Beavercreek High School
Writing Guidebook
Thesis Statement
Here’s a riddle for you! How is a GPS system like a thesis statement?
Assuming it is working correctly, a GPS system keeps the driver on the right road
and provides direction in the same way that a thesis statement keeps the writer (and
the reader) on the “write” road! Found always in the introduction of a five-paragraph
essay and typically created as the final sentence of the introduction, the thesis
statement expresses the main idea of the paper. A valid thesis statement must meet
these conditions:
1. Identifies the topic or subject of the paper
2. Limits the topic to one which is manageable in a (five-paragraph) paper
3. Establishes the writer’s position or attitude on the selected topic
4. Is supportable or defensible with reasons which may be included as part of
a three-pronged thesis statement.
Which of the following examples meet the criteria of a thesis statement?
 Romeo and Juliet is too hard for freshmen to understand.
 The Beatles had more talent than Queen.
 Is 1984 a better book to read than A Brave New World?
 Banning books in school is beneficial to students because it can protect them
from controversial issues, from stereotyping, and from content too mature for
certain grade levels.
 Soft drink machines should be kept out of public schools.
 Plans for nationalized health care are beset with many problems.
Supporting Details
Within body paragraphs, sentences which provide specific information to
explain or to develop the topic sentence and the main idea of that paragraph are
called supporting details. These details are always more specific than the topic
sentence; in fact, a sentence which simply restates the main idea in different words is
not a supporting sentence at all. Supporting details may take the form of descriptive
details, anecdotes, reasons, researched facts, statistics, examples, paraphrases or
direct quotations from a literary work, a speech or a film, to identify a few. A word of
caution – be sure to credit the source of the support either as an in text citation or as
part of a works cited page.
Different writing assignments may often require different kinds of support. For
example, descriptive writing lends itself to specific, concrete, sensory details.
Expository writing designed to explain or inform may include facts or statistics.
Argumentative writing is supported with researched facts, expert opinions, reasons,
and examples. Literary analysis, whether it is expository or argumentative, would be
strengthened with direct quotations or paraphrases. Regardless of the kind of writing,
however, supporting details are required for the development of the thesis and topic
sentences.
Thesis Statement Answers: If you selected 4, 5, and 6, you have correctly
identified the thesis statements in this list. Statements 1 and 2 are nothing more
than the writer’s opinion. Number 3 asks a question rather than makes a statement,
and it is also simply the writer’s opinion. Number 4, a three-pronged thesis
statement, is supportable with reasons, including examples of specific books which
have been banned. Number 5 establishes the stand that the writer is taking on the
issue of soft drinks in school and the thesis can be supported with specific evidence,
more than simply the writer’s opinion. Number 6 also establishes the topic, the
writer’s position and is supportable through researched facts, statistics, quotations
from experts, and examples.
Using Sentence Variety
According to purpose or meaning, sentences are traditionally classified as declarative,
imperative, interrogative, or exclamatory.

A declarative sentence makes a statement or an assertion.
EX. a. We waited just inside the entrance to the bus terminal.
b. School will be out in fifteen days.

An imperative sentence expresses a command, makes a request, or gives
instructions.
EX. a. Stop squirming in your seat.
b. You explain it then.
c. Sit down.

An interrogative sentence asks a question.
EX. a. Can I help you?
b. What night can we go to the movie?

An exclamatory sentence expresses feeling or emotion.
EX. a. The mosquitoes are driving me crazy!
b. What a game that was last night!
Types of Sentences
When determining the type of a sentence, one must consider how many
independent and dependent clauses the sentence contains. A sentence may be
simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.

A simple sentence contains one clause; it has only one subject and only one
predicate, and either or both may be compound.
EX. a. My feet hurt. (simple subject; simple predicate)
b. Mary read the names and recorded them. (simple subject;
compound predicate)
c. Mike ran the race in eighteen seconds flat. (this simple sentence
includes a prepositional phrase)

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses usually
joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor, but, yet, for).
The two independent clauses may also be joined by a semicolon.
EX. a. Sam was caught cheating, and he was given a zero on the
assignment.
b. The teacher called his parents; she also sent Sam to the principal’s
office.
Note*- When the clauses are very short, the comma can be omitted.
Example: He cried and he cried.

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses.
EX. a. Ruth came to class before I left.
b. Although she arrived late, I forgave her.

