need a national policy that supports increased foreign language instruction in elementary and secondary schools.

8. An appeal to self- interest

EX: Never take a low paying job again - guaranteed. Let others make sales for you.

9. Issue a challenge – Challenge your audience to make a decision the topic or some aspect of it.

EX: We all must share a sense and common commitment to reducing heart disease.

10. Use of suspense – build suspense by not immediately stating your topic or purpose.

EX: Of course she remembered. How could she forget? What was it? No, the wood does not go in the refrigerator. It goes in the closet. Is that right? Can you eat wood?

“Oh Mom, this isn’t wood it’s a book. It goes on the bookshelf.”

This is what it is like to live with Alzheimer’s disease.

11. Use of an illustration – Create a picture in the minds of your audience.

EX: When I was growing up, one of the places I enjoyed most was the cherry tree in the back yard. Behind the yard was an alley and then more houses. Every summer when the cherries began to ripen, I used to spend hours high in the tree, picking and eating the sweet, sun-warmed cherries. My mother always worried about my falling out of the tree, but I never did. But I had some competition for the cherries — flocks of birds that enjoyed them as much as I did and would perch all over the tree, devouring the fruit whenever I wasn't there. I used to wonder why the grown-ups never ate any of the cherries; but actually when the birds and I had finished, there weren't many left.

12. Use of an anecdote – Tell a story to introduce your topic.

EX: It is 3:30 in the afternoon, and twelve-year-old Jan is home alone after school, working on her computer. Only she is not doing her homework or even playing a video game. She is instead chatting and occasionally flirting with a virtual roomful of strangers. [Thesis] The computer revolution makes possible an unprecedented level of private and explicit conversation between children and adults.

13. Use of personal reference – Tell the audience about yourself or something you have done.

EX: There was a time in my life when I thought my life was over—over because the doctor told me it was. I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and I knew the life I knew would be gone from my memory.

Sample Introductory Paragraphs:

A Directly Stated Thesis:

An increasing number of mid-life women are re-entering the workforce, pursuing college degrees, and getting more involved in the public arena. Several labels besides “mid-life” have been attached to this type of person: the mature woman, the older woman, and, more recently, the re-entry woman. By definition, she is between 35 and 55 years old and has been away from the business or academic scene anywhere from 15 to 30 years. The academic community, the media, marketing people, and employers are giving her close scrutiny, and it is apparent that she is having a greater impact on our society than she realizes. --Jo Ann Harris

A Definition:

You are completely alone in a large open space and are struck by a terrifying, unreasoning fear. You sweat, your heart beats, you cannot breathe. You fear you may die of a heart attack, although you do not have heart disease. Suppose you decide you will never get yourself in this helpless situation again. You go home and refuse to leave its secure confines. Your family has to support you. You have agoraphobia—a disabling terror of open spaces. - -“Controlling Phobias Through Behavior Modification”

A Quotation:

The director of the census made a dramatic announcement in 1890. The Nation’s unsettled area, he revealed, “has been so broken into by isolated bodies of settlement that there can hardly be said to be a frontier line.” These words sounded the close of one period of America’s history. For three centuries before, men had marched westward, seeking in the forests and plains that lay beyond the settled areas a chance to begin anew. For three centuries they had driven back the wilderness as their conquest of the continent went on. Now, in 1890, they were told that a frontier line separating the settled and unsettled portions of the United States no longer existed. The west was won, and the expansion that had been the most distinctive feature of the country’s past was at an end. –Ray Allen Billington, “The Frontier Disappears”

An Anecdote or Personal Experience:

My mother sued to have a little china cream and sugar set that was given to her by a woman who later killed her children with an axe. It sat cheerfully in the china cabinet, as inadequate a symbol as I have ever seen of the dark mysteries within us. Yet at least it was there to remind us that no matter how much Jesus wanted us for a sunbeam, we would still have some day to cope with a deeper reality than common sense could explain. It stood for strange cars not to get into, running shoes to wear when you were out alone at night and the backs of Chinese restaurants you were not supposed to go into. --Marian Engle, review of The Goddess and Other Women by Joyce Carol Oates

An Arresting Statement:

It’s like Pearl Harbor. The Japanese have invaded, and the US has been caught short. Not on guns and tanks and battleships—those are yesterday’s weapons—but on mental might. In a high-tech age where nations increasingly compete on brainpower, American schools are producing an army of illiterates. Companies that cannot hire enough skilled workers now realize they must do something to save the public schools. Not to be charitable, not to promote great public relations, but to survive. --Nancy Perry, “Saving the Schools: How Business Can Help”

Interesting Details:

It is Friday night at any of the 10,000 watering holes of the small towns and crossroads hamlets of the South. The room is a cacophony of the ping-pong-ding-dingding of the pinball machine, the pop-fizz of another round of Pabst, the refrain of “Red Necks, White Socks, and Blue Ribbon Beer” on the juke box, the insolent roar of a souped-up engine outside, and above it all, the sound of easy laughter. The good ole boys have gathered for their fraternal ritual—the aimless diversion that they have elevated into a lifestyle. --Bonnie Angelo, “Those Good Ole Boys”

A Question:

When you leave your apartment or house, do you begin to feel better? If you leave for a week-long trip, do you find your head clears, your migraine disappears, dizziness stops, your aches and pains subside, depression fades away and your entire attitude is better? If so, chemical pollution of the atmosphere in your home may be making you ill. –Marshall Mandell, “Are You Allergic to Your House?”

