Ms. Carmichael’s
Witty, Gritty,
Writing &
Citing
HANDBOOK
EXTRAODINAIRE
Table of Contents
3-8……………………..Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
3-5…………………………Rule # 1: Writing is not scary:
Formality and Format
6…………………………Rule # 2: Show and Tell
7…………………………Rule # 3: BS
8…………………………Rule # 4: To aliens with love
9-22……………………..Called on a technicality
11…………………….. ABC easy as 123
12………………………Super Verbs!
13………………………The holy matrimony of Subjects to Verbs
15…………………….. First comes love, then comes antecedents,
then comes the pronouns in it…
17………………………... Homophone, homonym, homowhat?
19……………………….. Word labyrinths revealed!
21………………………..Parallel isn’t just for math class
23………………………..Common Commas
26-29……………………..MLA, Monkeys Learn Alphabets…?
27………………………… Foul!!!! Plagiarism!!!
29…………………………Works Cited & In-text/Parentheticals
2
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Basic rule #1: Writing is not scary.
I am not the boogeyman. When I assign you a piece of writing, it shouldn’t be a nightmare
to you. Writing and reading are a basic part of the human experience and valuable skills to
master. Most professions use reading and writing in some capacity, so perfecting you skills
in writing can be practical as well as enjoyable…if you let them. Check it out.
Common college majors:
Ways writing is used
Business – Includes: business
administration, management,
finance, marketing, and
accounting.
Social Sciences and History Includes anthropology,
economics, geography,
sociology and political science.
Education – Includes
Elementary and Secondary
Psychology - Many psych
majors don't work in the psych
field, but other related careers
such as human resources,
public relations, market
research and sales.
Nursing
Communications - Includes
journalism
Biology - Includes research
and development (both lab and
field work), hospitals, national
& state parks, universities,
pharmaceutical companies,
research firms, aquariums and
zoos.
Engineering
English – Includes
copywriting, editing, gateway
to law school
Computer Science
Business plans: writing an effective business plan can make or
break you; important focus: reducing the wordiness and coming to
a clear concise point. Other writings include internal memos,
technical reports, letters to clients, colleagues, agencies and
supervisors and narratives of financial statements.
Lab reports, observation notes, speeches, letters. Most science fields
live by the cardinal rule: publish or perish; if you aren’t producing
work, you’ll not survive long in the field and that requires writing.
Your main focus would be on technical writing and reducing the
wordiness and coming to a clear concise point.
Lesson plans, published documents, letters to parents, memos,
professional development ideas. This type of writing must be concise,
and also must be polite and professional
Psychological reports and analysis are used; observations and
clinical reports; most science fields live by the cardinal rule: publish
or perish; if you aren’t producing work, you’ll not survive long in the
field and that requires writing. Your main focus would be on
technical writing and reducing the wordiness and coming to a
clear concise point.
Patient charts, professional articles
Duh—to be able to communicate ideas, you must be able to express
them on paper; along with the technical usage, you also need to
focusing on reducing the wordiness and coming to a clear concise
point.
most science fields live by the cardinal rule: publish or perish; if you
aren’t producing work, you’ll not survive long in the field and that
requires writing. Your main focus would be on technical writing
and reducing the wordiness and coming to a clear concise point.
Technical reports, memos, this will vary widely according to the field.
Duh, again.
Various articles, reports, memos, financial statements etc.
Obviously, the amount and type of writing will vary according to the profession, but the
point is clear. Writing is something we all do, so it should not be feared. Follow the cardinal
rule and writing gets much easier
Cardinal rule: DON’T GIVE UP! ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP.
3
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Often, we are asked to write formal papers. These papers are research based papers, essays, in
class assignments etc. The question you ask yourself is, how does one achieve the formality that
such a task requires.
There are two kinds of papers that students MOST OFTEN turn in.
1. There are “Bull” papers. These are the papers that are filled with flowery
words that sound nice but really have little or nothing to do with fact.
Sometimes a professor or a teacher will read this, realize that it is bull,
but will mark them with a higher grade because it sounds like the writer
knows what they are talking about. More often, however, teachers and
professors realize that you are just talking to hear yourself talk and your
paper will be marked down despite the formality of the paper.
2. There are “Cow” papers. These are the papers that are filled with facts
and facts alone. These papers show extensive knowledge of a subject,
but are structured in such a way that it is hard to read and difficult to
make interesting.
Neither of these papers are great papers. They are fluff.
For a really great paper, you need to have a “calf paper.” These papers have
a little bit of bull, and a little bit of cow mixed together to create something
new and fresh.
SO, how do we achieve “calf papers”? You practice. Sometimes the hardest
thing for us to do is write with a formal yet unstilted tone. To make this
concept stick more readily and to understand it better, we will participate in
1. Thou shalt not use the word “I”
or other personal pronouns
(unless the prompt specifically
asks for your experiences)
2. Thou shalt not use any
informal language or slang.
3. Thou shalt not use
conjunctions of any kind.
4. Thou shalt avoid speaking in
IM or TEXT.
5. Thou shalt check, double
check and triple check all
grammatical rules
6. Thou shalt follow all the
rules of MLA format
7. Thou shalt document
everything & give proper
respect to those who thought
before you.
8. Thou shalt avoid
redundancy and wordy
sentences
9. Thou shalt not use any
forbidden word.
10. THOU SHALT BE
SPECIFIC!
4
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Seek and Destroy: Making your paper better
1. Filler words: in which, centers around, when it came close/comes to
2. Words that question your validity or knowledge: may, might, seem, in my opinion,
etc.
3. Filler phrases: these examples show, in my opinion, to me it/they, I believe that, I
think etc.
4. Forbidden words: nice, very, a lot, stuff, things, really, real, even, plus, just
5. Repetition
6. Cliché: over used phrases
7. Homophones:
8. Reduce wordiness!
9. Check “commonly misspelled words” list & correct
10. Check grammar and conventions
11. Remove all personal pronouns (I, you, us, we, me, my, yours, ours etc.)
BASIC FORMAT
Writing is a series of circles, you mature as a writer when the circles are not all trite
replicates of each other, but to begin, you must know the structure of the paragraph.
1. Introduction—usually has a transition OF SOME KIND (not always at the beginning).
Tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
2. Example—this is where you present your proof. The way you back your self up
3. Analysis—YOUR OWN WORDS! You draw conclusions about things.
4. Conclusion—ties back to your introduction. You don’t want to leave the reader
hanging off a cliff. You have to tie off those ends so you can move on.
ALWAYS CIRCLE BACK TO THE PROMPT/ESSENTIAL QUESTION!