A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clause one or
more dependent clauses.
EX. a. Charity begins at home, but it would be nice if you did some
community volunteer work too.
b. Because she was the best candidate for the promotion, she got the
job, and she relocated to another office.
Dead Words are phrases and words that students should not use in formal writing.
Dead Word List
 Is, Are, Was, Were
 Has, have, had, having
 EX. something, everything,
anything
 Do, Does, Did, Doing
 Many, Very
 “to be” in any form; be, being,
 Good, Stuff
been, to be
 Bad, A lot
 “to get” in any form; gets, gotten
 Beautiful
 “to exist” in any form; exist
 I think
exists, existed, to exist
 “to go” in any form; go, going,
gone, to go
 “to have” in any form; have,
having, had, to have
 There + any verb
 I feel
 I believe
 In my opinion
 No contractions
 No first or second person
pronouns
 Should have/be
 You, your, yours
 Would have/be
 I, Me, My, Mine (except in
 Could have/be
personal experience paper)
 Passive Voice
 We, Us, Our, Ours
 “Thing” or any word with “thing”
 Any electronic lingo; LOL, B.F.F,
as a part of it
GTG, etc.
*Always remember- N2SSWTSWITSP
No Two Sentences Start With The Same Word In The Same Paragraph
Revision/Editing
Revision/Editing:
1. Number the sentences in the body paragraphs.
2. Complete the revision chart.
Now what?
1. SENTENCE BEGINNINGS
 Must be different for each sentence in the same paragraph!
 Use the FIRST 5 WORDS column to make changes.
 Make sure that you have variety of style too! (Use adverb clauses, adverb
phrases, transitional phrase or word…) Not all sentence beginnings need
a different style, but be sure you have more than SUBJECT sentences.
 Do NOT start a sentence with “There is/are/was/were” or “Here
is/are/was/were.” These are waste words.
 Commas are used after introductory adverb clauses and 5+ word
phrases. This is not the only two cases, but they are the most common
ones.
2. VERBS
 Use a limited # of linking verbs (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been,
feel, look, remain, seem, & a few more).
 Use precise verbs! A precise verb is not necessarily a BIG BOY or SAT
word!
 Check to see if the tense agrees.
 Use the VERB column to make changes.
3. SENTENCE STRUCTURE
 VARIETY PLEASE! Remember to sprinkle compound/complex
sentences. Do not overuse lengthy sentences. By the same token, avoid
too many simple sentences – especially consecutive ones. If a style effect
is intended, that is not a variety problem.
 If a sentence is longer than 2 or 3 lines, check the logic and structure
carefully. Try splitting it as an option. If most of the prose consists of
very long sentences, even if they are carefully structured, try splitting
some up just to give the reader a break. If a style effect is intended, that
is not a variety problem.
 Check for fragments, comma splices, and run-ons. Is a
comma/conjunction used to join clauses in compound-sentences?
4. STRONG WORDS – WASTE WORDS
 Most waste words should be removed.
 Change dead words! It may be necessary to change the structure of the
sentence or other words in the sentence when removing these.
 Note the strong words. They are strong because they are PRECISE and
FRESH. Highlight these! If you don’t have any/many, why is that?
 Nothing is gained by simply substituting long, obscure words for short,
familiar ones—like "pulchritudinous" for "beautiful." If a writer hasn't
become familiar with the connotations by reading or hearing them used
in a larger context, the writer probably won't be effective and might look
silly.
Now that you have made changes, check a new clean draft.
Make sure that you haven’t been trapped by any of the following:
a. Metadiscourse: Metadiscourse is characterized by reference to the author
and/or the reader and/or the writer. Examples:
In this scene, Austen conveys the idea that…
In this scene, the reader realizes that…
In this scene, I could see that…
What seemed to me important about this scene was that…
"I think that the author means to convey to the reader the idea that...."
It rarely adds anything except extra words. It can also become part of the
process of "talking through" the reading process, i.e. "This character was hard
for me to understand," or "After one thinks about this for a while, it becomes
clear what the author really means." In revision, all this stuff needs to go.
b. Author flattery: The writer uses words like wonderful, exciting, excellent,
compelling, etc. to show how much he/she liked the work or a particular aspect
of it—often instead of actually making an argument about it. Author flattery,
like other kinds, tends to sound insincere even when it is not.
c. Filler sentences: Every sentence should advance the paper, whether by
presenting the thesis, introducing subsidiary points, explaining logical
relationships between points, presenting and explaining textual evidence, or
drawing conclusions. Anything else is filler. Some particularly common types of
filler sentences include:
 Big generalizations about life, death, true love, human nature, history,
literature, etc. Introductions are especially prone to this: please, please,
never begin a paper with the words, "Throughout history…"
 General instructions on how to read, i.e. "When we look at a
poem/story/play, it's important to pay attention to x,y,z,."-- Just do it.
 Metadiscourse and/or author flattery can also combine to form
complete filler sentences, i.e. "Finally, I understood how brilliant this
author's strategy really was."
 Excessive quotations, paraphrases, and summaries from the text(s)
you are writing about.
A FINAL word:
 no contractions
 MLA format
 paragraphs indented
 end marks on all sentences
 submit the revision chart, drafts, and final paper (final paper on the top)
Paper clip these! (No, it is not okay to staple them.)
Tips to Cut the Clutter:
1. Reduce long clauses to shorter phrases.
2. Reduce phrases to single words.
3. Avoid There is, There are, and There were as sentence openers.
4. Don't overwork modifiers.
5. Avoid redundancies.
6. Use active verbs.
7. Don't try to show off.
8. Cut empty phrases.
9. Avoid using noun forms of verbs.
10.
Replace vague nouns with more specific words.
1. Reduce Long Clauses
When editing, try to reduce long clauses to shorter phrases:
Wordy: The clown who was in the center ring was riding a tricycle.
Revised: The clown in the center ring was riding a tricycle.
2. Reduce Phrases
Likewise, try to reduce phrases to single words:
Wordy: The clown at the end of the line tried to sweep up the spotlight.
Revised: The last clown tried to sweep up the spotlight.
3. Avoid Empty Openers
Avoid There is, There are, and There were as sentence openers when There
adds nothing to the meaning of a sentence:
Wordy: There is a prize in every box of Quacko cereal.
Revised: A prize is in every box of Quacko cereal.
Wordy: There are two security guards at the gate.
Revised: Two security guards stand at the gate.
4. Don't Overwork Modifiers
Do not overwork very, really, totally, and other modifiers that add little or
nothing to the meaning of a sentence.
Wordy: By the time she got home, Merdine was very tired.
Revised: By the time she got home, Merdine was exhausted
Wordy: She was also really hungry.
Revised: She was also hungry [or famished].
5. Avoid Redundancies
Replace redundant expressions (phrases that use more words than
necessary to make a point) with precise words. Check out this list of
common redundancies, and remember: needless words are those that add
nothing (or nothing significant) to the meaning of our writing. They bore the
reader and distract from our ideas. So cut them out!
Wordy: At this point in time, we should edit our work.
Revised: Now we should edit our work.
6. Use Active Verbs
Whenever possible, make the subject of a sentence do something.
Wordy: The grant proposals were reviewed by the students.
Revised: The students reviewed the grant proposals.
The verb form in which the subject of the sentence performs or causes the
action expressed by the verb. Contrast with passive voice.
7. Don't Try to Show Off
As Leonardo da Vinci observed, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
Don't presume that big words or lengthy phrases will impress your readers:
often the simplest word is the best.
Wordy: At this moment in time, students who are matriculating through high
school should be empowered to participate in the voting process.
Revised: High school students should have the right to vote.
Careful writers choose words both for what they mean (that is, their
dictionary meanings, or denotations) and for what they suggest (their
connotations, or emotional associations). For instance, "slim," "scrawny,"
and "svelte" all have related denotative meanings (thin, let's say) but
different connotative meanings. And if we're trying to pay someone a
compliment, we better get the connotation right.
Here's another example. All of the following words and phrases refer to "a
young person," but their connotations may be quite different depending, in
part, on the context in which they appear: youngster, child, kid, little one,
small fry, brat, urchin, juvenile, minor. Some of these words tend to carry
favorable connotations (little one), others unfavorable (brat), and still others
fairly neutral connotations (child). Calling a young person a brat lets our
readers know at once how we feel about the rotten kid.
8. Cut Empty Phrases
Some of the most common phrases mean little, if anything, and should be
cut from our writing:

all things being equal

in a manner of speaking

all things considered

in my opinion

as a matter of fact

in the event of

as far as I am concerned

in the final analysis

at the end of the day

it seems that

at the present time

the point that I am trying to

due to the fact that

for all intents and purposes

type of

for the most part

what I am trying to say

for the purpose of

what I want to make clear

Clichés
make
Cliché: A trite expression--often a figure of speech whose effectiveness has
been worn out through overuse and excessive familiarity.
Wordy: All things being equal, what I am trying to say is that in my opinion
all students should, in the final analysis, have the right to vote for all intents
and purposes.
Revised: Students should have the right to vote.
9. Avoid Using Noun Forms of Verbs
The fancy name for this process is "excessive nominalization." Our advice:
don't name something when you can show it instead.
Wordy: The presentation of the arguments by the students was convincing.
Revised: The students presented their arguments convincingly. Or . . . The
students argued convincingly.
10. Replace Vague Nouns
Replace vague nouns (such as area, aspect, case, factor, manner, situation,
something, thing, type, and way) with more specific words--or eliminate
them altogether.
Wordy: After reading several things in the area of psychology-type subjects,
I decided to put myself in a situation where I might change my major.
Revised: After reading several psychology books, I decided to change my
major.
One way to “cut the clutter” in our writing is to eliminate repetitious
expressions. Because we so often see and hear redundancies (such as "free
gifts" and "foreign imports"), they can be easy to overlook. Therefore, when
editing our work, we should be on the lookout for needless repetition and be
ready to eliminate expressions that add nothing to what has already been said.
Following are some common redundancies. In certain contexts, some of these
phrases may serve a purpose, say to clarify or emphasize a point. More often,
however, the phrases just weigh down our writing with unnecessary words. We
can eliminate the needless repetition in each case by omitting the word or
phrase in parentheses.

