Operating Definitions and Guidelines for Writing

Steps for Using a Word
Processor to Prepare an Essay

Print this page out and check each essay against it. Make all changes before turning the essay in.

1. Whether you write some drafts by hand or all on the keyboard, at some point, type a draft on the computer.

[ ] Save the file every 5 minutes or at the end of every paragraph.
[ ]Use capital and lower case letters and a business-like font, not a script nor in bold face. Never type in all caps.
[ ] Check it against the assignment sheet to make sure it's on topic.

2. Look over the items below and make sure the content meets all of the requirements. If not, add what is needed. Be sure that the

Title is

[ ] created by the student (not copied from an author's story, poem, or play or from a film)
[ ] centered above the first paragraph
[ ] not an assignment label
[ ] typed in capital and lowercase letters, not all caps (lower case is for articles [a, an, or the], conjunctions and prepositions unless one of them is the first or last word)
[ ] typed in the same font as the body
[ ] not underlined, bold-faced, or italicized
[ ] not enclosed in quotation marks

Introduction

[ ] Invites the reader into the topic and brings him or her in smoothly with an interesting first sentence.
[ ] Gives the first and last name of each author discussed, the title of each literary work and/or film discussed, and the publication or release date of each, respectively.
[ ] Tells each author's home country and when s/he was writing or years of birth and date. To say "19th century American writer" works.
[ ] States an analytical thesis.
[ ] REFRAINS from using phrases such as, "This paper will discuss..." or any other such self-referencing announcements.
[ ] Uses a college-level strategy to develop the introduction. See the file here for more information.

In each body paragraph, include

[ ] A topic sentence
[ ] Specific names of people, but refer to authors by last name only after the first time [ ] Specific names of places
[ ] A direct quotation correctly documented
[ ] A sentence analyzing or interpreting the direct quotation to show how it relates to the paragraph topic. See the here for more information on handling quotations well.
[ ] Transitions that organize the information

The conclusion should

[ ] signal that the text is coming to a close
[ ] recap the main idea
[ ] remind the reader of the main reasons
[ ] suggest what important life lessons one learns from considering the ideas presented so that the reader knows what she or he was expected to gain from the analysis
[ ] close with an impact.

Save the file.

3. Review the format and the grammar. Many format errors can be seen just by looking at the page and comparing it to the MLA sample essay. Check off each item below once you are sure it is done. Correct each one that is not checked off. See to it that the printout has

A format featuring

[ ] only the left margin justified
[ ] a 1" margin all around
[ ] a heading that conforms to MLA guidelines
[ ] page numbering that conforms to MLA guidelines
[ ] a works cited whose appearance conforms to MLA guidelines

4. Review the grammar. Many grammar errors can be eliminated by doing a search for a few types of words.

[ ] Be sure all are complete sentences that are not fused. I mark incomplete sentences Fr. I mark comma splices cs and run-ons ro.

Use the search function to check for these items:

[ ] Verb tense - look at each verb. Discuss all events and characters in stories, poems, songs, plays, and films in the present tense. If they are past tense in the rough drafts, change them before turning in the final draft. I mark this error con t.
[ ] Use strong, present tense action verbs to keep the flow going . Search for forms of the "to be" verbs - is, was, am, are, were - and find action verbs to replace them.
[ ] Search for "could" & "would" and change each to a present tense verb.
[ ] Make nouns and pronouns and modifiers and nouns, consistent in number throughout. Search for these words, which indicate plural things:

• their • they • them • themselves

[ ] When the computer finds one, look to see if it refers to a single word like

• every • everyone • anyone • everybody • someone • individual • person • parent • child • team • family • company • staff • group.

[ ] If it does, change the words so that the numbers agree.

• For example, a sentence written as "Every parent loves their child" should be revised to read: "Every parent loves his or her child" or "All parents love their children." The bold-faced red words are singular, meaning one, and the italicized blue ones mean more than one. Make the numbers match, all plural or all singular, not mixed.
• My mark: con #.

Keep searching until you have corrected all uses of "their" and all pronouns agree in number to their antecedents.

