How to Get Started with the paper…British Literature

Start with thesis…

In your thesis, make sure you address the topic. So, if you are comparing and contrasting, you need to make sure that similarities and differences are mentioned.

Example: There are many similarities as well as differences between the creators in the novels Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.

***Just an organization reminder, if you mention similarities first in your thesis, it then needs to be the first body paragraph that you discuss.

Hooks! Question.

What does it mean to sacrifice for your dreams?

Quote. Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.”

Anecdote. Many people define the American Dream in different ways. There was once an old man who spent his entire life chasing the perfect life. He wanted fame and fortune. Meanwhile, his wife and children waited for him at home. He did not realize that in his efforts to fine the perfect life, he already had it through his family.

The Lead-in…

Integration of Quoted MaterialAlways use correct lead-ins for direct quotesNever drop a quotation into a sentence or a paragraph without proper lead-in.

Styles of Lead-ins

Somebody says lead inPunctuate as dialogueQuote must be a complete sentenceUse a commaVary synonyms for “says”

Somebody Says

Jane Agee comments, “Many students who would not have attempted college seven years ago are now coming into state universities through junior colleges” (10).

Types of Lead-ins continued

Sentence:Make sure both are complete, correct sentences

Begin quote with a capital letterUse a colon to separate

Sentence:

Agee insists that English instruction on the college level will not improve until educators become realistic: “Public school teachers need to sit down and evaluate the situation” (12).

Types of Lead-ins continued

BlendedMake the quotation a grammatical part of your sentence

Do not use a comma or capital letter unless it would be called for by the structure of the sentence

Do not use ellipses at the beginning or end

Blended

State universities are now providing “special remedial programs” in which students who do not meet the “entrance requirements are admitted on probation” (Agee 13).

Note: Do not use the author’s name as a possessive and then make reference with a personal pronoun.

Do this:In The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck comments, “There grew up governments in the world, with leaders, with elders” (269).

Never do this:In Steinbeck’s novel, he says, “There grew up governments in the world, with leaders, with

elders” (269).

For your paper…

Each kind of lead in needs to be evident AT LEAST once…SaidSentenceBlended

Parenthetic Documentation

Material taken from an outside source is referenced in parentheses in the text of the paper.

These references are called parenthetical documentation.

�Whenever paraphrasing or quoting, identify in parentheses the author and page number(s) of the source (if book).

Citing in parentheses…

Example 1:This comedy has been highly acclaimed by literary critics: “Twelfth Night is the most nearly perfect festive comedy that Shakespeare wrote” (Schwartz 509).

More citations…

�If no author or editor is given, use the title and page number(s). If there are no pages numbers, just the author’s last name.

Example 2:Twelfth Night has more playfulness than any other of Shakespeare’s comedies (“Analyzing Humorous Plays” 6).

Punctuation Reminders

Place commas and periods inside quotation �marks.

Place semicolons and colons outside quotation �marks.

Place question marks and exclamation marks �inside quotation marks when they are part of the quote; place them outside the quotation marks if they are part of your sentence.

�

The author’s name MUST be either in the lead-in or in the parenthetical documentation, but never in both.

Schwartz contends, “Twelfth Night is the most nearly perfect festive comedy that Shakespeare wrote” (509).

orOne critic contends that “Twelfth Night is the most nearly perfect festive comedy that Shakespeare wrote” (Schwartz 509).

Guidelines

1. Use parenthetical documentation to lead the reader to the exact page cited.

2. Match exactly the documented sources in the research paper to the sources listed on the Works Cited page.

3. Place the parenthetical documentation as close as possible to the information it documents, usually at the end of a sentence.

4. Place parenthetical documentation before the comma or period.

5. Use transitional expressions to link several paraphrased sentences from the same source so the flow of the paragraph is not interrupted by excessive parenthetical documentation.

6. Place the parenthetical documentation between the closing quotation marks and the end punctuation if a direct quotation occurs at the end of a sentence.

Example:G. K. Hunter regards “the song as an extended comment on the central ideas of the play” (100).

Note: For three-digit page numbers in parenthetical documentation, give only the last two digits of the second number unless more are necessary, for example 210-11 or 395-401.

Block Quotations:

Sometimes the author says it better than you can. If you have a quote that is more that 4 lines after it is typed, you need to create a block quote. Block quotes:Every line is indentedThey DO NOT have quotation marks around them

The period comes before the parenthetical citation, not after.

Block Quotations: Example:

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration:

They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

Your paper:

One of your quotes needs to be a block quote. You only need 1. If there is not enough room on the outline, please indicate which quote you intend to block.

Reminder…

Quotes from BOTH NOVELSQuotes articles you found in class

***3 sources TOTAL need to be evident in your paper and cited on your works cited page. However, if you cite from more than one article, you will need to make sure that article is also on your works cited page.

Works Cited Page Each text you pull quotes from or paraphrase from need to be included on

your work’s cited page (see example). The works cited page needs to include the following: Title (Works Cited) on the first line, centered and in times new roman 12 point

font only (do not bold, increase font or underline the title). Citations need to have a hanging indent (first line stands out from the rest of the

citation) Citations need to be in ABC order based on the first letter of the last name.

Entire page is times new roman, 12 point font, double spaced with a page number in the top right corner of the page

Page is completely separate from the rest of your paper and DOES NOT count as one of your 3-5 pages.

Frankenstein Citation

Formula for Books:

Last name, First name. Title. City published: publishing company, date published. print or Web.

Example:

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Signet Classics, 2000. Print.

Formula for articles:

Last name, First name. “Title.” The Pennsylvania Electronic Edition. Date article written. http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/.Web . Date article was looked up by you.

MLA Reminders Times New Roman font

12 point font

Double spaced

1 inch margins

Page number in top right (header) Last name followed by page number

Heading (first 4 lines of paper…NOT IN THE HEADER): Name Teacher Class Date