North Allegheny School DistrictCommunication Arts/English Style Manual

North Allegheny School District

cation Arts/English Style Manual

North Allegheny School District cation Arts/English Style Manual

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Table of Contents Introduction Writing Writing: Three Main Modes………………………………………………………….………… 4 PSSA Writing Domains…………………………………………………………………………. 5 The Writing Process………………………………………………………………………….…. 6 Standard Graphic Organizers………………………………………………………………….….7 Structured Five-Paragraph Essay Format for Academic Writing………………………………...8 The Thesis Statement………………………………………………………………………….….9 Attention Getting Techniques: Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs………………….…..10 Attention-Getting Techniques: Examples for Introductory Paragraphs………………...………11 Attention-Getting Techniques: Examples for Concluding Paragraphs………………………….13 Writing Assessment Writing Process and Assessment: Terminology and Requirements……………………………..14

Stages of the Writing Process Portfolio Use No Excuses Chart Core Writing vs. Other Writing

Writing Assessment: Core Writing……………………………………..………………………15 Writing Assessment: Other Writing…………………………………………………………….15 Writing Assessment: FCAs (Focus Correction Areas)………………………………………….16 Proofreading Marks…………………………...…………………………………………………17 Proofreading Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………...18 Plagiarism………………………………………………………………………………………..19 Turnitin.com: Directions…………………………………………………………………….…..21 MLA Style (Modern Language Association) MLA Style Background…………………………………………………..………………….….22 MLA Style Significant Updates 2009…………………………………………..…………….…22 MLA Style Citation Tools…………………………………………….………….....………...…23 MLA Style Essential Formatting Points…………………………………………………………23 MLA Style First Page Formatting: Example………………….………………………………..24 MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Documenting Secondary Sources…………………………25 MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Documenting Primary Sources……………………………26 MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Special Considerations………………………………...….27 MLA Style Works Cited: Sample Entries……………………………………………………….28 MLA Style Works Cited Page: Example…………………………….………………………….34 MLA Style Works Cited: Helpful Hints………………………………………………………...35 Appendix A: Standard Graphic Organizers……………………………………………………..i Appendix B: No Excuses Chart Starters by Grade Level……………….……………………xxi

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Introduction

What is exemplary writing? Although many people may think of correctness in writing as

an absolute—based on hard-and-fast, unchanging rules—instructors and students know better.

Although there are rules, a certain amount of flexibility exists. “Is it okay to use I in essays for

this class?” asks one student. “Last year my English teacher wouldn’t let us.” Or, “Does my

heading go on the right or left side of the page? My social studies teacher asks us to put it on the

right side.” Such questions show that writing rules often shift and thus need our ongoing

attention.

Shifting standards do not mean that there is no such thing as correctness in writing—only

that correctness always depends on some context. Correctness is not so much a question of

absolute right or wrong as a question of the way a writer’s choices are perceived by readers. As

writers, we want to be considered competent and effective. We know that our readers judge us

by our control of the conventions we have agreed to use. Robert Frost said of composing poetry,

“Trying to write without honoring the conventions and agreed-upon rules is like playing tennis

without a net.” Therefore, a reliable, sanctioned set of rules needs to be constructed so that

teachers can maintain a consistent method of writing instruction and assessment that students can

recognize and build on from year to year.

The purpose of this style manual is for North Allegheny School District students in

grades 6 – 12 to have a standardized guide to reference when writing. The stylebook will be

available to students at www.northallegheny.org under Academics/Communication Arts/English.

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Writing: Three Main Modes

Competent writing skills are essential for students’ success at every grade level, across all disciplines, and in the real world. In order to ensure that all students learn and practice proficient writing skills, North Allegheny has adopted standardized language, procedures, and assessment tools that will allow students to confidently and effectively enhance their writing skills from year to year. In addition, a district-wide, shared approach to writing instruction and assessment will assist in students’ achievement on the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) tests. The Writing PSSA in grade 5 tests students in three modes of writing: narrative, informational, and persuasive. Grades 8 and 11 are tested in two modes: persuasive and informational.

Narrative Narrative writing tells a story or relates an incident. This type of writing depends on the development of plot, point of view, character(s), theme, conflict, style, and setting. A narrative essay may be personal or imaginative. Personal narrative essays are based on the writer’s own experience, while imaginative narratives allow a writer to invent a story. Examples of narrative prompts:

1. Think about a time you were feeling anxious. Write a narrative essay explaining your experience. 2. Summer breaks from school provide opportunities for families to spend time together. Recall an

an occasion when you experienced a special time together with your family. Compose an essay about it.

Informational Informational writing informs and explains, conveys messages, instructions, or ideas. Informational writing is non-fiction; personal opinions are not included. The writer must develop a thesis statement and present information clearly and thoroughly to support the thesis. Examples of informational writing include cause and effect, compare and contrast, description, articles, journals, and directions. Examples of informational prompts:

1. Write an essay that explains the qualities of a hero. 2. “Great thoughts speak only to a thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all humankind”

(Emily P. Bissell). How do “great actions speak to all humankind”? Write an essay that explains your understanding of this quotation.

Persuasive Persuasive writing presents an informed position by persuading the reader to do or believe something. This type of writing differs from informational writing because its purpose is not to inform but to influence the reader’s opinion on a topic through the presentation of evidence. Examples of persuasive prompts:

1. What is your favorite class this year? Write a letter to a class of eighth graders convincing them that they should take this class when they are in the ninth grade.

2. Many areas have laws requiring motorcycle and bicycle riders to wear helmets. Do these laws conflict with a rider’s right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”? Take a position for or against these laws and write an essay supporting your view.

