MLA Paranthetical Citations

A review of the rules for paranthetical citations:

PARANTHETICAL CITATION (PARAPHRASING)

In their first album, The Clash used a variety of acoustic musical instruments (Peterson 27).

According to Steve Peterson, noted music critic, The Clash used a variety of acoustic musical instruments in their first album (27).

PARANTHETICAL CITATION (DIRECT QUOTE)

In their first album, The Clash used “a total of seventeen different acoustic instruments” (Peterson 27).

According to Steve Peterson, noted music critic, The Clash used “a total of seventeen different acoustic instruments” (27).

WEBPAGES:

If you are quoting from a Web page, your citation for a parenthetical reference follows the same format as any regular citations for author, editor, title, etc. with one exception. Where no page reference is available on a Web page, indicate the author's last name, or the short title if no author is stated, without any page reference, e.g. (Stewart) or (Waukesha West). A corresponding entry must be made in your Bibliography.

CARS Research Evaluation

If you're pulling your research from the internet (as opposed to the library's databases), complete a CARS evaluation for each site used.  Write or type the evidence proving your site meets the criteria listed in each category below.  If little of the information is available, this is a pretty good indication the site should not be used.

Attach a CARS analysis to your paper (after the works cited page) for each internet site you use.

 

CREDIBILITY

trustworthy source, author’s credentials, evidence of quality control, known or respected authority, organizational support. Goal: an authoritative source, a source that supplies some good evidence that allows you to trust it.

 

ACCURACY

up to date, factual, detailed, exact, comprehensive, audience and purpose reflect intentions of completeness and accuracy. Goal: a source that is correct today (not yesterday), a source that gives the whole truth.

 

REASONABLENESS

fair, balanced, objective, reasoned, no conflict of interest, absence of fallacies or slanted tone. Goal: a source that engages the subject thoughtfully and reasonably, concerned with the truth.

 

SUPPORT

listed sources, contact information, available corroboration, claims supported, documentation supplied. Goal: a source that provides convincing evidence for the claims made, a source you can triangulate (find at least two other sources that support it).

Cover Letter Examples (Fiction)

Amanda Writer

555 Main Street

Anywhere, WI 53000

March 19, 2012

Loretta Jenkins

Doubleday Publishing Company

1212 Broadway Ave

New York, NY 12121

Dear [Editor],

My grandma says time don't run but one way, but that summer was one where at times I wished it wouldn't run at all. Just hold still on Saturday nights when the best thing to do was fly down dark roads in Billy Clodfelter's Lark with the windows rolled down and the music up. Stop on Sunday mornings when Mary Barrier smiled at me over her hymnal. Just stay at the time when things still seemed simple.

Jake Hanson has always helped his dad on his rounds of the juke joints and pool halls of Cap Rock, Georgia, changing the records and collecting the cash. He always thought he would take over the business someday, but now at 14, he's beginning to really listen to some of the people and the music they make. He also begins to question why some customers are treated differently, especially in the black sections of town. When he hears Belinda Triplett singing in a way he's never heard on any record, Jake knows he wants to be something more than just a juke box man.

Set in the early 60s, Juke Joint is a young adult novel of a boy finding his own path in a turbulent time. Jake and Belinda are strong characters whose growing friendship flies in the face of the conventions of their small Southern town. Not just a romance or a problem novel, Juke Joint explores the issues of racism and family loyalty against a setting of church socials and midnight drag racing, gospel and rhythm and blues.

I would be happy to send the manuscript to you for consideration and have enclosed a reply card for your convenience.

Sincerely,

[signature here]

Amanda Writer 

Dialogue Rules

Creating Dialogue

Grammar - The Quotation Mark

•       “The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry,” (OWL).

•       Quotation marks always come in pairs.

•       Don’t do this:

      “John, please turn down your music, his mother said.

•       Do this:

       “John, please turn down your music,” his mother said.

 

•       Dialogue tags are the marker that two people are speaking. They can come before, after or in the middle of lines of dialog.

•       When a dialog tag precedes a line of dialog, the comma comes directly after the tag.

       Right: Javier said, “I like chocolate.”

•       The end punctuation (e.g. period, exclamation or question mark) then comes at the end of the dialog, but prior to the quotation mark.

•       When a dialog tag follows a line of dialog, the comma comes after the line of dialogue and prior to the end quote mark.  

•       Right: “I like chocolate,” Javier said. 

•       Wrong: “I like chocolate.” Javier said,

•       The rules for question marks and exclamation points in dialogue are roughly the same for periods and commas. Look at examples for dialogue with dialogue tags prior to dialogue. 

       He asked, “Do you love me, darling?”

       She exclaimed, “Of course, I bloody do!”

•       And now look at question marks and exclamation points where dialogue tags are after.

       “Do you love me, darling?” he asked.

       “Of course, I bloody do!” she exclaimed.

•       (Notice how the period still comes after the dialogue tags in these cases, with the question mark and exclamation points acting much like commas.)

CAPITALIZATION

•       Capitalize the first letter inside quotation marks if it is the beginning of a complete sentence.

       Right: James said, “You shall go to sleep.”

       Wrong: James said, “you shall go to sleep.”

       Right: “I bought a transistor radio,” Loretta said. “I want to communicate with the ghost of my aunt.”

