Writing Handbook Table of Contents

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1 Writing Handbook Table of Contents Compositions & Essay Format for Compositions & Essays Formatting Papers in Microsoft Word Analytical Essays on Literature How to Write Analytical Essays Examples of Introduction Paragraphs Examples of Body Paragraphs Example of Conclusion Paragraph Research Papers (MLA) Works Cited: How to Write Citations Works Cited: Online Works Cited: Formatting MS Word Instructions for Removing Hyperlinks Examples of Works Cited Pages Sample Research Paper & Works Cited Grammar and Mechanics Punctuating Titles Common Spelling Errors Commonly Confused and Misused Words Bank of Transitions Capitalization Punctuation Rules Comma: Six Rules Proofreading: Control-F Proofing

2 Format for Compositions and Essays General Guidelines: Double space entire paper (including heading and title). Use 12 point font size. Use Times New Roman or Courier font. Use 1 margins on all sides. Press tab once to indent first line of paragraph. Create Header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name and the page numbers (See page 5). First Page of Your Paper: In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor s name, the course, and the date. Title: center it. Write it in Title Case, not in all capital letters. Do not underline or put title in quotation marks. Unless otherwise instructed by your teacher, do not include a title page. ½ 1 Michaels 1 Laura Michaels Mr. Smith Center title English 10 Double Space 8 May 2008 Bradbury s Use of Imagery in The Pedestrian 1 Imagine a world where people are imprisoned by their television sets. Ray Bradbury does just that for his readers with his short story The Pedestrian. The story is set in the imminent future. The protagonist, Leonard Mead, an anachronistic man who would rather walk around outside than sit in his house watching television is eventually harassed by the police for not conforming to the behavior of his society. Bradbury uses three types of imagery to bring this absurd, nightmarish vision to life for his readers. In at least two important parts, Bradbury uses auditory 1 1 2

3 Formatting Papers in Microsoft Word Before you start typing your papers, you should do all of the following formatting. I. PAGE SETUP: Make sure that page is 1 inch margins. Step 1: Click on FILE drop down menu Step 2: Click on PAGE SETUP Step 3: Click on MARGIN tab Step 4: Make sure that top, bottom, right, and left are 1 and not 1.25 Step 5: Click OK II. DOUBLE SPACE: Before you type your paper, you want to make sure you double space. Step 1: Click on FORMAT Step 2: Click on PARAGRAPH 3

4 Step 3: under LINE SPACING, click on DOUBLE SPACING Step 4: click OK, or click on LINE and PAGE BREAKS (see below) III. Keep text together Note: If you make sure that KEEP WITH NEXT is the only box checked before you start typing anything, you shouldn t have any problems with MS WORD changing the bottom margin. After you click OK, start typing. Make sure you are using 12 point font in Times New Roman. Make sure you allow MS Word to use word wrap. Press enter only at the end of paragraphs. 4

5 IV. HEADER on papers with more than one page. Step 1: click on VIEW drop down menu Step 2: click on HEADER AND FOOTER Step 3: place your cursor in the box that says HEADER, not footer. Step 4: click ALIGN RIGHT Step 5: TYPE your LAST NAME only Step 6: Press the SPACE BAR once after your last name Step 7: press the # INSERT PAGE NUMBER button. Step 8: press the CLOSE button on the Header and Footer toolbar 5

6 Writing Tip: Avoid Clichés Clichés are phrases that are used frequently in our language and have lost their originality. The use of clichés tells the reader that the writer is not original. Examples of some Clichés: add insult to injury in our world today broke the bank avoid it like the plague back in the day raining cats and dogs all and work and no play busy as a bee other side of the coin hotter than hell cold as ice for all intents and purposes bat out of hell as easy as pie face the music kill two birds with one stone old as dirt can t eat your cake and have it too take a breather over the hill more than meets the eye blind leading the blind big as a house in this day and age better late than never glimmer of hope in our world today hit the nail on the head grasping at straws beating around the bush other side of the coin as good as gold ants in his pants Writing Tip: Avoid TO BE Verbs To BE verb find ways to eliminate To Be verbs. You cannot always eliminate, but if you can, you should. Use action verbs to enhance your writing. Example: Huck is talking to Tom about his adventure. Huck talks to Tom about his adventure. The TV is different from radio in several ways. The TV differs from radio in several ways. The driver was a huge man and was driving like a blind man. The driver, a huge man, drove like a blind man. Antigone is arguing with Ismene over family loyalty. Antigone argues with Ismene over family loyalty. 6

7 I. Introduction How to Write Analytical Essays Follow ANT when writing an introduction. Attention Getter: Start with something that grabs your reader s attention. 1. relevant quotation from an outside source *This works really well and is easy. 2. relevant quotation from the story or piece of literature itself 3. reference to a current issue or problem that relates to the story or piece of literature 4. fact or statistic 5. description of initial response to the work *example: When one first reads this story, they might think, but really. 6. a shocking or amusing generalization that is somehow connected to your thesis 7. rhetorical question (students often misuse this) **Important Note: Make sure you connect your attention getter with the necessary information. (See examples on page 9.) Necessary Information Author s Name Use the author s full name the first time. Thereafter, use the author s last name only. Title of Work Make sure that you indicate the title(s) of the work(s) you are analyzing. Punctuate the title correctly (See page 23) Brief plot summary that builds up to your thesis. Rather than summarizing the entire work, focus on the characters and plot lines that you will focus on throughout the essay. Limit yourself to about 2 5 sentences for this part of the introduction. Thesis: Your thesis should consist of a topic and limiting idea(s). It should never be a question. The thesis is an answer to a question that seems important to you. It is the main argument or main idea of the paper. Everything that comes after the thesis should work to defend and support the thesis. It is the heart of the paper. Without it, your paper will most likely not be organized. Examples: Knowles uses allusions to the Garden of Eden story and to Jesus Christ to bring about the theme of selfknowledge. Although it might seem as though Orwell s predictions in 1984 were wrong, on a closer reading, one will notice that Orwell s Big Brother does exist and that our government does use a form of Newspeak. 7