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PSSA Writing Domains

Essays are scored based on the following components:

1. FOCUS: • Topic recognition • Purpose • Thesis • Development • Coherence

2. CONTENT:

• Development and explanation of main idea • Factual statements • Relative details (details that relate to the thesis) • Illustrative examples • Comparisons and contrasts • Concrete examples to support opinions • Deletion of unrelated ideas

3. ORGANIZATION:

• Introduction that draws reader into the writing • Paragraphs logically ordered • Transitions between and within paragraphs • Conclusion that reinforces thesis statement

4. STYLE:

• Clear and consistent voice • Effective diction/tone • Concise wording • Varied sentence lengths and types • Active voice verbs • Specific nouns • Appropriate vocabulary • Literary devices/syntax techniques

5. CONVENTIONS:

• Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, mechanics, and syntax

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The Writing Process Writing is a process, a series of activities that starts the moment you begin thinking about a topic and ends when you complete a final draft. Most writers know that good writing is actually rewriting—again and yet again. Drafts contain additions, deletions, rewordings, and rearrangements. The Stages of the Writing Process The North Allegheny Communication Arts/English Department will use the Stages of the Writing Process as the standard approach for writing instruction. The five steps are prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing.

1. Prewriting: Introduces the purpose of the assignment and provides ways to brainstorm topic ideas.

2. Drafting: Allows students to put their ideas on paper with little regard for conventions. Students begin to organize their ideas by paragraph, using any number of approaches: chronological, spatial, order of importance, compare/contrast, etc.

3. Revising: Provides students an opportunity to look at their writing with a critical eye.

They may read it aloud or confer with other students or a teacher using questions such as these to guide revision: • Is the focus clear and consistent? • Are there enough supporting details? • Are the details organized in a logical and understandable order? • Is a variety of sentence structures utilized throughout the writing? • Does the composition have sophisticated, appropriate vocabulary? • Are there transition words and phrases to move from one idea to the next?

4. Proofreading: Includes revising and improving the areas of grammar, spelling,

punctuation, mechanics, and syntax.

5. Publishing: Allows students to offer a final draft that can take many forms from a paragraph written in pencil to a formal typed essay shared outside of the classroom, depending upon the nature of the assignment.

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Standard Graphic Organizers

The following table contains a list of the graphic organizers that teachers will use within the district to support the writing process. Samples of each of these organizers are located in the back of this manual in Appendix A.

Standard Graphic Organizer List

Cluster/Word Web How to… Fact and Opinion Five W’s Five Paragraph Essay Organizer Four Square Paragraph Organizer Flow Chart Party Fold Persuasion Map Sandwich Chart Sense Chart Sequence Chart Spider Map Step by Step Chart Story Map Timeline Time Order Chart Venn Diagram

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Structured Five-Paragraph Essay Format for Academic Writing I. Introductory Paragraph

A. Attention getting technique B. Background information necessary for understanding C. Thesis statement

II. First Body Paragraph A. Topic sentence that introduces the first main point and supports the thesis

B. Explanation and support for topic sentence using facts, details, statistics, examples, expert authorities, opinions, and reasons

C. Transitions to move from one point to the next D. Concluding sentence that summarizes and interprets paragraph (answers “so what?”)

III. Second Body Paragraph

A. Topic sentence that introduces the second main point and supports the thesis B. Explanation and support for topic sentence using facts, details, statistics, examples,

expert authorities, opinions, and reasons C. Transitions to move from one point to the next D. Concluding sentence that summarizes and interprets paragraph (answers “so what?”)

IV. Third Body Paragraph

A. Topic sentence that introduces the third main point and supports the thesis B. Explanation and support for topic sentence using facts, details, statistics, examples,

expert authorities, opinions, and reasons C. Transitions to move from one point to the next D. Concluding sentence that summarizes and interprets paragraph (answers “so what?”)

V. Concluding Paragraph A. Reworded thesis statement

B. Summary of topic sentences C. Memorable conclusion

All support must be coherent, meaning that all information in each paragraph relates to the topic sentence. All support should be ordered using one of the following organizational strategies: chronological, spatial, order of importance, developmental, classification, or feature by feature.

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The Thesis Statement The thesis statement represents the central message of an essay; it reflects the content of the essay, reveals the purpose of the essay, and guides the writing. To compose a thesis statement, first write a simple statement that makes an assertion (declaration) and states your position, opinion, or impression about the topic. Writing an assertion focuses your thinking as you progress toward a fully developed thesis statement. As you are writing, if you find that your thesis statement and the content of your essay do not match, revise one or the other—or perhaps both. Basic Requirements for a thesis statement

1. It states the essay’s subject but does not simply repeat the title of the essay. 2. It indicates the essay’s purpose but does not announce it with “The purpose of this

essay is…” 3. It conveys the writer’s point of view toward the subject. 4. It makes a general statement and indicates what the essay will cover. 5. It uses specific language and avoids vague references. 6. It is tenable—provable, defendable, arguable

Example Thesis Statement: Public schools should require students to wear uniforms in grades 6 – 12. The writer has made an assertion or declaration; the writer’s point of view is evident; the thesis is arguable; it is implied that the writer will provide support for the assertion.

• A thesis may also give the major subdivisions of a topic, sometimes called a “three-tiered thesis statement.”

Example Three-Tiered Thesis Statement:

Public schools should require students to wear uniforms in grades 6 – 12 in order to eliminate peer pressure, allow students to focus on academics, and save families money.

