DO NOT ALTER MARGINS! Do not change the size of periods.

◦ You all think this is not obvious. It is. Times New Roman, 12 point font, double

spaced – ALWAYS!!! Delete space between paragraphs. Don’t introduce new ideas in your closing.

Avoid using the synonym selection in Word. Do not start sentences with “And.” Do not use “I” or “You” in ANY formal paper EVER.

◦ Saying “I believe” or “I think” discredits you. You are reminding the reader that what you are saying is an opinion.

Avoid contractions. Use simple language.

◦ But be formal Thesis

◦ Should include the three major points of your paper◦ Example:

The setting of the novel affects the main character because of A, B, and C.

When you quote directly from a text or allude to the events in a story (as in a brief plot summary), you should use "the literary present." We write about written works as if the events in them are happening now, even though the authors may be long dead. Quoting an essay, you would write:◦ Annie Dillard wrote Pilgrim at Tinker Creek when she lived in

Virginia's mountains. In the book's chapter, "Seeing," Annie Dillard contends that "vision... is a deliberate gift, the revelation of a dancer who for my eyes only flings away her seven veils" (17).

Here, both "wrote" and "lived" are in the past tense since they refer to Dillard's life, not her writings. "Contends," however, appears in a statement about Dillard's writing, so it is in the present tense.http://

writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/litpres.html

When you write about fiction, you will also want to use the present tense.◦ At the end of Of Mice and Men, Lennie sees an enormous rabbit

that chastises him, making him to think of George.◦ Mrs. Mallard, in "The Story of an Hour," whispers "'free, free,

free!'" after learning of her husband's supposed death. The above examples are a plot summary and a direct

quotation, both of which use the literary present. You can remember to write about literature in the present tense because you are currently reading or thinking about it. Every time you open a book it seems as though the events are currently happening; every time you read an essay it is as though you are currently speaking to the writer.

http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/litpres.html

Titles of books, plays, or works published singularly (not anthologized) should be italicized.◦ Hamlet◦ Great Expectations

Titles of poems, short stories, or works published in an anthology will have quotation marks around them.◦ "Ode to a Nightingale”◦ "The Cask of Amontillado”

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/618/03/

Could of – NO!!!◦Could’ve◦Could have

Than/then Conscious/Conscience/Conscientious Definitely/Defiantly Aloud/allowed Alter/altar Discreetly/Discretely

◦Discreet – secretive, concealed from view◦Discrete – separated, distinct

This quote shows/The author means◦ NO!

Conclusively◦ NO! NO! NO!◦ Used for test results, a scientific experiment, etc.

Literally

Affect – usually a verb for the writing you will be doing in this class, but can be a noun◦ Affect – (n) feeling, affection◦ Affect – (v) to produce an effect upon◦ Affective – relating to, arising from, or influencing feelings

or emotions; expressing emotion Effect – usually a noun for the writing you

will be doing in this class, but can be a verb◦ Effect – (n) something that inevitably follows a preceding

cause or action◦ Effect – (v) to cause to come into being◦ Effective - producing a decided, decisive, or desired

effect http://www.merriam-webster.com

Effect and affect are often confused because of their similar spelling and pronunciation. The verb affect usually has to do with pretense <she affected a cheery disposition despite feeling down>. The more common affect denotes having an effect or influence <the weather affected everyone's mood>.

The verb effect goes beyond mere influence; it refers to actual achievement of a final result <the new administration hopes to effect a peace settlement>.

The uncommon noun affect, which has a meaning relating to psychology, is also sometimes mistakenly used for the very common effect.

In ordinary use, the noun you will want is effect <waiting for the new law to take effect> <the weather had an effect on everyone's mood>.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effect?show=0&t=1376013718

Which of these is correct?a. Him arriving late was inconvenient.b. He arriving late was inconvenient.c. His arriving late was inconvenient.

The answer is C. “Arriving” is a gerund, or a verbal noun.