The Introductory Paragraph Work Sheet

The first paragraph of an essay should include 5 elements. It should have 1) a snappy start, 2) the title of the literature you are writing about, 3) the author of the literature you are writing about, 4) a 1-2 sentence summary of the literary piece you are writing about, and 5) the thesis or topic of your paper. You will write the first paragraph of your essay with the help of this work sheet.

1. The snappy start

This is the attention grabber of the essay. You want your first sentence or two to be interesting enough so that your reader will want to read on to the end of your paper. A snappy start can be any ONE of the following:

• A series of questions about the topic of your essay

• An interesting story or anecdote about the topic of your essay

• A startling or unusual fact or figure related to the topic of your essay

• A reference to a famous person or place associated with the topic of your essay

• A quotation from a well-known figure or literary work that is related to your topic

• A definition of an important, topic related term

Example: How far would you go for a friend? Can you be sure that what you do for a friend won’t hurt him in the end? Well, Mercutio gave his friend his life and it cost Romeo his life.

This snappy start is in the form of two questions. Then there is a sentence that connects those two questions with the thesis, or topic of the essay.

Now, that you have your choices and an example, circle the type of snappy start that you want to use for your essay and write your snappy start on the lines below.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The title

You must include the title of the literary work that you are writing about. This information is vital for your reader to be able to understand your essay. Write the title of the literary work that you are writing about in your essay.

3. The author

You must give credit where credit is due! You have to include the author of the literary work that you are writing about in your essay. Write the author of the literary work. (Be sure to spell his/her name correctly.)

4. The summary

The summary that you write should cover the major events of the literary work that you are writing about, but it should not be any longer than two sentences. Summarize the literary work that you are writing about in two sentences or less.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. The thesis

This is the sentence that acts like a road map to your essay. In this sentence you will state the three topics you are going to focus on in your essay. NEVER EVER EVER do you write, “In my essay I am going to talk about. . .” (Dah, this is yours it has your name on it. Dah, this is an essay.()

Instead you just write it out in plain English in the same order that you will write about each topic.

Example: Mercutio is to blame for the deaths in this play because he fought for Romeo, Romeo killed because of him, and Romeo was banished for the murder.

It is easy for your reader to see exactly what three topics or points you are going to focus on in your essay.

Now, it’s your turn. Choose your topic and write your thesis sentence below.

The introductory paragraph.

Now, it’s time for you to construct your paragraph. Copy all your answers together in order on a clean piece of paper. Be sure to indent the first line of the paragraph, punctuate the title, and use proper grammar and spelling. When it is finished, put your name on it and staple it to this paper. (

Outlining Tips and Techniques

A formal outline shows the main points of a topic, the order in which they are to be presented, and the relationships among them. Formal outlines are useful when writing major papers or speeches.

There are two types of formal outlines:

1) Sentence Outlines – contains each main topic and subtopic written in complete sentence form. Is more detailed and, often, more helpful to the student.

Beyond the Five Senses

I) Humans are believed to have five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.

A) Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, first categorized the senses.

B) Modern physics and physiology reclassified the senses.

II) Photoreceptors are those sense organs in living organisms that react to light.

A) The human eye is a photoreceptor.

B) And so on..

2) Topic Outlines – contains phrases and not complete sentences or periods. A topic outline is useful for quick organization of ideas. The following is a topic outline:

The Development of Rocketry

I) Early history of rocketry

A) Invention by Chinese in 13th century

B) Development of early military rockets

II) Modern rocketry

A) Tsiolkovsky’s theory of rocket power

B) Goddard’s invention of liquid-fueled rocket

It is your choice which format, topic or sentence outline, is best for you.

Formal Outline Structure:

Start with Roman Numerals (I, II...)

Follow that with capitalized alphabetic letters (A, B, C...) with the lines indented

Follow that with numbers (1, 2, 3...) indented under the alphabetic lines above

Follow that with non-capitalized alphabetic letters (a, b...) again indented

Minimum Outline Requirements:

Have at least 5 main sections (roman numerals)

Have at least one area in which you have 3 levels of thought (down to: 1, 2, 3...)

Be detailed! Have all the major details on the outline for easier first draft writing

Make sure you understand the difference between facts or details and main ideas or concepts

Use the other forms of outlining and mapping as a way to brainstorm for this outline (see attached sheets – brainstorm mapping, 5 paragraph outline form, complete Poe outline)

Make sure the thesis statement still makes sense after you finish the outline and include in a relevant spot in your outline (see Poe outline)

Outline Example: Edgar Allan Poe

Thesis Statement: Poe established himself as the premier writer of horror stories through the use of clear, dynamic main characters (1), vivid imagery and symbolism (2), and widespread use of disease and death that often related to experiences within his own life (3).