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Attention Getting Techniques

Introductory Paragraph Concluding Paragraph Current Event Warnings Incident Wrap-Around Startling Fact Call for Action Startling Statement Larger Effects and Repercussions Unusual Opinion Remedy Historical Event Challenging Statement Series of Analogies Prediction Division of Topic Plea for Change Strong Opinion Quotation Anecdote Anecdote Quotation Brief Narrative Description of Something Familiar Example Example Question Describe a Compelling Scene Memorable Image Contradiction Promise of Benefit Brief Narrative Memorable Sensory Detail Rhetorical Question

Source: Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.

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Attention Getting Techniques: Examples for Introductory Paragraph

Current Event: On Tuesday, April 20, 2010 an explosion occurred on BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 52 miles southeast of the Louisiana port of Venice. According to the Coast Guard as many as fifteen crew members were reported missing at the time of the blast.

Incident: Last December, a four-car pile-up on the parkway resulted in the death of two people with three others injured. Startling Fact: A survey released by Nationwide Mutual Insurance shows that one in five drivers are texting while driving, and that figure rises to one in three for people aged 18-34. Startling Statement: During the Civil War, the battle at Antietam resulted in becoming the most deadly day in American combat history with over 23,000 soldiers’ deaths on both the Confederate and the Union sides. Unusual Opinion: School should be in session twelve months a year. Historical Event: In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, nineteen Puritans and two dogs were put to death after being condemned as witches. Series of Analogies: The brain and the computer have much in common. Once either of them is turned on, its potential is staggering. Just as a computer can link us to new and exciting places and ideas, the brain is capable of unlimited creativity and range. Division of Topic: Sorcery, voodoo, the occult, conjuring are all mystifying topics. Strong Opinion: Music and arts education should be mandatory in all public school systems. Anecdote: At the height of his success, a newspaper calculated that Rudyard Kipling was earning about a dollar per word. Shortly thereafter an autograph-seeker, having long tried to acquire his signature without success, wrote to the Nobel Prize-winning author: "I see you get $1 a word for your writing. I enclose a check for a dollar. Please send me a sample." Kipling complied, returning a postcard signed with a single word: "Thanks." Quotation: “To be great is to be misunderstood” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Description of Something Familiar: It is Saturday morning, and you have slept well past your early, school-day alarm. A friend calls and suggests meeting at the batting cages in North Park. On the way there, you stop at Tomato Pie for a late breakfast. Example: Last year, twenty-two students received traffic tickets for turning left out of the tennis court parking lot, and thirteen students were involved in moderate to serious vehicular accidents within a quarter of a mile of the school.

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Describe a Compelling Scene: As muddy flood water raged and swelled, desperate people could be seen perched on roof tops desperately yelling and signaling for help. Rain pelted them; wind whipped at their soaked clothing. Contradiction: Parents and other caregivers are not the most important role models in their children’s lives. Promise of Benefit: Moderate exercise at least three days a week will improve your mental and emotional health. Brief Narrative: Sixteen years ago, three little girls clamored to have their father purchase a white, fluffy, tiny, pink-tongued puppy that look pleadingly at them through the smudged glass of a pet store window. “She’s looking right at me, daddy, and she’s sad. She’s so cute. We’ll take care of her!” These are only a few of the coercive and ultimately untrue statements that precipitated my venture into dog ownership. Memorable Sensory Detail: The stringent sting of smoke sliced into the once untainted air of my living room. Rhetorical Question: What is ethical behavior? Who gets to decide what is right and what is wrong?

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Attention-Getting Techniques: Examples for Concluding Paragraphs Warnings: If riders choose not to wear helmets while riding motorcycles, they risk the chance of serious injury. Wrap-Around (a reference to the introductory paragraph): Thank goodness my brother wore his helmet; otherwise, he would have been seriously hurt. Call for Action: As a citizen, one should write strongly worded letters to legislators in order to strengthen current motorcycle driving laws. Larger Effects and Repercussions: A biker’s decision not to wear a helmet impacts not only himself, but his family and friends. Remedy: Taking 1000 extra steps a day may produce dramatic weight loss over time. Challenging Statement: Avoid texting and e-mails for one day; instead, call friends on the phone or write a friendly letter. Prediction: Unless we do something to improve our greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures will increase by 5.5 degrees by the year 2100. Plea for Change: Stop talking or texting on your cell phone while you are driving and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Memorable Image: With their mobility severely limited, a cluster of oil-covered brown pelicans huddled helplessly against the rocks.

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Writing Assessment: Terminology and Requirements Stages of the Writing Process North Allegheny’s Terminology for Stages of the Writing Process:

Prewriting Drafting Revising Proofreading Publishing

The entire writing process will be used at least three times a year for the development of Core Writings as defined in the unit based curriculum. Portfolios Writing portfolios will be used throughout the year to support the writing process. Portfolios will be given to the student at the end of the year to take home. Writing portfolios will not be passed on to the next teacher. No Excuses Chart (See Appendix B for No Excuses Chart Starters by grade level.) What is a No Excuses Chart?

The No Excuses Chart lists skills for which all students may be held accountable on any assignment. This chart will be posted somewhere within the classroom and may be kept on a chalk board or bulletin board. The No Excuses Chart will contain a predetermined list of skills that should have been mastered at the previous grade level. Teachers may hold students accountable for any item on the list on any assignment. In addition, the class/teacher will add items to the list as skills are mastered throughout the year. The purpose of the No Excuses chart is to provide accountability for students in the areas of grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling, and mechanics.

