Pitfalls to Avoid

 USE FORMAL LANGUAGE!  Refer to authors by their last names. You’re not their friend!  Do NOT use first or second person (I, me, we, us, you, your, etc.). Keep it formal. If you must, use the formal pronoun “one.”  Example: One must consider how smart robots will be in 75 years hence.

 DON’T LEAVE OUT DETAILS!  Make sure to include them. Yes, the reader has read the text, but the reader should NOT have to go back to the text to try to understand what you said.  Paraphrase completely!

 CITE THE TEXT!  This is important when analyzing non-fictional AND fictional text. Use phrases like “According to the text,…” and “The author states that…”

 DON’T OVERQUOTE THE TEXT!  Quoting the text does NOT make your response better.  ONLY quote text when the author’s words say it better than you can paraphrase it.  Over-quoting text leads to plagiarism. Plagiarized responses will not receive ANY credit.  Rule of thumb: 10-15% can be quoted material.  Be willing to count. Your teachers are!

 ALWAYS HAVE A CONCLUSION!  When writing a single paragraph, use a clincher (a concluding sentence that restates the topic sentence).  When writing multiple paragraphs, have a concluding paragraph. Having a clincher for every paragraph in a multiple- paragraph essay is NOT required. You will be taught other ways to transition between paragraphs.