I) Introduction

A) Quote from Poe on the nature of his own life

B) Background of the circumstances of Poe’s upbringing and writing career

1) The role of his parents and friends

2) Experiences in college

C) Examples of the lasting impact of Poe’s writing

1) The Edgars - annual awards program for the best writing in horror

2) The Baltimore Ravens (NFL) - named in tribute of Poe

D) Thesis Statement (see above)

II) Poe’s Main Characters (1)

A) Prince Prospero in “The Masque of the Red Death”

1) Explanation of his character and why his throwing the party

2) Examination of the moral nature of the Prince and how others view him

3) Analysis of his possible tragic flaws

a) Greed - ignorance in examining the plight of the lower classes

b) Ego - belief that he can kill the Red Death

c) Stupidity - belief that no one at the party would be infected

B) Montressor and Fortunato in “Cask of Amontillado”

1) The Struggle for identity between the two characters

C) Roderick Usher in “Fall of the House of Usher”

III) Poe’s Use of Imagery and Symbolism (2)

A) “Masque of the Red Death”

1) The description and use of color with the 7 rooms

2) The description of the strange, deathly visitor

3) The clock as a symbol of time & death

B) “The Raven” as a symbol of death

1) Black as the color of death

2) “Nevermore” as a call or warning of eventual death

3) The location of the Raven within the speaker’s room

C) and so on

IV) The Relationship Between His Writing and His Life (3)

A) “House of Usher” and “Lenore” in comparison to Virginia Clemm

1) Details of his marriage to his 14-year-old cousin Virginia in 1835

2) The Odd Relationship between the twins, Roderick and Madeline (possibly sexual)

3) Mourning in the death of a wife, the wife being, in essence, Virginia renamed as Lenore

B) Alcoholism and “Cask of Amontillado”

1) Description of the nature of Poe’s alcoholism and death

2) Description of the nature of Fortunato’s alcoholism and murder

3) Explain the inspiration for the short story (green text, 131)

a) Poe’s discovery of body inside a wall in his military years

C) The Effect of his wife’s death on the symbols and nature of his writings

1) “The Raven”

2) “Lenore”

D) An examination of whether Poe’s tragic life increases the quality of the tragic and dark themes of his writings

VI) Conclusion

A) A reexamination of the validity of the thesis

B) An examination of what makes good poetry, short stories as well as good horror writing

C) An examination of the timeless themes of murder, disease, and human’s tragic flaws in Poe’s stories

D) A final quote by Poe on the nature of writing and/or life and death

How to Use Basic Punctuation

The Period. Use:

1) After abbreviations and initials: D.C., Mr., Ph.D.

2) After a complete declarative or imperative sentence.

Question Mark. Use:

1) After a direct question.

2) In parentheses (?) to indicate a doubtful fact.

Exclamation Point. Use:

1) After an exclamatory expression, reflecting strong or sudden emotion.

2) To indicate a strong command.

3) To indicate surprise.

Comma. Use:

1) After each word, phrase, or clause in a series.

2) Before the coordinate conjunction - and, but, or, nor, so, yet - in a compound sentence.

3) To set off an introductory phrase - participial, infinitive, elliptical, nominative absolute - or a long prepositional phrase.

4) To set off the introductory clause in a complex sentence.

5) To set off the name or names of a person or persons directly addressed.

6) To set off an appositive, including an appositive preceded by OR or ESPECIALLY.

7) To set off a parenthetic expression, one that interrupts the normal order of the sentence.

8) To set off a nonrestrictive adjective clause, one that is not essential to the meaning or gives additional information.

9) To set off the word “yes” or “no” at the beginning of a sentence.

10) To set off a contrasting expression introduced by the word “not.”

11) To set off a direct quotation.

12) To clarify meaning or prevent misleading.

Semicolon. Use:

1) To separate the clauses in a compound sentence when the conjunction is omitted.

2) To separate coordinate parts of a long compound sentence.

3) Before such words as “accordingly,” consequently,” “hence,” “nevertheless,” “moreover,” “therefore,” when they introduce a new idea.

Colon. Use:

1) To introduce a list of items or a long or formal quotation or statement.

2) After an introductory word or expression such as “this,” “thus,” “the following,” “as follows.”

Dash. Use:

1) To indicate an abrupt change in the thought or structure of a sentence.

2) To make parenthetic, appositive, or explanatory matter stand out clearly.

3) Before a word that sums up preceding details.

Parentheses. Use:

1) To enclose numbers in a listing within a sentence.

2) To enclose comment or information that does not affect the structure of the sentence.

Brackets.

Use to indicate comment or information inserted in a quotation.

Ellipsis Marks.

Use to mark an omission in a quotation, use three periods. (If the omission comes at the end of the quoted sentence, four periods are needed - three for the omission and the fourth to conclude the sentence.

Other Additional Punctuation Rules

1) Unspoken thoughts do NOT require quotation marks.

2) Single quotation marks surround a quotation within a quotation.

3) Place a period or a comma inside quotation marks.

4) Place a colon or semicolon outside quotation marks.

5) Place a question mark or an exclamation point inside when it is part of the quotation, otherwise outside.

The Value of Mental Paraphrasing Information While You Read

If you develop your ability in critical reading to reword and recast the information you are reading through mental paraphrasing, you will be able to perceive the following elements almost instinctively:

1) The subject and organization of the passage.

2) The thesis statements and the order of their presentation.

3) The extent to which the thesis statements bring out the subject of the passage.

4) The transitions that connect sentences and paragraphs.

5) The evidence, proof, examples, and illustrations that support the thesis idea.

6) The language and the literary devices used.

Note: By definition, paraphrasing presents in unadorned miniature the skeleton of a prose passage or essay.

