Mr. Schmidt’s Writing GuideWriting Skills/areas on which to focus this year:

Integrating quotations and evidence into your paragraphs. Doing quality research (finding credible and relevant examples/quotations). Writing great introductory and concluding paragraphs. Using a variety of sentence structures and other elements of style. The structure and flow of the essay. Learning the proper format (MLA style).

Table of Contents:1 This page. Introductory information.2-4 Questions about writing a formal paper5-7 Essay Comment Keys8 The 20 Most Common Errors students tend to make in their writing9-10 Basic MLA style/format11 The Works Cited Page12 How to do Quality Research13 Topic Sentences14 Thesis Statements15-16 Writing Introductory Paragraphs17-18 Writing Body Paragraphs19-20 Integrating Quotations into your Paper (TIE) *IMPORTANT!!!21 How to Write Concluding Paragraphs22 Creating a Good Title for your paper.23 *Earning Extra Credit!24 Turnitin.com instructions25 Mr. Schmidt’s Writing Checklist

Check out my website for helpful information and power points on writing:1. Go to: http://www.lhswildcats.org2. Directory – Departments -- English -- Meet the Faculty3. Click the “website” link by my name.4. Click on the link for your class.

*Don’t forget about your Writer’s INC book! It is a goldmine! The Basic Writing Process: pages 3-8 Traits of Effective Writing: pages 21-26 Prewriting: pages 41-52 Writing the first draft: pages 53-58 Revising your work: pages 59-72 Editing and proofreading: pages 79-83 Writing with Style: pages 111-120 MLA style: pages 281-308. Research: pages 339-365 Information on punctuation, mechanics, and grammar starts on page 487.

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Questions about writing a formal paper:

1. How do I get started? What are the steps?

2. When should I go to the Write Place for guidance/help? How do I sign up?

3. What is my main goal?

4. How do I achieve that goal?

5. Where and how do I put my name, class/course, date, and teacher info?

6. Where and how should the title of the paper appear?

7. What makes a good title VS a bad title?

8. What should the beginning of my paper (first sentence) accomplish?

9. What are some ways I can “hook” my audience?

10. Who is my audience?

11. How can I make my introduction interesting?

12. How long should the introduction be?

13. What is a thesis?

14. Why is the thesis so important?

15. Where should I put my thesis statement in the paper?

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16. What do my body paragraphs do?

17. How many paragraphs should the paper have?

18. How do I prove my thesis?

19. How do I pick quotations that will help prove my thesis?

20. How do I smoothly integrate/tie in quotations?

21. How do I document my quotations? What is the correct MLA format for this?

22. What if my quotation is over five lines long? How does the style and documentation format change?

23. How many quotations or supporting details do I need for each paragraph?

24. How many quotations should I have in a 5 paragraph essay/paper?

25. How do I do research?

26. Where should I go? Where can I go for help?

27. What do I look for?

28. How do I know when I find a good quotation from an article/website? How do I know which quotation to use in my paper?

29. Where should research quotations appear in my paper? Mixed in with the others?

30. Do “famous quotes” count as doing research?

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31. How do I document a research quotation?

32. How can I make a good transition to my next paragraph?

33. How do I write a good conclusion paragraph? How long should it be?

34. How do I make a Works Cited page? What are the basic MLA rules for this?

35. How do I cite a novel on the Works Cited page?

36. How do I cite internet research on the Works Cited page?

37. How do I put my last name and page # in the upper right corner of every page except page one?

38. If I have questions about the format/MLA style, where can I find answers?

39. How can I edit my paper? Why do I need to do this?

40. How do I submit the paper to turnitin.com?

41. Where can I learn about STYLE? How can I check to see if my style is appropriate?

42. What does a “formal paper” mean? What is INF?

43. What does it mean that I need to use a variety of sentence types?

44. Why can’t I write “This paper . . .” or “In conclusion . . .”?

45. Why would reading my paper aloud be helpful?

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Essay Comment Key # 1: Essay Writing & Style

Please refer to this page whenever I return an essay or paper to you. Read over my comments, and make a personal note about the types of errors I found and try not to repeat those same errors on future assignments. If you have any questions about my comments, please tell me that you would like to discuss it and we will arrange a time to do so.

ABBREVIATION WHAT IT MEANS

TS Topic Sentence. A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph. It must introduce the topic/subject of the paragraph in an interesting or informative way. The TS may tell all necessary details (like what the paragraph is about, the title and author of a story, poem, or essay being discussed) and perhaps what the essay will say about this topic (though the THESIS of a paper would come later). The TS may begin an anecdote leading into a discussion of the subject matter, but this is not always appropriate for a formal essay.

INTRO Introduction. The introduction of an essay/paper should grab the reader’s attention and introduce him/her to the topic of the essay. The introductory paragraph should be at least six sentences long and should conclude with the THESIS.

CONC Conclusion. The conclusion should sum up your information or argument. Do not introduce any new data or ideas in the conclusion. You should restate the THESIS of the essay (worded differently) and remind the reader of the key points of the essay. One sentence is sufficient for a one-paragraph essay, but a paper will need an entire paragraph (at least six sentences) as a conclusion.