Core Writing vs. Other Writing What is Core Writing?

a. Writing that all teachers of a grade level assign to their students. b. Writing that will be standard in both description and assessment method. c. Writing that will allow for every stage of the writing process d. Writing that will include the state tested modes of writing [narrative (grades 2-5),

informational (grades 2-11), and persuasive (grades 3-11)]. The unit-based curriculum frameworks will outline which writing assignments are core. The goal of a core writing assignment is to assess a student’s writing in all areas of the PA Domain Scoring Guide for Writing (Focus, Content and Development, Organization, Style, and Conventions).

Other Writings are simply writing assignments not designated as core. The goal of these writings is to give students practice in specific skills. These writings are equally important no matter the length, because they prepare students for the weightier core writings, the Reading and Writing PSSA, etc. Writings not designated as Core Writings in the curriculum framework are to be considered “Other Writings.”

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Writing Assessment: Core Writing

1. The teacher will highlight, underline, or circle all errors in the student’s writing, but the teacher will NOT correct errors.

2. The teacher will copy the PA Writing Assessment Domain Scoring Guide rubric and circle/star the appropriate score for the writing in each domain.

3. The teacher will average the points in each domain to determine the student’s score. The teacher will assign the number of points deemed appropriate for the assignment. However, the following guidelines might be used to help assign points: Score of 4 = A Score of 3 = B Score of 2 = C Score of 1 = D Score of 0 = E

4. The PA Writing Assessment Domain Scoring Guide will be stapled to the writing; the student’s grade will be recorded in e-Sembler, and the essay will be returned to the student.

5. Upon return, students will be asked to correct all highlighted mistakes/errors in their writing. This activity may be completed during class time, or it may be assigned for homework. Students should have the opportunity to ask questions about highlights they are not able to correct on their own.

6. The students will place the graded writing (with their corrections) in their class portfolio for possible revision at a later date.

Assessment of all Other Writing

1. The teacher will highlight, underline, or circle all errors in the student’s writing, but the

teacher will NOT correct errors. 2. The teacher will copy the FCA (Focus Correction Area) Scoring Guide rubric with the

three FCAs for the assignment filled in. 3. The teacher will subtract points for each error identified as a Focus Correction Area and

document this on the FCA Scoring Guide. 4. The teacher may also subtract a point(s) for items listed on the No Excuses Chart. This is

optional. 5. The FCA scoring guide with the student’s score will be stapled to the writing and

returned to the student. 6. Upon return, students will be asked to correct all highlighted mistakes/errors in their

writing. This activity may be completed during class time, or it may be assigned for homework. Students should have the opportunity to ask questions about highlights they are not able to correct on their own.

7. The students will place the graded writing in their class portfolio for possible revision at a later date.

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Writing Assessment: FCAs (Focus Correction Areas)

Focus correcting is a selective approach to correcting student writing. With focus correcting, the teacher selects one, two, or three critical problem areas on which to focus. Focus correcting allows both the student and the teacher to concentrate on a few particular writing or thinking skills in any assignment. Focus correcting “provides a practical framework where students are challenged to do more writing and thinking without overwhelming the teacher with the impossible task of evaluating every paper for everything every time” (John Collins Writing Program). FCAs should be repeated frequently enough for students to become proficient users of the skill reflected in the FCA, and the FCAs should change over time as students refine their skills and develop as writers. FCAs should encourage students to focus on improving their writing skills, rather than simply avoiding mistakes. The less mature the writer, the more specific the FCA should be. Examples: For less experienced writers

• three vivid verbs underlined • three examples from the text • no fragments/no run-ons

For more experienced writers

• vivid verbs • sufficient support • complete sentences

For mature writers

• Active/vivid verbs creating tone • Compelling support • Sentence variety

FCAs are best when mixed for focus, content, organization, style, and conventions. Example: FCAs

• Two compelling reasons with factual support (content) • A conclusion that summarizes the paper (organization) • Use of at least ten vocabulary words—underlined and numbered (style)

When proofreading documents, mark all shown below.

Symbol Meaning

insert a comma

apostrophe or singlequotation mark

insert something

use double quotation marks

use a period here

delete

transpose elements

close up this space

a space needed here

begin new paragraph

no paragraph

Proofreading Marks

, mark all corrections using the common proofreading marks

Example

insert a comma

apostrophe or single quotation mark

insert something

use double quotation marks

use a period here

transpose elements

close up this space

a space needed here

begin new paragraph

no paragraph

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corrections using the common proofreading marks

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Proofreading Abbreviations The abbreviation would appear in the margin, with a line or arrow pointing to the offending element.

Abbreviation Meaning Example

Ab a faulty abbreviation She had earned a Phd along with her M.D.

Agr See also P/A and S/V

agreement problem: subject/ verb or pronoun/ antecedent

The piano as well as the guitar need tuning. The student lost their book.

Awk awkward expression or construction The storm had the effect of causing millions of dollars in damage.

Cap faulty capitalization We spent the Fall in Southern spain.

CS comma splice Raoul tried his best, this time that wasn't good enough

DICT faulty diction Due to the fact that we were wondering as to whether it would rain, we stayed home.

Dgl dangling construction Working harder than ever, this job proved to be too much for him to handle.

- ed problem with final -ed Last summer he walk all the way to Birmingham.

Frag fragment Depending on the amount of snow we get this winter and whether the towns buy new trucks.

| | problem in parallel form My income is bigger than my wife.

P/A pronoun/antecedent agreement

A student in accounting would be wise to see their advisor this month.

