Final Exam Review
Citations, Using Sources, Basic Grammar
Review of Quotation Guidelines:
• When quoting a selection of text that uses quotes, the double quotes of the text selection turn into single
quotes:
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Selection from text: In writing groups, I learned that there is not a lot of required reading in first-year classes. As one student
explained, “we can follow the study guide for tests, so we don’t need to read.”
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If I was going to quote this in paper, it would need to look like:
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“In writing groups, I learned that there is not a lot of required reading in first year classes. As one student explained, ‘we can
follow the study guide for tests, so we don’t need to read’” (last name page number).
• ANY words that use you use that are the same as the words used in the textual selection you are citing
MUST be in quotation marks.
• All citations MUST be followed by a parenthetical citation.
• REMEMBER: What comes in the parenthetical citation is whatever comes first in the works cited entry. So,
if there is no author and your works cited entry starts with the title of a webpage, for example, the title of
the webpage (or at least the first few words of the title) is what needs to be in your parenthetical reference. It
will look exactly like the works cited entry; so, in the case of a webpage title, it would be in quotation marks.
Direct Quotations, Paraphrases, Summaries
• A direct quotation needs to be introduced:
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As ____ argues, “
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If you mention the author’s name in your introduction to a quote, in your summary, or in your paraphrase…the author’s last name does
not need to be in the parenthetical citation (just the page number, if available, will go in the parenthetical citation).
” (last name page number).
Carr argues in his text that new technologies are changing the way we read and write: “Our ability to interpret text, to make the rich
mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remains largely disengaged.”
• A summary is used to convey the meaning of larger sections of text, a whole paragraph, for instance, in your own words.
DOES NOT INCLUDE QUOTATIONS.
• From LBH: “summarize it: reduce it to its main points using your own words” (152).
• Note: You should review pages 152-4 in The Little, Brown Handbook, focusing on the examples of better and worse summaries.
• A paraphrase is used to convey the meaning of a smaller section of text, a sentence of two, for instance, in your own
words. DOES NOT INCLUDE QUOTATIONS.
• From LBH: “Generally, a paraphrase is briefer than the original quotation and omits examples and other details” (635).
• More from LBH, “Read the material several times and make sure you understand it. Restate the main ideas in your own words and
sentence structures. Be careful not to distort meaning. Be careful not to plagiarize the source: Use your own words and sentence
structures, and always provide a citation” (636).
The Works Cited Page: Rules
• Uniformly double-spaced
• Work Cited (for one source); Works Cited (for multiple sources)
• Works Cited is not underlined or bolded; it is centered; there are no additional spaced
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between Works Cited and first entry; there are no additional spaces between each entry.
Entries that go over one line: the second line and all lines thereafter need to be indented
(hitting the tab key, as you would it you were starting a new paragraph)
Works Cited pages are organized according the alphabetical order.
Articles, Webpages, Book Chapters, Chapters or Selections From Edited Collections (like
the essays in our textbooks): USE QUOTATION MARKS
Books, Websites, Online Databases: USE ITALICS (underline if you are writing by hand)
The Works Cited Page: Purdue OWL Review
The Works Cited Page: Purdue OWL Review
Basic Works Cited Entry for a Book (From
Purdue OWL):
What’s the WC Entry for A Selection From
Our Book Look Like?
Scarbek, Susan. “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” Forming a Critical Perspective. Ed.
Ann Spurlock et al. Boston: Person, 2010. 247-8. Print.
Commas and Coordinating Conjunctions:
• Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS)
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For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
• If you are connecting two parts of one sentence together with any of these words, you will also need to use
a comma if what comes on either side of the sentence could be punctuated as a complete sentence:
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I went to the grocery store yesterday, and I bought a 4 apples.
I went to the grocery store yesterday and got a few apples.
Sentence Fragments (From Purdue OWL):
Parallel Structure (Examples from About.com):
• Faulty Parallelism: Stoics deny the importance of such things as wealth, good looks, and
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having a good reputation.
Revised: Stoics deny the importance of such things as wealth, good looks, and a good
reputation.
Faulty Parallelism: The police have a duty to serve the community, safeguard lives and
property, protect the innocent against deception, and they must respect the constitutional
rights of all.
Revised: The police have a duty to serve the community, safeguard lives and property,
protect the innocent against deception, and respect the constitutional rights of all.
Your Turn—Faulty Parallelism: In his farewell address to the army, the general praised his
soldiers for their unsurpassed courage and gave thanks because of their devotion.
Answer:
• Revised: In his farewell address to the army, the general praised his soldiers
for their unsurpassed courage and thanked them for their devotion.
Avoiding Shifts:
• http://www.towson.edu/ows/shifts.htm
Test Yourself (From U-Houston):
• Everyone should leave your offices by 5 pm.
• If a student has questions about writing, you can contact us.
• I feel that people should have the right to emergency health care if you need
it.
• I once thought that a monster lived under my bed, but now we no longer
believe that.
Answers:
• Everyone should leave his/her office by 5 pm. OR
• You should leave your office by 5 pm.
• If a student has questions about writing, he/she can contact us. OR
• If students have questions about writing, they can contact us.
• I feel that people should have the right to emergency health care if they need it.
• I once thought that a monster lived under my bed, but now I no longer believe that.
OR
• We once thought that a monster lived under the bed, but now we no longer believe that.