Essay Tips for the Essay Tips for the Rest of Your Life!Rest of Your Life!

Mr. FeracoMr. Feraco

6 November 20076 November 2007

The Top FiveThe Top Five

All of you will receive a sheet with a “Top Five” All of you will receive a sheet with a “Top Five” section along with your essays.section along with your essays.

Those five tips are meant to help highlight Those five tips are meant to help highlight tendencies you may not have noticed, or areas tendencies you may not have noticed, or areas you can strengthen with practiceyou can strengthen with practice

Don’t worry when you see them – Don’t worry when you see them – everyoneeveryone has one!has one!

Each list contains variations of the following Each list contains variations of the following tips; even if you don’t have these specific tips tips; even if you don’t have these specific tips on your list, they’re all worth remembering!on your list, they’re all worth remembering!

Take notes…Take notes…

MLA GoodnessMLA Goodness

Most of you formatted Most of you formatted your essays pretty well; I your essays pretty well; I do realize that some of do realize that some of you aren’t familiar with you aren’t familiar with MLA, which is why it’s a MLA, which is why it’s a good idea to practice now!good idea to practice now!

Before you submit your Before you submit your final draft to turnitin.com final draft to turnitin.com on Thursday/Thursday on Thursday/Thursday night, make sure the night, make sure the following are present: following are present:

Page numbersPage numbers Heading (date in proper Heading (date in proper

format + period)format + period) Indentation for each Indentation for each

paragraphparagraph Italicized essay titleItalicized essay title Underlined book titleUnderlined book title Appropriate block Appropriate block

quotes and citationsquotes and citations

MLA GoodnessMLA Goodness

While you should be sure to include While you should be sure to include everything I mentioned on the everything I mentioned on the previous slide, you should also avoid:previous slide, you should also avoid: Blank lines between your heading, title, Blank lines between your heading, title,

and essayand essay Odd spacing/tabbing between paragraphsOdd spacing/tabbing between paragraphs Placing your header on the right side of Placing your header on the right side of

the pagethe page

Thesis GoodnessThesis Goodness

Your thesis must:Your thesis must: Contain the Contain the specificspecific purpose for your essay – the purpose for your essay – the

point you’re trying to prove, the topic you’re point you’re trying to prove, the topic you’re exploring, etc.exploring, etc.

Be clear Be clear andand concise; an overly wordy or confusing concise; an overly wordy or confusing thesis will disrupt the reading experiencethesis will disrupt the reading experience

Be original; if the point you’re making has already Be original; if the point you’re making has already been made a hundred times before, why bother been made a hundred times before, why bother writing three pages about it?writing three pages about it?

Address the prompt. (If you can choose from Address the prompt. (If you can choose from several prompts, your thesis should indicate which several prompts, your thesis should indicate which you’ve chosen)you’ve chosen)

OriginalityOriginality

All of you know what plagiarism is at All of you know what plagiarism is at this point; plagiarized papers aren’t this point; plagiarized papers aren’t crimes of ignorance. (Well, they are, crimes of ignorance. (Well, they are, in a way…)in a way…) Write your own papers – don’t “write Write your own papers – don’t “write

them with someone else.” Why would I them with someone else.” Why would I want to grade two highly similar essays? want to grade two highly similar essays?

Make your citations clear – don’t even Make your citations clear – don’t even paraphrase without mentioning your paraphrase without mentioning your source!source!

SourcesSources

Use proper sourcesUse proper sources NONO SparkNotes, MegaEssays, BookRags, SparkNotes, MegaEssays, BookRags,

PinkMonkey, etc. may be usedPinkMonkey, etc. may be used NONO Wikipedia entries may be used Wikipedia entries may be used NONO clearly amateur sources; for the clearly amateur sources; for the

Matrix essay, writings that have been Matrix essay, writings that have been published online are OK, provided that published online are OK, provided that they’re clearly drawing from other they’re clearly drawing from other sources themselves (wild speculation is sources themselves (wild speculation is not good source material)not good source material)

Length IssuesLength Issues

Minimum page length means Minimum page length means minimumminimum page length – it’s not optional!page length – it’s not optional! For example, you won’t earn higher than a C For example, you won’t earn higher than a C

on this paper if you turn in something that on this paper if you turn in something that isn’t at least four pages.isn’t at least four pages.

Remember, a B is an “above-average” paper, and Remember, a B is an “above-average” paper, and an A is “absolutely outstanding – a cut above”an A is “absolutely outstanding – a cut above”

A paper that can’t even bother to meet the A paper that can’t even bother to meet the minimum page length is neither above-average minimum page length is neither above-average nor absolutely outstandingnor absolutely outstanding

So Should I Pad My Papers?So Should I Pad My Papers?

