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History XII: Kountz

Summer Reading Assignment

9/6/2012

Due: Friday, September 28. Printed out, ready to go when you come to class.

Length: 2 pages minimum, 3 pages maximum, double-spaced.

Font: Times New Roman, 12

Format: MLA, but Im really only concerned with the citations (parenthetical). Your margins

should be fine on Word if you didnt change any settings. The point is, Im not going to fail you

if you didnt adhere to exact MLA specifications. SEE CHECKLIST BELOW.

Assignment: You are to write an argument (thesis)-driven paper onthe question of whether or

not the media distorts/manipulates/obscures the American electoral and political processes.

You can argue with or for Didion explicitly, or you can use Didions book to answer the questionmore generally. You may also use secondary research, but it is not required.

Feel free to ask me any questions at all before you start. You can bounce ideas off me, ask for

clarification, and of course you may bring drafts to me in advance of the due date.

Below Ive added a draft checklist that I used to use for my old classes. Well worth a look.

Format (modified MLA):

Times New Roman, 12 pt. font

1 inch margins Name, class, date, upper left Double spaced Title (entered, 12 point font, dont underline) Page umbers, upper right (dont need your last name) 2-3 pages

Citations:

Always cite direct quotes You can also cite when paraphrasing specific passages When in doubt, cite, or check with me on common knowledge

Content:

Thesis Statement: is it an argument? Topic sentences Transitions Tense consistency

7/31/2019 Summer Reading Assignment, Didion

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Check for run-ons READ YOUR DRAFT OUTLOUD, AT LEAST ONCE!! Pronoun agreement (check they, their) Pronoun ambiguity (unclear who you are talking about) Avoid clichs Subject/verb agreement Clarity (on a sentence level) SUPPORTING DETAIL. Check a paragraph to see that its claims are supported with

evidence

Quoting:

More than four lines of a quote, create a block quote, indent both sides to .5, singlespaced.

No stand-alone quotes (quotes substituting for a full sentence) Embed quotes within your own writing If you are going to set-up a quote, use colons, not commas.

Intro

INTRO: upside down pyramid (funnel) Establish context Dont open with a quote Dont use language like, since the beginning of time in your first sentence Thesis should probably come at the end of the paragraph, but it doesnt have to be a

single sentence

Conclusion

NOT a summary Pyramid (upside down funnel) Establish something new: youve given all of your evidence, so what? Avoid In conclusion, all in all, overall

Outside info

CHECK BLOG FOR: capitalization rules, Chicago footnote guide (also open web),Purdue Online Writing Lab.