8 II. Body Follow TIQA when writing your body paragraphs. Note: you should have at least two body paragraphs. This format calls for two examples for each topic sentence. If the examples and its analysis / explanation gets too long, you can split the paragraph into two. Topic sentence: a topic sentence has a topic and a limiting idea, or a focus. o Example: Bradbury criticizes the quality of school through the character of Clarisse. Introduce your quotation. o Make sure to introduce the quotation or paraphrase. Tell your reader who is talking or which characters are involved in the passage. Also, tell your reader when in the story the passage come from. Make it clear for your reader. Quote or paraphrase. Make sure the quotation supports your topic sentence. Analysis and explanation: Explain how the quotation or paraphrase supports the topic sentence. Do not merely restate what the quotation says; rather, explain what is important and how it is important in supporting the topic sentence and thesis. A good analysis might take up to 4 sentences. **This is the most important part of the essay. This includes your words and your ideas. Transition into the second quotation / example / support. Introduce another quotation or paraphrase. Quote or paraphrase Analyze the 2 nd quotation III. Conclusion: Include the 4 R s. Reword your thesis. (You may want to start the rewording of your thesis with a signal word: e.g., thus, therefore, in short, as one can see, and then.) Review all your main points. Use 1 3 sentences to do this. Relate. Relate the ideas to something larger or more general, if you can. You might want to tell your readers what they should learn from the ideas that you have brought out in the body paragraphs. (Warning: do not use you.) Round Off: Try to end your paper with a short sentence that reinforces your point in the paper. This last sentence should do one of two things. It should either include some words from your attention-getter or it should include most words from your title. IV. Title: Your title should be a fragmented version of your thesis. Make sure that your title and thesis share words and ideas. 8

9 Examples of Introduction Paragraphs (ANT) Perry Gnoid Mr. Lettiere English 10 Gnoid 1 Title is centered and is a fragmented version of the thesis. Title of novel is underlined or Italicized Use author s full name for the first time. Use author s last name. 20 August 2007 Interpersonal War in Knowles s A Separate Peace When one first reads John Knowles s A Separate Peace, one might assume that the war is not significant, but on a closer reading, one will realize that this book s main focus is on war and its effects. In the novel, Gene, the protagonist and } narrator, revisits his private school. He recalls and reflects on his experiences during the summer and fall sessions of his last year there. It is during this year that he causes his roommate Finny to fall from a tree and break his leg, which later leads to Finny s death because of bone marrow dislodging and stopping his heart. The year is 1942, and World War II is raging in Europe, but at Devon, the boys live in what might be described as a secluded, separate, and Edenic world untouched by actual war, save the elimination of maids and some slight changes in teachers. It is possible for some readers to dismiss this novel as not having war as its subject. However, Knowles has indeed made war the main focus of the book. He uses the relationships of Gene and Finny, along with other boys, such as Brinker and Leper, to show a microcosmic war that rages in all of us to demonstrate to his readers the Perry Gnoid real cause of wars. Mr. Lettiere English 10 Attention-getter: This is an example of the Description of an Initial Response attention-getter. Make sure that you transition from the attention-getter to the necessary information. In the novel connects to the discussion of the book in the previous sentence. Brief Plot Summary. List only the most important details. For this paper, listing a bit of the setting, the major characters, and the major events is enough. Gnoid 1 Thesis: This thesis is actually two sentences. It Comes last. It has the topic of A Separate Peace and wars within people. The limiting idea is that these four characters help make it clear that wars exist in relationships between people. Attention-Getter. Here the student chose to quote from an outside source. 20 August 2007 A Separate Peace: A Microcosmic War Story Benjamin Franklin once said, Never has there been a good war or a bad peace. Although Franklin is talking about the large-scale military wars that nations wage against each other, the same saying can be applied to the microcosmic war that we involve ourselves in with other people. Gene, the protagonist and narrator of John Knowles s A Separate Peace, learns that the war he blindly wages with Finny, his roommate and best friend, has a negative effect. In the year 1942, while World War II rages in Europe, Gene fights his own personal war against Finny. Gene is 9 Tense: When writing about literature, make sure to stay in the present tense. ignorant of why he fights this war, but the effect is that he causes his friend Finny to fall from a tree and break his leg, which later leads to Finny s death. Knowles uses the relationships of Gene and Finny, along with other boys, such as Brinker and Leper, to show a microcosmic war that rages in all of us to demonstrate to his readers the real cause and real pain of all wars. Gene makes it clear that he views his relationship with Finny and others in terms of war. On a close examination of Gene s diction during moments when he reflects on his relationships, it becomes clear that he borrows language from the military.