(absolutely) essential

(anonymous) stranger

(boat) marina

(absolutely) necessary

(annual) anniversary

bouquet (of flowers)

(actual) experience

(armed) gunman

brief (in duration)

(actual) facts

ascend (up)

(brief) moment

advance (forward)

ask (the question)

(brief) summary

(advance) planning

assemble (together)

burn (down)

(advance) preview

attach (together)

(burning) embers

(advance) reservations

ATM (machine)

cacophony (of sound)

(advance) warning

autobiography (of a life)

cameo (appearance)

add (an additional)

bald(-headed)

cancel (out)

add (up)

balsa (wood)

(careful) scrutiny

(added) bonus

(basic) fundamentals

cash (money)

(affirmative) yes

(basic) necessities

cease (and desist)

(aid and) abet

best (ever)

circle (around)

(all-time) record

biography (of his--or her--  circulate (around)

alternative (choice)

A.M. (in the morning)


(and) etc.

life)

classify (into groups)
bitter (in taste)

close (down)
blend (together)

close (up)

(close) proximity

depreciate (in value)

(exact) same

(closed) fist

descend (down)

(exposed) opening

(co-equal) partners

(desirable) benefits

extradite (back)

collaborate (together)

(different) kinds

(extreme) hazard

combine (together)

disappear (from sight)


commute (back and

drop (down)

fall (down)
forth)

during (the course of)

(favorable) approval

(completely) destroyed

each (and every)

(fellow) classmates

(completely) eliminate

earlier (in time)

(fellow) colleague

(completely) engulfed

eliminate (altogether)

few (in number)

(completely) filled

emergency (situation)

filled (to capacity)

(completely) surround

(empty) hole

(final) conclusion

(component) parts

empty (out)

(final) end

(conclusive) proof

(empty) space

(final) outcome

connect (together)

enclosed (herein)

(first and) foremost

connect (up)

(end) result

(first) conceived

confused (state)

enter (in)

first (of all)

consensus (of opinion)

(entirely) eliminate

fly (through the air)

(constantly) maintained

equal (to one another)

follow (after)

could (possibly)

eradicate (completely)

(foreign) imports

crisis (situation)

estimated at (about)

(former) graduate

curative (process)

evolve (over time)

(former) veteran

(current) trend

(exact) replica

(free) gift
(face) mask

friend (of mine)

(illustrated) drawing

(live) studio audience

(from) whence

indicted (on a charge)

(live) witness

(frozen) ice

input (into)

(local) residents

(frozen) tundra

integrate (together)

look (ahead) to the future

full (to capacity)

integrate (with each other)  look back (in retrospect)

(full) satisfaction

interdependent (on each

made (out) of

fuse (together)
other)

(major) breakthrough

(future) plans

introduced (a new)

(major) feat

(future) recurrence

introduced (for the first

manually (by hand)

gather (together)
time)

may (possibly)

(general) public

(invited) guests

meet (together)

GOP (party)

(ir)regardless

meet (with each other)

GRE (exam)

ISBN (number)

(mental) telepathy

green [or blue or

join (together)

merge (together)
whatever] (in color)

(joint) collaboration

might (possibly)

grow (in size)

kills bugs (dead)

minestrone (soup)

had done (previously)

kneel (down)

mix (together)

(harmful) injuries

(knowledgeable) experts

modern ______ (of today)

(head) honcho

lag (behind)

(mutual) cooperation

heat (up)

later (time)

(mutually) interdependent

HIV (virus)

LCD (display)

(number-one) leader in…

(hollow) tube

lift (up)

nape (of her neck)

hurry (up)

(little) baby

(native) habitat

(natural) instinct

(overused) cliche

never (before)


(new) beginning

palm (of the hand)

(new) construction

(passing) fad

(pre)heat

(new) innovation

(past) experience

(pre)record

(new) invention

(past) history

(private) industry

(new) recruit

(past) memories

(present) incumbent

none (at all)

(past) records

present (time)

nostalgia (for the past)

penetrate (into)

previously listed (above)

(now) pending

(perfect) circle

proceed (ahead)

off (of)

period (of time)

(proposed) plan

(old) adage

(personal) friend

protest (against)

(old) cliche

(personal) opinion

pursue (after)

(old) custom

pick (and choose)

RAM (memory)

(old) proverb

PIN (number)

reason is (because)

(open) trench

pizza (pie)

reason (why)

open (up)

plan (ahead)

recur (again)

(oral) conversation

plan (in advance)

re-elect (for another term)

(originally) created

(Please) RSVP

refer (back)

(original) source

plunge (down)

reflect (back)

output (out of)

(polar) opposites

(regular) routine

(outside) in the yard

(positive) identification

repeat (again)

(over) exaggerate

postpone (until later)

reply (back)
(pair of) twins

pouring (down) rain

(pre)board (as an
airplane)

retreat (back)

revert (back)

rise (up)


soft (in texture) [or (to the  (two equal) halves
touch)]

(ultimate) goal

sole (of the foot)

undergraduate (student)
round (in shape)

spell out (in detail)

(underground) subway

(safe) haven

spliced (together)

(unexpected) emergency

(safe) sanctuary

start (off) or (out)

(unexpected) surprise

same (exact)

(still) persists

(unintentional) mistake

(sand) dune

(still) remains

(unnamed) anonymous

scrutinize (in detail)

(sudden) impulse

UPC (code)

self-______ (yourself)

(sum) total

(usual) custom

separated (apart from

surrounded (on all sides)

vacillating (back and forth)
each other)

tall (in height)

(veiled) ambush

(serious) danger

tall (in stature)

(very) pregnant

share (together)

(temper) tantrum

(very) unique

(sharp) point

ten (in number)

visible (to the eye)

shiny (in appearance)

(three-way) love triangle


shut (down)

time (period)

warn (in advance)

(single) unit

(tiny) bit

weather (conditions)

skipped (over)

(total) destruction

weather (situation)

slow (speed)

(true) facts

whether (or not)

small (size)

(truly) sincere

(white) snow

(small) speck

tuna (fish)

write (down)