•       However, do not capitalize the second portion of split dialogue if the second half of the split finishes an already begun sentence.

       Right: “I didn’t think to make my bed,” Holly said, “but I did brush my teeth.”

       Wrong: “I didn’t think to make my bed,” Holly said, “But I did brush my teeth.”

 

DIALOGUE TAGS

•       Again, dialogue tags are the markers of dialogue.

•       The most commonly used ones are:

       I/he/she etc. said/says

       I/he/she etc. asked/asks

•       These should be the most common ones in your writing.

•       The best rule is to keep it simple.  But not too simple.

       “Why don’t you come to the zoo!” she exclaimed.

       “I hate the zoo!” he exclaimed.

       “That’s stupid!” she exclaimed.

       “I know!” he exclaimed.

       “I love you!” she yelled.

•       What's wrong with the previous conversation?

•       At the same time, you want to avoid overly long dialogue tags filled with adverbs.

      

     “Come to the zoo with me!” Sharona exclaimed,

     with the appalling audacity of a woman possessed.

       “I cannot,” Linus whispered, barely audibly, as though he were in a library and possessing a sore throat, “for I’m busy.”

•       Where is your focus as a reader?

•       It is on the tags, as opposed to the dialogue. Now, as you progress in your writing careers, you can experiment more thoroughly with dialogue tags, but for most dialogue, it is best to keep it simple to keep your reader focused on what your characters’ are saying.

       “Come to the zoo with me,” Sharona said.

       “I cannot,” Linus said. “I’m busy.”

 

ORDER OF SPEAKERS

•       When two characters are speaking, you can drop the dialogue tags after the order is established.

       “I saw you at the gym,” Dinah said.

       “I was murdering my pecs,” Johann replied.

       “They looked sufficiently murdered, and your abs are really popping.”

       “Thanks, lady. Wanna date?”

 

More Dialogue Rules

•       Dialogue must be separated so that each line of dialogue receives it’s own paragraph.

•       This is an important rule and it makes your dialogue much easier to read.

 

Dialogue Rules!

•       Only put quotation marks around direct speech.

       Wrong: Mother “told me to brush my teeth.”

       Right: Mother said, “Brush your teeth.”

       Right: Mother told me to brush my teeth.

•       When creating dialogue, only include the compelling portions of speech that show us something about the characters.

•       You’re telling a story.

•       You control the flow of information.

•       The reader will accept that the pleasantries happen in real life, but offscreen.

•       Stories are a dramatization of life, an interpretation. They are not a transcription of life or a documentary.

For Debaters

Introduction to Debate - Check out this article as you put your speeches together.  It'll help you understand what pieces you need in each speech.

Poetry Workshop Form

BASIC POETRY EVALUATION

Title:

Poet:

- Use the dictionary to list and define vocabulary words from the poem.

-To whom and why do you think the poem was written?

-Explain the moods or emotions it either displays or leaves with its readers. Use words from the poem in your explanation.

-Interpret the poet's worldview based not only on his choice of words, but words that were not used.

-Does it express thoughts or emotions or does it tell a story. Does it describe an event? Explain its meaning or purpose.

-Explain any values, morals, or character training it may offer.

-Express your opinion of the poem; why you liked or disliked.

-Additional Comments:

Feedback Form Short Story, Children's Lit, Screenplay, Etc.

General Questions for the Analysis & Evaluation of Short

Stories and Screenplays

PLOT

1. Who is the Protagonist of the story? What are the conflicts? Are they physical, intellectual, moral or emotional? Is the main conflict between good and evil sharply differentiated, or is it more subtle and complex?

2. Does the plot have unity? Are all the episodes relevant to the total meaning or effect of the story? Does each incident grow logically out of the preceding incident and lead naturally to the next? Is the ending happy, unhappy, or undetermined? Is it fairly achieved?

3. What use does the story make of chance and coincidence? Are these occurrences used to initiate, to complicate, or to resolve the story? How improbable are they?

4. How is the suspense created in the story? Is the interest confined to examples of mystery? of dilemma?

5. What use does the story make of surprise? Are the surprises achieved fairly? Do they serve a significant purpose? Do they divert the reader’s attention from weakness in the story?

6. To what extent is this a “formula” story?

CHARACTERS

1. What means does the author use to reveal characters? Are the characters sufficiently dramatized? What use is made of character contrast?

2. Are the characters consistent in their actions? adequately motivated? plausible? Does the author successfully avoid stock characters?

3. Is each character developed enough to justify his role in the story? Are the main characters round or flat?

4. Are any of the characters a developing character? If so, is his/her change a large or small one? Is it a plausible change for him/her? Is he/she sufficiently motivated? Is she/he given sufficient time?

THEME

1. Does the story have a theme? What is it? Is it implicit or explicit?

2. Does the theme reinforce or oppose popular notions of life? Does it furnish a new insight or refresh or deepen an old one?

POINT OF VIEW

1. What point of view does the story use? Is it consistent in its use of this point of view? If shifts are made, are they justified?

2. What are the advantages of the chosen point of view? Does it furnish any clues as to the purpose of the story?

3. If the point of view is that of one of the characters, does this character have any limitations that affect his/her interpretation of events or persons?

4. Does the author use point of view primarily to reveal or conceal? Does he/she unfairly withhold important information known to the focal character?