Lower School Humanities
Essay Guidelines
1
Except where otherwise indicated, information for this booklet comes from materials
developed by Baylor faculty members. Special thanks for help in creating this booklet go to
Martha Campbell, Laura Howard, Fred Hubbs, Jenny Green, Park Lockrow, Sally Naylor,
Barbara McDowell, Carl Owens, Kelli Smith, and Jim Stover.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Humanities Manuscript Format
4
Humanities Essay Checklist
5
Correction Symbols For Humanities Essays
6
Specific Problems with Diction
7
Guidelines for Tutors
8
Avoiding Plagiarism
9
MLA Format for Works Cited
10
Sample Works Cited Page
12
7th Grade Competency Test Rubric
13
3
HUMANITIES MANUSCRIPT FORMAT
Heading
All work should have a heading.
Heading should be on the left side of the paper.
Heading should include the following information:
Name
Teacher
Course and period (Example: Geography–H)
Date
(Format: 25 August 2006)
Formal essays

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


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Typed, using MLA format
Double-spaced
A traditional font – size 12
Margins: 1” (You will have to change the default margins for MS Word.)
No cover sheets or binders: heading and title on first page
Title your essay, but do NOT underline title or put it in quotation marks.
Sample first page of a paper in MLA format
(adapted from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers)
1” margins
Heading: double
spaced, as is the
entire paper.
Laura Josephson
Ms. Garcia
Humanities 7-H
8 May 2002
Title: centered
No extra
spacing between
heading and title,
between title and
body of essay or
between
paragraphs.
Ellington’s Adventures in Music and Geography
In studying the influence of Latin American, African, and Asian music
on modern American composers, music historians tend to discuss such figures
as Aaron Copeland, George Gershwin, Henry Cowell, and John Cage
(Griffiths 104-39). They usually overlook duke Ellington, whom Gunther
Schuller rightly calls “one of America’s greatest composers” (318) probably
because they are familiar only with Ellington’s popular pieces, like
“Sophisticated Lady,” “Mood Indigo,” and “Solitude.”
Still little known are the many ambitious orchestral suites Ellington
composed, several of which explore his impressions of the people, places, and
4
HUMANITIES ESSAY CHECKLIST
Note: Most formal essays should follow these guidelines, but you may not have studied all of them yet.
Check with your teacher to see which criteria apply to each assignment.
I. Content
______
Include a thesis statement (topic sentence) that covers the entire essay.
______
Make a point in your thesis statement (don’t just state a fact).
______
Give specific details or examples that prove or support your topic/thesis.
______
Organize your supporting ideas: most important support comes last.
______
Use transitional words and phrases to show connections between ideas and
between paragraphs.
______
Conclude without repeating your thesis. Extend it or offer new but related insights.
II. Mechanics and Writing Style
______
Read the paper aloud to listen for omitted words and awkward sentences.
______
Re-read each sentence to check for fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
______
Avoid second person pronouns (you, your).
______
Avoid direct references to your essay (“This essay will show…”
______
Avoid unnecessary reference to yourself. (“The character I chose to discuss..,”
______
Check spelling yourself. (Don’t just rely on your computer!)
______
Check your punctuation.
______
If used, give sources for others’ work, including all images other than free clip art.
______
Follow the MLA manuscript format.
“From these examples you can see..”)
“I think Jonas is brave..”)
III. Special Guidelines for Papers about Literature:
______
Include the title and author early in the essay. Refer to author by last name if mentioned
later in paper.
______
Punctuate title correctly: italics or underlining for books, quotation marks for poems or
short stories.
______
Use present tense verbs for events in the story or poem.
______
Avoid unnecessary plot summary.
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BAYLOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CORRECTION SYMBOLS
Symbol
Meaning of symbol
awk
awkward phrasing
c
insert comma
¢
delete comma
cs
comma splice
d
weak diction (see detailed information on diction, p. 7)
frag
fragment
order
out of order; illogical order
pct
punctuation error (except commas)
person
incorrect use of pronoun (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person)
ref
unclear reference: Jill and Bet decided to watch World Series at her house.
weak reference:
This was a bad idea because her brothers were there,
monopolizing the TV.
rep
repetitive wording or repeated idea
ros
run-on sentence
SC
use sentence combining
sp
spelling
tense
incorrect verb tense
trans
TS?
need transitional words/phrases to show connections between ideas or
paragraphs
unclear topic sentence/thesis statement
unity
lacks unity (ideas unrelated to topic)
→
indent paragraph
¶
[ ]
create paragraph
consider deleting words in brackets
indicates something good: good idea, good word, sentence structure, etc.
^
insert (word or punctuation)
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Specific Types of Diction Problems
Correction Symbol
symbol
stands for
cliché
cliché
(overused saying)
d
redun
weak diction
(word choice)
Illustration of error
Correct sentence
Despite the pressure, she was calm, cool, and
collected.
Despite the pressure, she was composed.
Because of all the things they had done, they were
really very tired.
Working in the yard all day exhausted them.
