1. Writing Improvement
English 2

2. Plagiarism
The act of using another’s words or ideas and presenting them as your own
A form of cheating
I give you samples so that you know what to do. Do not copy the sample.

3. Consequences of Plagiarism
At PHS:
See Breach of Integrity
In College:
Failure in a class; expulsion
In Life:
Loss of a job

4. I
Capitalize I.
When you write i instead of I, you appear dumb on paper. Are you dumb? No!

5. Your brain is smarter than the computer.
Do not rely on your computer to fix your writing.
Do not rely on auto-correct.
Rely on your brain.
Most colleges and many employers require you to write on-the-spot without a computer.

6. Follow directions.
Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
Read the directions.
Follow the sample given.
Ask questions.

7. Capitalize names! Names of classes (Health, World History, Algebra)
Do not capitalize if you write: I love math, especially anything to do with algebra!
Names of places (Placerville, Italy, United States)
Names of people (Ricky, Jack, Mom, Dad)
Do not capitalize this: My mom told me I could go to the dance; my dad said that I couldn’t.)

8. Big things vs. little things:
Titles of big things are underlined or italicized.
Examples: Titles of books, titles of movies, names of newspapers, names of magazines
Titles of small things are in “quotations”.
Titles of chapters of books, individual songs on an album, articles in a newspaper or magazine

9. (From the Purdue Owl Website)
Numbers in MLA Format
Spell out numbers that can be said in one or two words.
Write the number if it is more than three figures, money, or a measurement that would be confusing in words.
Words Figures
over two pounds after 126 days
six million dollars only $31.50
after thirty-one years 6, 381 bushels
six
eighty-three people
(From the Purdue Owl Website)

10. FANBOYS Commas and Conjunctions
FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
(conjunctions)
Complete sentence, conjunction complete sentence.
A comma is needed in this case.

11. Does this sentence need a comma?
I love grammar so I cannot stop reading the screen!

12. Comma?
I like to ski and sometimes snowboard.

13. Comma?
My friend went to the dance and she said it was the best one ever held at PHS.

14. Comma?
I tried to turn in my assignment and then gave up.

15. Last one.
Word processing programs do not correct comma mistakes yet students think they do.