Coordination

, and

, but

Option 1 Independent clause , for independent clause.

, or

, so

, yet

Option 2 Independent clause ; independent clause

; consequently,

; furthermore,

; however,

; indeed,

Option 3 Independent clause ; in fact, independent clause.

; moreover,

; nevertheless,

; then,

; therefore,

Subordination

after

although

as (as if)

because

before

if

Option 4 Independent clause since dependent clause.

unless

until

when(ever)

whereas

while

Option 5 After

Although

As

Because

Before

If

Since dependent clause , independent clause.

Using and Integrating Quotations in Essays, Research Papers, etc.

Direct quotations of a person’s words, whether spoken or written, must be in quotation marks.

Quotation marks are unnecessary for paraphrasing and/or using someone’s ideas without using that person’s exact words. However, this can cross the line into plagiarism if you don’t cite the paraphrased material.

Example (OK - sums up main ideas without stealing Emerson’s ideas):

Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that senseless consistency is the mark of a small mind (121).

Short Quotations

If a quotation is under 4 lines than it should be worked into the text of the paper.

The quotation should be within quotation marks, with the first word capitalized.

Short quotations tend to be introduced by commas, but a colon can be used to formally introduce the quotation. Often, no punctuation is needed to introduce a quotation.

Long Quotations (4+ lines)

When a quotation runs over more than 4 typed lines, it should be set off by indenting (at least) the left margin.

Long quotations do not need quotation marks because they are indented and set off from the essay’s text.

Long quotations set off from the essay’s text should be single-spaced (when typed) while the rest of the paper should be double-spaced.

Long quotations are often introduced by a sentence ending with a colon.

Quoting Poetry

Unless you are quoting a majority of or the entire poem, lines of verse should be worked into the text within quotation marks.

Use a slash (/) to signal a line break when quoting multiple lines of poetry.

Quotations Within Quotations

Use single quotation marks to enclose a quotation within a quotation.

Example: According to Paul Elliot, Eskimo hunters “chant an ancient magic song to the seal they are after: ‘Beast of the sea! Come and place yourself before me in the early morning!’”

Setting off Words

Quotation marks or italics can be used to set off words as words. If used, be consistent of your method of use throughout the paper.

Example: The words “flaunt” and “flout” are frequently confused.

Partial Quotations

If you want to omit part of the original material, use an ellipsis (…) to signify an omission. Spaces should come before and after the three periods of the ellipsis.

Do not alter the author’s intent or message by omitting material that intentionally misrepresents what the original material is saying.

Dialogue in Fiction

• In dialogue, a new paragraph indicates a change of speaker.

Punctuation and Quotations

Punctuation can be used both inside and outside of quotations, but they must be used according to convention.

Periods and commas

Always place periods and commas inside quotation marks.

Example: “This is a stick up,” said the couple. “We want all your money.”

• Periods are only used outside of a quotation when the period follows the parenthetical documentation or citation (see below examples).

Colons and semicolons

Put colons and semicolons outside quotation marks.

Example: Harold wrote, “I regret that I am unable to attend the fundraiser”; his letter, however, came with a nice contribution.

Question marks and exclamation points

Put question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks unless they apply to the whole sentence.

Example (question is the quotation – inside):

The little girl said, “Mommy can I tell you a story now?”

Example (question is the sentence – outside):

Have you heard the proverb, “Don’t climb the hill until you reach it”?

Approaches to Integrating Quotations

Quotations should be smoothly woven into the fabric of your paper. Quotations work best and enhance meaning and main points when they are placed in context. Most direct quotations that are fairly short need a partial or full sentence introduction. Your quotation should not be separate, independent sentences.

For example, a basic quotation introduction without mention of the source author:

For the Amish the public school system represents “the threat of absorption into mass society” (Hostetler 193).

Or, the introduction of the quote can mention the source author:

John Hostetler points out that the Amish feel threatens them with “absorption into the mass society” (193).

A Note on Parenthetical Documentation

As far as citing, you can see that if the quotation ends the sentence and parenthetical documentation is needed, no punctuation is needed at the end of the quotation. The parenthetical documentation is the last thing before the period that ends the sentence.

TRANSITIONS TO INCORPORATE QUOTATIONS OR PARAPHRASES

If you get tired of stating over and over again that "Jones says'. . .’”, try some of the following variations. They work equally well with direct quotations or paraphrases, and when combined with a bit of basic information about the source of your material, they kill two birds with one stone by both introducing and crediting your information (often eliminating the need for a parenthetical citation), as in this example:

Jones notes in the November 1971 issue of Psychology Today that ". . . .

Other suggested variations:

Jones found in _____________ that . . . ,

" demonstrates “ “ “

" reports " " "

" suggests “ “ “

" observes “ “ “

" asserts " " "

" emphasizes “ " "

" declares " " "

" holds " " "

" maintains " “ “

In his controversial book, The Naked Ape, Desmond Morris

argues that....

demonstrates....

maintains....

suggests.... .

etc.

In a 1978 (book, “article,” or whatever) entitled . . . , So-and-so examines the subject of catfish and observes that. . . .

According to Jones, . . .

In Jones' view . . . .

opinion,. . . .

estimation,. . . .

Jones contradicts this view in a 1973 Saturday Review essay in which he argues that . . .