All your paragraphs will follow this circular pattern. The introduction and conclusion have
different kinds of intros and concluding sentences, but follows the pattern to the beat of
their own drum
Introductory paragraphs start with a (1) hook, follow with (2) background information,
and end with the (3) thesis while concluding paragraphs mirror the introduction by
starting with the (3) thesis, following with (2) suggestions, or ideas drawn from the paper,
and finally ending with a (1) clincher that most effectively REFERS BACK to the hook from
the intro.
5
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Basic rule #2: Show and Tell
Generally when writing, it is better to SHOW rather than to TELL. Obviously, you’ll do a
little of both in GREAT writing, but the more you can SHOW, the better off you’ll be. This
helps your reader really SEE and UNDERSTAND what you see and know.
This requires using more INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION and ACTION VERBS (see page
10).
Telling
Showing
George is a monster.
George went to the store and shot three
people in cold blood, after which he laughed.
The goo dripped off of George’s green face
and splattered the sidewalk next to his
massive bare feet.
The telling is ambiguous. Okay, George is a monster…why? What did he do? What does he
look like? Do you mean a literal monster like Big Foot, or is he just an evil person?
The showing is more precise. It lets the reader infer that George is a monster, but gives
them more detail.
Telling examples
1. The man is a monster.
2. His skin looks sickly green and purple.
3. His mouth resembles a snout.
4. His teeth appear long and sharp like a wolf's.
5. His ears are on top of his head and are pointed and furry.
6. His eyes seem to be slits of purple light.
7. His nose is an empty hollow.
8. He smells of rotten meat.
9. His skin feels slimy.
10. Truly, the man must have been ugly from birth!
Write a paragraph using action verbs in place of as many linking verbs as possible.
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6
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Basic rule # 3: BS
Be Specific, that is. Often, students make the mistake of not using specifics, thus their
points are lost in a shallow sea of filler phrases and the other kind of BS. So, to avoid this,
we step it up and add specifics!
EQ: What is faith?
Example: Faith is believing in god no matter what. Yes, god is an example of something that
you believe in but you can’t see but it is not specific.
How do you make it specific:
--A specific person (Ghandi)
--Believes in a specific instance/god (Hindu god—Vishnu, supreme being)
--during a specific period of time (Peace marches and persecutions during this that led
up to his eventual assassination)
This all goes into your explanation of your example.
Now you try…
EQ: How does bullying affect society?
Answer: Bullying has both physical and mental affects on victims.
Event: People with glasses are bullied so they do not wear their glasses, which has physical
and mental effects.
--A specific person
--Believes in a specific instance
--during a specific period of time
7
Basics of writing good…er…I mean well…
Basic rule #4: To an alien with love
Explain. Analyze. Relate. These are the basics. Specific examples are meaningless without
explanation. Always, always, always analyze and explain how the example relates to your
topic. It should be as though an alien is reading your paper (which, some of you may
believe that your teacher is an alien, so this shouldn’t be too difficult for you!).
What would you need to say to make sure that alien understands exactly what you’re
saying?
Ask yourself SO WHAT? Why does this matter?
Then answer the question in your writing.
Now you want to break it down:
Yes, Ghandi had peace marches and faced persecution because of his belief in a peaceful
society based on his personal belief in Vishnu and other Hindu teachings. So what?
This relates back to believing in something you can’t see because…
-Ghandi knew that he would face the persecution of the world because violence is a part of
human history and people balk at anything that is different from themselves. Despite this
knowledge, Ghandi continued to preach peace and put faith in Vishnu to protect and guide
him even if he knew he was walking into a hateful situation. In this way, Ghandi portrays
what it means to believe in something you cannot see and demonstrates what it means to
have faith.
Now you try…by looking at your previous example
EQ: How does bullying affect society?
Answer: Bullying has both physical and mental affects on victims.
Event: People with glasses are bullied so they do not wear their glasses, which has physical
and mental effects.
--A specific person
--Believes in a specific instance
--during a specific period of time
SO WHAT?!?!
8
Called on a technicality
ABC easy as 123…Grammar Review:
Noun: A noun is a person, place, thing, quality, or act; often preceded by an article.
Noun Examples: pencil, girl, supermarket, happiness
Article Examples: the, a, an, this, those
Practice Exercise 1: Circle the noun and underline the article
1. the rainbow
2. a butterfly
3. those jumping frogs
4. a beautiful girl
Adjective: describes a noun.
Adjective Examples: hairy, crazy, wonderful
Practice Exercise 2: Circle the noun(s), underline the article(s), and put a box around the
adjective (s).
1. the bright, shiny sun
2. the amazing Michael Phelps
3. the busy month
4. the praisworthy champion
Great Beginnings:
Read the following opening lines from American literary works. Using context clues and
your own intuition, fill in the blanks with an article, adjective or noun as directed in the
(parentheses). How close can you come to the authors’ actual words? (the first one is done
for you).
1. During the whole of a (adj.)____gloomy___, (adj.)____________, and
(adj.)____________________ day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung
oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a
singularly (adj.)_______________ tract of country, and at length found myself, as the (plural
noun)_______________ of evening drew on, within view of the (adj.)___________________ House
of Usher.
2. A (noun)_________ stood upon a railroad (noun)_______________ in northern Alabama,
looking down into the (adj.)_______________ water twenty feet below.
3. In my younger and more (adj.)____________________ years my (noun)_________________
gave me some (noun)__________________ that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.
4. Day had broken (adj.)_________ and (adj.)__________, exceedingly (adj.)__________ and
(adj.)__________, when the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail and climbed the
high earth-bank, where a (adj.)__________ and little-traveled (noun)___________ led eastward
through the (adj.)__________ spruce timberland.
9
Verb: usually at the center of a predicate and expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of
being. Must agree with the subject, for tense, for voice, for mood, or for aspect.
Action Verb Examples: to run, to jump, to play, to fly
Auxiliary/helping/linking Verb Examples: will, shall, may, might, can, could,
must, ought to, should, would, used to, need
Practice Exercise 1: Circle the verb then label it Action or Auxiliary
1. The rainbow shines over the school.
2. A butterfly flies toward the rainbow.
3. Those frogs jumped toward the pot.
4. A beautiful girl is a vision to behold.
Adverb: Adverbs are words that modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Modify a verb example: He drove slowly. — How did he drive?
Modify an adjective example: He drove a very fast car. — How fast was his car?
Modify another adverb example: She moved quite slowly down the aisle. — How
slowly did she move?
Practice Exercise 2: Circle the adverbs(s), underline the what it is modifying, and put a
box around the verb
1. The sun shines brightly.
2. Michael Phelps quickly swims into victory.
3. The amazingly busy month
4. She very hastily ran for the exit.
5. Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was
taken to (verb)______________ to her as (adverb)______________ as possible the
news of her husband’s (noun)______________.