THESIS. Thesis. The thesis is the statement explaining what the paper is about and what it hopes to prove. In a one-paragraph essay this is the same as your TS. In a paper, the thesis is usually the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.

TIE TIE IN THE QUOATION: You need to provide some connection between the quotation you used and your own writing. Do not just “plop” a quotation into a paragraph. You need to explain why the quotation is relevant to the topic. You should provide some context for the quotation as well, so readers know who said it, why, or any other important information. Do not just start a paragraph with a quotation and move on: you still need to address it or explain why it is there.

PLAG Plagiarism. You have committed plagiarism (literary theft: trying to pass off one person’s words or ideas as your own without giving the person due credit).Result: Automatic 0.0% on the assignment!

GOOD! You have made a great point, found an excellent quote, or impressed me by your vast intelligence and eloquent style.

EX Example. Need an example, detail, or fact to back up your argument.

EXP Explain. Need to explain this point or example in greater detail.

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PROOF! Need proof. You have made a huge assumption or assertion that cannot just be stated and left alone. You need to provide evidence or reasoning. EX: “Everybody knows that men are pigs” is not a fact and needs some proof.

WK Weak. The point you made is a weak argument. It is not strong enough to support your argument. Either the point has an obvious flaw or you could have found a much better way to support the argument.

NO! Not true. You have written something that simply is not true. Check your facts.

? ? ? Confusing. This does not make sense. Need to rephrase and explain more.

VAG Vague. The writing seems to be going somewhere and is trying to make a point, but it fails to clearly express the point.

ISSUES OF STYLE

INF Informal. The style is not formal. This means you are writing in the 1st or 2nd person (using “I” or “you” in the essay), using slang, abbreviations, colloquialisms, clichés, or treating the reader as if he/she were a friend. In a formal essay (which most of your essays will be) you want to sound like you are an expert on your subject. Do not express your opinion by writing, “I think that. . .” The “I think” is unnecessary and makes it sound weak. Simply state your opinion as if it were a fact (this sounds more convincing) and back it up with reasons and proofs.

AWK Awkward. This is kind of “catch-all” for when your writing sounds a little awkward for one reason or another. Often this is due to ambiguity, word choice, punctuation, sentence-structure, or style. *See me for details so that I don’t take off for the same type of error all year long!

PASS Passive Voice. Use Active Voice most of the time. EX: Write, “He hit the ball” instead of “The ball was hit by him.” Active = Subject does the action. Passive = the subject is the object of the action; something is being done to the subject.

S.V. Sentence Variety: You need to vary the length and types of sentences in your essay. Sentences of the same length (all short, all long, etc.) or of the same type (all simple, all complex, etc.) result in a boring rhythm that will put your reader to sleep. You need to demonstrate writing mastery by using a variety of sentences so that the writing remains fresh and exciting.

Lit D. Literary Devices: These are things like metaphors, similes, personification, alliteration, etc. These do not solely “belong” in the pages of fiction. Use these devices to make your writing more interesting, catchy, etc. Good writing includes phrases that stay with the reader for a long time.

Scratch mark. Cut this. Remember, less is more.

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Essay Comment Key # 2: Format & Mechanics

ABBREVIATION WHAT IT MEANS

MLA The Modern Language Association: These are the people who tell us what the correct format for an essay is. There are others, like APA, but most colleges use MLA, and that is what is described in your student handbook, so all of your assignments for me will be in MLA style. If I write “MLA” on your paper, it means you did not follow those instructions. Check your student planner, the school library’s website, or ask me.

DOC Documentation. Either the sentence is not documented and needs to be or there is an error in the existing documentation. It is very important to do this correctly. Mistakes may result in an act of plagiarism = 0.0% on the assignment!

Circle or Slash/// Minor Problem with mechanics, spelling, etc. I usually just circle or slash through a minor error. This still affects your grade. Figure out what you did wrong and don’t do it again!

GR Grammar. There is an error is grammar, tense use, etc.

SP Spelling. Misspelled word.

WW Wrong Word. You used the wrong word (EX: “there” for “their” or “they’re”).

PP Paragraph. Need to start a new paragraph here.

/PP/ (slash through PP) Should not have started a new paragraph here.

RUN Run-On Sentence. Check each of the sentences in your draft to make certain it is not a fused sentence (also called a run-on sentence). Fused sentences are created when clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence are joined with no punctuation or words to link them. Fused sentences must either be divided into separate sentences or joined by adding words or punctuation.

FRAG Sentence Fragment = Incomplete Sentence. The sentence is a phrase or clause that does not present a compete thought. EX: “Because he had driven several hours that night.” This is an adverb clause, and you should be left wondering “. . . Well? What happened because he drove all night?” Adding a comma and explaining what happened because he had been driving that night can fix it.

PL/S Plural and Singular agreement. Part of the sentence or subject is referred to in the singular, another part in the plural. Keep this consistent.

T/S Tense Shift: You switched from past to present (or vice versa) for seemingly no reason. Try to be consistent (unless there is a clear reason to switch).