Pron problem with pronoun My aunt and my mother have wrecked her car The committee has lost their chance to change things. You'll have to do this on one's own time.

Rep unnecessary repetition The car was blue in color.

R-O run-on sentence Raoul tried his best this time that wasn't good enough.

Sp spelling error This sentence is flaude with two mispellings.

- s problem with final -s He wonder what these teacher think of him.

STET Let it stand The proofreader uses this Latin term to indicate that proofreading marks calling for a change should be ignored and the text as originally written should be "let stand."

S/V subject/verb agreement The problem with these cities are leadership.

T verb tense problem He comes into the room, and he pulled his gun.

Wdy wordy Seldom have we perused a document so verbose, so ostentatious in phrasing, so burdened with too many words.

WW wrong word What affect did the movie have on Sheila? She tried to hard to analyze its conclusion

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Plagiarism Part of becoming a mature, responsible writer is to understand the issue of plagiarism. All writers need to be aware of current definitions of plagiarism and know how to appropriately integrate and acknowledge the work of others within a written document. Plagiarism is the act of using another person’s ideas, information, or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source. It gives the impression that you have written or thought something that you have, in fact, borrowed from someone else. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, inaccurate or incomplete acknowledgement of sources and the deliberate use of one writer’s work for another’s. Two Types of Plagiarism Unintentional Plagiarism: Individuals engaging in unintentional plagiarism are often unaware that they have indeed plagiarized. This lack of awareness may be due to carelessness or to a lack of proficiency in citing sources accurately. Examples of unintentional plagiarism:

• Paraphrasing that is too closely worded to the original source (even if the source is identified).

• Using quotations without proper citations. • Borrowing ideas from another source without acknowledging the source or

properly citing the source. Deliberate Plagiarism: Individuals who intentionally use another person’s work as their own and suppose knowledge and understanding that are not theirs are indisputably committing plagiarism. Deliberate plagiarism is dishonest and deceitful. The purpose of North Allegheny’s Academic Integrity Policy is to combat this form of plagiarism. Examples of deliberate plagiarism:

• Copying an essay or any document written by another person and submitting it as your own.

• Purchasing, downloading, or copying information from the internet and submitting it as an original work by someone other than the author.

• Cutting and pasting passages from source materials without the use of quotation marks, acknowledgement, or citations.

• Using an idea or concept without giving proper credit to the source. Guidelines for Avoiding Plagiarism

• Acknowledge when you are using the ideas, words, or images of others. Always document the sources.

• Become thoroughly familiar with the documentation style your instructor requires you to use. Then make a list of the information you must provide when you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source.

• Write down all of the facts that you need to document a source the first time you consult it, or you risk not finding it again.

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• Follow a consistent note taking system. Use different colors or some other coding system to distinguish among three different types of material:

§ Quotations from a source § Material you have paraphrased, summarized, or otherwise drawn from a

source § Your own thoughts, triggered by what you have read or experienced

• Write clear, even oversized quotation marks when you are quoting a passage directly. Make them stand out so that you cannot miss them later when you are typing your final draft.

• Consult your instructor if you are unsure about any aspect of the documentation process.

Sources: Lunsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. Hesse, Douglas and Lynn Quitmn Troyka. Quick Access. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007.

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Turnitin.com: Directions “Turnitin allows educators to check students' work for improper citation or potential

plagiarism by comparing it against continuously updated databases. Every Originality Report provides instructors with the opportunity to teach their students proper citation methods as well as to safeguard their students' academic integrity” (Turnitin). Directions for creating a Turnitin.com account:

1. Access Turnitin.com online 2. Select “New User” 3. Select “Sign Up for Turnitin” 4. Select “Create a New Account” 5. Select “Student” 6. Enter all information

a. Class ID (Teacher will provide student with this information) b. Class enrollment password c. Student’s first and last name d. Student’s email address e. Student’s secret question

7. Select “I agree” to create student profile Directions for submitting your original work through Turnitin.com: 1. Log in to “Turnitin.com” 2. Enter your email address and password 3. Select the class for which you want to submit work 4. Select “Submit” and fill out the required information 5. Select “Browse” to locate your file; then double click the file 6. Select “Upload” 7. Review the preview paper to be sure you have submitted the correct file 8. Select “Submit” 9. Print a copy of your digital receipt for your records

Source: Turnitin #1 Plagiarism Checker to Ensure Academic Integrity. Web. 17 July 2010.

<http://turnitin.com/>.

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MLA Style Background MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used by schools, colleges, and universities to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. MLA style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material by other writers. Welcome to the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL). Web. 02 Aug. 2010. <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/>.

MLA Style: Significant Updates 2009

The Modern Language Association has updated its guidelines for college and high school writers. The following information is an overview of the major changes in MLA style in the 7th edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (2009).

Italics

• Italics is now used everywhere in place of underlining—for titles, for words, etc.

Medium of publication

• Every entry has a medium of publication designation, such as the following: Print, Web, Radio, Television, CD, Audiocassette, Film, Videocassette, DVD, Performance, Lecture, and PDF file. Wood, James. How Fiction Works. New York: Farrar, 2008. Print.

Online sources

• MLA guidelines assume that readers can track down most online sources by entering the author, title, or other identifying information in a search engine or a database. Consequently, MLA does not require a URL in citations for online sources.

• MLA no longer requires the location of the database (the library name, for instance). • MLA style requires a sponsor or publisher for most online sources. If a source has no

sponsor or publisher, use the abbreviation “N.p.” (for “No publisher”) in the sponsor position.