(twelve) noon or midnight
(wall) mural
The following checklist can serve as a guide when editing paragraphs and
essays:
1.
Is each sentence clear and complete?
2.
Can any short, choppy sentences be improved by combining them?
3.
Can any long, awkward sentences be improved by breaking them down
into shorter units and recombining them?
4.
Can any wordy sentences be made more concise?
5.
Can any run-on sentences be more effectively coordinated or
subordinated?
6.
Does each verb agree with its subject?
7.
Are all verb forms correct and consistent?
8.
Do pronouns refer clearly to the appropriate nouns?
9.
Do all modifying words and phrases refer clearly to the words they are
intended to modify?
10. Is each word in the essay appropriate and effective?
11. Is each word spelled correctly?
12. Is the punctuation correct?
PARENTHETICAL
DOCUMENTATION
PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION
PURPOSE:
Parenthetical documentation gives credit to a source when information or a
quote from it is used in a paper. Documenting provides proof that the writer
researched the subject matter and is not plagiarizing the information. The
reader can match the documentation to the entry on the works-cited page,
locate the source, and verify the information.
FORMAT:
Parenthetical documentation is a set of parentheses containing the source’s
bibliographic information. Put the parentheses at the end of the sentence (with
a space between the last word and the parentheses), followed by the
appropriate end punctuation. When documenting a quote, put the parentheses
after the quotation marks and before the end punctuation.
ex. – Over 40% of the students polled indicated that they needed more
homework (Smith 10).
ex. – “Most students love school” (Jones 12).
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
Use the first word(s) of the source as it appears on the works-cited page,
followed by the page number of the information/quote, if applicable; there are
no page numbers for internet sources, TV/radio shows, films, etc. (leave a
space between the word(s) and the page number).
Options –
1. author/editor – use the author’s last name: (Smith 10)
2. 2 or 3 authors – use all last names: (Smith and Jones 27) or (Smith, Jones, and
White 33)
3. 4 or more authors – use the first author’s last name, followed by et al.: (Smith et
al. 42)
4. 2 or more authors with the same last name – use the author’s last name and first
name (with a comma and space between the names): (Smith, John 8)
5. source title (no author) – use the first word and last word of the title separated by
an ellipsis (3 spaced periods); punctuate the title as it appears on the works-cited
page. If the title begins with “a, an, or the”, use the first 2 words and last word of
the title: (“Students . . . School” 105) or (The Way . . . Fun 86)
6. more than 1 source by an author – use the author’s last name and the abbreviated
source title (with a comma and space between the name and title): (Smith, “All . . .
Over” 15)
7. same information from more than 1 source – list each source as you would for a
single documentation (with a semicolon and space between each citation): (Smith
10; Jones 12)
8. information from more than 1 page in source – list pages in consecutive order (with
a comma and space between page numbers): (Smith 16, 22)
9. titles with the same first word (no author) – use the abbreviated title and the next
piece of bibliographic information as it appears on the works-cited page (with the
same punctuation as the works-cited page): (“Abortion.” Newsweek 30)
10.
author mentioned in text – if the author’s name is mentioned preceding the
documentation, use only the page number: Smith’s student polls show a desire for
more homework (10).
There are other documentation options depending on the type of source or
paper written; check a current MLA manual.
Web
Evaluation
1. What can the URL tell you?
A. Before leaving the list of search results -- glean what is possible from the
URLs.
B. Choose pages most likely to be reliable and authentic.
Questions to ask:
What are the implications?
Is it somebody's personal page?
Personal pages are not necessarily

o
Read the URL carefully:
"bad," but you need to investigate
Look for a personal name (e.g., jbarker or
the author carefully.
barker) following a tilde ( ~ ), a percent
o
sign ( % ), or the words "users,"
For personal pages, there is no
"members," or "people."
publisher or domain owner
Is the server a commercial ISP or other
vouching for the information in
provider of web page hosting (like aol.com
the page.
or geocities.com)
From what type of domain does it come?
Look for appropriateness. What
(educational, nonprofit, commercial,
kind of information source do you
government, etc.)
think is most reliable for your

Is the domain extension appropriate for
the content?
topic?
o
Government sites: look for .gov, .mil
o
Educational sites: look for .edu
o
Nonprofit organizations: look for .org
(though this is no longer restricted
to nonprofits)
Many country codes, such as .us, .uk. and

.de, are no longer tightly controlled and
may be misused.
Is it published by an entity that makes
You can rely more on information
sense?
that is published by the source:
Who "published" the page?

Look for New York Times
In general, the publisher is the agency or
news from
person operating the "server" computer
www.nytimes.com
from which the document is issued.
o

The server is usually named in first

Look for health information
from any of the agencies of
portion of the URL (between http://
the National Institute of
and the first /)
Health on sites with nih

Have you heard of this entity before?
somewhere in the domain

Does it correspond to the name of the site?
name.
Should it?
2. Scan the perimeter of the page, looking for answers to these questions:
A. Look the links "About us," "Philosophy," "Background," "Biography", etc.
B. If none are like these, it is possible to find this information by Truncating back
the URL.
3. Look for the date "last updated" - usually at the bottom of a web page.
Check the date on all the pages on the site.
Questions to ask:
What are the implications?
Who wrote the page?
Web pages are all created with a
Look for the name of the author, the name purpose in mind by some person,

of the organization, institution, agency, or
agency or entity.
who/what is responsible for the page
o

An e-mail contact is not enough
You are looking for someone who
If there is no personal author, look for an
claims accountability and
agency or organization that claims
responsibility for the content.
responsibility for the page.
o
If you cannot find this, locate the
An e-mail address with no
publisher by truncating back the URL.
additional information about the
Does this publisher claim responsibility for author is not sufficient for
the content? Does it explain why the page
exists in any way?
assessing the author's credentials.
Is the page dated? Is it current enough?


For some topics you want current
Is it "stale" or "dusty" information on a
information. For others, you want
time-sensitive or evolving topic?
information put on the web near
Undated factual or statistical information
the time it became known.
is no better than anonymous information.
Don't use it.
In some cases, the importance of
the date is to tell you whether the
page author is still maintaining an
interest in the page or has
abandoned it.
What are the author's credentials on this
Anyone can put anything on the
subject?
web for pennies in just a few


o
Does the background or education qualify
minutes. Your task is to
the author to write on this topic?
distinguish between the reliable
Might the page be by a hobbyist, self-
and questionable.
proclaimed expert, or enthusiast?
You should hold the author to the
Is the page merely an opinion? Is the page
same degree of credentials,
a rant, an extreme view, possibly
authority, and documentation
distorted or exaggerated?
that you would expect from
something published in a
reputable print resource (book,
journal article, good newspaper).
3. Look for indicators of quality information:
A.
Look "links," "additional sites," "related links," etc.
B.
In the text, little footnote numbers or links might refer to documentation;
take the time to explore them.
What kinds of publications or sites are they? Reputable? Scholarly?
Are they real? On the web (where no publisher is editing most pages), it
is possible to create totally fake references.
C.
Look at the publisher of the page (first part of the URL).
Expect a journal article, newspaper article, and some other publications
that are recent to come from the original publisher IF the publication is
available on the web.
Look at the bottom of such articles for copyright information or
permissions to reproduce.
Questions to ask:
What are the implications?
Are sources documented with footnotes or
In scholarly/research work, the
links?
credibility of most writings is

o
Where did the author get the
proven through footnote
information?
documentation or other means of
As in published scholarly/academic
revealing the sources of
journals and books, expect
information. Saying what you
documentation.
believe without documentation is


If there are links to other pages as
not much better than just
sources, are they to reliable sources?
expressing an opinion or a point
Do the links work?
of view.
Links that don't work or are to
other weak or fringe pages do not
help strengthen the credibility of
your research.
If reproduced information (from another
You may have to find the original
source), is it complete, not altered, not fake
to be sure a copy of something is
or forged?
not altered and is complete. Look

Is it retyped? If so, it could easily be
at the URL: is it from the original
altered.
source?
Is it reproduced from another

o
publication?
If you find a legitimate article
Are permissions to reproduce and
from a reputable journal or other
copyright information provided?
o
Is there a reason there are not links to
the original source if it is online?
publication, it should be
accompanied by the copyright
statement and/or permission to
reprint. If it is not, be suspicious.
Are there links to other resources on the
Many well developed pages offer
topic?
links to other pages on the same

Are the links well chosen, well organized, topic that they consider
and/or evaluated/annotated?
worthwhile. They are inviting you

Do the links work?
to compare their information with

Do the links represent other viewpoints?
other pages.