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FROM THE 20 MOST COMMON ERRORS

1 Missing comma after an introductory element: Check your sentences to see which ones open with an introductory word, phrase, or clause. Readers usually need a small pause between the introductory element and the main part of the sentence, a pause most often signaled by a comma. Try to get into the habit of using a comma after every introductory element, be it a word, a phrase, or a clause. When the introductory element is very short, you don't always need a comma after it. But you're never wrong if you do use a comma.

2 Vague Pronoun Reference: when there is more than one word that the pronoun might refer to; or, when the reference is to a word that is implied but not explicitly stated.

3 Missing comma in a compound sentence: When the parts of your sentence are joined by and, but, so, yet, nor, or for, insert a comma to indicate a pause between the two thoughts.

4 Wrong Word.5 Missing comma with a non-restrictive element EX: Ben, my brother, is a great baseball player.6 Wrong or missing verb ending.7 Wrong or missing preposition.

8 Comma Splice: Check all the commas used in your draft for comma splices, which occur only when a comma separates clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence. To correct a comma splice, you can insert a semicolon or period, add a word like and or although after the comma, or restructure the sentence.

9 Missing or misplaced possessive apostrophe.10 Unnecessary shift in tense.11 Unnecessary shift in pronoun.12 Sentence Fragment.13 Wrong tense or verb form.14 Lack of subject-verb agreement.15 Missing comma in a series.16 Lack of agreement between pronoun and antecedent.17 Unnecessary comma.18 Run-on or fused sentence.19 Misplaced or dangling modifier.20 Its/It’s confusion: “Its” is a possessive, “it’s” is short for “it is.”

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James P. RockefellerMr. Hironimus

English Literature Honors

21 August 2009

Paper Format Explanation (for Vista—yuck)

Before you begin typing a paper, be sure to set the margins at 1” all around (Page

Layout—Margins—Normal). Then be sure that the font is set at 12, Times New Roman.

To correctly number your paper, go to “Insert,” “Page Number,” and select “Plain

Number Three.” Before the number, type in your last name and hit the space bar. Be

sure to change your name and page number to 12, Times New Roman font. Print preview

if you want to see your paper thus far.

The entire paper should be double-spaced. Under the “Page Layout” tab, change

the after spacing to “0 pt.” Just below and to the right of that, there is a little button with

an arrow that points, you guessed it, to the bottom right. Click on that. You will see a

box appear that is titled “Paragraph.” Change the line spacing to double. In the upper

left-hand corner place your formal name (first and last), the instructor’s name, the name

of the class, and the due date (European style). Without leaving any extra spaces, give

the paper a title. Be sure that you center it on the paper. When you begin the text of your

essay, do not leave any extra spaces (keep double-spaced). Every paragraph should be

indented (just hit the “tab” key). Leave one space after words, commas, semi-colons, and

colons. Leave two spaces after periods, question marks and explanation points.

Remember, however, not to overuse exclamation points or questions (use questions only

in introduction or conclusion)!

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Kate Nobody

Mr. Schmidt

Freshman Lit. & Comp.

23 October 2008

Center the Title

*Your entire paper should be double-spaced! (This example page is only single-spaced). Be sure to double-space your entire paper!

To correctly number your paper, go to “Insert” and then click “Page Number” in the “Header & Footer” tab. You will have several options. Choose # 3, the one that has the page number appear in the upper right corner. Before moving on, type your last name and hit the space bar. Then click the box for “Different First Page” at the top of the screen.

The entire paper should be double-spaced (even though this page is only single-spaced so that I can get everything you need to know on one page). In the upper left-hand corner be sure to place your formal name (first and last), the instructor’s name, the name of the class, and the due date (European style). Without leaving any extra spaces, give the paper a title. Be sure that you center it on the paper. When you begin the text of your essay, do not leave any extra spaces (keep double-spaced). Every paragraph should be indented five spaces. Leave one space after words, commas, semi-colons and colons. Leave two spaces after periods, question marks and explanation points. Remember, however, not to overuse exclamation points or questions (use questions only in introduction or conclusion)!

Documentation Examples:

Huck said, “It sure is nice to live on a raft” (Twain 132) because every time he set foot on land, he got himself into trouble. This was made perfectly clear when Huck met the King and the Duke, “gf676tgfjyt7gg” (146).

Many critics feel that, “The novel touches upon many important issues to teens today” (Smith).

*The rule is: After the quotation marks or before the period (whichever you prefer), you need to have the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis. If there is no page number because the article appeared online, then just use the author’s last name. If no author’s name is on the website, use the name of the article or website in parenthesis. Also, if you have a second or third quote from the same source right after the 1st, you don’t need to have the author’s last name AND the page number = just the page number.

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Works Cited

Recent MLA changes: No more underlining! Titles are now in italics (or quotations marks where appropriate). No more URLs! From now on, CNN.com is sufficient so long as it is pretty easy to navigate

to the specific article from that website. No more library information! If you found your article/website from one of the school

databases, you USED to have to write the name of the school/institution where you accessed the database, but not anymore.

ADD A WORD ABOUT THE PUBLICATION MEDIUM! Most citations would either be PRINT or WEB, but could also be DVD, TV, etc.