• If there is no date of publication or update, use “n.d.” (for “no date”) after the sponsor. • For an article in an online journal or an article from a database, give page numbers if

they are available; if they are not, use the abbreviation “n. pag.”

Hacker, Diana. Documenting Sources MLA Style: 2009 Update: a Hacker Handbooks

Supplement. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.

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MLA Style Citation Tools There are several tools available that make MLA documentation easy and accurate. NoodleBib http://www.noodletools.com/ Landmarks Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/ Easy Bib http://www.easybib.com/

MLA Style (Modern Language Association): Essential Formatting Points Paper The paper should be 8 ��x 11, unlined white paper used on one side. Spacing The paper should be double-spaced, including the title page (if used), the text, and the Works Cited page. Margins The standard margin is 1 inch on the left, right, top, and bottom. You will need to apply this in the Page Setup command on your Word Processor. Pagination All pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the paper, including the Works Cited page. The page numbers appear in the top right corner (1/2 inch from the top.) Do not use the abbreviation p. or any other symbol before the page number. On each page, the student’s last name should precede the page number. Paragraph Indentation Begin each paragraph by indenting five spaces. Punctuation of Titles Italicize the titles of all works published separately such as books, plays, pamphlets, periodicals, radio and television shows, recordings, movies, works of art, and transportation. Enclose in quotations the titles of essays, articles, short stories, poems, interviews, lectures, speakers, song titles, and chapter titles. Heading and Title The first page of your MLA style paper may have an MLA page number in the upper right corner of the paper, one half-inch down and flush with the right margin (one-inch). Placement of a page number on the first page is optional. On the left side of the paper, begin one inch from the top; type your name, your teacher’s name, the course name, and the date submitted on separate lines double-spaced. Next, center the title, then double-space, and begin the text of your paper. Do not underline your title, put it in quotation marks, or type it in all capital letters. A title page is no longer necessary in MLA format although your teacher may still prefer that you use one.

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MLA Style First Page: Formatting Example

Pagination with last name and page number (1/2 inch from top). No punctuation between name and number.

Student Name

Teacher Name

Course Title

Date Submitted Title of Paper No underlining, no bold, same font and size as rest of essay.

1-inch Margin

1-inch Margin

½ Inch Indent

1-inch Margin

1-inch Margin

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MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Secondary Sources

You must document the words, ideas, and evidence of other writers. The use of parenthetical citations enables the researcher to document a source briefly, clearly, and accurately. You must indicate to your readers not only what words you used in writing the paper but also exactly what you derived from each source and exactly where in the work you found the material. Each of the following parenthetical references is brief, clear, and refers readers to a specific and complete citation listed in Works Cited. The citation looks like this: Townsend, Robert M. The Medieval Village Economy. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1993. Print.

1. Give the author’s last name and a page number of the source in parentheses. Medieval Europe was a place both of “raids, pillages, slavery, and extortion” and of “traveling

merchants, monetary exchange, towns of not cities, and active markets in grain” (Townsend 10).

The parenthetical citation reference (Townsend 10) indicates that the quotations come from page 10 of a work by Townsend. Given the author’s last name, your readers can find complete publication information for the source in the Works Cited that follows the text of your paper. The period is always placed after the citation.

2. Use the author’s last name in your sentence and place the page number(s) of the source in parentheses.

Townsend points out that Medieval Europe was a place both of “raids, pillages, slavery, and

extortion” and of “traveling merchants, monetary exchange, towns of not cities, and active

markets in grain” (10).

3. When paraphrasing, be sure to cite the source. If it is not your idea, it must be

credited, even if you have put it into your own words. Medieval Europe was a violent, crooked, and dishonest place (Townsend 10).

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MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Primary Sources

The same rules apply for primary sources. When you use them in your paper, italicize the titles of all works published separately such as books, plays, pamphlets, periodicals, radio and television shows, recordings, etc. Enclose in quotations the titles of essays, articles, short stories, poems, interviews, lectures, speakers, song titles, etc. 1. Novel/Short Story In Alice Walker’s A Color Purple, the relationship between Celie and Shug is strong. Walker reinforces

the idea of friendship and love when Celie befriends Shug, and the two women become very close; Celie

begs Shug to never leave her and confides in her saying, “He beat me when you not here” (76).

You may want to include information that will enable readers to find the passage in various editions. That can mean including the part or chapter in which a passage can be found. Elie Weisel in Night describes his concentration camp experience and states, “Even when we were no

longer hungry, not one of us thought of revenge” (115: ch. 8).

2. Poem Use the slash (/) to separate lines of poetry you cite in your text. Add a space before and after the slash. Then cite the line number(s) after the quotation. Poe’s speaker is expressing his unrequited love for his deceased bride when he declares, “But

we loved with a love that was more than love / I and my Annabel Lee” (9-10).

For a longer poem divided into parts, cite the part and the line numbers, separated by a period. An example of a simile in Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is “red as a rose is she” (1.34). 3. Play Cite act, scene, and line(s) in Arabic numerals.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the tragic hero relinquishes the sadness that has troubled him since his father’s

death, crying, “To be, or not to be: that is the question” (2.2.287-289).

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MLA Style Parenthetical Citations: Special Considerations

1. When a Source Has No Author and/or Page Numbers Sometimes you will use a source that has no author and/or page number (for example, this is common in many online resources). Here is an example of the Works Cited citation and the parenthetical documentation: "Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund. Environmental

Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

The warning is clear: “We must take action or life as we know it will cease to exist” (“Blueprint”). Note the abbreviation of the source and lack of page number in the parenthetical citation.