10 Examples of Body Paragraphs (TIQA) Gnoid 2 Topic Sentence: The first sentence states the focus of the paragraph. This sentence introduces the quotation or example. It tells the reader who is involved and some context from the story. Gene makes it clear with his opening remarks that he has experienced a war in his last year at Devon. As the older Gene, the narrator, walks the streets around Devon, he uses the following words to describe the houses and scenery: defensive and exhausted (3). The reader gets an image of an old battlefield. Even Gene s description of the houses along the streets give us the sense that a battle has been fought and the damage has been done. He describes the houses as having failing ivy and looking more lifeless than ever (3). Gene returns to his school as a soldier returns many years later to a battle site. He describes his mood as self-pitying and the Page Number: Do not use pg. or p. The author s last name does not appear because the reader already knows what book the quotation come from. The end punctuation mark (the period) comes after the page number. Ellipses & Brackets: Words were omitted, so ellipses were used. Because the ellipses belong to the student, and not to the author of A Separate Peace, they are put in brackets to indicate they were added by the student. Do not use ellipses at the beginning or end of a quotation. Here the student transitions into a second example. He also introduces the 2 nd quotation by telling the reader who says the words and when they are said. Note: most often, you should start and end paragraphs with your own words. This paragraph ends with an analysis, which is the most important part of the paper. wind as being having gusts (3). We get the feeling that he is a tired soldier back to make sense out of the war that he fought. In his reflections on his personal growth since attending Devon, he says, I began [...] to note how far my convalescence had gone (3). To convalesce means, of course, to get better from an illness or an injury. The image we are supposed to get here is that Gene has been recovering from a battle that he fought on this campus. These lines might be } confusing on a first reading, but when one looks at the battle that Gene had with his classmates, Analysis: especially Finny, one will notice that his convalescence is one like a soldier who has to physically and mentally recover from the horrors of war. When talking about others, Gene employs military language. For instance, after Gene jumps session. He says that Brinker Hadley had established his headquarters (66). The students visiting Brinker are Emissaries (66). Again, we see Gene interpreting everyday scenarios in terms of war and military. Brinker, a character who battles Gene over Finny s accident, has a room that is compared to headquarters, an obvious military allusion. Those students who visit Brinker are interpreted as being like spies or agents of a military or government. Some of these emissaries are in the butt room later in the story to support Brinker when he launches his first attack on Gene when he asks about Finny s fall. Quotation: quote only words that absolutely support your topic sentence and thesis. You can begin and end a quotation anywhere you want. Make sure that the quotation fits into your writing grammatically and syntactically. After the quotation, there is an explanation of how this supports the topic sentence and thesis. Make sure you don t paraphrase the quotation. And make sure you don t summarize the story here. from the tree for the first time and Leper praises him, Gene comments that he was bidding for an } ally in the dispute that he foresaw (9). Gene does not merely accept Leper s praise; rather, he Analysis: After the quotation, there are four construes the accolade as being a gesture to gain an ally in a war. Gene sees each act and each sentences which attempt to explain the significance of Gene using these statement as being a move in a larger interpersonal war. It is possible that Leper merely thought words. The analysis does not merely tell the reader what the quotation Gene s jump was better than Finny s, but because Gene seems always to be strategizing, Gene means; rather, it tries to explain the interprets others as strategizing. It is clear that Gene sees the interaction among friends in terms of importance and make it clear how the quotation supports the topic sentence the military. Another example from later in the novel is when Gene has returned for the winter and thesis. Note: the words quotation, quote, example, and other such words, are not used to talk about the quotation. Please do not refer to your quotation as a quotation. If it is a metaphor you are explaining, refer to it as a metaphor. If it is an image, then refer to it as an image. Also, you do not have to quote. You can paraphrase. 10

11 Example of Conclusion Paragraph (4 R s) Reword Thesis. See page 9 for the original thesis. Notice that the same idea is expressed again, but different words are used. Relate: Here and other places in the paragraph, the student tries to relate the ideas to something larger than the novel. The student is relating the ideas to the readers lives. Gnoid 5 It appears, then, that the reader is to see Gene as an example of the ways in which wars exist at all times on a smaller scale in our interpersonal relationships with others. Although we might not use military language in our observations of nature and our surroundings, many of us do view life as a battlefield. People are in a race to do better than others. We feel threatened by those who might stand in our way of being rich or successful. We may not think about our relationships in terms of attacks and counterattacks. We may not be conscious, as Gene is, about what others are doing to be better than us, but in our society, if one is ambitious, one is more like Gene than like Finny. Knowles brings the reader s attention to the idea that this way of thinking, Gene s way of thinking, is what ultimately leads nations into wars. We cannot blame the fat, rich politicians for those wars because we are all guilty by our nature, unless we are like Phineas. But remember that the Phineases of the world get trampled while the rest of us fight our imaginary wars and ignorantly strike out at our imaginary enemies. Gene shows us that there is no such thing as a good war and that there is no such thing as a bad peace. Review Main Points: These two points are the main arguments of the body paragraphs. Round Off: The attention getter was a quotation from Franklin, which said, Never has there been a good war or a bad peace. Here the student uses the words good war and bad peace to remind the reader of the attention getter. This creates a sense of completion. 11

12 Format for Works Cited Entries General Guidelines for MLA Works Cited Page: Works Cited page is the last page of your paper. Double space entire Works Cited You indent all but the first line of the citation. (see pages for how to use Hanging Indentations) Alphabetize entries. In MLA format, the day precedes the month and there is no comma: 23 March Books are underlined; articles are quoted (see page 23 for more details) Author s last name goes first. Alphabetize the citations by first letter. If you do not have a piece of information, everything shifts left. For example, if there is no author, then you start with the title. Be sure to include the greater than and lesser than symbols (< >) when you provide an Internet address (See page 17 for eliminating hyperlinks). MLA Documentation: Follow the guidelines below for creating proper citations in your Works Cited page and within the text of your paper. BOOK Citation: Author. Title. Place of publication: publisher, year of publication. In-Text citation: (Fleming 32). Example: Fleming, Thomas. Liberty! The American Revolution. New York: Viking, Magazine Article Citation: Author. Title of Article. Title of Magazine Date of Publication: pages. In-Text citation: (Wheat 32). Example: Wheat, Alynda. Beyond the Law. Entertainment Weekly 10 March 2006: Newspaper Article Citation: Author. Title of Article. Name of Newspaper Publication Date: Pages (include section) In-Text Citation: (Peterson 2A) Example: Peterson, Karen S. Turns out We Are Sexually Conventional. USA Today 7 Oct. 1994: 1A+. Encyclopedia or Dictionary Citation: Name of Entry. Title of Encyclopedia. Edition year. In-Text Citation: ( Volcano ) Example: Volcano. World Encyclopedia ed. Encyclopedia or Dictionary Online: Citation: Author. Name of Entry. Title of Encyclopedia. Date of Access <Web address> In-Text Citation: ( Sesquipedalian ) 12