Do the links (or absence of other
Links that offer opposing
viewpoints) indicate a bias?
viewpoints as well as their own
are more likely to be balanced and
unbiased than pages that offer
only one view.
Always look for bias. Especially
when you agree with something,
check for bias.
4. What do others say?
A. Look up the title or publisher of the page in a reputable directory that evaluates
its contents (Librarians' Index, Infomine, About.com, or a specialized directory
you trust).
B. Look up the author's name in Google or Yahoo!
INSTRUCTIONS in Google: Search the name three ways:
a. without quotes - Joe Webauthor
b. enclosed in quotes as a phrase - "Joe Webauthor"
c. enclosed in quotes with * between the first and last name - "Joe *
Webauthor" (The * can stand for any middle initial or name in Google
only).
Questions to ask:
What are the implications?
Who links to the page?
Sometimes a page is linked to

Are there many links?
only by other parts of its own site

What kinds of sites link to it?
(not much of a recommendation).

What do they say?
Sometimes a page is linked to by
its fan club, and by detractors.
Read both points of view.
Is the page listed in one or more reputable
Good directories include a tiny
directories or pages?
fraction of the web, and inclusion
in a directory is therefore
noteworthy.
What do others say about the author or
"Googling" someone can be
responsible authoring body?
revealing. Be sure to consider the
source. If the viewpoint is radical
or controversial, expect to find
detractors.
Also see which blogs refer to the
site, and what they say about it.
Google Blog Search is a good way
to do this; search on the site's
name, author, or URL.
5. Does it all add up?
A. Step back and think about all you have learned about the page. Listen to your
gut reaction. Think about why the page was created, the intentions of its
author(s). If you have doubts, ask your instructor or come to one of the library
reference desks and ask for advice.
B. Be sensitive to the possibility that you are the victim of irony, spoof, or fraud.
C. Ask yourself if the web is truly the best place to find resources for the research
you are doing.
So what? What are the
Questions to ask:
implications?
Why was the page put on the web?
These are some of the reasons to

Inform, give facts, give data?
think of. The web is a public place,

Explain, persuade?
open to all. You need to be aware

Sell, entice?
of the entire range of human

Share?
possibilities of intentions behind

Disclose?
web pages.
Might it be ironic? Satire or parody?

Think about the "tone" of the page.

Humorous? Parody? Exaggerated?
Overblown arguments?

Arguing a viewpoint with examples that
suggest that what is argued is
ultimately not possible.
It is easy to be fooled, and this can
make you look foolish in turn.
Is this as credible and useful as the
What is your requirement (or your
resources (books, journal articles, etc.)
instructor's requirement) for the
available in print or online through the
quality of reliability of your
library?
information?



Are you being completely fair? Too
harsh? Totally objective? Are you
In general, published information
requiring the same degree of "proof" you
is considered more reliable than
would from a print publication?
what is on the web. But many,
Is the site good for some things and not
many reputable agencies and
for others?
publishers make great stuff
Are your hopes biasing your
available by "publishing" it on the
interpretation?
web. This applies to most
governments, most institutions
and societies, many publishing
houses and news sources.
Five criteria for evaluating Web pages
http://www.library.cornell.edu
Evaluation of Web documents
How to interpret the basics
1. Accuracy of Web
Documents
Who wrote the page and can

you contact him or her?

Accuracy

What is the purpose of the
document and why was it
contact address/phone number.

produced?

Make sure author provides e-mail or a
Know the distinction between author and
Webmaster.
Is this person qualified to
write this document?
2. Authority of Web
Documents

Who published the document
Authority
and is it separate from the

What credentials are listed for the
"Webmaster?"
authors)?

Check the domain of the

Where is the document published? Check
document, what institution
URL domain.
publishes this document?

Does the publisher list his or
her qualifications?
3. Objectivity of Web
Objectivity
Documents


Determine if page is a mask for
What goals/objectives does
advertising; if so information might be
this page meet?
biased.

How detailed is the

View any Web page as you would an
information?
infommercial on television. Ask yourself

What opinions (if any) are
why was this written and for whom?
expressed by the author?
4. Currency of Web
Currency
Documents



How many dead links are on the page?

Are the links current or updated
When was it produced?
When was it updated'
regularly?

How up-to-date are the links

Is the information on the page outdated?
(if any)?
5. Coverage of the Web
Documents

Coverage

If page requires special software to view
Are the links (if any)
the information, how much are you
evaluated and do they
missing if you don't have the software?
complement the
documents' theme?

Is it free or is there a fee, to obtain the
information?


Is it all images or a

Is there an option for text only, or
balance of text and
frames, or a suggested browser for better
images?
viewing?
Is the information
presented cited correctly?
Putting it all together

Accuracy. If your page lists the author and institution that published the
page and provides a way of contacting him/her and . . .

Authority. If your page lists the author credentials and its domain is
preferred (.edu, .gov, .org, or .net), and, . .

Objectivity. If your page provides accurate information with limited
advertising and it is objective in presenting the information, and . . .

Currency. If your page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the
page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date, and . . .