redundant
(excessive or
repetitive words)
The relay team finished in first place.
The relay team finished victorious in first place.
Or: The relay team was victorious.
rep
slang
trite
vague
repetition
The reader can tell by reading the story that the
character is persistent.
The reader can tell that the character in the story
is persistent.
I think that man was hitting on the girl.
I think that man was flirting with the girl.
She is a nice woman.
Her kindness and cheerful outlook make her a
pleasure to know.
The student and I had a meaningful conversation
about her test.
I told the student why I had counted her answer
wrong, and she explained to me what she had
tried to say.
slang
trite: (overused
word/phrase that
lacks interest)
vague
The lingering smell of cigarette smoke, the
There were some things that bothered me about the
lumpy mattress, and the loud party next door
motel.
kept me awake most of the night.
wordy
wordy (contains
unnecessary
words—see
repetition and
redundant)
After the play had ended, we walked to a
restaurant that was not far away and treated
ourselves to pizza.
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After the play, we walked to a nearby restaurant
and treated ourselves to pizza.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TUTOR GUIDELINES
Helping Students with Writing
In an effort to encourage thoughtful revision of written work, Baylor encourages students to
seek input from a number of sources: classroom teachers, the Baylor Writing Center, dorm
counselors, study hall personnel, tutors, and parents. We believe that constructive criticism
offered through these different points of view can only enhance the writing of our students.
However, to preserve the integrity of student work, we ask that tutors offer the same kinds
of advice that we teachers do when helping a student with a writing assignment. Please
observe these guidelines when helping student with writing assignments.
Tutors may:
1. help a student to think about suitable topics;
2. encourage a student to talk about what he or she wants to say, what details to include,
or what points to make;
3. read a rough draft and offer general advice (e.g., “Your introduction doesn’t seem to
capture the reader’s interest,” “I’m not sure the paper is logically organized,” “How
about more description?” etc.);
4. inform a student that errors are present and provide practice for the student in
correcting those kinds of errors—without correcting or identifying the errors in the
essay itself;
5. help a student to use the word processor, including tools for spelling, grammar and
thesaurus;
6. help a student with the mechanics of research, quoting, etc.;
7. encourage a student to read his or her writing aloud.
Tutors may not:
1. provide a thesis statement;
2. provide specific details;
3. suggest specific wording;
4. point out specific errors or correct them;
5. type a student’s essay;
6. provide or correct documentation.
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AVOIDING PLAGIARISM
Most common forms of plagiarism:
1. Directly copying someone else’s words without using quotation marks.
2. Using someone else’s ideas (or any information that is not common knowledge) without
citing the source.
3. Using someone else’s sentence structure, even though you change some key words.
4. Turning in work as your own when it was actually done by someone else.
Tips to help you avoid plagiarism:
1. Paraphrase your notes using only phrases and fragments. Use direct quotations
sparingly. When taking notes, look away from your source and write a summary of the
information in your own words. Use quotations only when rewording would destroy the
impact of the information. Encyclopedia articles or other factual reports generally don’t
need to be quoted. Do not simply quote material to avoid having to reword it! If you can’t
figure out appropriate re-wording, ask for help.
2. Do not use any words from your source that you would not naturally use.
Source: “Inflamed by these discoveries, the people of the North Pacific coast are preparing
to migrate to Alaska on the first steamers leaving Seattle Sunday and Tuesday next.”
Plagiarized rewording: Many people from the North Pacific coast were inflamed by the
gold discoveries and prepared to go to Alaska. (INFLAMED is probably not the verb you
would have naturally chosen.)
Acceptable rewording: The people of the North Pacific coast, excited by the news of gold
discoveries, prepared to journey to Alaska.
3. Rearrange the sentence pattern; don’t just change a few of the words.
Source: “ Wolves will eat a wide range of food, including small animals such as mice and
squirrels, large animals such as deer and moose, and occasionally carrion and plant
material.”
Plagiarized rewording: Wolves will eat a variety of foods, such as small animals like
squirrels, bigger animals like deer and moose, and sometimes, dead animals and plant
material.
Acceptable rewording: Wolves are omnivorous and enjoy a variety of foods. Though they
will sometimes eat plants or dead animals, wolves more often feed on both large and small
animals including mice, squirrels, deer, and moose.
4. Give the source for any information or ideas other than your own that are not
common knowledge. For quotations include source and page number.
For an explanation of “common knowledge,” see Baylor’s Plagiarism Statement:
http://baylor.chattanooga.net/~jstover/plagiarism/definition.htm
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MLA FORMAT FOR WORKS CITED
If you need to list sources for your paper, you should follow MLA format, the style established by the Modern
Language Association. The list below contains sample entries for the most common types of sources. A sample