However, Jones maintains that. . . .

Although Jones opines that . . . , Smith suggests another theory:. . . .

A (book, “article,”” essay, “”speech,” etc.) by Jones, which is (summarized, referred to, alluded to, mentioned, included in a discussion) in one of Joe Moholzer’s New York Times’ editorials makes the point that . . . .

As reported by Jones in the October 22, 1943 Seattle Post-Intelligencer, . . . .

Integrating Quotations Smoothly into Text

There are three main ways to TIE quotations smoothly into text:

“T” tag

"You brute. You brute," Holden mutters as he leaves the compound where he and Ameera have spent many happy hours.

"Secretly, of course--I was all for the Burmese," Orwell confides.

“I” introduce

As Holden leaves the compound where he and Ameera have spent many happy hours, he mutters, "You brute. You brute."

Orwell confided he "was all for the Burmese."

“E” embed

Holden mutters, "You brute. You brute," as he leaves the compound where he and Ameera have spent many happy hours.

Orwell was "all for the Burmese" and hated working as an agent of the British Empire in Burma.

Generally, long quotations are to be avoided. When a long quotation is absolutely essential (generally, only in a formal paper), it should be set off from the text. Still, it is important to introduce the quotation. Usually "set off" text is preceded by a colon:

George Orwell had a difficult time acting as a police officer in Lower Burma. As demonstrated in the following excerpt from (title of “essay,”) he was frustrated by his conflicting need to maintain law and order while remaining faithful to the idea that the Burmese had the right to be free:

All this was perplexing and upsetting. For at that time I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner I chucked up my job and got out of it the Better. Theoretically--and secretly, of course--I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British.

Notice when quotations are set off from text they do not require quotation marks. Indent each line of the quote 10 spaces from the left margin (15 when starting a new paragraph). Right margin remains the same as the body of the paper. Spacing is the same as the body of the paper.

All quotations must be tied to text! Do not simply sprinkle them in like confetti. Smooth integration is the mark of a mature writer and makes a paper flow.

TRANSITIONS

An essay without effective transitions is like a series of isolated islands. The reader will struggle to get from one point to the next. Use transitions as bridges between your ideas.

What are transitions and how are they used?

Transitions are phrases or words used to connect one idea to the next.

Transitions are used by the author to help the reader progress from one significant idea to the next; in other words, they make an essay coherent.

Transitions also show the relationship between the main idea and the support the author gives for those ideas within a paragraph (or even within a sentence).

Transitions have a variety of specific uses.

1) Transitions within paragraphs

Within a single paragraph, transitions, such as single words or short phrases, help the reader anticipate what will come next. The transition may signal an additional or similar piece of information, or it may prepare the reader for a change or exception to previously stated information.

For example:

Mary Cassatt, one of the few female Impressionist painters, lived in France although she was of American descent. Unlike her fellow painters, who chose landscapes as their primary medium, Cassatt's main subjects were her immediate family. In fact, her nieces and nephews were captured in many of her most famous works of art.

2) Transitions between paragraphs

Transitions between paragraphs serve as connections between old and new information. A word, a phrase, or a sentence signals to the reader that something different is coming and transitions the reader from old to new information.

For example:

Mary Cassatt, one of the few female Impressionist painters, lived in France although she was of American descent. Unlike her fellow painters who chose landscapes as their primary medium, Cassatt's main subjects were her immediate family. In fact, her nieces and nephews were captured in many of her most famous works of art.

For instance, the painting, Mother with Child, shows Cassatt's sister bathing her child. This painting not only illustrates Cassatt's use of her family as subjects, but also highlights the theme of mother and child. The closeness of the mother with her child remains a constant theme of Cassatt's painting and sketching throughout the Impressionist period.

Note: The first sentence of the second paragraph draws the reader's attention to a new idea, a specific example in this case. The following sentence repeats a familiar theme (family members) from the first paragraph and then introduces a new idea (mother and child).

ADDITIVE TRANSITIONS: These show addition, introduction, or similarity to other ideas.

Words that show Addition relationships:

additionally, also, moreover, not to mention, in addition, furthermore, further, and, too, either (neither), besides, not only , but also, as well, or, alternatively, nor, on the other hand, in fact, as a matter of fact, to say nothing of, actually, indeed, let alone, much less

Words that Introduce:

such as, for example, for instance, as, like, especially, particularly, in particular, notably, including, as an illustration, to illustrate

Words that Reference:

speaking about, as for, considering, concerning, regarding, on the subject of, with regard to, the fact that

Words that show Similarity:

similarly, likewise, in the same way, in a like manner, by the same token, equally

Words that Identify:

that is, namely, specifically, thus

Words that show Clarification:

that is (to say), in other words, put another way

ADVERSATIVE TRANSITIONS: These transitions are used to signal conflict, contradiction concession, or dismissal.

Conflict:

but, however, in contrast, by way of contrast, (and) yet, when in fact, while, whereas, conversely, on the other hand, though (final position), still

Emphasis:

even more, above all, indeed, more importantly, besides, surely, indeed, in fact, truly

Concession:

but even so, however, still, yet, nevertheless, nonetheless, although, though, even though, on the other hand, despite, in spite of, regardless, notwithstanding, be that as it may, granted, admittedly, albeit

Dismissal:

either way, in either case, in either event, all the same, in any case, in any event, at any rate

Replacement:

(or) at least, (or) rather, instead

CAUSAL TRANSITIONS: These transitions signal cause/effect and reason/result.