No.No. If you are struggling, don’t repeat yourself, If you are struggling, don’t repeat yourself,

don’t write “filler,” and don’t start trying to don’t write “filler,” and don’t start trying to mess with your spacing.mess with your spacing. Do some more research so you can explore the Do some more research so you can explore the

points you’re trying to make in greater depth.points you’re trying to make in greater depth. After all, a “four-page paper” is two single-spaced After all, a “four-page paper” is two single-spaced

pages (which is why I always write my papers in pages (which is why I always write my papers in single-spaced format at first – it feels shorter!), or single-spaced format at first – it feels shorter!), or roughly 85 lines long.roughly 85 lines long.

That’s about 28 lines per movie (not to mention That’s about 28 lines per movie (not to mention block quotes)!block quotes)!

You guys are fairly talkative – I’m pretty sure you You guys are fairly talkative – I’m pretty sure you can come up with a couple of minutes worth of can come up with a couple of minutes worth of material from each movie (and that’s how long it material from each movie (and that’s how long it takes to read 28 lines aloud – a couple of minutes).takes to read 28 lines aloud – a couple of minutes).

Good Research Will Always Save Good Research Will Always Save YouYou You’re supposed to research your subject as You’re supposed to research your subject as

you write so your essays won’t be shallow.you write so your essays won’t be shallow. Who wants to read a surface-level critique of Who wants to read a surface-level critique of

“The Matrix?” I can just pull up a movie “The Matrix?” I can just pull up a movie review and call it a day. (They watch the films review and call it a day. (They watch the films from the audience’s perspective; you’re from the audience’s perspective; you’re English students, and you can do better!)English students, and you can do better!)

We’re trying to express original thoughts in We’re trying to express original thoughts in our papers – and we can only do that by our papers – and we can only do that by digging below the surface (which represents digging below the surface (which represents the obvious).the obvious).

Good Research Will Always Save Good Research Will Always Save YouYouNot only is original thought more Not only is original thought more

interesting to read, but it’s more fun interesting to read, but it’s more fun to write as wellto write as well Let’s face it – it’s more fun to produce Let’s face it – it’s more fun to produce

something you’re proud of than something something you’re proud of than something you just finished to get a grade.you just finished to get a grade.

What’s more, if you What’s more, if you only only write in order to write in order to earn a grade, you’ll earn a better one by earn a grade, you’ll earn a better one by working harder, writing better, and digging working harder, writing better, and digging deeper. deeper.

Good Research Will Always Save Good Research Will Always Save YouYou Research provides you with a second Research provides you with a second

foundation for your writingfoundation for your writing We all head into our essays with preconceptions – We all head into our essays with preconceptions –

whether they be our opinions about a topic, our whether they be our opinions about a topic, our interpretations of what we just read/heard/saw, etc. interpretations of what we just read/heard/saw, etc. – and most people write their essays as a way of – and most people write their essays as a way of further justifying these preconceptions.further justifying these preconceptions.

The truly wonderful thing about research is that it The truly wonderful thing about research is that it can both support your views and adjust them; in can both support your views and adjust them; in other words, your opinions and ideas can change other words, your opinions and ideas can change for the better if you gain more knowledge!for the better if you gain more knowledge!

Think of the information you know when you first sit Think of the information you know when you first sit down to write as a primary foundation – and think of down to write as a primary foundation – and think of the information you discover through research as the information you discover through research as its twin!its twin!

Using Your ResearchUsing Your Research

Your main point should be clear – and you Your main point should be clear – and you should should proveprove something conclusive with your something conclusive with your writing. writing.

To that end, it’s important to remember that To that end, it’s important to remember that clarity is more critical to a paper than anything clarity is more critical to a paper than anything outside of the main argument; if a writer outside of the main argument; if a writer doesn’t express himself or herself clearly, the doesn’t express himself or herself clearly, the essay becomes nearly impossible to read!essay becomes nearly impossible to read!

This doesn’t just apply to sentence mechanics This doesn’t just apply to sentence mechanics (although it (although it doesdoes apply to that), but to the apply to that), but to the issues/topics/works you’re exploring.issues/topics/works you’re exploring.

Your research makes it easier to make clear Your research makes it easier to make clear points by providing a framework for your points by providing a framework for your thoughts.thoughts.

While Using ResearchWhile Using Research

That framework is most valuable That framework is most valuable when it’s on the written page – which when it’s on the written page – which means, at some point, that you need means, at some point, that you need to insert someone else’s words within to insert someone else’s words within your own.your own.

Those quotes add legitimacy to your Those quotes add legitimacy to your argument or analysis (depending on argument or analysis (depending on which type of paper you’re writing) which type of paper you’re writing)

But how do you go about doing this?But how do you go about doing this?

Quote InsertionQuote Insertion

Quotes should never be blankly Quotes should never be blankly inserted into an essay.inserted into an essay.

Quotes should not need to be Quotes should not need to be followed by sentences summarizing followed by sentences summarizing and explaining them.and explaining them.