6. I received one morning a (noun)______________ written in (adj.)__________ ink,
on glassy, blue-lined notepaper, and bearing the (noun)________________ of a
little Nebraska (noun)________________.
7. On the (plural noun)_________________ of a little town upon a
(noun)___________ of land that (verb)____________ back from the railway there
was a tidy little cottage of white (plural noun)_____________, trimmed
(adverb)_____________ with green blinds.
8. It was December—a (adj.)______________ (adj.)_______________ day in the early
morning.
9. When she was (adj.)__________, my (noun)_______________ Kathleen asked if I
had ever killed anyone.
10. For the first time since Yolanda had reached the (plural noun)____________,
there was a (noun)_______________ on the left side of the (adj.)_____________
road.
10
Called on a technicality
ABC easy as 123…Basics:
Rules for Writing Real Good (http://7-12educators.about.com/blswritegd.htm)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
RULE
Don't use no double
negatives.
Make each pronoun agree
with their antecedents.
(pg #)
Do not split two complete
sentences with a comma,
it’s called a comma splice.
About them sentence
fragments.
When dangling, watch your
participles.
Verbs has got to agree
with their subjects. (pg #)
Don't write run-on
sentences they are hard to
read.
Don't use commas, which
aren't necessary.
Try to not ever split
infinitives
10. Its important to use your
apostrophe's correctly.
11. Proofread your writing to
see if you any words out.
9.
12.
Correct speling is essential.
13.
Eschew ostentatious
erudition.
(pg. #)
14.
Avoid cliches like the
plague.
Practice Sentence
I don’t have no money.
Everyone needs to buy their
own ticket.
I love my mother, she has
always been there for me.
On the way to the park.
While walking to the park, the
bus hit the kitten.
She really need to get a new
car.
I never listen to the teacher
that is why I always fail the
tests I know I should listen but
I don’t.
Let’s meet at the gas station,
that is on the corner of 3rd and
Elm.
I really want to just sit down
and relax.
Venus Williams has won 4
Wimbledon’s.
That is such a grate essay! I am
so glad I proofread it before aI
turned it in.
I didn’t look over my essay
before I turned it in, and I am
probly going to get a bad grade.
The circumstances of the
calamity that has befallen me
have completely intimidated
my previous giddiness about
this topic.
I have always marched to the
beat of a different drummer.
*Bold denotes rule is addressed later in the handbook
11
Fixed sentence
Called on a technicality
Power Verbs
Linking/Auxiliary verbs are okay—but power verbs make your writing better!
Linking Verb List
Forms of "to be"
Forms of "to
Forms of "to
Common verbs that can exist as either
become"
seem"
action verbs or linking verbs include:
Am, Is, Is being,
Become, Becomes,
Seemed, Seeming,
Grow, Look,
Are, Are being,
Became, Has become, Seems, Has
Prove, Remain,
Was, Was being,
Have become, Had
seemed, Have
Smell, Sound,
Were, Has, Has
become, Will become, seemed, Had
Taste, Turn,
been, Have been,
Will have become,
seemed, Will seem Stay, Get,
Will have been,
Appear, Feel,
Had been, Are
being, Might have
been,
POWER VERBS!
abolish
acquire
advocate
assimilate
authorize
balance
block
bolster
brand
broaden
calculate
collaborate
commend
convey
create
debate
delegate
differentiate
display
document
effect
elaborate
engage
examine
expedite
fabricate
finish
formulate
fortify
fulfill
gauge
generate
greet
group
guide
halt
handle
held
hire
hone
ignite
illustrate
intervene
investigate
isolate
join
judge
justify
lecture
lift
limit
liquidate
load
mandate
maneuver
manipulate
minimize
motivate
navigate
negotiate
neutralize
nominate
nurture
observe
operate
orchestrate
order
List at least 10 more ACTION/POWER verbs below:
12
organize
participate
perceive
persuade
pinpoint
publicize
quadruple
quantify
query
question
quote
recruit
reiterate
repair
replicate
retrieve
safeguard
salvage
secure
seize
sketch
survey
tackle
terminate
testify
transmit
tutor
uncover
unearth
unify
update
urge
validate
verbalize
verify
visualize
volunteer
widen
withstand
work
wrote
yield
Called on a technicality
The Holy Matrimony of
Verbs & Subjects
The STRONGEST verbs



SHOW instead of tell
Weak: I came home and told Mother my crime.
Better: I stumbled home and blurted my crime to Mother.
Demonstrate ACTIONS
Weak: His work shirt had dark rings where it had been stained with sweat.
Better: Dark rings of sweat stained his work shirt.
Are ACTIVE instead of passive
Weak: The truck was loaded with crates of bananas by the workers.
Better: The workers loaded the truck with crates of bananas.
Subjects are NOUNS and PRONOUNS that
PERFORM the action of the verb


NOUNS: a person, place, thing or idea
PRONOUNS: replace nouns (antecedents)
SUBJECTS and VERBS must AGREE



A SUBJECT is either SINGULAR (one) or PLURAL (many)
The VERB must always AGREE (change form to match) with the SUBJECT
SINGLE subject = SINGLE verb; PLURAL subject = PLURAL verb
The parking lot was full.
The parking lots were full.
REGULAR verbs
HINT: ‘s’ is added to 3rd person singular. Most regular verbs work this way
Singular
Plural
First Person
I like bananas.
We like bananas.
Second Person You like bananas.
Third Person
He/she/it likes bananas. They like bananas.
IRREGULAR verbs
Common irregular verbs & their verb forms
Infinitive form
To do
To have
To go
To be
Singular
I do.
I have.
I go.
I am.
Plural
He/she/it does.
He/she/it has.
He/she/it goes.
He/she/it is.
IRREGULAR subjects
 COLLECTIVE nouns are nouns that SEEM like they are plural, but they are in a group and that
group acts as one UNIT.
A swarm of bees = 1 swarm, containing many bees (The swarm attacks my friend. [not attack])
A pack of cards = 1 pack, containing many cards (The pack of cards sits on the chair. [not sit])
A family of 5 = 1 family, containing multiple members (The family goes on vacation. [not go])
 SUBJECTS joined by OR or NOR then the verb takes the form of the CLOSEST subject
Either the actors or the director is at fault.
Either the director or the actors are at fault.
 SUBJECT is MORE THAN ONE thing/person
My colleague and manager were promoted. (THEY were promoted)
Rupert and Jane are football fans, but Colin prefers shopping. (They are football fans, but he prefers shopping)
13
PRACTICE TIME!