13 Examples: Volcano. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 27 March 2006 < Sesquipedalian. Dictionary.com. 23 March 2006 < Online Article on EbscoHost Citation: Author. Title of Article. Name of original publication Date of Publication: original pages (if included). Database Name. EBSCOhost. Our School name, City, State. Date of Access < In-Text Citation: (Leigh) Example: Dayton, Leigh. Warning: mega-volcano is overdue. The Australian 12 July 2002, first ed.: 5. Newspaper Source. EBSCOhost. Argo H.S. Library, Sumiit, IL. 26 March 2007 < Online Article on Opposing Viewpoints Citation: Author. Title of Article. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Argo H.S. Lib., Summit, IL. Access date < In-text Citation: (Kemp) Example: Kemp, Jack. America Should Grant Birthright Citizenship to Children of Illegal Immigrants. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Argo H.S. Lib., Summit, IL. 26 March 2006 < Article in a Specialized Reference Work Citation: Author. Title of Article. Title of Book. Editor of Book. Edition. Volume. Place of publication: publisher, year of publication. Pages. In-Text Citation: ( Night ) Example: Night. Novels for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, In-Text Citation: (Hennessy 83) Example: Hennessy, Michael. W. H. Auden. Critical Survey of Poetry. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Vol. 1. Pasadena: Salem, Essay/Article/Short Story in Anthology Citation: Author. Title of Entry. Title of Book. Edition. Editor of Book. Place of publication: publisher, year of publication. Pages. In-Text Citation: (King ) Example: King, Robert. Should English be the Law? The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford,

14 Format for Works Cited Online Entries Format of On-Line Entry Author or editor. "Title." Book title. Printed version information. Site title. Volume or issue number. Date posted. Name of subscription service, library name and location. Listserv name. 00 pp. Sponsoring organization. Date accessed <Electronic address>. The above is the generic entry for all online sources. Omit whatever information you can t find. All information shifts left when you omit. Examples: Web Site (Professional) ESPN.com. 10 Nov ESPN Internet Ventures. 24 Nov < Article Within a Web Site Devitt, Terry. "Flying High." The Why Files. 9 Dec University of Wisconsin, Board of Regents. 4 Jan < Article Within a Web Site (Anonymous) "Becoming a Meteorologist." Weather.com. 12 Nov The Weather Channel. 24 Nov < Note: When line length forces you to break a Web address, always break it after a slash mark. Web Site (Personal) Hamilton, Calvin J. Views of the Solar System. 12 Nov < Note: When a professional or personal site has no title, use the description "Home page" without an underscore. Article from On-Line Computer Service (Also in Print) Williams, Vanessa. "D.C. Votes to Limit Teenage Drivers: Council Sets 18 as Minimum Age for Full License." Washington Post 3 Nov. 1999, final ed.: A1. National Newspapers. ProQuest. Gateway Technical College, Elkhorn Campus Library. 12 Nov < Note: When you use a library to access a subscription service, include the name of the database if known (underlined), the service, and the library, all before the date of access. Then give the Internet address for the home page of the service, if you know it. Source: above information is from The Write Source < 14

15 Formatting Works Cited Page Using Microsoft Word Step 1: Before typing anything, go to FORMAT. Step 2: Move down and click on PARAGRAPH. Step 3: Go to LINE SPACING and click on DOUBLE. Step 4: go to SPECIAL, drop down, and click on HANGING indentation. 15

16 Step 5: Click OK to apply. Step 6: click on CENTER alignment. Step 7: type Works Cited. Step 8: Press ENTER Step 9: Click on ALIGN LEFT. Step 10: Type your entries. 16

17 Instructions for Removing Hyperlinks After you type a web address, MS Word will automatically change it to a hyperlink. Example: The problem is that MLA Style does not allow for hyperlink. So you must remove the hyperlinks. A web address in the works cited should look as follows: < Method 1: press the UNDO button immediately after MS Word converts your web address into a hyperlink. Method 2: press the command for undo: CNTRL + Z Method 3: Use the Remove Hyperlink Function Step 1: Right mouse click the blue hyperlink. Step 2: Click on the option that says Remove Hyperlink Step 3: Retype the greater and lesser than symbols (< >). 17