Coverage. If you can view the information properly--not limited to fees,
browser technology, or software requirement, then . . .
You may have a Web page that could be of value to your research!
MLA
Citations
Books
 The basic format for a book citation is:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year
of Publication. Medium of Publication.
 Book with One Author
King, Stephen. The Green Mile. New York: Pocket, 1996. Print.
 Book with More than One Author
First author name is written last name first; subsequent author names are
written first name last name.
Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer
Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2000. Print.
 If there are more than three authors, you may list only the first author
followed by the phrase et al. (the abbreviation for the Latin phrase "and
others"; no period after "et") in place of the other authors' names, or you
may list all the authors in the order in which their names appear on the title
page.
 Two or More Books By the Same Author
After the first listing of the author's name, use three hyphens and a period
instead of the author's name. List books alphabetically by title.
King, Stephen. The Green Mile. New York: Pocket, 1996. Print.
- - - . Misery. New York: Signet, 1988. Print.
 Book with No Author
List and alphabetize by the title of the book.
The Solar System. Florence: McRae, 2001. Print.
 Book by a Corporate Author
A corporate author may be a commission, a committee, or any group whose
individual members are not identified on the title page.
American Allergy Association. Allergies in Children. New York: Random,
1998. Print.
 Translated Book
Cite as you would any other book, and add "Trans." followed by the
translator's/translators' name(s).
Foucault, Michel. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the
Age of Reason. Trans. Richard Howard. New York: Vintage-Random
House, 1988. Print.
 Edition of a Book
Cite the book as you normally would, but add the number of the edition after
the title.
Mythology. 2nd ed. New York: Alpha, 2004. Print.
Osborn, Kevin and Dana L. Burgess. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to:
Classical
 Anthology or Collection
List by editor or editors, followed by a comma and "ed." or, for multiple editors,
"eds."
Lathem, Edward Connery, ed. The Poetry of Robert Frost. New York:
Henry Holt, 1969. Print.
 Work in an Anthology, Reference Book, or Collection
The basic format is:
Last name, First name. "Title of Work." Title of Book. Ed. Editor's
Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Pages. Medium of
Publication.
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” The Poetry of Robert Frost. Ed.
Edward Connery Lathem. New York: Henry Holt, 1969. 105. Print.
 Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Other Reference Works
Cite the piece as you would any other work in a collection but do not include
the publisher information. Also, if the reference book is organized
alphabetically, as most are, don't list the volume or the page number of the
article or item.
"Ideology." The American Heritage Dictionary. 3rd ed. 1997. Print.
 Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword
When citing an introduction, a preface, a forward, or an afterword, write the
name of the authors and then give the name of the part being cited, which
should not be italicized, underlined or enclosed in quotation marks.
If the writer of the piece is different from the author of the complete work, then
write the full name of the complete work's author after the word "By."
McCullough, Frances. Foreword. The Bell Jar. By Sylvia Plath. New York:
Harper, 1971. Print.
Other Book Sources
 The Bible
Give the name of the specific edition, any editor(s) associated with it, followed
by the publication information:
The New Jerusalem Bible. Susan Jones, gen. ed. New York: Doubleday,
1985. Print.
 Pamphlet
Cite the title and publication information for the pamphlet just as you would a
book without an author.
Your Rights Under California Welfare Programs. Sacramento, CA:
California Dept. of Social Services, 2007. Print.
 Government Publication
Cite the author of the publication if the author is identified. Otherwise start
with the name of the government, followed by the agency and any subdivision
that served as the corporate author. For congressional documents, be sure to
include the number of the congress and the session when the hearing was held
or resolution passed. (GPO is the abbr. for the Government Printing Office.)
United States. Government Accountability Office. Climate Change: EPA
and DOE Should Do More to Encourage Progress Under Two
Voluntary Programs. Washington: GPO, 2006. Print.
Periodicals
 Article in a Magazine
Cite by listing the article's author, putting the title of the article in quotations
marks, and underlining or italicizing the periodical title. Follow with the date
and remember to abbreviate the month. Basic format:
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages.
Medium of Publication.
Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20 Nov. 2000: 7071. Print.
 Article in a Newspaper
Cite a newspaper article as you would a magazine article, but note the different
pagination in a newspaper. If there is more than one edition available for that
date (as in an early and late edition of a newspaper), identify the edition
following the date (e.g., 17 May 1987, late ed.).
Krugman, Andrew. "Fear of Eating." New York Times 21 May 2007 late
ed.: A1. Print.
 Article in a Scholarly Journal
Basic Format:
Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Journal Volume. Issue (Year): pages.
Medium of Publication.
Bagchi, Alaknanda. "Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern
in Mahasweta Devi's Bashai Tudu." Tulsa Studies in Women's
Literature 15.1 (1996): 41-50. Print.
 Review
To cite a review, include the abbreviation "Rev. of" plus information about the
performance that is being cited before giving the periodical information, as
shown in following basic format:
Review Author. "Title of Review (if there is one)." Rev. of Performance
Title, by Author/Director/Artist. Title of Periodical day month year:
page. Medium of Publication.
Scott, A. O. “Hogwarts Under Siege.” Rev. of Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix, by David Yates. New York Times 10 July 2007: B1.
Print.
 Editorial and Letter to the Editor
Cite as you would any article in a periodical, but include the designators
"Editorial" or "Letter" to identify the type of work it is.
Hamer, John. Letter. American Journalism Review Dec. 2006/Jan. 2007:
7. Print.
"Of Mines and Men." Editorial. Wall Street Journal east. ed. 24 Oct. 2003:
A14. Print.
 Articles with No Author
Cite the article title first, and finish the citation as you would any other for that
kind of periodical.
"Business: Global warming's boom town; Tourism in Greenland." The
Economist 26 May 2007: 82. Print.
 A Personal Interview
Listed by the name of the person you have interviewed.
Purdue, Pete. Personal interview. 1 Dec. 2000.
 A Lecture or Speech
Include speaker name, title of the speech (if any) in quotes, details about the
meeting or event where the speech was given, including its location and date of
delivery. In lieu of a title, label the speech according to its type, e.g., Guest
Lecture, Keynote Address, State of the Union Address.
Stein, Bob. Keynote Address. Computers and Writing Conference. Union
Club Hotel, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. 23 May 2003.
 A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph
Include the artist's name, the year the work was created, and the institution
(e.g., a gallery or museum) that houses it, followed by the city where it is
located.
Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado,
Madrid.
If you're referring to a photographic reproduction, include the information as
above, but also include the bibliographic information for the source in which
the photograph appears, including a page or other reference number (plate,
figure, etc.). For example:
Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Museo del Prado,
Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages. 10th ed. By Richard G.
Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace. 939.
 Broadcast Television or Radio Program
Put the name of the episode in quotation marks, and the name of the series or
single program underlined or in italics. Include the network, followed by the
station, city, and date of broadcast.
"The Blessing Way." The X-Files. Fox. WXIA, Atlanta. 19 Jul. 1998.
 Recorded Television Shows
Include information about original broadcast, plus medium of recording. When
the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g.,