EXAMPLE OF AN ARTICLE FROM A DATABASE:

Able, Cain. “Fear.” Contemporary Literary Criticism. 15 May 2007. Gale Resource

Center. Web. 30 August 2009.

Critic or author. “Title of the article” Name of Book or Magazine where it was

originally printed. Date it was originally printed. Name of the database you

used. Web (as opposed to a print media). Date you found it.

EXAMPLE OF A PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE:

Gladders, Dode. “The Man Who Changed the Face of Fear.” American Psychological

Foundation. 24 January 2001. Web. 29 August 2009. APF.com/fear/stephenking/

Author/editor. “Title of webpage.” The sponsor/organization/corporation. Date the

page was posted/updated. Web. Date you accessed the site. Basic web address

(just enough so we can find the webpage).

EXAMPLES OF NOVELS:

King, Stephen.  Carrie.  New York: Penguin Group, 1977. Print.

___________.  The Stand.  New York: Penguin Group, 1991. Print.

Author. Novel Title. City where it was published: Publishing company, year of the

copyright. Print (as opposed to an online/web source).

EXAMPLE OF AN ARTICLE FROM A MAGAZINE WEBSITE.

Chu, Kia.  "King: The King of Horror."  Time 7 May 1989. TIME.com. Web. August 30, 2009.

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Doing Quality Research

What does this mean? ANSWER: Research involves looking for answers, information, data, or opinions in a number of sources (a minimum of three). *QUALITY research

means that the info/data is credible AND important to your topic/thesis.List of GOOD websites/sources:

.gov = A website ending with .gov means it is run by the government and is therefore pretty reliable.

.org = RISKY, but .org means “organization.” Many organizations are reliable, but the KKK is an organization. Would you want to back up your thesis by using KKK propaganda as evidence?

1. Go to our school library’s webpage and use the databases http://www.lhswildcats.org/

2. Look at the Directory on the left side and then click the “Library Media Ctr.”3. *These databases all have very reliable information. You can trust the databases on

this page – that’s why our school pays money to have access to them.

EBSCO HOST: Check out the POINTS OF VIEW link to political/news issues. CQ RESEARCHER: This site has huge articles with great info on hundreds of

great topics! FACTS ON FILE: Good stuff on history, science, and geography. PROQUEST: Look at the CULTURE GRAMS section for good topics. GALE RESOURCE CENTER: Look in OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS for great

articles on current events/news/politics. Look in LITERATURE RESOURCE CENTER if researching a novel or author.

NEWSBANK NEWSPAPERS: You can search a bunch of different newspapers for articles on your topic!

POINTS OF VIEW: This is the same website you can get at through Ebsco Host. Check out the others! There’s no telling what you might find!

List of BAD websites/sources: NEVER USE THE FOLLOWING!

Spark Notes/Cliff’s Notes , or anything resembling these kind of study guides. Bookrags, enotes, and anything resembling them. Famous quotes pages and dictionaries (it is okay to use a famous quotation or a

definition, but these do NOT count as research because you didn’t read an article—you just did a quick search).

Free essays websites or anything similar to them (you need CREDIBLE sources) Ask.com, Answers.com, About.com , or anything similar to these sources. Wikipedia or other wiki websites. Blogs (unless the person is a known reliable/credible source = this is very rare).

.com = “dot coms” are notoriously biased. They are trying to sell you something which means they are not going to be 100% honest.

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Topic Sentences

A topic sentence is the sentence that states what is going to be supported in a paragraph.

It is almost always the first sentence in a paragraph. Every body paragraph should have a

topic sentence. Also, after the first body paragraph, subsequent topic sentences should

focus on transitioning the reader from the previous body paragraph to the next.

There are three types of bad topic sentences.

Announcement—This paragraph is about cars.

Other examples of announcements include…This paper…The following paragraph will…

Too narrow—My car is a Saturn.

This is too narrow because it is not something that can be proven in a paragraph. It’s just a fact and the paragraph would end there.

Other examples of topic sentences that are too narrow include…William Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564.Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451.Jack is a twelve-year-old character in Lord of the Flies.

Too broad—Many people have cars.

This is a topic that you could write thousands of papers about. It also doesn’t go anywhere.

Another example of broad…

Cars have many qualities.

How would you support that in only one paragraph?

Effective—While Saturns are very reliable cars, another reason they are popular is because of economic factors.

The writer of this sentence takes the reader from the previous body paragraph, which dealt with reliability, to the present paragraph which will be about Saturns’ economic advantages.

Other examples of effective topic/transition sentences include…

Besides Odysseus’ obvious bravery, another dominant traits that defines his character is his loyalty.

Furthermore, Fitzgerald uses colors in The Great Gatsby to illustrate mood.

For more on topic sentences, consult Writer’s Inc. section 103.

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Composition UnitThesis Statements

A thesis statement is usually a single sentence that contains two main elements: a manageable subject plus a specific feeling about (or a particular feature of) that subject.

A manageable subject (Atticus Finch) + A specific feeling (He is the moral conscience of the novel) = An effective thesis statement (Atticus Finch’s moral codes establish an ethical approach to

parenting and civic responsibility in To Kill a Mockingbird.)