[ ] Be sure that plural pronouns modify plural nouns, not singular. For example, in a context which discusses the offspring of many families, this construction is often used:

• Many families at the Y enroll their child in swimming lessons. "Their" is plural and "child" is singular.
• But the numbers need to match, so the plural noun is needed: Many families at the Y enroll their children in swimming lessons.

[ ] Keep a consistent point of view. The essay should be written with the third person objective point of view throughout using s/he, it, they, them, the reader, the audience, the main character, the author, the student, one, an individual.

• Revise out all second person pronouns. There should be no "you or "your" in it.

• Search for "you."
• Rewrite every sentence that the computer points to so that "you" and "your" are not in it.
• Keep searching until you have taken all the "you" and "your" out of your paper.
• The only exceptions are in a direct quotation or in giving directions.

• Revise out all first person pronouns. There should be no "I," "me," "my," "mine," "we," "us," "our" or "ours" in the writing.

• Search for each of the terms above.
• Rewrite every sentence that the computer points to so that they are not in it.
• Keep searching until you have taken all of them out of your paper.
• The only exception is in a direct quotation.
• I mark this error con p.

[ ] Make all references clear - each "this" should be followed by a noun.

• Search for "this."
• If the word right after it is not a noun, add one that expresses what the "this" refers to.
• Not "This happens in the first act," but "This event happens in the first act."
• My mark: ref.

[ ] Use precise diction - the word, "feel" means a feeling, not a thought, opinion, or belief.

• Each "feel" must be followed by an emotion word, or replaced by "think" or "believe."
• Not "The reader feels that Mathilde is materialistic," but "The reader believes that Mathilde is materialistic and feels contempt for her."
• I mark this error as a diction problem: d

[ ] 5. Create correct introductions for quotations.

• Be sure every sentence with quotation marks in it also has some of your words in it introducing the quotation.
• Every sentence in your paper should have some of your words in it, even if and especially when it includes a direct quotation.
• Review the correct handling for quotations here.
• I mark this error cr (for credit tag)

[ ] 6. Provide background information for each literary text on which the essay focuses.

• Give the author, title, and date for all short stories, poems, and plays the first time they appear in the essay.
• For each film, give the release date and director's name.
• Go through the works cited list, pick up each name or title, and search for it. In the first use, add all the information.

[ ] 7. Give all sources' credentials briefly. The first time you use a source in a sentence, tell in a few words who each one is and his/her title, or what qualifies him/her as an authority on the subject. Go through the works cited list, pick up each name, and search for it. In the first use, add all the information.

[ ] 8. Credit all sources in a parenthetical reference after each paraphrase and after each direct quotation. I mark this error Doc

[ ] 9. Do not create the works cited as a separate file -- start it after the last paragraph on the last page of each essay. Type the works cited in the same file as the body. If you did it separately, copy and paste it in before submitting the file. This step ensures that this page, too, carries the last name and page number as the MLA prescribes.

[ ] 10. Credit all you cite and cite all you credit.

[ ] Place no source on the works cited page that is not also mentioned in the body or in parentheses.
[ ] Be sure every source in the body is listed on the works cited page
[ ] Be sure to include the correct number of sources required for each essay.

[ ] 11. Match - make sure the first word in the parentheses identifying a source in the body is an exact match for the first word in the works cited entry.

• Go through the words cited list, pick up each name, ans search for it in the body to make sure it tracks to the information it contributes.
• Often, it is the author's name.
• When no author is given, start with the title. If it is a long title, use the first few words. Include italics or quotation marks.

Save the file.

[ ] 12. Make a printout, read it over, and highlight any other changes that need to be made, and make them. Cross each one off after you make it. Save the file.

[ ] 13. Run the spelling checker and correct each error.

• If I catch an error that the computer can identify, you lose 10 points (one letter grade); be sure you know how to use it.
• Be especially careful to spell sources' names correctly.
• Save the file.

[ ] 14. If the computer is not already set to double space, enter the double space command. The final draft should be double spaced. Save the file.
[ ] 15. Make another printout. Ask someone in our class (from your team or another) to check it against this list and mark the changes which need to be made. The draft you bring to class should be corrected and complete in all of the above steps.
[ ] 16. Make whatever changes the reader recommends and that seem wise to you, save the file and print out the corrected copy for your records. Submit the final draft as directed in class.
[ ] 17. Pat yourself on the back for getting this far in the process.