A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund, like the other two kinds of verbals, is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. However, since a gerund functions as a noun, it occupies some positions in a sentence that a noun ordinarily would, for example: subject, direct object, subject complement, and object of preposition.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/01/

Gerund as subject:◦ Traveling might satisfy your desire for new experiences. (Traveling is

the gerund.)◦ The study abroad program might satisfy your desire for new

experiences. (The gerund has been removed.) Gerund as subject complement:

◦ My cat's favorite activity is sleeping. (The gerund is sleeping.)◦ My cat's favorite food is salmon. (The gerund has been removed.)

Gerund as object of preposition:◦ The police arrested him for speeding. (The gerund is speeding.)◦ The police arrested him for criminal activity. (The gerund has been

removed.) Gerund as direct object:

◦ They do not appreciate my singing. (The gerund is singing.)◦ They do not appreciate my assistance. (The gerund has been removed.)

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/01/

They always hated my being an Independent voter.

I always felt that my being different from my family challenged me.

Farther and further have been used more or less interchangeably throughout most of their history, but currently they are showing signs of diverging.

A polarizing process appears to be taking place in their adjective use. Farther is taking over the meaning of distance <the farther shore> and further the meaning of addition <needed no further invitation>.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farther

Usually, farther refers to physical distances.◦ Farther south, in Central Otago, there are some

even harsher mountains.◦ Making people park a little farther away will

actually increase their exposure to danger, he added.

◦ The scientist said the testing cells would be located farther from the school than initially proposed.

http://grammarist.com/usage/farther-further/

Further usually refers to figurative distances.◦ The Dollar is extending its gains against the Euro.

EUR/USD fell further to 1.3430, hitting a fresh daily low.

◦ So the mechanism that was initially meant to be protective can become the source of further damage.

◦ Reliable measurements of the Sun’s magnetic field are only available from 1900 onwards, so researchers used computer simulations for further back in time. http://grammarist.com/

usage/farther-further/

The important distinction is that lay requires a direct object and lie does not. So you lie down on the sofa (no direct object), but you lay the book down on the table (the book is the direct object).◦ You lay something down and people lie

themselves down.◦ Chickens lay, people lie.

But it gets confusing because lay is the past tense of lie.

Here’s a chart to help you remember.

Present Tense Past Tense Past Participle

Lie Lay Lain

Lay Laid Laid

The past tense of lie is lay, so◦ Last week, Kelly lay down on the floor.◦ The dog lay in the mud after it rained yesterday.

The past tense of lay is laid, so◦ Last week, I laid the accounting report on your desk.◦ Jamie forcefully laid her ring on the table.

The past participle of lie is lain, so◦ Liz has lain on the floor for days.◦ The cat has lain in the mud for hours.

The past participle of lay is laid, so◦ I have laid the accounting report on your desk.◦ Mary has forcefully laid her ring on the table.

Papers need titles.◦ Not just the book title or the assignment.

Provide a brief synopsis of what your paper is about.◦ Centered after heading

Make as descriptive as possible and include play or book title.◦ Othello and Desdemona – NO◦ The Lack of Love in Shakespeare’s Othello◦ The Dominance of Fate as a Theme in Othello◦ Jealousy as the Main Theme of Othello◦ The Result of Jealousy and Insecurity in Shakespeare’s

Othello

If you use “st,” “rd,” or “th,” DO NOT USE A COMMA!◦ Incorrect: September 3rd, 2010◦ Correct: September 3rd 2010◦ Correct: September 3, 2010

1880s, 1900s, 1720s◦ No apostrophe

Fiancé/ Fiancée

0-9: spell out the number (zero, one, two, three)

10 +: write the number (11, 105, 500)

When discussing the author, you must use the author’s last name or both the first and last names. Using the author’s first name alone is incorrect.◦ Incorrect: Daniel had many different influences when writing

Robinson Crusoe.◦ Correct: Daniel Defoe had many different influences when

writing Robinson Crusoe.◦ Correct: Defoe had many different influences when writing

Robinson Crusoe. When discussing a character, you may use the first name,

last name, or both.◦ Correct: Robinson experiences many difficulties throughout the

novel.◦ Correct: Crusoe experiences many difficulties throughout the

novel.◦ Correct: Robinson Crusoe experiences many difficulties

throughout the novel.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet◦ The Bennets did not care for Mr. Darcy.