2. Using Long Quotations

When you quote more than four typed lines of prose and/or three lines of poetry, set off the quotation by indenting it one inch (2 tabs) from the left margin. Use the normal right margin and do not single space. Long quotations should be introduced by an informative sentence, usually followed by a colon. No quotation marks are necessary. Notice that at the end of an indented quotation, the parenthetical citation goes outside the final period. Alan Brinkley, in The Unfinished Nation, questions our democratic system:

Democracy must be assessed on a continual basis. As our nation evolves, new social,

political, moral, and economic issues present themselves to the American people. The

very threads of Democracy are tested and strained by our ever-changing society. For

example, after the terrorist attacks in New York, a new awareness of public security

developed. (Brinkley 67)

However, many contenders of this theory…

3. Punctuation in Quotation Marks

If a quotation ending with a question mark or an exclamation point concludes your sentence and requires a parenthetical reference, retain the original punctuation within the quotation marks and follow with the reference and the sentence period outside the question marks. Torvald tells Nora in A Doll’s House, “…you have destroyed all my happiness. You have ruined all my future…and I must sink to such miserable depths because of a thoughtless woman!” (3.3.18).

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MLA Style Works Cited: Sample Entries

Books

Book – One Author

Wilson, Frank R. The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and Human Culture.

New York: Pantheon, 1998. Print.

Book – Multiple Authors

Raffer, Bernard, Richard Frieman, and Robert Baron. New York in Crisis. New York: Harper,

1986. Print.

Two or More Books – Same Author – omit name after first entry

List works alphabetically by title. (Remember to ignore articles like A, An, and The.) Provide the author’s name in last name, first name format for the first entry only. For each subsequent entry by the same author, use three hyphens and a period.

Palmer, William J. Dickens and New Historicism. New York: St. Martin's, 1997. Print.

—. The Films of the Eighties: A Social History. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 1993. Print.

Book – Corporate American Medical Association. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine.

New York: Random, 1989. Print.

Book- No Named Author

Handbook of Pre-Columbian Art. New York: Johnson, 1988. Print.

Book – Translation Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. Trans.

Richard Howard. New York: Vintage-Random House, 1988. Print.

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Book – A Work Prepared by an Editor Melville, Herman. Moby Dick. Ed. J. P. Small. Boston: Houghton, 1954. Print.

A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers

One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. 24-34. Print.

Article –Reference Book

Mohanty, Jitendra M. “Indian Philosophy.” The New Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropaedia.

15th ed. 1987. Print.

“DNA.” Encyclopedia American. 1984 ed. Print.

Periodicals

Article – Magazine

Amelar, Sarah. “Restoration on 42nd Street.” Architecture Mar. 1998. 146-50. Print.

Article –Newspaper or Weekly Periodical

May, Clifford. “Religious Frictions Heat Up In Nigeria.” New York Times 12 August. 1984, late

ed., sec. 4: 2+. Print.

“Making of a Candidate for President.” Time 20 Jul. 1984: 40. Print.

Article – An Editorial or Letter to the Editor

"Of Mines and Men." Editorial. Wall Street Journal east. ed. 24 Oct. 2003: A14. Print.

Hamer, John. Letter. American Journalism Review Dec. 2006/Jan. 2007: 7. Print.

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Article –Journal with Continuous Pages

Brogdan, Robert. “Religious Freedom and School Holidays.” Phi Delta Kappa 68 (1984): 700-

702. Print.

Article –Journal with Pages Issued Separately

Jones, Mary. “Urban Poetry.” American Review. 13.2 (1987): 66-73. Print.

Article – Loose-Leaf Collection of Articles “Portugal.” Culture Grams. Provo, Utah: Millennial Star Network and Brigham Young

University, 2000. Print.

Article – Reprinted in a Loose-Leaf Collection of Articles Edmondson, Brad. “AIDS and Aging.” American Demographics Mar. 1990: 28+ The AIDS

Crisis. Ed. Eleanor Goldstein. Vol. 2. Boca Raton: SIRS, 1991. Art. 24. Print.

Electronic Sources

Website

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number. Name of

institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource

creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access.

Personal Web Site

Lancashire, Ian. Home page. Web. 1 May 1997.

Professional Web Site

Dawe, James. Jane Austen Page. Web. 15 Sept. 1998.

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Article in a Reference Database "Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849)." DISCovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student

Resource Center - Bronze. Gale. Web. 31 Mar. 2010.

Online Article in a Newspaper or on a Newswire

Markoff, John. “The Voice on the Phone Is Not Human, but It’s Helpful.” New York Times on

the Web. 21 June 1998. Web. 25 June 1998.

Online Poem

Nesbit, Edith. “Marching Song.” Ballads and Lyrics of Socialism. London, 1908. Victorian

Women Writers Project. Ed. Perry Willet. Apr. 1997. Web. 26 Apr. 1997.

Online Article in a Scholarly Journal

Flannagan, Roy. “Reflections on Milton and Ariosto.” Early Modern Literary Studies 2.3 (1996):

16 pars. Web. 22 Feb. 1997.

Online Article in a Magazine Landsburg, Steven E. “Who Shall Inherit the Earth?” Slate 1 May 1997. Web. 2 May 1997.

Online Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine. 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive. Web.

22 May 2006. Online Map “Phoenix, Arizona.” Map. U.S. Gazetteer. US Census Bureau. Web. 30 June 1998.

Online Cartoon

Toles, Tom. “One Way to Solve the Beeper Problem.” Cartoon. U.S. News Online 1 June 1998.

Web. 29 June 1998.