Thesis Checklist:If you can answer yes to each of the following questions, then you have written an effective thesisstatement:

1. Does your thesis focus on a specific writing idea?2. Is the thesis stated in a clear, direct sentence?3. Is the thesis supported by the information you have gathered?4. Does the thesis suggest a pattern of development for your essay?

(comparison, cause/effect, and classification are example patterns)

Thesis Statement Myth:A thesis statement must give three points to support. (It should indicate that the essay will explain and give evidence for its assertion, but points don't need to come in any specific number.)

Sample thesis statements:1. Lee utilizes physical description, dialogue, and actions to characterize Scout as a

caring individual.2. The three characters who are ultimately responsible for the deaths of Romeo and

Juliet are Capulet, Tybalt, and Friar Lawrence. 3. Steinbeck’s use of the land turtle in chapter three symbolizes the strife and

hardship that awaits the Jode family.4. Students who wish to write successful research papers much as possible about the

modern academic library—its central information system, reference works, online catalog of holdings, full-text databases, and other resources and services—and must be knowledgeable about finding useful Internet sources. (MLA)

5. An increasing amount of evidence indicates that Ulysses Grant’s administration was one of the most corrupt in American history.

For more on thesis statements, consult Writer’s Inc. sections 025 and 168.

Write an effective thesis statement for each of the following manageable subjects.1. Libertyville High School

2. Your summer reading novel

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3. Baseball

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Composition UnitMethods of Introduction I and II

Intro paragraphs start broad and work their way toward a narrow thesis. Therefore, your thesis must take a certain stance on your chosen subject. Four sentences continue to be the minimum accepted length for an intro paragraph.

1. Broad Statement- Begin with a broad, general, and interesting statement of related to your topic and narrow it down to your thesis statement. Broad, general statements ease the reader into your thesis statement by providing background for it. It is something that is probably too general to support in a short essay, but still an interesting thought. This is what is considered the traditional funnel intro.

Scholars generally consider King Lear to be Shakespeare’s best, yet most difficult play. It is often regarded as the greatest because most readers are able to relate to the title character’s troubles in some way. While most readers will never be a king or queen of any nation, hardly any go through life without facing the foolish vice of pride. Lear’s servant, The Fool, through difficult speech patterns, continually raises the reader’s awareness of Lear’s flaws. Through a dark, humorous use of puns and riddles, The Fool reveals stark truths and hurtful observations about Lear and mankind.

2. Contrast- Start with an idea or situation that is the opposite of the one you will develop. A contrast hook does not contradict your thesis; it simply shows a different side of the argument. This approach works because your readers will be surprised, and then intrigued, by the contrast between the opening idea and the thesis that follows it.

When people think of classic love stories, they tend to start with Romeo and Juliet. Because Romeo and Juliet kill themselves, people believe that the young lovers are illustrating their love for one another. However, instead of illustrating true love, they are actually showing something entirely different: their youth. Romeo and Juliet is ultimately a story not of love, but of immaturity.

3. “Relevance”- Explain the importance of your topic. If you can convince your readers that the subject applies to them in some way, or is something they should know more about, they will want to continue reading.

Engrained in the American way is the natural desire to want more. A more expensive car, a larger house, and a bigger television are all objects many Americans seek. The longing for material possessions is related to the craving for power in one way: they are both products of ambition. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, ambition created political upheaval and the eventual downfall of the title character and his wife. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth each meet their demise because of their overly ambitious goal of attaining ultimate supremacy within their country.

4. Anecdote- Use an incident or brief story. Stories are naturally interesting. They appeal to a reader’s curiosity. In your introduction, an anecdote will grab the reader’s attention right away. The story should be brief and should be related to your central idea. A transition sentence should take the reader from the story to the thesis. The anecdote presented does not necessarily have to come from the work being analyzed in the essay.

Midway through Act III of Hamlet, Claudius, the unlawful king of Denmark, enters a confessional and attempts to purge his soul from the sin that weighs him down. The crime of having murdered his own brother for his crown torments Claudius, a Christian desiring everlasting life in heaven. Claudius kneels down and prays, but rises, only to announce, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below,/ words without thoughts, never to heaven go” (III.iv.97-98). Claudius rises and exits the holy sanctuary, knowing full well he cannot receive the desired forgiveness. In Hamlet, Shakespeare renounces false repentance asserting that forgiveness for sins cannot come until one has renounced the rewards of one’s transgressions.

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Composition UnitMethods of Introduction III

5. Questions- Ask your readers one or more questions. These questions catch the readers’ interest and make them want to read on. Make sure that the questions are interesting and not in first or second person (never ask, “Have you ever wondered…?”). Also, a question hook is still a type of traditional funnel introduction (start general and work your way towards the thesis). Therefore, your thesis should not come immediately after your questions because you must your way towards the thesis.

What would have happened if William Shakespeare had a sister? Would she have been able to accomplish as much as her brother? Would she have even come close to his literary success if she wanted to be a writer? In all likelihood, Shakespeare’s sister would not have even worked outside the home. Women during the Renaissance were not afforded the same opportunities as today. Today, women play important roles in society outside of the home. The movement for women’s equality has impacted society in a number of important ways.

