 CS = comma splice
 FS = fused sentence
 FRAG = sentence fragment
 //st = parallel structure
 AGR = agreement
 Ambig = ambiguous (pronoun)
 Ref = reference (pronoun reference – to what does your





word refer?)
WC = word choice
MW = Missing word(s)
VT = verb tense
Colloq = colloquial expression (not appropriately formal)
AWK = awkward
 Most of you write quite well, for which you can (and
should) thank your high school teachers. I find it
much easier to assess essays when I don’t have to sort
through multiple grammatical errors or infelicities of
style.
Anglo-Saxon warriors believed that as loyal retainers
they should “[march] ahead of him, always there / at
the front of the line" in their service to their lord or
king (Beowulf 2497-98).
NOTE: the period goes AFTER the parentheses, not
before, unless the entire quotation is indented.
[I gave you this EXACT example in the instructions for
your essay.]
 If a quotation you use is in quotation marks in the
original, you must put it in double quotation marks
when you quote it:
Beowulf tells his men,“‘This fight is not
yours . . .’ ” (2532).
 For poetry, you must give line references, and you must
indicate line breaks:
Beowulf knew “It would be hard to survive /
unscathed near the hoard . . . .” (2547-48).
 If you need to give the author’s name and the page
number, it would be presented like this:
(Malory 33)
There is no comma, no “p.” -- just the name and the
page number.
 Note that we do NOT refer to authors by their first
names.
 If the author’s last name is hyphenated, you
require BOTH parts of the name (“Wynne-Jones,”
NOT “Jones”).
 Your quotations must be 100% accurate. Take time to
go over all of your quotations carefully to ensure that
what you have written is EXACTLY what appears in the
original. Seeing “INACCURATE” on your essay is not
good.
 You cannot take distinct words or phrases from an
original text and present them as your own. Putting
them in italics is not sufficient; you must put them in
quotation marks (e.g. “tree of glory” or “whale-road”
or “lavished”).
 Please be very sure that you understand the difference
between direct quotation (using the words of the text)
and paraphrase (putting the idea entirely in your own
words).
 Quotations must be introduced/set up properly,
integrated into your sentence properly, and
commented on or explained. They must fit seamlessly
into your sentence and into your argument. They must
be integrated both logically and grammatically.
 Don’t end a quotation in a spot that is not logically or
grammatically correct; in other words, don’t end in the
middle of an idea (e.g., It is not logically or
grammatically correct to break off this way: “ ‘what
occurs on the wall / between the two of us will turn
out as fate’ ” ; the quotation is unfinished and ends
mid-thought.)
 Find the best way to introduce your quotations,
striving to find a way that will allow you to make as few
changes to the original quotation as possible,
especially when you are quoting poetry.
 Quotations of more than THREE lines of verse or
FORTY words of prose in length should be
indented 2.5 cm from the left margin only.
 Quotations are not italicized (unless they’re in
italics in the original).
 For more information about how to use quotations
properly, see my PowerPoint on the course website.
(That PowerPoint was shown in class and has been
on the website ever since.)
 Use the present tense when discussing works of literature.
 Titles of short works are given in quotation marks (“The
Dream of the Rood”), as I said in class and put on the
website; the titles of long works (Beowulf) are italicized.
 Don’t leave excess space between paragraphs. Indent the
first line to show that you are beginning a new paragraph.
 The phrase “due to the fact that” should simply DIE. So
should the word “relatable” (which does not exist in the
sense students mean it). Although no one used the “rword” in this essay, I have seen it in the reading journals.
Time to remove it from your vocabulary, at least in this
class.
 Make sure that you read and understand your
assignments and the requirements of an academic
essay. Some of you who received marks lower than you
would have liked simply did not do what the
assignment asked.
 Look at the assignment for Short Essay #1 and what its
thesis said you would be arguing. Is that what your essay
actually did? (For many of you, the answer would have to
be “No.”)
 Though I know that some of you were taught
otherwise in high school, it is best not to end
paragraphs with what I call a “coming soon” sentence.
Do not write a whole paragraph on one point and then
in the final sentence of the paragraph introduce your
next point. Transitions are best made in the first
sentence of the next paragraph, and they can be made
subtly.
 I would always avoid what I consider “mechanical”
transitions in formal writing, like “First,” “second,” and
“in conclusion.” There are better ways.
 Titles: when you are adding a title, try to make it
at least somewhat interesting. “Essay #1” and
“Essay on Beowulf” would not be called
“interesting.”