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Other Common Sources

Interview

Cole, Richard. Personal interview. 3 Feb. 1984.

Recorded Films – Include Writers, Producers, Others as Pertinent

It’s a Wonderful Life. Dir. Frank Capra. Perf. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore,

and Thomas Mitchell. RKO, 1946. DVD.

TV and Radio – Include Writers, Producers, Directors, Others as Pertinent “Pollution in the Desert.” Sixty Minutes. Narr. Mike Wallace. Prod. Jack Fenway. Dir. John

Brett. CBS WCBS, New York. 6 Mar. 1984.

Recordings – Include composers, Performers, Directors, Others as Pertinent Gibb, Andy. Shadow Dancing. RSO, RS 893, 1978. CD.

Dictionary – definition “Noon.” Def. 4b. The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. Print.

Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterward Doctorow, E. L. Introduction. Sister Carrie. By Theodore Dreiser. New York: Bantam, 1982. v-

xi. Print.

College Brochure

University of Virginia. Charlottesville: Office of University Registrar, 1999.

Map or Chart Washington. Map. Chicago: Rand, 1995.

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Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado, Madrid. Lecture, Speech, Address or Reading Atwood, Margaret. “Silencing the Cream.” Boundaries of the Imagination Forum. MLA

Convention. Royal York Hotel. Toronto, 29 Dec. 1993.

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MLA Style Works Cited: Example Page

Works Cited

"Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund.

Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York Times.

New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times. New York

Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Ebert, Roger. "An Inconvenient Truth." Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth, dir. Davis Guggenheim.

Rogerebert.com. Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006. Web. 24 May 2009.

GlobalWarming.org. Cooler Heads Coalition, 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Nordhaus, William D. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control Global Warming."

American Economic Review 96.2 (2006): 31-34. Print.

—-. "Global Warming Economics." Science 9 Nov. 2001: 1283-84. Science Online. Web. 24

May 2009.

Shulte, Bret. "Putting a Price on Pollution." Usnews.com. US News & World Rept., 6 May 2007.

Web. 24 May 2009.

Uzawa, Hirofumi. Economic Theory and Global Warming. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2003.

Print.

Smith 7

Number the page(s) sequentially with the paper.

The first line of each entry is at the left margin; extra lines are indented 1/2 inch

Alphabetize the list by the first word in the entry (other than a, an, or the)

Centered 1” from the top (NOT underlined, boldfaced, or italicized)

When listing two or more works by one author, use 3 hyphens and a period

Use double spacing throughout

Adapted from the Online Writing Lab at

-Purdue

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MLA Style Works Cited Page: Helpful Hints

1. The words Works Cited should be centered. The first letter of each word should be

capitalized. Do not underline the words Works Cited.

2. Number the Works Cited page(s) sequentially with the paper.

3. The entries listed on the page should not be numbered.

4. Double-space all entries and between the entries.

5. Indent only the second line of an entry by ½ inch or five spaces (called a hanging indent.)

The first line of a Works Cited entry should not be indented.

6. Include only those sources that are referred to within the text of the paper.

7. Alphabetize the list by authors’ last names. If a work has no author, alphabetize by the

first word of the title other than the articles a, an, or the. If the work has no author and

the title begins with a numeral (ex. 2010 Peterson’s Guide to College), then alphabetize

according to the spelling of the numeral.

8. When listing two or more works by an author, do not repeat the author’s name; instead,

type three hyphens and a period. Skip two spaces and then type the title.

A Works Consulted page may be used when the writer is asked to include a list of sources, even though the body of the text has no internal citations. A Works Consulted page was formally called a Bibliography.

Standard Graphic Organizers NASD

Appendix A Standard Graphic Organizers

ii

iii

iv

Name __________________________________ Date__________________________ How-to Essay Graphic Organizer

Activity Steps Equipment

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

v

vi

vii

Five Paragraph Essay Organizer (Coming Soon)

viii

ix

x

xi

Party Fold The "Party Fold" is an easy-to-use, kid-friendly graphic organizer. Specifically, students can utilize it for PSSA Reading Test open-ended items and PSSA Writing Test essay prompts. However, as a simple organization tool, students in any subject area might find it useful for a quick writing or brainstorming activity. Directions: Bring the top to meet the bottom in the middle of the paper where they have a party. With pencil, quickly draw a grid that serves both types of PSSA responses, and any assigned writing activity, big or small. Fold top down

Draw the grid lines Fold bottom up Party in the middle On PSSA tests, teachers are not allowed to provide students any type of graphic organizer. However, teachers are permitted to give students "scratch paper". This tool allows students to quickly and easily create their own graphic organizer with the scratch paper. Courtesy of Diane Santoriello – Literacy Coach (K-8) Fox Chapel School

District

Introduction Topic Details

Topic Details

Topic Details

Conclusion

xii

xiii

xiv

xv

xvi

xvii

xviii

xix

xx

xxi

xxii

Appendix B: No Excuses Charts

xxiii

Elementary No Excuses Chart Starters (See page 14 for more detail.)

Starting 1st Grade

1. Place name on all papers and work. 2. Use your sounds when writing.

Starting 2nd Grade

1. Place name on all papers and work. 2. Put spaces between words. 2. Capitalize the beginning of a sentence.

Starting 3rd Grade

1. Use end marks. 2. Capitalize names.

Starting 4th Grade

1. Capitalize proper nouns. 2. Use appropriate end marks correctly.

Starting 5th Grade

1. Use appropriate capitalization. 2. Follow basic paragraphing: topic sentence, details, concluding sentence.