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Essay Writing
1. Like any essay, a literature paper should have an introduction which includes at some
point a thesis. The introduction should, however, be more than just a thesis; it should
grab at the readers and make them want to read on. Mechanical statements ("I am going
to...") are not especially interesting.
The thesis is a statement of purpose or direction, an opinion about
interpreting the text which your essay will develop and support. "William Wordsworth
uses nature imagery" is not a thesis: it states a fact, not an opinion.
"Wordsworth's nature imagery reflects a dissatisfaction with industrial, urban
life" is an opinion about why or how he uses this imagery, hence, a thesis.
2. A conclusion should hark back to the introduction and tie together the threads of
argument which have developed the thesis. Generally, this process will take several
sentences.
3. You should use quotations from the text to illustrate the points you want to make. A
short paper (less than 6 pages) dictates using short quotes. Do not expect the quotes to
be self-explanatory - explanation of their meaning and relevance to your ideas is your
job. Every time you quote, follow the quotation with an explanation of how that quoted
material is relevant to your point. A general rule of thumb is not more than one-quarter
of your paper should be quotations. Incorporating short phrases of quotation within a
sentence is often as effective, or more so, as using a quote several lines long.
Generalizations ("This stanza develops the theme of lost
innocence") need to be supported by details, and those details will often be
quotations. Vary your use of paraphrase and quotation to give variety to your style.
Both direct quotations and paraphrased ideas need to be cited
with page numbers. Failure to cite ideas from others is plagiarism, and
plagiarism is NOT acceptable; in fact, it is a reason for your paper to fail.
[See the documentation handout for
citation hints.]
4. Use background information wisely: any facts about an author's life or other work
should be relevant to the points you are developing. A brief mention of dates, literary
movement, etc., may be appropriate in an introduction or conclusion, but generally you
should presume your audience is aware of the basic information.
Cause/effect types of connections between an author's life and his/her
work are risky, unless you've done an extensive study on the author yourself.
Remember that any information beyond dates and general facts that you
acquire from library sources or text introductions needs to be cited. This especially
includes other critics' ideas about interpreting the text. Generally, however, the papers
I assign are asking you to do your own interpreting.
Use proper MLA
parenthetical citation and bibliography form (the MLA Handbook is available
in the reference room and the same information is included in many composition
textbooks). Use the MLA 4th edition style book.
5. Title your paper - be creative, but identify the purpose you develop. A reader should
be able to identify the paper's direction from the title. Example: "Dylan
Thomas" announces the paper's broad subject, but not its direction. "Dylan
Thomas and the Images of Childhood" tells something about what ideas are developed in
the paper. "Colors of Childhood: A Look at Dylan Thomas' Imagery" is a more
creative version. Don't put your own title in quotation marks.
6. While content is obviously important, incorrect grammar and mechanics are distracting
and annoying (as well as occasionally confusing), as are typographical and spelling
errors. DO NOT trust a spell-checker to catch everything. It will not tell you if you've
typed "in" instead of "is" or "there" instead of
"their." Final proofreading and correction (neatly in pen or pencil) is your
responsibility, not the computer's.
7. Unlike a journal or informal writing, a paper should present itself formally. This does
not mean stilted and unnatural (do you ever say "one can see..."?), but chatty
colloquial language and haphazard organization are out. "You" should be avoided
- use "we" instead: not "you can see" but "we can
see." An occasional "I" is acceptable.
8. I prefer papers simply stapled (upper left corner), no fancy folders. Number your
pages. A separate title page is not needed - put your name and the class ID at the top
corner of the first page. All papers must be typed or word-processed, with a READABLE
printer ribbon. Use 1" margins on all sides, 10- or 12-point font, double-spaced.
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