6. Quotation- A quotation can be something you have read in a book or an article. It can also be something that you have heard: a popular saying or proverb (“Never give advice to a friend”), a current or recent advertising slogan (“Just do it”), a favorite expression used by your friends or family. Using a quotation in your introductory paragraph lets you add someone else’s voice to your own. Your quotation should not be support from the works you are writing about. Hint: the Internet has many good quotation sites (quotationspage.com).

a. There are two ways to start with a quote hook. The first is by integrating the quote into your introduction paragraph. After the quote you should connect the quote to your thesis. You do not have to provide a citation.

“For it is mutual trust,” author H.L. Mencken once wrote, “even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together. Our friends seldom profit us but they make us feel safe... Marriage is a scheme to accomplish exactly that same end.” Mencken points out that the ultimate purpose of marriage is to make humans feel safe. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the title character starts the story by totally trusting his wife, Desdemona. Iago, Othello’s trusted confidant, is able to manipulate Othello’s trust in his wife. Ultimately, Othello’s fatal flaw is that he does not seek proof of Desdemona’s betrayal.

b. The second type of quote hook is a hanging quote. The purpose of this quote is to have the reader think about the topic before considering a specific stance on the subject. The quote should be centered and single spaced. After the quote, you then provide the source of the quote. Then, double-space and start writing a traditional funnel (Broad Statement) introduction. Do not refer to the quote in your essay.

For it is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest that holds human associations together. Our friends seldom profit us but they make us feel safe...Marriage is a scheme to accomplish exactly that same end.

-H.L. Mencken

In Shakespeare’s other great tragedies, King Lear, Hamlet, and Macbeth, the title characters…

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Composition UnitBody Paragraphs

According to Writer’s Inc, a paragraph is a unit of thought used to describe, support, or explain your specific topic or idea. Body paragraphs should unify an essay by supporting just one single main idea. If you were to address a second idea, that idea should be reserved for a new body paragraph. Paragraphs should also be constructed to provide coherence: present information chronologically, by way of cause and effect, or even by order of importance. Most importantly, body paragraphs work to support ideas with proof by way of examples and quotations.

A well-written body paragraph should be at least eight sentences in length, resulting in a formula that looks much like this:

Topic Sentence|

Integrated Quote|

Elaboration|

Integrated Quote|

Elaboration|

Integrated Quote|

Elaboration|

Clincher

This formula obviously suggests just one of many ways to write a body paragraph. For example, there is and should be nothing preventing you from adding a transitory sentence between your topic sentence and your first integrated quote.

Topic Sentence – remember, a topic sentence is used to state the focus of the paragraph (what will be supported in the paragraph). Unify your paragraph by having a clear topic sentence and making sure each remaining sentence in the same paragraph relate directly to the same main idea. According to Writer’s Inc the following formula can be used to create an effective topic sentence:

A limited topic (Music) + a specific impression (helps people relax) = a topic sentence

Oftentimes students need to incorporate a transition into their topic sentence. This technique is perfectly acceptable:

Not only can music stimulate the brain to more powerful performance, it helps people relax.

Integrated Quote – remember, choose interesting quotes that serve to effectively prove the point of your body paragraph. By choosing a directly related quote, you can support your body paragraph topic, and therefore support your thesis statement at the same time. Remember, your overall goal of your essay is to prove your thesis statement written in your introductory paragraph.

It is also important to attempt to integrate your copied passage with words of your own, so you avoid “drop-in” quotes.

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Good example: Morrison points out that social context prevented the authors of slave narratives “from dwelling too long or too carefully on the mere sordid details of the experience” (109).

Elaboration -- never, never, never leave a quote unexplored in a body paragraph. When you use a quote as an example of the point you are trying to prove, be sure to explain in your words how the quote is both relevant and significant. Spend at least a sentence analyzing the main idea of the paragraph in light of the additional information presented by the quote. Using transition words such as thus, consequently, and as a result after a quote indicates quote analysis.

Some teachers insist that you explain what each quote is saying, essentially re-wording the quote into a more readily understandable sentence. This strategy, while not mandatory, is beneficial if you are quoting a passage of difficult text. Then, use a second sentence to connect the quote to the topic sentence and thesis by means of analysis and explanation. This connection is the most important part of the paragraph.

Clincher – students often make the mistake of not providing closure to one topic before moving on to the next. After spending seven or eight sentences stating a clear topic, providing examples, and explaining the examples, relate the point you just made directly to the thesis. This provides cohesion in your essay and an excellent way to close paragraphs.

Also consider how you will transition from one topic into another. You may use the last sentence of a body paragraph to effectively accomplish two tasks: close out the finished topic and transition into your next.

Example Body Paragraph:

Even though Romeo is denied a physical or emotional relationship with Rosaline, he refuses to

look elsewhere for love, which is another of Paster’s criteria for a Petrarchan lover. When Benvolio

recommends Romeo “examine other beauties” (I.1.236), Romeo will have none of it. In a typically

melancholy, frustrated reaction, he tells Benvolio, “Show me a mistress that is passing fair; / What doth her

beauty serve but as a note / Where I may read who passed that passing fair?” (I.1.243-45). In comparison

to the other girls, Rosaline is the fairest of them all. Searching for another would only project the faults of

those other girls being compared to her. The Petrarchan lover does not seek to take advantage of available

women. He sets his sights on one unattainable object, and suffers needlessly afterward.