Works Cited page can be found after the list .
For more detailed information, or for samples of publications not listed here, consult an MLA handbook
(available at the reference desk in the library) or check the library link on the Baylor web site:
http://baylor.chattanooga.net/~cowens/hedges/library.htm
Books
A. by a single author:
Last name, First name. Title of the Book. City: Publishing Company, Year of Publication.
Example: Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1998.
B. by two authors:
First author’s last name, First author’s first name and Second author’s name in normal order. Title of the
Book. City: Publishing Company, Year of Publication.
Example: Wilson, Jean, and John Wilson. Dipper of Copper Creek. New York: Dutton Childrens Books, 1996.
C. with an editor:
Editor’s last name, First name, ed. Title of the Book. City: Publishing Company, Year of Publication.
Example: Ehrlich, Amy, ed. When I Was Your Age: Original Stories About Growing Up: Cambridge: Candlewick Press,
1996.
Encyclopedia Articles
“Title of the Encyclopedia Article.” Title of the Encyclopedia. Year of this Edition.
Example: “Robotics.” World Book Encyclopedia. 1999 ed. .
Magazines (print articles, NOT online)
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article Title.” Magazine Title Date of Issue: Page(s) of Article.
Example: Mehta, Pratap Bhanu. “Exploring Myths.” New Republic 6 June 1998: 17-19.
Newspapers (print articles, NOT online)
Author’s last name, First name. “Title of the Article.” Newspaper Title Day Month Year, Edition: Page
Number(s).
Example: Vigue, Doreen. “Farce Busting: Leaf Peepers on the Tour.” Boston Sunday Globe 12 Oct. 1997, natl. ed.:A6+
Online Data Bases
A. Infotrac or Proquest Online Articles
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of article.” Title of Publication. Date of Publication (day
month year): page(s). Database Name. Date of visit (day month year). <URL>.
Example: Rudetsky, Peter. “Back to Nature.” Discover. July 1993: 34-37 Infotrac. 21 Sept. 2001.
<http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>.
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B. SIRS Online
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article Title.” Original source of article Date of original article (Day
Month Year): pages. Product Name. Location. Date of Visit (Day Month Year) <URL>.
Example: Itsumi, Manako. “The Adoption Process.” American Health July 1999: 25-31. SIRS Researcher on the Web. Baylor
School Hedges Library, Chattanooga, TN. 21 Sept. 2001 <http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/>.
Online Items other than Web sites
A. Images
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Image.” Title of Web Page. Publishing Company. Date of
Publication. Date of visit <URL>.
Example: Harden, Mark. “Flowers Still Life.” Mark Harden’s Archive. 14 September 1999
<http://www.archive.com/flowers>.
B. Sounds
Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Sound Clip.” Title of Web Page. Publishing Company. Date
of Publication. Date of visit <URL>.
Example: Smith, Robert. “Thunder Clip.” Sound Effects, Inc. Acme. 12 June 1999. 13 September 1999 <
http://www.acme.com/soundeffects/thunder/>.
C. Video Clips
“Title of Video Clip.” Title of Web Page. Publishing Company. Date of Publication. Date of visit<URL>.
Example: “Insect Patrol” Acme. 13 June 1998. 17 September 1999 <http://www.insectlife.com/patrol/>.
Internet Sites
Because of the variety of Internet sites, there is no one way to document all sites. Keep in mind that you are
trying to indicate basic information about the site. If available, list the following information in this order:
author; title of page; name of institution, organization or sponsor associated with site; date of your visit; URL.
Some sample citations:
Portuguese Language Page. University of Chicago. 21 Sept. 2001 < http://humanities.chicago.edu/romance/>.
Landsburg, Stan. “What about Today’s Film?” Salon 23 August 2000. 21 Sept. <http://www.slate.com/Economics/9705/01.Economics.asp>.
(Note: Salon is an online only magazine)
Smith, Robert. Home Page. 14 Sept. 2001 <http://www.chass.utoronto.ca:8080/~/index.html>.
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SAMPLE WORKS CITED PAGE
Format: The entire Works Cited should be double-spaced. The reference list must be in alphabetical order
by the first word in each entry. Page margins should be 1” (standard settings for most word processing
programs). For entries longer than one line, indent 2nd and subsequent lines an additional ½ inch (usually
one tab stop). Capitalize important words in the title. The heading (Works Cited) is centered at the top of the
page. Do not underline the heading or use quotation marks.
1” margins
Heading:
centered, no
extra space
after title.
Works Cited
Ehrlich, Amy, ed. When I Was Your Age: Original Stories About
Growing Up: Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 1996.
Entries:
alphabetical
order, double
spaced, second
line indented.
George, Jean, and John George. Dipper of Copper Creek. New York:
Dutton Childrens Books, 1996.
Macauly, David. “Scanner.” The Way Things Work 2.0. CD-ROM. DK
No extra
spacing
between
entries.
Multimedia, 1996.
Mehta, Pratap Bhanu. “Exploring Myths.” New Republic 6 June 1998:
17-19.
“Robotics.” World Book Encyclopedia. 1999 ed. 1999.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York:
Scholastic Inc., 1998.
Rudetsky, Peter. “Back to Nature.” Discover. July 1993: 34-37 Infotrac.
21 Sept. 2001. <http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>.
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7TH GRADE HUMANITIES PARAGRAPH RUBRIC
A
Content and support