18 Examples of Works Cited Page { ½ 1 Michaels 8 Works Cited AOA Fact Sheet. Obesity.org 3 December American Obesity } Association. 5 December 2004 < Indent ½ subs/fastfacts/aoafactsheets.html>. Ecke, Richard. Obesity, Complication Costly. Great Falls Tribune 27 } Double-space January 2004: A1. NewsBank. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 20 January 2004 < { Lazarus, William. Fat Waists Thinning Hoosiers Wallets. The Times 23 January 2004, Final ed.: A1. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, Spake, Amanda and Mary Brophy Marcus. A Fat Nation. U.S. News and Alphabetize } 1 World Report 19 August 2002: 40. Newspaper Source. EBSCOhost. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 15 February 2004 < Warning: Portions May be Larger than They Appear. Good Housekeeping November 2002: 37. InfoTrac. Gale. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 17 February 2004 < } 1 Works Cited Martinez 13 Cooperman, Alan. Peace Corps Option for Military Recruits Sparks Concerns. Washington Post 2 August 2005: A11. DeHaas, Deb and Arne Duncan. Volunteer Skills to Help Students Schools get Big Boost when Professionals Give their Time. Chicago Sun-Times 10 May 2007, Final ed.: 55. America s Newspapers. NewsBank. Summit Public Library, Summit, IL. 11 May 2007 < Dowd, Alan. Super-Sizing AmeriCorps. National Review Online 31 January National Review. 20 April 2007 < Evans, Dwight. Interview. 21 April Skinner, David. Loving AmeriCorps to Death. Slate 20 June Washington Post. 23 April 2007 < >. Zadra, Dan. The Heart of a Volunteer. New York: Compendium,

19 Sample Research Paper with In-Text Documentation & Works Cited Page Wilson 1 MLA style does not require a title page. See page 2 for format. Used statistic for attention getter. (See page 7 for writing introductions.) Mark Wilson Mr. Smith English 11 2 December 2006 Obesity: Our Society s New Epidemic About 28% of the adult male population in the United States is obese, and about 35% of the adult female population is obese (U.S. Dept. of Health.). This may not seem alarmingly bad, but anyone one of us walking through a shopping mall can see how bad obesity is becoming. We are inundated by news reports and warnings about obesity, but the problem continues to grow. Are people merely ignoring the warnings? Are people too lazy? Although most people think obesity is an individual This is paraphrased. It is the student s words, but he still put the source the ideas came from to avoid plagiarism. Thesis comes at end of introduction paragraph The H is in brackets [ ] because the student capitalized it so that the quotation would be grammatically correct. He wanted his readers to know that he made a change to the quotation. { problem and that it is caused by poor choice, when one looks at the issue closer, one will see that it is more than an individual problem; society is both the cause and the victim of obesity. Many people say that individuals make bad choices, and that this is the cause of obesity. However, the causes of obesity are greater than that. Kelly Brownell, director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, says, [H]umans are hard-wired to prefer rich diets, high in fat, sugar, and variety (Spake and Marcus 1). Our bodies, then, are naturally driven to want the food that fast food restaurants offer, and it is difficult for many people to go against their nature and avoid eating fast food. Through evolution, humans have been programmed to eat the food with the most calories because in the past, humans may have had to exist for a while without food. But now, we live in a society that has more calories than we know what to do with. } Quotation not by author. Kelly Brownell said the quoted words, but Spake and Marcus published the words. Brownell gets credit in the text of the paragraph, but Spake and Marcus get credit in the in-text citation. Notice that the page number is just a number. Do not use p. or pg. Only put author s last name and number of the page. 19

20 Wilson 2 Our money-hungry society will not permit merely throwing away unused calories. For example, our farmers grow millions of tons of bushels of corn that cannot be consumed by animals and humans. Now, however, we are able to turn those bushels of corn into sugar. The soda pop industry converts the corn into soft drinks that are rich in calories and cheap in price (Pollan 36). Since we have moved away from cane sugar, which is somewhat expensive, and started using corn syrup as our sweetener, we have Paraphrase There is an in-text citation and no quotation marks. The student used his own words, but he gave credit to the source where the ideas came from. Even though, the author s name is not mentioned in the sentence, only the page number gets cited because it is from the same source as the previous citation. No Page Numbers? These two sources do not have page numbers, so they cannot be reported. Do not include a page number for items without pagination. seen the advent of free refills and Monster Big Gulp sizes that are cheaper than what 12 ounces cost only thirty years before. Another instance where our ingenuity has helped feed us for cheaper is meat. According to Michael Pollen, we now can raise a cow to slaughter weight in about 15 months (122). Thirty years ago, it took six years to raise cattle to slaughter weight. With the use of steroids, antibiotics, and modified corn feed, we are able to now buy meet for cheaper (125). Now we can eat two double cheeseburgers and a 32 ounce drink for under four dollars. That is a caloric punch of { about 1190 calories ( McDonald s Nutrition ). This is unfortunately not an uncommon lunch for many people in the United States (Supersize Me). People will still say that it is an individual choice to eat a lunch like this. But what they are ignoring is that we are bombarded by advertisements. Anyone watching the news in recent months knows that the fast food industry has come under attack. There have been several attempts to sue the fast food industry for causing obesity and the health problems associated with it. According to Judge Sweet, who recently ruled in favor of the fast food industry, more than $110 billion is spent on fast food each year (Appleson 2). No wonder, then, that the fast food industry is the next victim of tobaccotype lawsuits. But we do not have to feel sorry for the fast food industry. According to the ConsumerUnion.org website, The food, beverage, candy, and restaurant advertising expenditures weigh in at $11.26 billion in 2004 ( Out of Balance 6). In the same } Quotation The author s name is mentioned in the sentence, so it does not go into the parentheses for the in-text citation. Instead, only the page number gets cited. not by author. Judge Sweet said the words, but Appleson published them. Sweet gets credit in the text of the sentence and Appleson gets credit in the citation. 20