Practice subject/verb agreement
1. Almost everybody (has / have) some difficulty with
writing.
2. Our team (play / plays) hard every night.
3. Both of us (is / are) voting in the next election.
4. Milo, Phoebe, and I (was / were) offering our help.
5. Neither of you (jump / jumps) to conclusions.
6. Some say the Indians (has / have) been treated
unfairly.
7. There (was / were) only two choices on the menu.
8. Rudy as well as his cat (like / likes) milk.
9. He (is / are) my boss and friend.
10. Sunbathing (is / are) my favorite form of exercise.
Practice choosing strong verbs:
A. Rewriting passive voice
1. Before the semester was over, the new nursing program had been approved by the Curriculum Committee
and the Board of Trustees.
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2. With five seconds left in the game, an illegal time-out was called by one of the players.
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3. Later in the day, the employees were informed of their loss of benefits by the boss herself.
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4. The major points of the lesson were quickly learned by the class, but they were also quickly forgotten by
them.
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5. For several years, Chauncey was raised by his elderly grandmother.
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14
Called on a technicality
Antecedents,
then comes the Pronouns in it…
First comes love, then comes
Pronouns
 Replace nouns
 Should agree with and HAVE an antecedent (a noun that precedes it)
o Suzy loves her new bag. (underline the pronoun and circle the antecedent)
 Possessive pronouns show ownership
o John’s bag is on the counter = His bag is on the counter
Common Pronouns
It is important to be able to recognize pronouns…these include:
He/him
She/her
It/its
They/Their
Me/my/I
You/Yours
Nobody/one
Anybody/one
Everybody/one
Somebody/one
Whom
Whose
Who
Whoever
Whosever
*Highlight the possessive pronouns in the chart above.
Singular vs. Plural
 A singular personal pronoun should be used with 2 or more singular antecedents
joined by or or nor
o Neither Tom nor Ken brought his equipment. (circle the pronoun; underline the
antecedent)
 A plural personal pronoun should be used with 2 or more antecedents joined by and.
o Sue and Stan have chosen their instruments. (circle the pronoun; underline
the antecedent)
 EXCEPT when distinguishing between joint and individual ownership.
 Neither Linda nor Maria let me play her guitar (they both have a
guitar)
 Neither Linda nor Maria let me play their guitar (the guitar belongs
to both of them)
 Indefinite pronouns anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no
one, and nobody are always singular. Circle the grammatically correct sentence.
o Somebody left his or her bag at the station.
o Somebody left their bag at the station.
Compound Pronouns
 Form should stay the same when something is compounded.
o This bag is for me.
o This bag is for Fred and me/I. (circle the correct pronoun)
Who, Whose, Whom
 To choose correctly among the forms of who, rephrase to choose between he and him.
o Whom/Who do you think is responsible? (Do you think he/him is responsible?)
o Whom/Who should we ask to the club? (Should we ask he/him to the party?)
Use the chart to help you circle the correct pronouns in the sentence above.
Subject form
Possessive Form
Object Form
Singular
He
His
Him
Who
Whose
Whom
Plural
They
Their
Them
Who
Whose
Whom
15
PRACTICE TIME!
Choose the correct pronoun in parentheses to complete the sentence.
1. Many People are discovering that (you, they) can enjoy different forms of music, such as
the blues.
2. During early rehearsals, an actor may forget (his or her, their) lines
3. Men and women who have worked hard all day are finding that (you, they) can unwind
by listening to Bessie Smith sing the blues.
4. The Washington team was opportunistic; (it, they) took advantage of every break.
5. Sue likes to listen to Bessie Smith because (you, she) can relate to the feelings expressed.
Write the pronoun in the first blank and the antecedent in the second.
1. Sam and I travel together because we are good friends. ___________ __________
2. Maria is looking for her coat. ___________ __________
3. The students came for their grades. ___________ __________
4. The children waited for me to pick them up. ___________ __________
5. William and Loretta, you have to start arriving on time. ___________ __________
6. My tennis teacher felt that she had to raise her fee. ___________ __________
7. Robert brought those books home because they looked interesting. ___________ __________
8. I saw Tito and gave him the money I owed him. ___________ __________
9. Tito took his money and thanked me. ___________ __________
10. Roberto always gets A's because he studies so much. ___________ __________
11. Where is Dorothy? I can't find her. ___________ __________
12. She and I have been dating for five years; it's time for us to settle down. ___________ __________
13. Harvey, have you done your homework? ___________ __________
14. We drove our car all the way to Miami Beach. ___________ __________
Circle the correct word
1. (Who, Whom) will you invite to the party?
2. (Whoever, Whomever) parked this car needs to move it.
3. There is a fifty-dollar reward for (whoever, whomever) finds and returns my dog.
4. (Who, Whom) is Elaine living with?
5. (Who, Whom) is that man at the end of the alley?
6. He is the kind of person (who, whom), my father says, will always be able to multiply his
money.
7. There will be a five-minute break for (whoever, whomever) among you needs it.
8. To (who, whom) should I give this letter?
9. The parents of that baby, (whoever, whomever) they are, shouldn’t leave it alone.
10. Can you tell (who, whom) she looks like?
16
Called on a technicality
Homophone, Homonym, Homowhat?
Directions: Translate the following sentence by defining what the underlined word
means…then write a short statement about what you think a homophone is.
I love my too Ants. They came over to our manner and brought they’re dog. I got too babysit the dog scents they were flying on a plain to a mountain peek for a ski trip. I got along
well with there dog while it stayed with me, and he had a good time, even though he was
scratching and trying two flea from his flees. My mom was angry, though, when he snuck
into the desert leaving his knows and pause all read. I let him sleep on a caught at night,
and he wagged his tale every mourning when he woke up. He stayed a hole weak, and he
didn’t even brake a thing!
Translated:
Homonym
Homophone
Bear(to carry a burden; a big animal)
Bare (naked)
Bored
Peek
Seize
Here
Ring
Knot
Where
board
peak
sees
hear
wring
not
wear
Bear (to carry a burden; a big animal)
Common Homophones
Paste
paced
allowed
Manner
manor
sea
Plain
plane
Hear
Wait
weight
Red
Affect
effect
Past
Accept
except
Know
aloud
see
here
read
passed
no
Effect/Affect/Affected
 Affect—verb; to act upon, to change or to cause a change
 Effect—noun; result; consequence
 Affected—adjective; influenced by an outside force
17
they’re
there
Too
two
Lose
Desert
their
to
Loose
Desserts
PRACTICE TIME!