Cause/Reason:

seeing that, since, as, inasmuch as, forasmuch as, because, due to, in view of, owing to, for the (simple) reason that, for, in that

Condition:

if, in case, provided, providing, on (the) condition, in the event that, given that, granted, granting, as/so long as, even if, only if, unless

Effect/Result:

so that, so, so much (so) that, for this reason, as a result, because, therefore, consequently, as a consequence, thus, hence, in consequence, accordingly

Purpose:

so, so as to, so that, in order to, in order that, with this in mind, with this intention, in the hope that, for the purpose of, to the end that, for fear that, lest

Consequence:

then, if so, in that case, under those circumstances, if not, otherwise

SEQUENTIAL TRANSITIONS: These transitions are used to signal a chronological or logical sequence.

Numerical:

in the (first, second, etc.) place, initially, secondly, at first, to start with, to begin with, for a start, first of all

Continuation:

previously, afterwards, eventually, subsequently, next, then

Conclusion:

finally, eventually, at last, in the end, at last, last but not least, as a final point, lastly

Summation:

to sum up, given these points, therefore, consequently, thus, hence, on the whole, altogether, in all, all in all, overall, in short, in a word, truly

Transitional Phrases and Structure Words

Words Used to indicate examples or application of thought

Because

For example

Specifically

For instance

Provided

Like, as

Words used to transition to conclusions

Therefore

Thus

Hence

Consequently

In conclusion

In summation

At last

Then

In brief

Finally

Comparison Transition Words

Also

In addition

Similarly

Too

Both

Like

As well as

Each of

Not only... but also

Just as… so

Have in common

Share the same

In the same manner

Furthermore

Moreover

Again

Contrast Transition Words

However

On the contrary

On the other hand

In contrast / In spite of

Although / though

Unlike

Instead of

Whereas

Conversely

While

Yet / But

Even if

For all that

Nevertheless

Either… or

Of course

Some may say

Structure words pointing to relationships among and between ideas.

A) Time relationships

Finally

Immediately

Thereafter

Meanwhile

Before

Last

Now

Later

After

Following

Previously

Hereafter

At last

At length

In the first place

At the same time

In retrospect

B) Space relationships

Here

Far

To the east

Under

There

Away

Westward

Across

Close

Further on

Yonder

Beneath

By

Above

Near

Everywhere

C) Related in degree

Many

More

Most

Little

Less

Least

Some

All

Above all

Fewer

Fewest

Worst

Greater

Greatest

Best

D) Pointing to show emphasis

This

These

That

Those

One

Several

Some

Few

Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes:

• Attempting to receive credit for work performed by another, including papers obtained in whole or in part from individuals or other sources.

• Using someone else's ideas or phrasing and representing those ideas or phrasing as our own, either on purpose or through carelessness. This includes quoted or paraphrased material as well as ideas.

"Ideas or phrasing" includes written or spoken material, of course — from whole papers and paragraphs to sentences, and, indeed, phrases — but it also includes statistics, lab results, art work, etc. "Someone else" can mean a professional source, such as a published writer or critic in a book, magazine, encyclopedia, or journal; an electronic resource such as material we discover on the World Wide Web; another student at our school or anywhere else; a paper-writing "service" (online or otherwise) which offers to sell written papers for a fee.

Note:

If it is on the WWW, consider it published. Follow the guidelines already established for published sources. Have respect for the moral, ethical, and economic rights of authors, creators, and publishers.

Always, Always, Always Give Credit Where Credit is Due!

You have signed an honor code, breaking of it will result in a zero and worse.

How to Recognize Plagiarism:

[The following examples are borrowed from the Jacobsen Center (formerly the Center for Academic Development) at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, and are used here with Smith College's permission.]

Here is our original text from Elaine Tyler May's "Myths and Realities of the American Family":

Because women's wages often continue to reflect the fiction that men earn the family wage, single mothers rarely earn enough to support themselves and their children adequately. And because work is still organized around the assumption that mothers stay home with children, even though few mothers can afford to do so, child-care facilities in the United States remain woefully inadequate.

The other side contains some possible uses of this text. As you read through each version, try to decide if it is a legitimate use of May's text or a plagiarism.

Version A:

Since women's wages often continue to reflect the mistaken notion that men are the main wage earners in the family, single mothers rarely make enough to support themselves and their children very well. Also, because work is still based on the assumption that mothers stay home with children, facilities for child care remain woefully inadequate in the United States.

Plagiarism In Version A there is too much direct borrowing in sentence structure and wording. The writer changes some words, drops one phrase, and adds some new language, but the overall text closely resembles May's. Even with a citation, the writer is still plagiarizing because the lack of quotation marks indicates that Version A is a paraphrase, and should thus be in the writer's own language.

Version B:

By and large, our economy still operates on the mistaken notion that men are the main breadwinners in the family. Thus, women continue to earn lower wages than men. This means, in effect, that many single mothers cannot earn a decent living. Furthermore, adequate day care is not available in the United States because of the mistaken assumption that mothers remain at home with their children.

