Editing the Essay

MLA Format Page Layout

Paragraphing

Title Is your title original?! Examples… Which one do you like?: To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus: Father, Lawyer and Teacher Minor but Mighty Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus: the Moral Pillar in Scout’s Life

Language Format Present Tense Third Person (no “I,” “we,” “us,” “you”) No Contractions No Slang

Integrating Quotations Re-read the entire sentence that includes the quotation: does it read like a complete sentence? Have I used a variety of methods of integrating quotations? Review the “Integrating Quotations” handout

MLA and Quotations Use ellipses to indicate omitted text Example: “As soon as the mill hand was out of sight, Luke slid down the bank and took a leap at the water,… then arched his back and dived, swimming under water” (60-61). Use square brackets [ ] to indicate words altered from the text Example: “Then the collie [Dan], thrusting his legs out stiffly, tried to hoist himself up, staggered, tried again, then stood there in a stupor” (61).

Avoid using dialogue between two characters. Consider paraphrasing text. Examples: Luke cries out, “Uncle Henry, Dan’s a wonderful dog! You don’t know how wonderful he is!” (58). Uncle Henry tries to help Luke see the practical reasons for letting go of the dog: “’He’s just a very old dog, son,’ Uncle Henry said calmly. ‘The time comes when you have to get rid of any old dog’” (58). Uncle Henry tries to help Luke see the practical reasons for letting go of the dog: “He’s just a very old dog, son… The time comes when you have to get rid of any old dog” (58). OR: Luke pleads with his Uncle to let him keep the dog, but his Uncle responds, saying that old dogs eventually need to be put down (58).

MLA and Quotations, cont’d. Quotations longer than 4 lines: Indent, no quotations

Reviewing the analysis: Introductory Paragraph Is there a “hook” to encourage the reader to continue? Are the title and author of your source introduced? Underline your thesis statement Is it stated in one sentence? Does it appear as the last sentence in your introductory paragraph?

Reviewing the Analysis: Concluding Paragraph Highlight the restatement of the thesis Does it appear as the first sentence of the concluding paragraph? Does it communicate the same idea as the thesis in different words? Is it concise: can you omit any unnecessary words? Does the paragraph end with a thoughtful statement relating the topic to the human condition?

Reviewing the Analysis: Body Paragraphs Underline each topic sentence Does each topic sentence clearly connect to one aspect of your thesis statement? state the idea you will discuss in this paragraph? Underline each concluding sentence Does each concluding sentence clearly sum up the idea you discussed in this paragraph?

Reviewing the Analysis: Body Paragraphs Highlight, in different colours, examples of: Point Proof Context Explanation Link

Reviewing the analysis: Body Paragraphs Underline the transition words you have used to connect sentences. Circle the transition words you have used to connect paragraphs. Have you used a variety of transition words?

Works Cited Page (MLA)

MLA: Citing a Book in your Works Cited Page (8th ed.) Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication Date. Note the title of book is in italics The title Works Cited is centred on a separate page at the end of your essay The Works Cited page is double-spaced