Common Homophones
1. I have _____________ lunch today. (no, know)
2. There is a ________________ in my jeans. (hole, whole)
3. I won the game _____________ two points. (by, buy)
4. I would like ______________ have cookies with my milk. (to, two)
5. Billy _______________ the race. (one, won)
6. Please make sure to _______________ a jacket outside. (wear, where)
7. My favorite story is the “Tortoise and the _______________”. (hair, hare)
8. _______________ sister will walk you home from school. (You’re, Your)
9. Maggie will _______________ a story in her notebook. (write, right)
10. Can you help me find ________________ shoes? (their, they’re)
11. I would like __________ have cookies with my milk. (to, two)
12. Billy couldn't decide which ___________ to wear to school. (close, clothes)
13. Please make sure to _____________ a jacket outside. (wear, where)
Accept/Except
1. The whole army is out of step ____________ Fred.
2. I'll ____________ no money from that cheapskate.
3. Please ____________ this pot of Mama's chicken soup.
4. It will cure anything ____________ flat feet.
5. Rip could do anything ____________ make money.
6. I had to ____________ a nasty insult.
7. All the girls went to the game ____________ Mary.
8. Howard could not ____________ the job.
9. Every student volunteered to take the quiz ____________ Joe.
10. I will ____________ your gift if you let me pay for my lunch.
Affect/Effect?
1. Television has its ____________ on public opinion.
2. Kisses can ____________ my thinking, too.
3. Soap advertisements don't ____________ Stinky.
4. Falling on my head had a bad ____________ on my memory.
5. Smog can ____________ your lungs.
6. Study the laws of cause and ____________ .
7. Slim tried to ____________ an escape through the ventilator.
8. This salary cut may ____________ his living habits.
9. The supply of a certain item may have an ____________ except on the price.
10. The ____________ of the speech was visible on the faces of the sleeping audience.
11. The beauty of the scene will surely ____________ his indifference.
12. We shall never know the full ____________ of the drink.
13. The heavy snows will ____________ the first crops this winter.
14. What kind of ____________ can this quiz have on your dinner tonight?
18
Called on a technicality
Word Labyrinths Revealed: Reducing Wordiness
What is wordiness?
WORDINESS occurs when students try to fill their paper with FLUFF with the false assumption that FLOWERY and
EXCESSIVE, LONG sentences make their paper sound “smarter.” ELIMINATING wordiness helps our writing become
CLEAR and CONCISE.
PATTERNS in Wordiness
Everyone has their own style in writing and their own style of wordiness.
Recognizing your own patterns helps you recognize the best ways to fix your wordiness.
Make stronger VERBS



Turn PASSIVE voice into ACTIVE voice. Passive voice reflects the subject of the sentence being acted upon;
active constructions have the subject as the actor
Change being and helping verbs (is, was, are, were, have/had + ing word) to action verbs
Replace “-tion” nouns with stronger verbs
Wordy
Concise
Rain forests are being destroyed by
uncontrolled logging.
A new fire curtain is necessary for the stage.
Uncontrolled logging is destroying rain forests.
The South African government was undergoing
significant changes.
The South African government underwent significant
changes.
The stage needs a new fire curtain.
I submitted an application for the job.
I applied for the job.
Omitting FILLER phrases






Filler phrases at the beginning of sentences delay the true
SUBJECT & VERB, or main POINT of the sentence
Changing which and that to “ing” words; omit them whenever
possible
Omitting phrases that question your validity and knowledge
Replace prepositional phrases with one word modifiers when
possible
Remove intensifiers
Reduce redundancy
Wordy
Common Filler Phrases
It is
There is
This is impt. b/c
There are
This
That
Which
This
means
that
Should
Given the fact
Would
Could
that
It seems that
Prepositions like of, by, from
Intensifiers: very, extremely,
Concise
It is expensive to upgrade computer systems.
Chlorofluorocarbons have been banned from aerosols. This has
lessened the ozone layer's depletion
Upgrading computer systems is expensive.
Chlorofluorocarbons have been banned from aerosols, lessening the ozone
layer's depletion.
The committee, which meets monthly, oversees accounting
procedures and audits.
The committee, meeting monthly, oversees accounting procedures and
audits.
Because the fluid, which was brown and poisonous, was dumped
into the river, the company that was negligent had to shut down.
Because the brown, poisonous fluid was dumped into the river, the
negligent company had to shut down.
The environmental council could see several solutions.
The environmental council saw several solutions.
The President of the Student Senate was in charge of the lobbying
against the merger at the Minnesota Congress.
The Student Senate President oversaw lobbying the Minnesota Congress
against the merger.
Proper planning is very vital to project success.
Proper planning is vital to project success
Combining sentences and using proper punctuation


Use a colon for explanatory sentences rather than introducing it a second time in a second sentence
Combine closely related short sentences with semi-colons or conjunctions
Wordy
Concise
The theater has three main technical areas. These areas
are costumes, scenery, and lighting.
The director is concerned about problems. Typical
problems may occur with lighting, sound, and props.
The theater has three main technical areas: costumes,
scenery, and lighting.
The director is concerned about typical problems with
lighting, sound, and props.
19
Practice Time!
Examples of Wordiness
absolutely essential
according to
all of
are connected with
as a result
as long as
at all times
at this time
close proximity
consensus of opinion
despite the fact that
due to the fact that
few in number
first and foremost
for the production of
for the purpose of
for the reason that
has (or needs) to
if…, then …
in a given
in accordance with
in an attempt (effort) to
in connection with
in order for
in order to
in point of fact
in reference to
in (or with) regard to
in the event that
in view of the fact that
inasmuch as
is allowed (able or entitled) to
is located in
is required to
it should be noted that
look into
making a determination (decision)
more often than not
needs (or has) to
not allow
not different
not include
on the basis of
owing to the fact that
past history
payment made to
prior to the limitation on
small in size (number)
subsequent to the use of
that limits (or other verb after “that”)
the creation of (or other “-tion” noun)
there are (or there is)
whether or not
will be able to
will depend upon
will have to
with reference to
with regard to
with the exception of
Read and then rewrite the following sentences reducing the wordiness based on the strategies
provided.
1. The first person that I met at the party was Cindy. Cindy was a blonde who had bright
green eyes.
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. The woman who was keeping score made a mistake.
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. The trail that I followed led to a boulder that was perched on the edge of a cliff.
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. Aluminium is a metal that is very light in weight.
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. The office manager wanted all the memos to be typed. She wanted all the memos to be
typed so that they would be easy to read.
_______________________________________________________________________________
6. I spent two years in Tucson. Tucson is my favorite city.
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. The license plate that was on the car had a word on it instead of numbers. The word was
“rodeo.”