21 Wilson 3 year only $9.55 million was spent to promote healthful eating (6). How can we say that After each quotation or paraphrase, you must use your own words to continue explaining and developing your paper. Do not put quotations next to each other. Period for the sentence comes after the parentheses of the in-text citation. it is an individual choice to eat bad when so much money is being spent on ways to force us to eat badly? We cannot expect a $110 billion a year industry to release us from their grip. That is too much to lose. The problem is that while the fast food and junk food industries are getting rich, society is paying a cost financially and in human resource. Block Quotation Quotations of more than four lines should be indented 1 (Tab key x2) or ten spaces. Do not use quotation marks. Obesity causes an epidemic of related health problems, such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, and heart problems. According to Amanda Spake and Mary Brophy Marcus s article, A Fat Nation, a man with 22 extra pounds has a 75 percent greater chance of having a heart attack than one at healthy weight (1). It is not merely the extra weight, which fast food eaters carry, that is a danger, but as research shows, eating too many high-fat foods contributes to high blood cholesterol levels. This can cause hardening of the arteries, coronary heart disease and stroke ( Fast Food Facts ). Unfortunately, these medical issues cost money to solve. Since we live in an a world where what one person does easily affects the next person, this should be everyone s concern, not just those who are obese. For example, one study shows that estimated obesity-linked medical costs and absenteeism for { more than 45,000 workers. They found overweight and obesityrelated costs range from $175 per year for overweight male employees to $2,485 per year for severely obese female employees. The yearly costs of obesity for a firm with 1,000 employees is estimated at $285,000. (Arias 13) This is just one small way in which obesity can cost others money. If firms have to pay Direct Quotation The speaker of this quotation is mentioned in the sentence, so it doesn t get repeated in the in-text citation. No authors. Sources not identified with an author are referenced in text by title. Block Quotation The citation for blocked quotations comes after period. out more in medical costs for obese people, then everyone s insurance premiums in that firm rise. This is a small example of what happens on a larger scale in the larger 21

22 Wilson 9 Works Cited Appleson, Gail. Judge Throws out Obesity Against McDonald s. CNN.com. 4 September Cable News Network. 25 November 2006 < Sources are alphabetized. The entire Works Cited page is double spaced. mcdonalds.suit/index.html>. Arias, Donya C. Obesity Ups Healthcare Expenditure. Nation s Health November 2005: 13. Student Resource. EBSCOhost. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 23 November 2006 < Fast Food Facts. Better Nutrition 66.2 (2004): 22. Student Resource. EBSCOhost. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 23 November 2006 < McDonald's USA Nutrition Facts for Popular Menu Items. McDonalds.com. 20 July McDonald s. 2 December 2006 < app_controller.nutrition.index1.html>. Out of Balance. Consumersunion.org. 13 September Consumers Union. 4 December 2006 < Go through your text and make sure all the sources you have used are in the list of works cited. Pollen, Michael. The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York: Penguin, Spake, Amanda and Mary Brophy Marcus. A Fat Nation. U.S. News and World Report 19 August 2002: 40. Newspaper Source. EBSCOhost. Argo H.S., Summit, IL. 15 November 2006 < Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. The Con, United States Department of Health and Human Services. Health, United States, Hyattsville: November 2006 < Web addresses go inside < >. They are not underlined. 22

23 Rules for Punctuating Titles of Sources When you use a title of someone else s work in your paper or in your works cited, you must either underline or quote the title. These are the rules for punctuating titles of sources: italics, underlining, and quotation marks. I. Underlining / Italics: Long works and collections of short works are underlined or italicized o Underlining and italicizing are the same. Choose only one and stick with it through the entire paper. Many teachers prefer underlining because it stands out better. o Microsoft Word commands: underline = Ctrl + U. Italics = Ctrl + I. II. Quotation Marks Short works and parts of long works are usually in quotation marks. UNDERLINE Long Works & Collections of Short Works Title of a Novel Ex: Frankenstein Title of a Book Ex: Psychology and Consumer Culture Title of Anthology or Collection of Works Ex: An Introduction to Literature Ex: The Best American Essays 2003 Title of Magazine or Scholarly Journal Ex: U.S. News and World Report Title of Newspaper Ex: Chicago Tribune Ex: The New York Times QUOTATION MARKS Short Works & Sections of Longer Works Title of a Short Story Ex: The Lesson Title of a Chapter Ex: Homer and Aristotle Title of an Essay Ex: Citizenship in Emergency Title of an Article in a Magazine or Journal Ex: The North Korea Problem Title of an Article in a Newspaper Ex: A Chance to Relive College Days Title of Plays Ex: Death of a Salesman Ex: Oedipus the King Title of an Epic Poem or Long Poem Ex: The Odyssey Title of Film Ex: Edward Scissorhands Title of a Television Series Ex: The Simpsons Ex: The Twilight Zone Title of Album (CD, record, or cassette) Ex: Bob Dylan s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Title of a Short Poem Ex: The Sick Rose Title of a Chapter on a DVD Ex: A Story about Snow Title of Individual Episode in a T.V. Series Ex: Bart s Girlfriend Ex: Time Enough at Last Title of a Song Ex: A Hard Rain s A-Gonna Fall 23

24 Common Spelling Errors Wrong alot alright arguement athelete awhile beleive definately enviroment Febuary hankerchief knowlege mispell neccesary noticable occured perscription privlege recieve roomate seperate supposadly suprise surpress temperture truely Right a lot all right argument athlete a while believe definitely environment February handkerchief knowledge misspell necessary noticeable occurred prescription privilege receive roommate separate supposedly surprise suppress temperature truly Source: above information is adapted from SF Writer, 3 rd ed. 24