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Composition UnitIntegrating Quotations into Your Sentences I

There are three basic rules to follow when choosing quotations (note: a quotation is not just when you quote a character—it is also when you quote text):

1. Use quotations when another writer’s language is particularly memorable and will add interest and liveliness to your paper.

2. Use quotations when another writer’s language is so clear and economical that to make the same point in your words would, by comparison, be ineffective.

3. Use quotations when you want the solid reputation of a source to lend authority and credibility to your own writing.

Once you’ve selected the passage you want to quote, work the material into your paper in as natural and fluid a manner as possible.

According to Gene, “It was a night made for hard thoughts” (93). “It was,” asserted Gene, “a night made for hard thoughts” (93).

Use ellipsis marks when you want to quote the beginning and end of a passage but not its middle.

The war was not immediate to the boys. “Bombs in Central Europe,” said Gene, “were completely unreal to us here…because our place here was too fair for us to accept something like that” (23).

If you are deleting the end of a quoted sentence, or if you are deleting entire sentences of a paragraph before continuing a quotation, add one additional period and place the ellipsis after the last word you are quoting, so that you have four in all.

“Then he groped his way into a little passage and lighted a match….The seals on the door leading to the prisoner’s rooms were intact” (5).

If you begin your quotation in the middle of a sentence, you need not indicate deleted words with an ellipsis:

1. Proclaiming the friendship “wonderful,” Gene was confident it would continue (40).

Other examples:

o Morrison points out that social context prevented the authors of slave narratives “from dwelling too long or too carefully on the more sordid details of the experience” (109).

Oro The social context prevented the authors of slave narratives “from dwelling too long or too

carefully on the more sordid details of the experience” (Morrison 109).

In most cases a quotation or paraphrase is immediately followed by only the author’s last name and page numbers enclosed in parentheses. The aim is conciseness, but remember each citation must be easily traceable to a specific bibliographical entry.

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Practice TIE-ing in your quotations into an essay

Now you will find/pick quotations on a given subject and practice “tie-ing” in those quotations into your essay.

Choose one interesting/meaningful quotation from each chapter/story/myth/presentation we’ve had so far. Practice smoothly “TIE-ing” in each quotation by doing the following:

1. Introduce the quotation by providing any necessary information readers need before you actually have the quotation.

2. Provide the quotation with correct punctuation and documentation.3. Further explain why what was in the quotation is meaningful to your point

(explain how it supports your thesis).

EXAMPLES:

The Greeks blamed Pandora for all the evils that exist in the world because she opened the forbidden box from the Gods. However, Pandora also brought the world Hope, “and it remains to this day mankind’s sole comfort in misfortune” (Hamilton 72). So although Pandora may be seen as a foolish woman, it is also true that she brought mankind something that it absolutely needs to get by in an indifferent universe.

Heroes often receive some kind of supernatural aid in mythological stories. Athena tells Perseus that when trying to kill Medusa, he should use a reflective shield so he will, “be able to see her in it as in a mirror, and so avoid her deadly power” (Hamilton 145). By providing Perseus with this advice and the tools he will need to succeed in his battle, Athena plays an important archetypal role in the story.

DIRECTIONS: Practice “TIE-ing” in quotations on your own. You will TIE-in FIVE quotations just like I did (above). You must follow the three steps (see above and examples). Do one integrated quotation from each of the five stories/chapters you’ve read..

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Composition Unit

Conclusion Paragraphs

The first part of the closing usually reviews (or ties together) important points in an essay, reinforces or stresses one particular point, and/or reasserts the thesis. The closing’s final lines may expand the scope of the essay by making a connection between the essay and the readers’ experience, or between the essay and life in general.

Sample Closings:

Genetic engineering is here, and society must learn to adapt to it. It is a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that the genie of genetic engineering is out of the bottle. It may be able to grant people some of their best wishes. The bad news is that one is not sure the genie is completely friendly, and getting it back into the bottle. Our grandparents would be and are amazed at what scientists have been able to accomplish. In their day, though, if they had been asked to choose between hardships they could see and understand, and using new-fangled conveniences that promise unknown side effects, one would wonder which they would choose.

Ultimately, both Alan and Joseph fail to gain real control over the outside forces in their lives. Alan forfeits his interest in life, and Joseph forfeits life itself. They, like so many people, become victims of the world in which they live.

While it is obvious that the Simpsons has enjoyed overwhelming success, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why. Some enjoy the social parody, the mocking of popular culture. Others are attracted to the simpleness of the concept. Others enjoy not having to worry about the show trying to teach them deep moral lessons, or insulting one’s intellect. These reasons keep all of America laughing.

Assignment: Choose one topic that you used for one of your two introduction paragraphs you’ve already written. On the back of this sheet, write a conclusion paragraph using the above formula for that topic.

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Composition UnitTitles

An essay is not quite finished until you give it a clever title. The seemingly easiest part of your writing process is often ignored or dismissed and the result is a poorly written title that costs you a point or two from your overall essay grade.