__________________________________________________________
Better Phrases or
8. The book that the library wants me to return is called For
Words
Whom The Bell Tolls.
essential
__________________________________________________________
per
9. She flew to Hawaii on a 747. The 747 is the biggest airliner in
all (or each)
the world.
relate to
__________________________________________________________
thus
10. All the cigars that he smoked made the room smell like it was a
if
always
tobacco factory.
now (or currently)
__________________________________________________________
11. It is my opinion that abortion should be outlawed.
proximity
__________________________________________________________
consensus
even though
12. I will complete my research paper in a period of a week.
since (or because)
__________________________________________________________
few
13. William Jefferson Clinton, who was formerly the President of
first
the United States, now has a job with a private company.
to produce
__________________________________________________________
for (or to)
14. Susan is the teacher who teaches Chemistry at her High School.
since (or because)
__________________________________________________________
must (or should)
15. John was employed and now works for the company Levis
if…, …
Strauss.
each
__________________________________________________________
according to
16. The student is writing a writing assignment for his English
to
Composition class.
about
__________________________________________________________
for
17. She was in deep thought and contemplation about what
to
happened.
in fact
__________________________________________________________
about
18. Julius ran with the other runners in the 10,000 meter track event
regarding (or about)
and finished third overall.
if
__________________________________________________________
since (or because)
19. In my opinion, I think that he should have been sentenced to
since (or because)
death.
can
__________________________________________________________
is in
20. Her purse, which was manufactured in Italy, was stolen
must (or should)
yesterday.
__________________________________________________________
20
Called on a technicality
Parallelism isn’t just for Math Class
Consider the definition of parallelism (repeating grammatical structures). The sentence
below exhibits FAULTY parallelism. Decide why and explain your response (even if you are
not sure—at least TRY—say something. IDK is not acceptable). Then, answer the questions
below.
A police officer must uphold the law by patrolling the streets,
controlling traffic, catch criminals, and arresting law-breakers.
1. How does the sentence above display FAULTY parallel structure?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is this sentence different than just saying?
A police officer has many duties.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. How does parallelism help improve your writing?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3.Why is having correct parallelism (or even just correct grammar) so important in good
writing?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Notice the parallel structure in each example below:



Parallel words: He has called together legislative bodies at places, unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records. (parallel words
are:______________)
Parallel phrases: He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high
seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and
brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. (Parallel phrases are: ______________)
Parallel clauses: The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. (understood
verb:___)
21
Correct the parallel structure in the following sentences
1. The national park’s prohibitions include the following: no pets, no alcohol, no hiking
off designated paths, and don’t feed the bears.
2. The hiker stopped and focused more on the sunset than the river.
3. Yesterday we cleaned our rooms, washed the kitchen floor, dusted the furniture, and
we mowed the lawn.
4. Banana splits are colorful, yummy, and they can make you fat.
5. The room was furnished with sofas, chairs, flowering plants, and oriental rugs were
on the floor.
There are 5 sentences that are not parallel in each paragraph. Correct these.
Passage A
For the 10 percent of the American population that is left-handed, life is not easy.
Using a pair of scissors or to write in a spiral notebook can be very difficult. The scissors
and the notebook are two items designed for right-handers. Also, have you ever seen a
“southpaw” take notes or writing an exam at one of those right-handed half-desks? The
poor “lefty” has to twist like a yoga devotee or in the style of a circus acrobat in order to
reach the paper. But a recent study proves that being left-handed can be psychologically
damaging as well as tax a person physically. A survey of 2,300 people showed that 20
percent more left-handers than right-handers smoked. Could lefties smoke to relieve the
tension or forgetting the problems of living in a right-handed world?
Passage B
Some people today are “survivalists.” These people, because they fear some great
disaster in the near future (like economic collapse or nuclear war), are preparing for a
catastrophe. Hoarding food, stockpiling weapons, and the achievement of self-sufficiency
are some of the activities of survivalists. In Arkansas, for example, one group has built a
mountain fortress to defend its supplies and staying safe. Arkansas, the group feels, is the
best place to be for several reasons: it is an unlikely target for nuclear attack; it offers
plentiful supplies of food and water; a good climate. Some Americans feel that the attitude
of survivalists is selfish and greed. These people say that such a philosophy turns society
into a “dog-eat-dog” race for life. Other people believe that after a nuclear war, the world,
with radiation and where there would be disease, wouldn’t be worth living in.
Remember: THESIS STATEMENTS for RESEARCH PAPERS should also contain
parallel structure. Correct the parallel structure in the following thesis statements.
1. Our forty second president, William Jefferson Clinton, is a complex man who
demonstrates great authority and is organized as a leader, but his disrespect for the
feminine population and being arrogant are unorthodox qualities at best and
personal vices at worst.
2. Known as the “father of the atomic bomb,” Robert J. Oppenheimer’s being curios and
lack of prudent actions led to the death of millions of Japan’s citizens, but doubting
over his own work and trust in the American public led to a lobby for atomic control
as he learned from his mistakes.
3. Conrad Hilton was a man of many talents and through his curiosity, being
perseverant, and organizing he was able to found a successful hotel chain, but his
arrogance was a vice that he would struggle with throughout his life.
22
Called on a technicality
It’s All About the Commas, Baby.
1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating
conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
 Lorraine Hansberry is one modern dramatist but Arthur Miller is more famous.
2. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause.
a. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after,
although, as, because, if, since, when, while. However, don't put a comma after the main clause when a
dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).
Incorrect: She was late for class, because her alarm clock was broken.
Incorrect: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.
Correct: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar.
(This comma use is correct because it is an example of extreme contrast)
b. Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma include participial and infinitive phrases,
absolute phrases, nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases (over four
words).
c. Common introductory words that should be followed by a comma include yes, however, well
 Clearly The Crucible can teach us many lessons.
3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to
the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to
indicate the end of the pause.
Here are some clues to help you decide whether the sentence element is essential:



If you leave out the clause, phrase, or word, does the sentence still make sense?
Does the clause, phrase, or word interrupt the flow of words in the original sentence?
If you move the element to a different position in the sentence, does the sentence still make sense?
If you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions, then the element in question is nonessential and
be set off with commas.
should
 Arthur Miller author of The Crucible wrote during the 1950s.
4. Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that (relative
clauses). That clauses after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb expressing mental action are
always essential.
Examples of other essential elements (no commas):
Students who cheat only harm themselves.
The baby wearing a yellow jumpsuit is my niece.
The candidate who had the least money lost the election.
Examples of nonessential elements (set off by commas):
Fred, who often cheats, is just harming himself.
My niece, wearing a yellow jumpsuit, is playing in the living room.