 Structure: You MUST have a solid, clear, concise
statement of thesis; it is the basis of your entire
essay. You must have good topic sentences for
each paragraph. Each paragraph should deal with
one main point (it should have UNITY).
Remember that poor structure will ensure that
your essay is never given a grade above the C level.
 Each paragraph requires a TOPIC SENTENCE that
gives the main point of the paragraph AND ties that
paragraph back to the thesis. Although in theory that
sentence can go anywhere in the paragraph, it is best
in an academic essay to put it at the beginning of the
paragraph so that the reader knows exactly where he or
she is in your argument.
 Do not mistake your PLAN for your THESIS; make sure
the topic sentence echoes the thesis, showing how this
particular point contributes to the overall argument of
your essay.
 Develop your point well in your paragraph. Make
every word play its part in supporting the main point
the paragraph is trying to make. Use your word count
wisely! Using up your precious words on very general
statements means you don’t have them for explanation
of your quotations and specific development of your
point.
 Comment on each of your quotations, making clear
the part each plays in your argument. In analysis of
poetry, take note of specific words and their impact or
meaning. That was especially true for this essay.
 In a short essay, do NOT waste time and precious
words by writing a long introduction that does
nothing more than provide general background
information or attempt to wax poetical. In general,
don’t be wordy. The point of the exercise is not simply
to REACH the assigned word count; it is to use those
words to develop and support your thesis.
 Look for ways to express yourself more succinctly and
crisply -- without losing necessary information. In a
short essay like this, one goal of the assignment is to
encourage you to write economically and to edit your
work.
 In a comparative essay, arguing a point from the
negative side (e.g. “This poem isn’t as good as that
one”) is a very risky proposition. You are far better
to point out the different strengths, techniques, or
goals of the pieces you’re comparing and/or
contrasting. Focusing on the positive will ensure
that your argument will not be dismissed because
you have simply chosen only a few relevant points
and overlooked others (equally relevant) in order
to prove your point that one is the “better” work.
 A conclusion that simply repeats the points of the
introduction (especially when it does so almost
verbatim) is of virtually no use. Your conclusion has a
job to do; it must lead the reader OUT of your
argument. Work at writing an effective and powerful
conclusion, not just a repetition of what I just finished
reading.
 Your conclusion really needn’t say, “In conclusion.”
That it is the conclusion should be obvious.
 The conclusion is your last chance to make an impact –
use it wisely! Don’t just repeat yourself, and don’t end
an essay with the words of someone else.
The website includes links to sites that have interactive
exercises to help you with your grammar. I
recommend that you make use of them as needed.
 Apostrophes: Learn how to use them correctly!
Plurals do NOT take apostrophes, and possessives do.
Your essays will have very few apostrophes, if any.
Errors are cropping up with the expressions “in
which” (or “of which”) and “allow for.”
 Don’t confuse “which” and “in which.” If the phrase or
sentence doesn’t need the “in,” you shouldn’t include
it. So, for example, you would say, “the car which he
bought” (he bought this specific car) but “the car in
which he rode” (he rode in the car).
 It is true that we try not to end sentences with
prepositions (“the car he rode in”), but test yourself: if
the “in” can’t possibly go at the end of the phrase, you
don’t need it.
 Don’t confuse “allow” with “allow for.”
 Allow = to permit
 Allow for = to give consideration to circumstances or
contingencies (e.g., allow for expansion) [MerriamWebster]
 More often, you will want the first, “allow.”
 Comma splices, fused sentences, and sentence
fragments are serious errors: work hard to eliminate
them from your writing.
 Learn the proper usage of the colon and semi-colon
(the Capital Community College site has very
accessible explanations).
 Challenge yourself to learn the rules of comma usage.
Just think of it as a game . . . .
 Do not use contractions (don’t, can’t, etc.) in
formal writing.
 Avoid archaic or overly “flowery” language. Simple
and direct is generally best.
REMEMBER:
 An essay with a multitude of grammatical errors
cannot receive top grades.
 Don’t forget to familiarize yourselves with the
University’s brochure on plagiarism before submitting
the research essay at the end of the year:
http://www.uottawa.ca/plagiarism.pdf
Remember: you must QUOTE any words you borrow
from a source.
It is up to you to take responsibility for your work and to
ensure that you follow the instructions for the
assignment. The final product you submit is a
reflection of yourself, so take time to ensure it is
exactly as you would like it to be.
For subsequent essays, any failure to follow instructions
as to the structure and format of the essay will result in
a reduction in your grade for the paper.