Plagiarism Version B shows good paraphrasing of wording and sentence structure, but May's original ideas are not acknowledged. Some of May's points are common knowledge (women earn less than men, many single mothers live in poverty), but May uses this common knowledge to make a specific and original point and her original conception of this idea is not acknowledged.

Version C:

Women today still earn less than men — so much less that many single mothers and their children live near or below the poverty line. Elaine Tyler May argues that this situation stems in part from "the fiction that men earn the family wage" (588). May further suggests that the American workplace still operates on the assumption that mothers with children stay home to care for them (589).

     This assumption, in my opinion, does not have the force it once did. More and more businesses offer in-house day-care facilities. . . .

No Plagiarism The writer makes use of the common knowledge in May's work, but acknowledges May's original conclusion and does not try to pass it off as his or her own. The quotation is properly cited, as is a later paraphrase of another of May's ideas.

Parenthetical Documentation

Proper format for parenthetical documentation or in-text citation is to include the author name and page number of the material used. The documentation should occur at the end of the sentence (but before the period) in which the material was used. No punctuation should be placed within the parenthesis.

Place quotation marks around words and sentences directly quoted.

Examples:

One critic has stated that “Mark Twain uses rivers as a chaotic element” (Jones 14).

Freud states that “a dream is the fulfillment of wish” (154).

The second example is acceptable because the author of the book (Freud) was referenced in the sentence the quoted material is used.

The page number should always appear in the parentheses, never in the sentence’s text.

If you cite more than one work by a particular author, it is necessary to include a shortened title for the particular work from which you are quoting.

Below are examples of the kinds of documentation you might use in your paper. An item marked “Works Cited” shows how the documentation should look on the Works Cited page. An item marked “In-Works Citation” shows how the documentation should appear in your text.

|Works Cited |

Anzaldua, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Spinsters/ Aunt Lute, 1987.

|In-text Citation |

"In defiance of the Aztec rulers, the macehvales (the common people) continued to worship fertility and agricultural female deities" (Anzaldua 33).

Two or more authors:

|Works Cited |

Metheny, N.M., and W. D. Snively. Nurses' Handbook of Fluid Balance. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1967.

|In-text Citation |

The ph balance is critical in body-fluid crisis control (Metheny and Snively 15).

Bibliography Citations Using MLA

[pic] A bibliography includes all the works you actually cited in your research paper.

[pic] Citations are arranged alphabetically, by author’s last name, or by title if there is no author.

[pic] The first line of each citation begins at the left margins and all additional lines of the citation are indented five spaces.

[pic] It is strongly suggested your sources show a variety of internet sources, other electronic sources (CD-ROMs, etc.), newspaper and magazine articles, and BOOKS!!

FOR YOUR SAKE, as you are researching, each time you find a source you might use make sure you have the following information (preferably written out):

▪ the name of the author or authors;

▪ title (of the book OR of the article and the magazine/newspaper)

▪ editor, translator, compiler (for books)

▪ edition, if it is not the first (i.e., 2nd ed., rev. ed.)

▪ place and date of publication OR date of the issue where the article appears

▪ the name of the publisher (for books)

▪ and the pages on which the article you are referring to appears (magazines).

For example:

Prin, Dinah. "Marriage in the '90s." New York 2 June 1990: 40-45.

Mumford, Lewis. The Highway and the City. New York: Harcourt Brace and World, 1963.

[pic]

MLA Citation Samples

When in doubt consult your teacher, the links section of our class page, or read The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (5th edition).

A book

Authors(s). Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

Gesell, Arnold, and Frances L. Ing. Child Development: An Introduction to the Study of

Human Growth. New York: Macmillan, 1960.

A part of a book (such as an essay or chapter)

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Collection. Edition. Editor’s Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Pages.

An anthology or collection

Editor’s name, ed. Title of Anthology. Place Published: Publisher, Date Published.

An article in a periodical (newspapers and magazine)

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Source Day Month Year: pages.

Nimmons, David. “Sex and the Brain.” Discover 12 Mar. 1994: 26-27.

Article in a scholarly journal

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal Vol. # (Year): pages.

Christie, John S. "Fathers and Virgins: Garcia Marquez's Faulknerian Chronicle of a

Death Foretold." Latin American Literary Review Vol. 13.3 (Fall 1993): 21-29.

Article from a reference book

“Article Title.” Encyclopedia/Reference Title. Year of edition.

“Senegal.” Encyclopedia Americana. 1980 ed.

Personal Interview

Person interviewed. Personal Interview. Date.

Redford, Robert. Personal Interview. 24 Sept. 1996.

Electronic Sources

A webpage

Author(s). Name of Page. Date of Posting/Revision. Date of Access. .

Daly, Bill. Writing Argumentative Essays. 1997. 26 Jun. 1998.

.

Burka, Lauren P. "A Hypertext History of Multi-User Dimensions." MUD History. 5

Dec. 1994. 27 July 2000. .

Email

Author. Email title from the author. Email address (Date).

Seabrook, Richard H. C. "Community and Progress." cybermind@jefferson.village.

      

virginia.edu (22 Jan. 1994).

Information on CD-ROM

CD Title. CD-ROM. Place Published: Publisher, Date Published.

The CIA World Factbook. CD-ROM. Minneapolis: Quantra, 1992.

Orchestra. CD-ROM. Burbank: Warner New Media, 1992.