The Green party candidate, who had the least money, lost the election.
Tom, the captain of the team, was injured in the game.
5. Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series.
 Communism politics and Salem are all used to make purposeful meaning in The Crucible
23
6. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be sure never to add an
extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives.
Coordinate adjectives are adjectives with equal ("co"-ordinate) status in describing the noun; neither
adjective is subordinate to the other. You can decide if two adjectives in a row are coordinate by asking the
following questions:
 Does the sentence make sense if the adjectives are written in reverse order?
 Does the sentence make sense if the adjectives are written with and between them?
If you answer yes to these questions, then the adjectives are coordinate and should be separated by a comma.
Here are some examples of coordinate and non-coordinate adjectives:
He was a difficult, stubborn child. (coordinate)
They lived in a white frame house. (non-coordinate)
She often wore a gray wool shawl. (non-coordinate)
Your cousin has an easy, happy smile. (coordinate)
7. Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct
pause or shift.
8. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer back to the beginning or middle of the
sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be placed anywhere in the sentence without causing confusion.
Nancy waved enthusiastically at the docking ship, laughing joyously. (correct)
Incorrect:Lisa waved at Nancy, laughing joyously. (Who is laughing, Lisa or Nancy?)
Laughing joyously, Lisa waved at Nancy. (correct)
Lisa waved at Nancy, who was laughing joyously. (correct)
9. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates (except the month and day), addresses (except the
street number and name), and titles in names.
10. Use a comma to shift between the main discourse and a quotation.
John said without emotion, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"I was able," she answered, "to complete the assignment."
In 1848, Marx wrote, "Workers of the world, unite!"
11. Use commas wherever necessary to prevent possible confusion or misreading.
Comma Abuse
Commas in the wrong places can break a sentence into illogical segments or confuse readers with unnecessary and
unexpected pauses.
12. Don't use a comma to separate the subject from the verb.
Incorrect: An eighteen-year old in California, is now considered an adult.
Incorrect: The most important attribute of a ball player, is quick reflex actions.
13. Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.
Incorrect: We laid out our music and snacks, and began to study.
Incorrect: I turned the corner, and ran smack into a patrol car.
14. Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound
object.
Incorrect (compound subject): The music teacher from your high school, and the
football coach
from mine are married.
Incorrect (compound object): Jeff told me that the job was still available, and
that the
manager wanted to interview me.
15. Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of
extreme contrast).
Incorrect (extreme contrast):She was late for class, because her alarm clock was
broken.
Incorrect: The cat scratched at the door, while I was eating.
Correct: She was still quite upset, although she had won the Oscar.(This comma use
is correct because it is an example of extreme contrast)
24
Exercise: write the word the comma should following the blank provided
delicious
EXAMPLE: This recipe is a delicious creative treat!
1.
The walkers maintained a brisk steady pace.
2.
Lauren cannot afford the tuition so she is applying for financial aid.
3.
Ali wanted an active playful pet.
4.
Several boisterous hecklers interrupted the speech but the crowd was still able to enjoy
it.
5.
The cake was trimmed with tiny colored chocolate curds.
6.
I had hoped to see Linda but she wasn't at the party.
7.
We had hoped to go shopping and sightseeing but we planned too much for one day.
8.
Few things are worse than tough overcooked meat.
9.
Grandma received a bouquet of beautiful petite yellow roses.
10. Please drop these letters at the post office and then you can go to the library.
The following letter has been altered to include no punctuation. Correct the letter adding in commas, semicolons,
periods, etc. Remember, punctuation can change the meaning of certain phrases.
My Dear Child
I arrived here on Sunday last and without meeting with any accident worth noticing except losing ourselves when we left Baltimore
and going eight or nine miles on the Frederick road by which means we were obliged to go the other eight through woods where we
wandered two hours without finding a guide or the path fortunately a straggling black came up with us and we engaged him as a guide
to extricate us out of our difficulty but woods are all you see from Baltimore until you reach the city which is only so in name here and
there is a small cot without a glass window interspersed amongst the forests through which you travel miles without seeing any human
being in the city there are buildings enough if they were compact and finished to accommodate Congress and those attached to it but
as they are and scattered as they are I see no great comfort for them the river which runs up to Alexandria is in full view of my
window and I see the vessels as they pass and repass the house is upon a grand and superb scale requiring about thirty servants to
attend and keep the apartments in proper order and perform the ordinary business of the house and stables an establishment very well
proportioned to the President’s salary
[…]
Since I sat down to write I have been called down to a servant from Mount Vernon with a billet from Major Custis and a haunch of
venison and a kind congratulatory letter from Mrs. Lewis upon my arrival in the city with Mrs. Washington’s love inviting me to
Mount Vernon where health permitting I will go before I leave this place
Affectionately your mother
Abigail Adams
25
MLA Format
Monkeys Learn Alphabet…? No, of course not.
MLA stands for Modern Language Association founded in 1833 by teachers and scholars
to promote literature and language teaching and learning. MLA format refers to a
STANDARDIZED way to set up and document papers and sources for students, teachers,
and scholars. When you are asked to write a paper in MLA format, you are asked to set it
up in the way shown below. Follow these step by step instructions to ensure your objective
format points don’t disappear.
Getting Started
1.
2.
3.
Open a word processor blank document.
Make sure the FONT is Times New Roman
Make sure the type is 12 point
4.
DON”T CHANGE IT FROM THIS TYPE AND
SIZE FOR ANY REASON
8.
9.
set bottom, top, left and right margins at 1
click OK
ALL MARGINS SHOULD BE AT ONE INCH
5.
6.
7.
Click on File
Click on page set up
In the box that pops up make sure that the
margins tab is up
THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE DOUBLE SPACED THROUGHOUT
10.
11.
12.
Click on Format
Click on paragraph
In the box that pops up make sure the lines
and spacing tab is up
under the spacing section, click the down
arrow and highlight double
14. Click OK
13.
THE HEADER
15.
16.
17.
click on View
click on header and footer
In the header at the top of the page hit the
RIGHT alignment button
18.
19.
20.
21.
type your last name
hit space bar once
click on insert page number ( # )
close header footer
MLA HEADING SHOULD BE ONE INCH FROM THE EDGE OF THE PAGE
On the first line of the document (NOT IN
THE HEADER) on the LEFT side of the page
you should type your first and last name
23. hit enter
24. Type your teacher’s name
25. hit enter
22.
26.
27.
28.
type the class/period
hit enter
type the DUE date in this format ( 1
January 2008 ) make sure you type out the
month. Abbreviations are not acceptable
TITLE SHOULD BE CENTERED
After the date make sure you hit the enter ONLY once then hit the center alignment and type your title
DO NOT bold it, change the size, underline, italicize or anything.