Here is a list of common problems students run into when they attempt to title their paper:

1. When writing about a book or poem, students often take that title and use it as the title of their own essay. -bad essay titles: Of Mice and Men

The Great Gatsby-good essay titles: The Woman’s Dilemma in Of Mice and Men

Jay Gatsby and the Sound of Money

2. Students are unaware of which words should be capitalized and which should be lower-cased. The basic rule of capitalization for titles is as follows: capitalize the first word of a title, the last word, and every word in between except articles (a, an, the), short prepositions (in, of, by), and short conjunctions (and, or, but).-incorrectly written titles: The Woman’s Dilemma In Of Mice And Men

Jay Gatsby And The Sound Of Money

3. Students needlessly punctuate their essay titles. Do not underline, italicize, or boldface the title of your essay, nor should you put your title in “quotation marks,” unless you include the title of a literary work that needs designation.

4. Students should not change the font size or style for the title of their paper. Stick to MLA format: 11 or 12 size font in centered Times New Roman.

5. Students sometimes create titles that are simply too vague. -bad essay titles: Scout Finch

Religious Influences-good essay titles: Scout Finch: A Study in Gender Ambiguity

Religious Influences in A Prayer for Owen Meany

Tip: Colons () are often useful when creating a title for your essay. Essentially, a colon separates a title from its subtitle. Learn how to use this helpful strategy.

-good essay titles: Raskolnikov’s Dilemma: The Paranoid are SurroundedCatcher of Flack: Holden Caufield Against the Adult World

The more creative you can be with your title, the better, but make sure your title works to summarize or at least indicate your essay’s focus. Creativity is nice, as long as you do not take away from the title’s initial function, which is to give the reader an idea of what he or she is about to read.

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Earning EXTRA CREDITYou have the opportunity to earn extra credit points on all essays and papers. There are a few ways you can earn extra points.

NOTE: In order to earn ANY extra credit points, the assignment must be completed according to the assignment guidelines/directions. If you have to take the essay to the Write Place but you do not, then you can not earn any extra credit either.

There are TWO ways you can earn extra credit to earn an extra 10% on papers:

1. Label all the sentences ON PAGE TWO of your paper. Using a variety of sentence types helps make the writing interesting (if one type of sentence dominates the essay, the writing sounds repetitive and boring). *Label the sentences in the margins, and then just draw an arrow to the sentence. You should have four types of sentences:

a. Simple.b. Compound.c. Complex.d. Compound-complex.

OR (NOTE: “or” means choose one or the other)

2. Highlight or underline vocabulary words (words from the “Using the Right Word” section of your Writer’s INC do not count).

a. You must use the word “correctly” in the sentence. Throwing in a word where it doesn’t work/belong will HURT your grade!

b. You only get credit for the 1st time you use the word in the essay. If you highlight the same word twenty times, it still only counts as one.

c. You will get one extra credit point for every TWO vocabulary words you use. The maximum number of extra points you can earn is an extra 10%.

How many extra points can you earn?

This depends on the size of the assignment. The bigger the assignment, the more points you can earn. As a basic rule, you can earn an extra 10% on each assignment.

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Writing checklist:

The main things to consider when working on a paper: Your Audience. The best way to prove your point. Writing in a mature style. Using quotations and facts effectively (TIE) Following the format guidelines specified by your teacher (MLA in English classes).

Have you done your research? Have you found evidence/quotations to back up your argument? Do you have an interesting hook and introduction? Is the introduction at least 8 sentences long? Does the thesis make sense? Is the thesis stated in a clear way (try to get it as one sentence)? Does the thesis appear at the end of the intro (last or second to last sentence)? Did you at least mention the title of the novel/article somewhere in your introduction? Is the paper written in a formal style? Or did you use “I,” “you,” or slang? Have you integrated/tied in each quotation smoothly so the writing flows? Have you elaborated on each quotation and example = explain why the quotation/example is

important and how it helps prove your thesis? Read that last one again. It is very important. Are you sure you’ve done this? Have you documented each quotation correctly? Have you found the best quotations and examples possible (do they help prove your thesis)? Have you checked to make sure you haven’t made any of the 20 Most Common Errors high school

students tend to make in their writing? Is the title page/first page in the correct MLA format (see handouts or student handbook)? Have you used at least 6 quotations from the novel? Have you used at least 3 quotations from research articles? Do all 3+ research articles appear on your Works Cited page? Are these written correctly (see handouts or student planner)? Is the novel listed correctly on the Works Cited page? Are entries on the Works Cited page listed in alphabetical order based on the first letters of the

words/names that appear on the far left of each entry? Does the paper have a good/interesting title? Do you have page numbers and your last name appearing in the right spot? Have you taken the paper to the Write Place? *Be sure to save the stamped copy and turn it in

with your final draft! Is it written in a formal style (Not INF)? Have you read over my Essay Comment Keys and made sure you have not made any other

mistake for which I will take off points?

Final Steps:o Send finished copy to Turnitin.com.o Print finished copy. Make sure it looks good.o Paperclip or staple early drafts to it, but keep the final copy on top!o Turn the paper copy in to me.

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