Just use an s.◦ The Bennets’ house was in danger of being taken.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones◦ The Joneses did not care for Mr. Darcy.◦ The Joneses’ house was in danger of being taken.

The Samuelsons go through a difficult time.◦ NOT The Samuelson’s go through a difficult time.

Singular names that end in –s: use an apostrophe and an s◦ Chris’s house is blue.◦ Suzanne Collins’s book The Hunger Games was

recently made into a major motion picture. Other words that end in –s: use s’

◦ The drinking glass’ crack is noticeable.

Toward and towards are both correct and interchangeable.

Many sources say the "s" is more common in Britain than in the United States.

Others say “towards” always is wrong, so you may want to stick with “toward” to be on the safe side.

Between ◦ One-to-one relationships

Let's keep this between you and me. Choose between green and blue.

◦ More than two items, groups, or people The differences between English, Chinese, and Arabic are

significant. Among

◦ Things that aren't distinct items or individuals Taylor and Morgan are among the students featured in this

month’s magazine. The scandal caused a division among the fans.

◦ Indicates that someone is part of a group or left out of a group He was glad to find a friend among enemies.

They have no place in formal writing and do not adequately describe what you are trying to say.

Many students try to argue that clichés make the paper more interesting, that what they’re saying is “not really a cliché,” that the phrasing makes them sound witty, smart, etc.◦ They’re wrong.

They should be avoided in all writing, but especially in formal papers.◦ Starting off on the wrong foot◦ In the long run◦ Writing on the wall◦ Too much of a good thing◦ On the other hand◦ Sweep under the rug◦ Tip of the iceberg◦ Downward spiral

Semicolons are used to join independent clauses in a sentence.

If what comes after the semicolon is a fragment and cannot stand on its own as a sentence, YOU’RE USING IT INCORRECTLY!!!◦Example:

Working mothers nationally pay an average of $400 a month for child care; this means that many women pay a significant amount of their weekly salaries to day care centers or babysitters.

Colons are used after an independent clause that precedes a list.

The use of these punctuation marks often confuses students: comma, semicolon, colon, hyphen, and dash.◦ Colons are used to separate an explanation, rule, or

example from a preceding independent clause. After a sleepless night, the senator made her decision:

she would not seek re-election. A way to remember which direction to move the hands

of the clock when changing to or from Daylight Savings Time: spring forward, fall back.

If a person has a big decision to make, they have a lot to consider.◦ NO!

If a person has a big decision to make, he has a lot to consider.

If a person has a big decision to make, he/she has a lot to consider.

A comma splice is the incorrect use of a comma to connect two independent clauses. (Recall that an independent clause is a phrase that is grammatically and conceptually complete; that is, it can stand on its own as a sentence.)◦ To correct the comma splice, you can:

replace the comma with a period, forming two sentences replace the comma with a semicolon join the two clauses with a conjunction such as "and,"

"because," "but," etc. Examples:

◦ I like Jamie, she is very pretty. INCORRECT◦ I like Jamie. She is very pretty. CORRECT◦ I like Jamie; she is very pretty. CORRECT◦ I like Jamie, because she is very pretty. CORRECT

A participle is a verb-form that ends in -ing. It is called "dangling" when it doesn't agree with its

subject.◦ Incorrect example: While walking down the road, a tree

caught Kelly's attention. The subject of the sentence is "a tree," but it is not the tree

that is doing the walking, therefore the participle "walking" is dangling.

◦ Correct examples: While walking down the road, Kelly noticed a tree.