Quotes should never be followed Quotes should never be followed directly by another quote; your words directly by another quote; your words should always separate one quote should always separate one quote from another.from another.

Example of Quote InsertionExample of Quote Insertion

However, many of the alterations Pound makes to However, many of the alterations Pound makes to his material cannot be traced back to linguistic his material cannot be traced back to linguistic misunderstandings; rather, they stem from his misunderstandings; rather, they stem from his decision to serve as an “inspired but unreliable decision to serve as an “inspired but unreliable translator” (Kenner 199). In translator” (Kenner 199). In The Pound EraThe Pound Era, Hugh , Hugh Kenner argues that Pound’s seemingly haphazard Kenner argues that Pound’s seemingly haphazard translation style in translation style in CathayCathay is in fact meticulous and is in fact meticulous and calculated, and that the translations themselves calculated, and that the translations themselves give him the means to his ultimate end: To force give him the means to his ultimate end: To force himself to “rethink the nature of an English poem” himself to “rethink the nature of an English poem” (199) through the simultaneous application of three (199) through the simultaneous application of three literary principles. literary principles.

Notice that I never interrupted the flow of my words Notice that I never interrupted the flow of my words in order to include the quotesin order to include the quotes They simply belong where they belong within the They simply belong where they belong within the

sentencessentences

Example of Paraphrasing and Example of Paraphrasing and Quotes:Quotes: Roland Barthes draws an important distinction Roland Barthes draws an important distinction

between what he deems “classical” and “modern” between what he deems “classical” and “modern” language. He defines classical language – the language. He defines classical language – the language used in poems before the Modernist language used in poems before the Modernist movement – as having continuous, linear meaning. movement – as having continuous, linear meaning. Meaning and context are important, the syntax is Meaning and context are important, the syntax is “proper” – going from one end of the sentence to the “proper” – going from one end of the sentence to the other, front to back – and readers can understand the other, front to back – and readers can understand the familiar flow of the language. Modern language, familiar flow of the language. Modern language, therefore, strips its words of their meanings in order therefore, strips its words of their meanings in order to give each one “a magical power; it has become to give each one “a magical power; it has become complete in itself, a revelation in its own recesses…It complete in itself, a revelation in its own recesses…It is a mark of such words that we cannot read them, but is a mark of such words that we cannot read them, but they read us, they affront us by presenting their they read us, they affront us by presenting their significance in relation to themselves.” significance in relation to themselves.”

(It’s usually a good idea to cite your paraphrases as (It’s usually a good idea to cite your paraphrases as well as your quotes!)well as your quotes!)

What Else Do Those Slides What Else Do Those Slides Show?Show?As you may have already guessed, I As you may have already guessed, I

tend to write longer, complicated tend to write longer, complicated sentences.sentences. I’ve been practicing with shorter sentences I’ve been practicing with shorter sentences

for a while now.for a while now. It never hurts to have both!It never hurts to have both!

Also, the first slide shows Also, the first slide shows whywhy you you need a clear and fairly specific thesisneed a clear and fairly specific thesis The paper was written for a Pound expert The paper was written for a Pound expert

who already understood the subject well; who already understood the subject well; how many of you could have guessed that how many of you could have guessed that the paragraph contained my thesis?the paragraph contained my thesis?

Why Do We Need a Specific Why Do We Need a Specific Thesis?Thesis? Besides the fact that you need to focus on Besides the fact that you need to focus on

something something in order to write well, your in order to write well, your paper should be structured in a way that paper should be structured in a way that encourages the reader to continueencourages the reader to continue A poorly-structured essay forces the reader to go A poorly-structured essay forces the reader to go

in reverse, to check what they’ve already read in in reverse, to check what they’ve already read in order to find their way againorder to find their way again

A good thesis should contain elements from the A good thesis should contain elements from the ideas that form the structure of your body ideas that form the structure of your body paragraphs – but it doesn’t have to include paragraphs – but it doesn’t have to include everythingeverything!!

Here’s an Example from the Here’s an Example from the Juniors!Juniors!““Even though many are in the Even though many are in the

mindset that homework helps mindset that homework helps reinforce students, homework should reinforce students, homework should be banned in schools all across the be banned in schools all across the country because students consider it country because students consider it busy work, it causes stress, and it busy work, it causes stress, and it does not cause significant academic does not cause significant academic improvement.”improvement.”

What’s Good About That Thesis?What’s Good About That Thesis?

We know what the paper will be We know what the paper will be aboutabout

We know how the five paragraphs We know how the five paragraphs will be structuredwill be structured

We know the author’s stanceWe know the author’s stance

What Should Be Fixed?What Should Be Fixed?

It’s really, really long.It’s really, really long. It’s overly specific!It’s overly specific!What links exist between those What links exist between those

topics?topics? If you can find links, you can shorten If you can find links, you can shorten

your thesis!your thesis!

Tomorrow:Tomorrow:

Lots more!Lots more!