25 Commonly Confused and Misused Words accept [allow] except [not including] adverse [difficult] averse [opposed to] advice [noun: counsel] advise [verb: to give counsel] affect [verb: to influence] effect [noun: consequence] all ready [set to go] already [by now] allusion [a reference] illusion [a false impression] altar [table] alter [change] are [form of to be] our [possessive] bare [empty, clear] bear [carry] board [group/plank/climb on] bored [uninterested brake [stop] break [fracture] breath [noun: an inhalation] breathe [verb: to inhale] capital [seat of government] capitol [government building] cite [point out] sight [see] site [location] complement [make complete] compliment [praise] conscience [moral guide] conscious [aware of] council [group] counsel [advice / lawyer] desert [abandon / arid place] dessert [treat] dying [ending life] dyeing [change color] dieing [to shape] elicit [to evoke] illicit [illegal] eminent [famous] imminent [about to occur] gorilla [large ape] guerilla [soldier] hear [perceive sound] here [this place] its [possessive] it s [contraction of it is] lead [directed/metal] led [past of lead] lessen [decrease] lesson [instruction] loose [not tight] lose [to misplace] passed [went by / met standards] past [what s occurred] patience [tolerance] patients [people under medical care] peace [harmony] piece [part of portion] personal [private] personnel [workers] principle [standard / moral guide] principal [head of school / most important] quiet [not noisy] quite [very] quit [terminate] road [highway] rode [past tense of ride] stationary [not moving] stationery [writing material] than [compared with] then [at that time] their [possessive] there [in that place] they re [contraction of they are] threw [past tense of throw] through [in that place] throne [royal seat] thrown [past participle of throw] weak [not strong] week [seven days] wear [to have on] where [place] were [past of to be] weather [climate] whether [if / choice] whose [possessive] who s [contraction of who is] your [possessive] you re [contraction of you are] Source: above information is adapted from SF Writer, 3 rd ed. 25

26 Transitions and Focusing Words and Phrases Words used to add or emphasize ideas, information, or examples: for example also in the first place this for instance specifically equally important that in addition besides as well these in other words moreover in fact those furthermore further such as such also again Words used to show time order: first last before later at the same time afterward second finally after then meanwhile next now during earlier immediately Words used to show space order: above below left right under inside outside on top of underneath next to in front behind beyond near far in on Words used to show order of importance: first in the first place less important nearly last moreover so equally important next furthermore therefore then most important consequently Words used to compare or contrast ideas: however nevertheless similarly on the other hand though conversely yet in the same way even though as opposed to as well as in spite of although rather than likewise compared to Words used to show cause and effect: since as because (of) due to so therefore then consequently as a result (of) in effect for this reason accordingly Words used to summarize or conclude: briefly to summarize to sum up in short for these reasons in conclusion to conclude as one can see in other words in any case on the whole undoubtedly after all 26

27 Grammar, Usage, and Conventional Problems Capitalization: 1. Capitalize the first word of a sentence. 2. Don t capitalize the first word after a colon unless you want to emphasize the word or its part of a title. 3. Capitalize the major words in the titles of papers, books, articles, and poems. 4. Capitalize the first word in each line of quoted poetry. 5. Capitalize the names of people. 6. Capitalize the names of national, political, and ethnic groups (e.g., Democrats, Republicans, Africans, Chinese, Australians).. 7. Capitalize brand names (e.g., Xerox, Coke, Pepsi). 8. Capitalize all the letters in most acronyms (e.g., NATO, OPEC). 9. When in doubt, look at a dictionary or a usage handbook on the Internet. Numbers: 1. Write out numbers from one to nine; use numerals for numbers larger than nine. 2. Don t begin sentences with numerals. Wrong: 32 students are in this class. Right: Thirty-two students are in this class. 3. In most cases, spell out ordinal numbers (e.g., second, third). Punctuation Rules Periods (. ): 1. Use periods at the end of statements. 2. Use periods to punctuate some abbreviations (e.g., Mr. & Dr.; U.S. & P.O.) 3. Use periods in conventional ways such as to indicate decimals and in web addresses. Question Marks (? ): 1. Use question marks to end direct questions. 2. Use question marks to indicate uncertainty 3. Place question marks outside quotation marks except when they are part of the quotation itself. 27

28 Exclamation Marks (! ): 1. Use exclamation marks to express surprise, strong feelings, or commands. 2. Do not overuse. Rarely is this punctuation mark used, and many teachers are easily annoyed with them. Semicolon ( ; ) Use semicolons when you need punctuation stronger than a comma but weaker than a period. 1. Use semicolons to join two complete sentences that are closely related in thought. 2. Use semicolons between clauses linked with a conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, consequently, and nevertheless) 3. Place semicolons outside of quotation marks. Example: We read Cask of Amontillado ; it was the best Poe story so far. Colons ( : ) Use colons to point to ideas, lists, quotations, and clauses you wish to emphasize 1. Use colons to direct readers to examples, explanations, and important words 2. Use colons to direct readers to lists 3. Use colons to direct readers to quotations or dialogue Example: It reminds me of my grandfather s favorite saying: Finer than Frog Hair. 4. Use colons in special situations: ( 10:30 p.m.) Dashes ( -- ) To create a dash make two hyphens next to each other. Do not leave space before or after the two hyphens. (On MS Word, the two hyphens will connect into a dash). 1. Use a dash to add illustrations, examples, or summaries to the ends of sentences 2. Use a pair of dashes to insert information into a sentence. Example: Men of Respect based on Shakespeare s Macbeth is quite entertaining. 3. Use a dash in dialogue to indicate that a speaker has broken off abruptly 4. Do not overuse. Quotation Marks: 1. Use around material you are borrowing word for word from sources. 2. Use to mark dialogue. 3. Use for titles of short works (See page 23) Punctuation with Quotation Marks: 1. Periods and commas go inside quotation marks. Example: Suzy said, I love Lettiere s English class. 2. Question Marks: go inside the quotation marks if the question mark belongs to the source you are quoting. They go outside if the question mark is yours. 3. Colons and semicolons go outside the quotation marks. 28