the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth
Season), list the title that would be help researchers locate the recording.
"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth
Season. Writ. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen. Dir. Kevin Bright.
NBC. 10 Feb. 2000. DVD. Warner Brothers, 2004.
 Sound Recordings
Sound recordings list album title, label and year of release (for re-releases, it's
good to offer either the original recording date, or original release date, when
known). You only need to indicate the medium if you are not referring to a
compact disc (CD), e.g., Audiocasette or LP (for long-playing record). See
section about online music below.
 Entire Albums
List by name of group or artist (individual artists are listed last name first).
Album title underlined or in italics, followed by label and year.
Foo Fighters. In Your Honor. RCA, 2005.
Waits, Tom. Blue Valentine. 1978. Elektra/Wea, 1990.
 Individual Songs
Place the names of individual songs in quotation marks.
Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind. Geffen, 1991.
 Spoken Word Albums
Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.
Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations. Comedy Central, 2003.
 Films and Movies
List films by their title, and include the name of the director, the film studio or
distributor and its release year. If other information, like names of performers,
is relevant to how the film is referred to in your paper, include that as well.
 Movies in Theaters
The Usual Suspects. Dir. Bryan Singer. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Gabriel
Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, and Benecio del Toro.
Polygram, 1995.
If you refer to the film in terms of the role or contribution of a director, writer,
or performer, begin the entry with that person's name, last name first, follwed
by role.
Lucas, George, dir. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 1977. Twentieth
Century Fox, 1997.
 Recorded Movies
Include format names; "Videocassette" for VHS or Betamax, DVD for Digital
Video Disc. Also list original release year after director, performers, etc.
Ed Wood. Dir. Tim Burton. Perf. Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah
Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette. 1994. DVD. Touchstone, 2004.
 Article in a Database on CD-ROM
"World War II." Encarta. CD-ROM. Seattle: Microsoft, 1999.
 Article from a Periodically Published CD-ROM
Reed, William. "Whites and the Entertainment Industry." Tennessee
Tribune 25 Dec. 1996: 28. Ethnic NewsWatch. CD-ROM. Data
Technologies, Feb. 1997.
*Information taken from http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Citing Web Sources
*A note about URLs: While website entries will still include authors, article
names, and website names, when available, MLA no longer requires URLs.
Writers are, however, encouraged to provide a URL if the citation information
does not lead readers to easily find the source. Check with your teachers for
further instruction.
 A Work Cited only on the Web (a page on a website)
Author. “Title of Work.” Title of Overall Website. Version or edition.
Website Publisher/Sponsoring organization (or N.p if unlisted),
date of Publication (n.d, if not available). Web. Date of access.
* Untitled works may be identified by a genre label (e.g., Home page,
Introduction, Online posting), neither italicized nor enclosed in quotation marks,
in the place where the title goes
 A Work on the Web Cited with Print Publication Data
You would cite the source as called for in the print source citation, but instead
of the word Print, you would continue with:
Title of the database or website. Web. Date of access.
If the print source calls for page numbers, but the page numbers are omitted,
then you would type N.pag before the title of the database or website.
 A Work on the Web Cited with Publication Data for Another Medium
besides Print
For such works as movies, art, etc. that appeared in print but are accessed
online, you would continue with the print citation; however, you would drop
the Medium of reception, and continue with:
Title of the database or website. Web. Date of access.
 Online Periodical
Author. “Name of the Article.” Title of Overall Website. Website Publisher
(or n.p. if no publisher is listed), date of Publication (n.d. if not
available). Web. Date of access.
 Online Database Scholarly Journal Article (from a library)
Author. “Name of Article.” Publication name Vol. Issue (Date of
publication): page numbers. Database name. Web. Date of Access.
 Online-only Publication (scholarly journal on the Web, an article, a review,
an editorial, and a letter to the editor)
Author. “Name of Article.” Publication name Vol. Issue (Date of
publication): page numbers (N. pag if page numbers do not exist).
Web. Date of Access.
 E-mail or Other Personal Communication
Author. "Title of the message (if any)." E-mail to person's name. Date of
the message. Web.
 A Listserv or E-mail Discussion Board Posting (Discussion Board/Forum
posting)
Author (or username). "Title of Posting." Online posting. Date when
material was posted. Name of listserv. Web. Date of access.
Weblog Postings
 Citing Personal Weblog Entries
Last Name, First. "Title of Entry." Weblog Entry. Title of Weblog. Date
Posted. Web. Date Accessed.
NOTE: Give the exact date of the posted entry so your readers can look it up by
date in the archive. If possible, include the archive address for the posted entry
as the URL in your citation as you would for an online forum. If the site doesn't
have a public archive, follow the suggestion under "Listserv" citation above.
 Citing Comments Posted to a Weblog
Follow the same basic format for blog entries, but identify that the posting is a
comment and not an original blog entry by the organization or weblog author.
Also refer to the screen name that appears as the author of the comment, even
if that author is anonymous.
Screen Name. "Comment Title." Weblog comment. Date Comment Posted.
"Title of Blog Entry." Author of Blog Entry. Title of Weblog. Web.
Date Accessed.
NOTE: Some weblog sites don't require titles for comments, so you should just
list the first few words of the comment itself to provide enough identifying
information for the comment.
Miscellaneous
 Online Video Clip
Creator if available. "Description or Title of Video Clip." Online video. Title
of site. Publisher/ Sponsoring institution, Date of clip posting (n.d.
if not given). Web. Date of access.
 Online Sound
Creator if Available. "Description or Title of Sound." Online sound. Title of
site. Publisher/ Sponsoring institution, Date of sound posting (n.d.
if not given). Web. Date of access.
 Online Images
Artist if Available. "Description or Title of Image." Online video. Title of
site. Publisher/ Sponsoring institution, Date of image posting (n.d.
if not given). Web. Date of access.
*Information taken from http://owl.english.purdue.edu
MLA Formatting
General guidelines for formatting papers using MLA Style:
 Papers are to be typed and printed out using standard, white, 8.5 x 11inch paper
 Double-space the entire text of your paper
 Do not put an extra space between paragraphs
 Times New Roman or Bookman Old Style font, 12 pt. font size should be
used
 Set the margins of your paper to 1 inch on all sides
 Indent the first line of each new paragraph one-half inch from the left
margin (approximately 5 spaces or press the tab key once)
 Number all pages by creating a header in the upper right-hand corner
(one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin)
 Pages should be numbered using your last name and page number:
Lastname 2
 Do not number the first page of your paper
 Pages should be numbered consecutively beginning with the second
page of the paper
 Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks
throughout the text of your paper
Specific guidelines for formatting the first page of papers using MLA style:
 Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested
 Paper heading appears in the upper left-hand corner of the first page
flush with the left margin
 A complete heading should include the following information:
Your Name
Instructor’s Name
Course
Date
 Heading should be double-spaced
 Center your title on the next line beneath your heading
 Do not put an extra space between the heading and the title
 Do not underline the title or place quotation marks around the title
 Do not use all capital letters for the title
 Use quotation marks and underlining or italics when referring to
other works in your title, just as you would in your text
 Do not put an extra space between the title and the first paragraph of
the paper
Formatting the Works Cited page:

Begin the Works Cited page on a new page at the end of the paper

The Works Cited page will have the same font size and type and the same
margins as the rest of the text of the paper

The Works Cited page should have a header indicating the page number
in consecutive order with the rest of the paper

Label the page with the title Works Cited

Do not underline the words Works Cited

Do not place quotations marks around the title Works Cited

Center the words Works Cited at the top of the page

Double-space all entries

Do not put an extra space between entries

For entries that are longer than one line, indent the second and each
subsequent line five spaces (tab once) to create a “hanging indent”

Entries are not numbered

Entries are listed alphabetically

Entries are listed by author name (or editor names)

Author names are written last name first, first name then middle
name or middle initial: Anderson, Laurie Halse
Shakespeare, William

Do not list titles (Dr., Sir, etc.) or degrees (PhD, MA, DDS, etc.) with
names

Do include suffixes like "Jr." or "II" with the suffix following the
first or middle name and a comma: King, Martin Luther, Jr.

For more than one work by a particular author, order the entries
alphabetically by title and use three hyphens in place of the author's
name for every entry after the first:
Meyers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels.
- - -. Monster.

Alphabetize works with no known author by their title

Capitalize each word in the titles of books, magazines, articles, etc.

As always, do not capitalize articles, short prepositions, or
conjunctions, unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle:
Of Mice and Men, War and Peace, All Quiet on the Western Front

Use italics for titles of larger works (books, magazines, movies, etc.)

Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles, songs,
etc.)
NO EXCUSE
WRITING
PROBLEMS
The expectation is that at day one, students will be held accountable for the
designated grammar skills/concepts at the grade level indicated.
9
9
Capitalization
9
End Punctuation
9
Double Negatives
9
No Abbreviations
9
It/its/it’s and there/their/they’re and your/you’re and then/than
9
Abbreviated partial words or non-words (Cuz, a lot)
Students are expected to incorporate the above mechanics in their
writing as taught in elementary school. This means that sentences like the
following are totally unacceptable.
INCORRECT
1. i can’t never please mr. smith with my writing; its all his fault that their
are so many rules?
2. your my bff cuz your always they’re for me.
CORRECT
1. I cannot please Mr. Smith with my writing; it’s his fault that there are so
many rules.
2. You’re my best friend forever because you’re always there for me.
9
Underline book titles – when handwriting them
9
Italics for book titles when typing
INCORRECT - “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
CORRECT – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
10
Fragments
INCORRECT – While I was driving to the mall.
10
CORRECT – While I was driving to the mall, I saw an accident.
10
Introductory/concluding sentences
Appropriate introductory and concluding sentences will depend on topic
and purpose of the writing assignment; however, the following examples are
always wrong.
Unacceptable Introductory Sentences
Unacceptable Concluding Sentences
This paper will be about….
My paper told you about…..
I am going to write about….
I hope you now understand about….
This paragraph will show….
The end
My first point is….
10
Subject Verb Agreement
INCORRECT – The wildflowers is blooming. There is candy and goodies on
Halloween.
CORRECT – The wildflowers are blooming. There are candy and goodies on
Halloween.
10
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
INCORRECT – One of the students lost their homework.
CORRECT – One of the students lost his homework.
11
Who/Whom
11
INCORRECT - The candidate whom promised to lower taxes didn’t.
CORRECT – The candidate who promised to lower taxes didn’t.
INCORRECT – The man whom became ill underwent surgery.
CORRECT – The man who became ill underwent surgery.
11
Comma Splice/Run On
INCORRECT – We went hiking, they went swimming and canoeing.
CORRECT – We went hiking, and they went swimming and canoeing.
CORRECT - We went hiking; they went swimming and canoeing.
11
No first or second person unless a personal narrative/essay
Students may use third person and indefinite pronouns. (he, she, one)
11
M.L.A. Format – see M.L.A. section
11
Preposition use (end of sentences)
INCORRECT – We had a lot of fun with the neighbors we traveled with.
CORRECT – We had a lot of fun traveling with the neighbors.
12
Active/passive
INCORRECT – The girl was bitten by the snake.
12
CORRECT – The snake bit the girl.
12
Subject/p.n. agreement
- see earlier examples of subject/verb agreement and
pronoun/antecedent agreement
12
Parallel Structure
INCORRECT - – In The Giver, understanding Jonas’ character requires
understanding his community, the fact he got new memories, and what he his
definition of fair play is.
CORRECT - – In The Giver, understanding Jonas’ character requires
consideration of his community, his recently acquired memories, and his sense
of fair play.
12
Nominative and objective case
Use nominative case pronouns when the pronoun is used as a subject or
predicate nominative.
Use objective case pronouns when the pronoun is used as an indirect
object, direct object, or object of the preposition.
Literary Elements According to Grade Level




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











Grade 9
Direct characterization
Setting
Plot
Theme
Symbolism
Irony
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Imagery/sensory details
Tone
Mood
Point of View
Types of Conflict
Genres of literature
Figurative language
Poetry terms
Satire
Don’t feel as though you have to limit yourself to this
list, but please make sure to cover at least the elements
above.










Grade 11
Tone/Mood
Voice
Theme
Symbolism
Critical analysis
Allegory
Poetry terms
Dialect
Types of conflicts
Types of irony
Don’t feel as though you have to limit yourself to this
list, but please make sure to cover at least the elements
above.












Grade 10
Indirect characterization
Types of conflict
Tone/Mood
Passive and active voice
Theme
Symbolism
Types of characters
Allusion
Satire
Imagery
Dialect
Genres of literature
Don’t feel as though you have to limit yourself to this
list, but please make sure to cover at least the elements
above.








Grade 12
Tone/Mood
Narrative voice
Allusion
Allegory
Archetype
Satire
Poetry terms
Types of conflict
Don’t feel as though you have to limit yourself to this
list, but please make sure to cover at least the elements
above.
Sample MLA
Paper
Plagiarizing:
Keeping up with the Technology
Katie Carson
Mrs. Newhouse
English 11
12 February 2009
Carson 1
Katie Carson
Mrs. Newhouse
English 11
12 February 2009
Plagiarizing: Keeping up with the Technology
It is 2 a.m. Friday morning and you are trying to finish a paper that was
assigned over a week ago. You have procrastinated and now your brain is fried
and the information you need is just not coming. You open your internet
browser and type the words “characterization + Hamlet” into the Google search
box. Pages of information pop up. Jackpot. For as long as teachers have
been assigning papers, some students have tried to take the easy way out by
plagiarizing. With the ease of access to the internet, plagiarizing is easier than
ever; or is it?
According to Dr. Holt of Western Ohio University, “with the technological
advancements of the internet, plagiarism is on the rise and teachers are having
a tough time keeping up” (12). It is easier than ever to find prewritten essays,
literature analysis, scientific research, and other types of assignments on the
World Wide Web. Students do not have to worry about library hours in order
to check out a copy of Cliff’s Notes; they can find it for free on the internet.
Is the internet all bad? Much useful information can be found and used
from the computer. As long as students properly cite the information that they
are using, the internet can provide mountains of information that the print
resources at the library cannot rival.
Carson 2
“With proper documentation, students can gain much insight into
their topics of research and incorporate all the information
together in a well detailed paper. They just need to make sure
that they cite everything that they use unless it is considered
common knowledge (Winston 49).
So how can teachers combat the slew of attempted “borrowed”
assignments? Many still have to spend hours manually searching through
pages and pages of internet documents to determine the authenticity of
student research. Technology is catching up to the problem however, “New
computer programs are now available to schools to help crack down on the
plagiarizing. Programs where students submit their papers on line to be
scanned as well as programs that teachers can use to type in selected phrases
to check for copying” (Holt 14).
It is 2 a.m. Friday morning and you are trying to finish a paper that was
assigned over a week ago. You know that there is information on the internet.
You are going to use it. Better make certain to document all of your sources.
Plagiarism is on the rise and your teachers are ready to fight back.
Carson 3
Works Cited
Holt, Thomas. “Student Plagiarizing with the Internet.” Education Monthly
October 2008: 10-16. Print.
Winston, Jack. “Plagiarism on the Rise.” New York Times. New York Times, 26
Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Feb. 2009.