Strong topic statement

Good lead

Complete, specific support
(2-3 sub-points with excellent
examples/explanations).

Effective conclusion


Adequate topic statement
Adequate lead

Adequate support; may lack
specific details
Organization



C
B


Adequate conclusion

Weak lead
Logical and appropriate

Mature and powerful diction:
organization: points support thesis and
strong verbs, specific nouns,
lead to conclusion
imagery
Smooth transitional expressions

Varied and graceful sentences

Effective and distinctive voice

Clear plan for organization


Sub-points not in appropriate order 
(order of importance or other clear
plan)

Weak topic statement

Insufficient support
for 1-2 subpoints


Weak conclusion

Inadequate transitional expressions
for part of essay

No lead

No evidence of organization of sub- 
points
Some supporting details
disorganized


Inadequate topic statement


Essay doesn’t respond to prompt

Insufficient support throughout:
weak, haphazard, or unrelated

No conclusion
Some use of strong diction.
Avoids overused words/slang
Adequate transitional expressions


D-F
Diction and style
Supporting details disorganized or
poorly unified throughout essay


No transitional expressions

More than one paragraph
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Grammar and Mechanics
Careful proofreading:


No sentence errors
0-1 other errors in mechanics


Average proofreading:
No sentence errors
2-3 other errors in mechanics
Solid sentences (though there
may be little variety or grace)
Adequate diction
A few awkward or unclear
sentences.


Weak proofreading:
No more than one sent. error
No more than 4 other errors in
mechanics


Poor proofreading:
2 or more sentence errors
More than 4 other errors in
mechanics
Repetitive sentence structure
Poor diction
Many awkward or unclear
sentences.

Incorrect format