Article in a NewsBank

Author(s). “Article Title.” Source Title Day Month Year: pages. NewsBank Title,

Version #.

Derks, Sarah A. “Binge Drinking and College: New Pressures for an Old Mixer.”

Commercial Appeal 8 Dec. 1997: A1. NewsBank NewsFile Collection, Vers.

2.40.

A Video

Video Title. Videocassette. Director, Production Company, Date of Release. (MLA)

Length.

Creation vs. Evolution: "Battle of the Classroom." Videocassette. Dir. Ryall

      

Wilson, PBS Video, 1982. (MLA) 58 min.

A TV Show

Name of program. Station. Station Name, Location. Date.

Sixty Minutes. CBS. WFSB, Hartford. 3 May 1991.

Peer Editing

The word peer means: someone of equal standing with another. In our case, this means one of your classmates. Peer editing is the opportunity for one of your classmates to read and edit your writing. This can be very helpful because it allows you the opportunity to get another person's perspective on what you have written and how to improve for the final draft. You will usually receive comments from your teacher, but another student's ideas and comments can also be useful because they are involved in the same process as you.

When we do peer editing, each "editor" will follow some basic guidelines to help them give the most constructive and useful comments. You should have a form that you will be using to guide you through the expectations for this peer editing activity. Regardless, make sure you read the paper multiple times, and please mark corrections and general comments directly on the essay. Make sure, as well, to put your name at the bottom of the draft so the writer and I will know who has edited it.

What to look for during peer editing:

Content issues – Is there a catchy beginning?

Is the writing interesting?

Are all ideas related back to the main idea?

Argumentation problems – What do you agree / disagree with?

Is the thesis clear?

Use of evidence & support– Is there enough quotes & statistics?

Is parenthetical documentation used correctly?

Is proper credit given for each source used?

Organization issues – Are the paragraphs in the best order?

Are the connections between different ideas clear?

Good transitions?

Good introduction & conclusion paragraphs?

Writing style issues – Do the sentences read smoothly?

Is the meaning clear (unity & coherence)?

Is the language appropriate for target audience?

Are the ideas stated in the author’s own “voice”?

Is there a consistent third person point of view?

Copyediting problems - Spelling, Punctuation, Capitalization

Fragments or run-ons, Verb tense (see attached sheet!)

Overall impressions - Greatest strength and weaknesses of the paper?

Tips for the writers and editors:

❖ Use constructive criticism.

❖ Trust the instinct of your peer editor. If something confused him/her, consider how you could change it.

❖ Make as many comments as you possibly can!!!!!!!!

OTHER STUFF

Common Essay Errors

1. No thesis sentence listing the points that will be discussed in the paper.

2. No quotation marks around the title

3. Fragment sentences

4. Supporting details stuck in a paragraph with no introduction

5. Paragraphs with no topic sentence, or supporting sentences, or concluding sentence

6. 1-2 sentence conclusions

7. Incorrect or misspelled details

8. Introduction without author or summary

9. No indentation of paragraphs

10. Too much space between paragraphs

Mnemonic Reminders(and some other stuff)

TP-CASTT Analysis

Title: Ponder the title before reading the poem

Paraphrase: Translate the poem into your own words

Connotation: Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond the literal

Attitude: Observe both the speaker's and the poet's attitude (tone)

Shifts: Note shifts in speakers and in attitudes

Title: Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level

Theme: Determine what the poet is saying

|Shift (Progression) |

|Devices that help readers discover shift: |

|Key words (but, yet, however, although) |

|Punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis) |

|Stanza or paragraph divisions |

|Changes in line or stanza length, or both |

|Irony (sometimes irony hides shifts) |

|Structure (how the work is written can affect its meaning) |

|Changes in sound (may indicate changes in meaning) |

|Changes in diction (ex: slang to formal language) |

Elements of Tone (DIDLS)

Diction: the connotation of the word choice

Images: vivid appeals to understanding through the senses

Details: facts that are included or omitted

Language: the overall use of language, such as formal, clinical, jargon

Sentence Structure: how structure affects the reader's attitude

|Diction |

|Consider the following when discussing diction (word choice). |

|monosyllabic/polysyllabic |

|colloquial / informal / formal |

|denotative/ connotative |

|concrete / abstract |

|euphonious/cacophonous |

SATTT

(Especially useful when first considering a narrative work0

Ask yourself these questions about what you've read.

Setting: when and where is the event occurring? Could there be any symbolic significance to the author's choice of setting?

Action: What is occurring in the passage? Why did the author choose those particular actions?

Time: How much time elapses? How is the passage of time (if any) depicted? How is it significant to the text?

Tone: What is the author's attitude toward the subject? What does that suggest about the author? the topic?

Theme: What message is the author trying to convey? What lesson is being taught?

SMELL

(Particularly useful when analysing persuasive texts or advertisements)

Sender-receiver relationship

Message

Effect

Logic

Language

SOAPS

(A general mnemonic for any type of writing: what you should address immediately)

Subject

Occasion

Audience

Purpose

Speaker

SQUIDS

(A reminder of the steps in the process of analysis and commentary)

S = Select

Q = Quotation: a specific line (or passage)from the text

U = Understand

I = Identify (explain, hold forth, etch)

D = Define/Describe/Deconstruct its

S = Significance

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