◦ A tree caught Kelly's attention as she walked down the road. Remember that not all words that end in -ing are

participles (e.g. thing).

Prepositions are little words that indicate position: with, at, by, from, etc.◦ In general, a preposition should come before the

noun it modifies. Hence the name “Pre"-position

◦ Incorrect example: “That‘s the person I must talk to.”

◦ Correct example: “That‘s the person to whom I must talk.”

Winston Churchill: "This is the kind of thing up with which I will not put!"

About Behind From On Toward Above Below In On top of Under Across Beneath In front of Onto Underneath After Beside Inside Out

Of Until Against Between Instead of Outside Up Along By Into Over Upon Among Down Through Without Before For Off To Of

With Around During Near Since Within At Except Like Past

“Who” and “whoever” are subjective pronouns; “whom” and “whomever” are in the objective case.

Examples:◦ Who is that masked man? (“Who”/subject)  ◦ The men, four of whom are ill, were indicted for

fraud. (“whom”/object)  Rule: Substitute “he/him” or “she/her”

◦ If it's either “he” or “she,” then it's “who;” if it's “him” or “her,” then it's “whom.”

The governess was losing her mind.◦ The governess’ mental stability was questionable.

Green-eyed monster◦ Jealousy

Twisting themselves◦ Changing themselves

Spreads like a cancerous tumor◦ Spreads

Bring down Othello Take down Othello

◦ Cause serious harm to Othello His world crashed down around him

◦ His life was seriously altered Got into his head Get under his skin

◦ Influence him

Your paper should read like a textbook.◦ Think of the writing in your history textbook. Are

there a lot of adjectives? Does the write use imagery? Emotion? Lots of dramatic, over the top phrasing and descriptions? NO.

This is a fantastic novel that shows the racism of the 1920s.

The author does a great job of showing the character’s struggle.

The author amazingly displays the character’s traits.

We all need to take a page from Zusak’s book and become good people with a purpose like Ed Kennedy.

Imagine that…◦ Not appropriate for a formal paper, academic

paper.

Random spaces. Words/phrases that don’t make sense

◦ “Oh hello Mr. Pip!” (Dickens 230) .Wemmick is overjoyed to see Pip, showing their close relationship.

◦ “’Is that all you ask of me Pip?‘ Estella questioned” (Dickens 127).

Do not rely on them to link your ideas; just using “furthermore,” “additionally,” etc. is not sufficient.◦ They are an easy way out.

You still need to write the paper in a way that the ideas are linked between paragraphs.

Firstly, secondly, thirdly, in conclusion, all in all

Primarily, ultimately, in summation, to begin, to add

Throne/thrown  Implying/inferring

◦ Hamlet implies he loves Ophelia.◦ Ophelia infers that he loves her.

The person hinting at something is doing the implying.

The person who is interpreting the hint is inferring. Contribute/attribute

◦ Lady Macbeth contributed to Macbeth’s downfall. NOT Lady Macbeth attributed to Macbeth’s downfall.

◦ Macbeth’s downfall can be directly attributed to Lady Macbeth’s influence.

Avoid using “one” in formal papers. Hung/hanged

◦ A picture is hung.◦ A person is hanged.

Prophecies/Prophesies◦ prophecies – the plural of prophecy◦ prophesies – a verb meaning to predict the future

Pronounced as prof-e-sigh in the singular,prof-e-sighs in the plural

Miss is not written with a period.◦ Miss Havisham

5 standard areas◦ spelling◦ punctuation◦ sentence structure◦ paragraph structure◦ syntax errors

Transition use Use of quotes and cites 2 successes/2 areas of improvement Must be signed!

Avoid using them in formal papers.◦ We are not having a conversation.◦ I am not going to answer you.

When writing something that is purely persuasive in nature, a rhetorical question can be appropriate.◦ For example, the persuasive essay on the HSPA

A rhetorical question can also be appropriate in creative writing or a personal narrative.◦ For example, in your colleges that you will write

next year