30. Hit enter then fix the alignment back to the left and you are ready to type your paper .
29.
26
MLA Format
Foul!!! Plagiarism!!!
Plagiarism is simply the act of taking someone else’s idea, verbal or
written, and passing it off as your own. It is a form of piracy and
thievery.
Plagiarism comes in many different forms and is often innocently done when someone forgets
to cite properly, thought it is innocent, it is still inexcusable.
It will be considered plagiarism if you:









Copy from published sources without adequate documentation.
o Not using quotation marks to identify a direct quote from your source.
o Not citing the source of your information when using ideas and information
taken from the text
o Not paraphrasing correctly
Purchase a pre-written paper (either by mail or electronically).
Let someone else write a paper for you.
Pay someone else to write a paper for you.
Allow someone else to copy your paper
Submit as your own someone else’s unpublished work, either with or without
permission.
Using any amount of sentences from someone else’s paper.
Copy someone else’s homework
Allow someone to copy your homework
If you fall behind and feel tempted to plagiarize, it is best if you go to your teacher and openly
explain your procrastination. It is better to turn in a paper late than to plagiarize. The penalties
are far less dire.
Quotation: (http://www.esc.edu/htmlpages/writerold/menusp.htm)
"Empire State College has a policy describing the conditions under which students may be
warned or withdrawn from the College for such unethical academic behavior as plagiarism,
forgery, misrepresentation, or other dishonest or deceptive acts which constitute grounds
for warning or administrative withdrawal" (CDL Student Handbook 5).
Decide which is the summary, which is the paraphrase, and which is the plagiarized
sentence.
1. The Student Handbook states that the College may dismiss students who in any way
present others' work as their own (5). [MLA format]
2. According to policy in the Student Handbook, Empire State College may take punitive
action (including dismissal) against students who act fraudulently. Fraudulent action
includes using the words or ideas of others without proper attribution, falsifying
documents, or depicting the words of others as one's own (1992, p. 5). [APA format]
3. The Student Handbook states that the College has a policy that describes the
different instances under which students may be withdrawn from the College. These
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instances include plagiarism, forgery, misrepresentation, and other instances that
show dishonest or deceptive practice (1992, p. 5). [APA format
ESPN.com: College Football
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Twenty or more FSU players might be pulled from bowl
By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com
At least 20 Florida State football players will be suspended from playing against Kentucky in the Dec.
31 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, as well as the first three games of the 2008 season, for their roles in an
academic cheating scandal involving an Internet-based course, a source with knowledge of the situation said
Tuesday morning.
Florida State officials are expected to announce the results of the investigation this week. The source
said university officials determined Monday night the exact number of football players who will be suspended.
Federal privacy laws prohibit the school from releasing names.
"We have some players not traveling for one reason and some for another, including those who are
ineligible for the bowl because of academic issues," coach Bobby Bowden said in a statement released by the
university Tuesday.
Including walk-ons, the number of players facing suspension could approach 25. The source said
student-athletes in several other sports also were implicated in the cheating scandal.
Federal privacy laws prohibit the school from releasing names.
"We don't know what that number is going to end up being exactly, but we know that's a rough figure,"
assistant athletic director Rob Wilson said Tuesday. "It's an issue where we're being extra cautious."
The investigation already has led to the resignations of two academic assistance employees, one of
which was full-time academic adviser Brenda Monk, who worked with FSU student-athletes. The school
revealed in September that as many as 23 student-athletes were given answers before taking exams over the
Internet.
Further investigations revealed additional student-athletes were involved in the cheating, according to
the source.
"If the players fight the suspensions, they'll risk losing all of their eligibility," a source with knowledge
of the situation said Tuesday morning.
The school's investigation found that a tutor gave students answers while they were taking tests and
filled in answers on quizzes and typed papers for students.
Florida State president T.K. Wetherell, a former Seminoles football player, reported the initial findings
in a letter to the NCAA in September.
At least two Seminole football players already have been penalized for their involvement. Defensive end
Kevin McNeil missed the season and wide receiver Joslin Shaw missed the first four games.
"[Bowl opponent] Kentucky would be a tough opponent when we are at full strength, so clearly this will
make things more difficult," Bowden said. "Our staff is in the process of determining what adjustments we must
make for the game."
Wetherell ordered an investigation by the university's Office of Audit Services in May after receiving
information an athletics department tutor had directed one athlete to take an online quiz for another athlete and
then provided the answers.
The tutor implicated in the audit told investigators he had been providing students with answers for the
test since the fall of 2006, according to a university report.
28
Wisconsin was the last football program to suspend as many as 20 players. Days before the start of the
2000 regular season, 26 Badgers were given three- or one-game suspensions for getting unadvertised price
breaks at a shoe store. […]
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MLA Format
Works Cited and Parentheticals…Avoiding plagiarism by documenting sources
Works Cited Checklist:
Do I have the minimum number of sources?
 Are all my sources cited in my paper?
 Is everything double spaced?
 Is my header my last name with a space and the page number?
 Is everything in Times New Roman 12 point?
 Are the sources in alphabetical order?
 Did I make sure each one is a hanging indention?
Darcy 7
Works Cited
Begley, Sharon, et al. "Mapping the Brain." Newsweek 20 Apr. 1992: 66-70.
Damasio, Antonio R. "Aphasia." The New England Journal of Medicine 326 (1992): 531-39. Diagram Group.
The Brain: A User’s Manual. New York: Putnam’s, 1982.
"Nurturing Development of the Brain." Editorial. New York Times 28 Apr. 1997,late ed.: A14. New York
Times Ondisc. CD–ROM. UMI. 1997.
PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS: Usually a citation is composed of the author’s last name
and the page or paragraph number. However, you do not have to use the author’s last
name if you’ve used it in your sentence already.
Olivier creates Richard III’s “central device of coherence” by using a cyclical theme of
the crown (Brown 133).
Constance Brown argues that Olivier uses a cyclical theme of the crown to create “the
central device of coherence” (133).
If you cite a source with more than one author, be sure to credit both authors. If you
cite an anonymous or unsigned text, use a shortened version of the title in place of a
name.
If you cite a multivolume work, include the volume number (followed by a colon and a
space) before the page number.
29
As Katherine Raine has argued, “true poetry begins where human personality ends”
(2: 247).
(Ask if you are unsure how to cite other types. You can always consult a style guide in the
media center or even online! Ignorance is no excuse.)
Ex. (Begley 67)
Ex (Damasio par. 6)
30
Ex. (“Nurturing” 80)