Essay Do’s and Don’ts 2 Revenge of the Essays

Common issues We will talk about all of these so don’t write them down now! – MLA Formatting…still… – Works Cited – In-text Citations – CER format (Claim, evidence, reasoning) – Lazy Words – Case Knowledge

But First!

MLA Formatting Issues Hitting enter twice after paragraphs. It creates a “Sea of White” as Mr. Stewart Says. It looks like this

Instead Only hit enter once after your paragraph is done.

Headers What is a header? – It’s the space where you put your last name and page number

Headers How do you insert it? – 1) Use Mr. Stewart’s Template it’s already there. – 2) OR Go to Insert at the top of the page, click page number, then type your last name right before the page number

Capitalization ALWAYS Capitalize the name of your case throughout the entire essay ALWAYS Capitalize the name of your case throughout the entire essay ALWAYS Italicize the name of your case ALWAYS Italicize the name of your case – Incorrect: tinker v desmoines community school district. tinker v desmoines community school district. – Correct: Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District Even when referencing shorthand still capitalize: Tinker v. Des Moines. Even when referencing shorthand still capitalize: Tinker v. Des Moines.

Proper Nouns Proper Nouns: a name used for an individual person, place, or organization, spelled with capital letters at the start. Proper Nouns: a name used for an individual person, place, or organization, spelled with capital letters at the start. Always capitalize the following: Always capitalize the following: – “Supreme Court” – First Amendment (or any of the amendments spelled out) Incorrect: first amendment, 14 th Amendment Incorrect: first amendment, 14 th Amendment Correct: First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment Correct: First Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment

In-Text Citations Quotes that are longer than 4 typed lines need a special formatting that makes them “Block Quotes” Quotes that are longer than 4 typed lines need a special formatting that makes them “Block Quotes”

Lazy Words Lazy words are words that are used in place of more sophisticated vocabulary. Lazy words are words that are used in place of more sophisticated vocabulary.

Lazy Word 1 - Really Really: “The swimmer really performed admirably” Really: “The swimmer really performed admirably” – Why not: Really is a crutch. It is used to convey emphasis but it fails spectacularly. It doesn’t tell readers anything important. – Instead: cut it out from your writing completely.

Really? OR: Replace it with a word that actually means what you’re trying to say. OR: Replace it with a word that actually means what you’re trying to say. Rather than saying “The idea was really hard to understand” Rather than saying “The idea was really hard to understand” Say: The idea was Say: The idea wasinconceivable.

Very Avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays. ~N.H. Kleinbaum Avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays. ~N.H. Kleinbaum

It comes down to: Specificity Specificity: the quality or condition of being specific. Specificity: the quality or condition of being specific. Specific: clearly defined or identified, a precise detail. Specific: clearly defined or identified, a precise detail. Your writing will be stronger if you fit the word to your purpose. Your writing will be stronger if you fit the word to your purpose.

Common Essay Lazy Words Basic informational Vocabulary Why not: Really & VeryLazy and non-specific. Big & Little & HugeAmbiguous words. Instead tell us it was titanic or massive. A bunchColloquial / Casual Instead tell us there were many or multiple Stuff & thingsWay too general. Be specific when referencing individual items