29 Parentheses ( ) add an extra bit of information or a comment to a sentence. 1. Use to separate material from the main part of a sentence or paragraph. 2. Use for in-text citations (see pages 19-22) 3. Punctuation a. When a complete sentence is surrounded by parentheses, the period goes inside the end parenthesis Example: The house burned down. (This is the second case of arson.) b. When a sentence ends with parentheses, the period for the complete sentence goes outside the final parenthesis. Example: We are going to a climb a mountain (actually, a very steep hill). Brackets: 1. Use brackets to insert comments or explanations into direct quotations. 2. Use brackets to change a word or a letter of quotation to match the grammar of your sentence (see page 19). 3. Use brackets to avoid putting one set of parentheses inside another. Apostrophes used to show that something has been deleted and to indicate possession 1. Use in contractions to show where letters have been deleted (can t, you re, it s) 2. Use to form the possessives of nouns (cat s, grandma s) Ellipses (...) Three periods or dots with spaces between them. Place ellipses where material has been omitted from direct quotations. Do not use them at the beginning or end of a quotation. Remember: You can begin and end a quotation anywhere you want, so an ellipses at the beginning and end of a quotation is unnecessary. Wrong: The narrator says that... authority sat on [Jack s] shoulder and chattered in his ear... (150). Right: The narrator says that authority sat on [Jack s] shoulder and chattered in his ear (150). In a Quotation: if the ellipses in the quotation are yours, then put them into brackets. If the ellipses belongs to the source from which you are quoting, then leave them out of brackets. (See page 10 for example) 29

30 Notes 30

31 Six main uses of the comma The Comma 1. to separate items in a series 2. to set off introductory material 3. on both sides of words that interrupt the flow of thought in a sentence 4. between two independent clauses with the use of a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) 5. to set off a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence 6. For certain everyday material. Rule 1 Use a comma to separate items in a series. Examples: Magazines, paperback novels, and textbooks crowded the shelves. Mark sat in the office, checked his watch, and flipped nervously through a magazine. Lola bit into the ripe, juicy apple o NOTE: a comma is used between two adjectives in a series only if and inserted between the words sounds natural. Rule 2 After introductory material Prepositional Phrases put a comma after prepositional phrases that begin sentences o Example: Inside the house, John started to yell. o Some Prepositions: in, on, after, before, by, with, from, around Subordinate Clauses Put a comma after subordinate clauses that begin sentences. o Example: When Maria dropped the book, Mark screamed. o Some Subordinating Conjunctions: when, as, if, since, because, while, after, unless, although Conjunctive Adverbs Put a comma after a conjunctive adverb (or transition word) o Example: However, I will not attend that school. o Conjunctive Adverbs: however, therefore, hence, thus, then, indeed, rather, furthermore, nevertheless, in addition, consequently Rule 3 Around words interrupting the flow of thought If you have information that interrupts the flow of the sentence, and it can be deleted, then you need commas to surround it. Examples: The car, cleaned and repaired, is ready to be sold. Gene, the protagonist, pushes his friend from a tree. Taking long walks, especially after dark, helps me sort out my thoughts. 31

32 Rule 4 Between two complete sentences that are joined with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) When two complete sentences are brought together with For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, or So, you need a comma before the FANBOYS word. Example: Ralph ran into the forest, and the savages followed him. Rule 5 With direct quotations Examples: Please take a number, said the deli clerk. Bradbury writes, I have never even driven a car (12). Reading this, complained Mike, is about as interesting as watching paint dry. Note: Commas and periods at the end of a quotation go inside quotation marks unless there is a page number. Rule 6 With everyday material Examples: [for persons spoken to] I think, Sam, that you are in trouble. [dates] Our house was hit by lightening on July 23, [addresses] Mark Smith lives at 8953 Kolmar Drive, Chicago, Illinois [openings or closings of letters] Dear Suzy, or Sincerely, o Note: in formal letters, a colon is used after the opening. Dear Mr. Smith: [numbers] We estimate that our town spends 1,440,550 dollars each year on road construction. [tag questions] You did remember the salsa, didn t you? [interjections] Oh, I m sure it will be all right. 32

33 Proofreading with CONTROL-F After you finish typing your papers and doing spell check, proofread your papers with Control-F. Step 1: Press CTRL and F at the same time. A box will appear: Tip: Check this box and MS Word will highlight all instances of the word. Step 2: type a word in. (See proofreading list below for some examples and see page 25). Step 3: press FIND NEXT. Step 4: look at each instance of the word or punctuation mark that is found, and then see if it is used correctly. Step 5: press FIND NEXT to find more. Continue this until it tells you no more are found. Lettiere s Proofreading Checklist (The following are common problems that I see in students papers. Don t stop just with this list.) of type in the search box the word of. See if it can be replaced with the word have. If you can replace it with have and it makes sense, do so. Were, where type in the search box the word were. See if it can be replaced with where. Were is the verb. They were going to come over. They went where they thought they would be safe. If, when, while, because, since, although, as and any other subordinating conjunction type in the search box each of these words one at a time. If these words come at the beginning of a sentence, you need a comma after the subordinate clause. You type in the search box the word you. If any come up and are not in a quotation, figure out how to get rid of it. You might want to change it to people or one and make sure the rest of the sentence still makes sense. 33