Essay Writing and MLA Format

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Essay Writing and MLA Format

• ENG 3U0
• Mrs. Foss

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Things you need to know

• Format of an Essay
• Transitions
• MLA Formatting

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Components of an Essay

• Introduction
• 1st Body Paragraph
• 2nd Body Paragraph
• 3rd Body Paragraph
• Conclusion

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Format Introduction

• Begin with a general lead-in statement which
  links the topic of the essay to society or life
  in general
• Connect the general statement to the play or
  novel
• In the intro. mention the title of the text and
  the author
• Underline play or novel titles
• State the central argument of the essay in the
  thesis statement
• State your three arguments in the order you will
  discuss them (second strongest, weakest,
  strongest)
• Your intro. should serve as a map of your essay

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Format Body Paragraphs

• Linking sentence (connects previous paragraph to
  current paragraph)
• Topic Sentence (Introduces Argument)
• Point 1( First example to support argument)
• Proof (quotation to support argument)
• Analysis (explanation)

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Format Body Paragraphs Cont.

• Point 2 ( Second example to support argument)
• Proof (quotation to support argument)
• Analysis (explanation)

• Point 2 ( Second example to support argument)
• Proof (quotation to support argument)
• Analysis (explanation)

• Point 2 ( Second example to support argument)
• Proof (quotation to support argument)
• Analysis (explanation)
• Point 3 (Optional) (Third example to support
  argument)
• Proof (quotation to support argument)
• Analysis (explanation)

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Format Body Paragraphs Cont.

• Concluding sentence

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Format Conclusion

• Restate your thesis in other words (You should
  not merely restate, word for word, your original
  thesis)
• Briefly summarize your three arguments
• Extend thesis to larger implications in the text
• Extend thesis to society
• General or uplifting statement leave the reader
  with a new insight or idea

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Secondary Sources

• For this essay you are to support your arguments
  with one secondary sources. These are to be
  integrated into your essay wherever they fit
  best. Make sure you cite your secondary sources!

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Transitions

• Body paragraphs should include transitional words
  to make points flow
• There are a variety of different transition words
  you can use for various purposes

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Words used to indicate examples

• For example
• Specifically
• For instance
• Can you think of any more?

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Words Used to Transition to Cause, Purpose,
Consequence, Result

• Accordingly
• As a result
• In fact
• Fortunately
• Unfortunately

• Therefore
• Thus
• Consequently
• Hence
• In brief

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Comparison Transition Words

• Furthermore
• Moreover
• Similarly
• However
• On the contrary
• In contrast
• Although

• Conversely
• Nevertheless
• Whereas
• On the other hand
• Yet
• Unlike
• While

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A Note on Sourcing Your Information

• You must source all information that is not
  originally yours by using both in text citations
  and a Work Cited
• Specifically, when mentioning events that
  occurred in the text (either with a direct
  quotation or through an explanation) you must
  cite them
• You must also cite secondary resources

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In Text Quotations for Shakespeare

• Long Quotes (4 or more lines)
• use a block quotation. For example,
• Richard the III tells his troops,
• Remember when you are to cope withal
• A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
• A scum of Britains and base peasants,
• Whom their oercloyed country vomits forth
• To desperate adventures and assurd
  destruction.
• (V.iii. 315-319)

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Formatting Long Quotations

• Place quotations longer than four typed lines in
  a free-standing block of text, and omit quotation
  marks.
• Start the quotation on a new line, with the
  entire quote indented twice
• Your parenthetical citation should come after the
  closing punctuation mark.
• Long quotes should be single spaced
• Do not use more than two or three long quotes in
  an essay, or the essay becomes too many quotes
  and too little analysis
• For Shakespeare, put the Act, Scene and Line
  Number in the brackets, otherwise put the
  authors last name and the page

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In Text Quotations

• Short Quotes (Less than 4 lines)
• When quoting shorter passages for Shakespeare you
  should indicate line breaks. For example,
• Othello recalls, Upon this hint I spake / She
  lovd me for the danger I had passd / And I
  lovd her that she did pity them (I. iii.
  166-168).

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Formatting Short Quotations

• fewer than four lines
• enclose the quotation within double quotation
  marks.
• Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and
  semicolons should appear after the parenthetical
  citation.
• Question marks and exclamation points should
  appear within the quotation marks if they are a
  part of the quoted passage but after the
  parenthetical citation if they are a part of your
  text.
• For Shakespeare, put the act, scene and line
  number in the brackets, otherwise put the
  authors last name and page number

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Works CitedMLA Format

• Example
• Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven Yale
  University Press, 1986.
• Refer to Student Handbook or to Source It
  (Available through Library)

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MLA Format (Purdue)

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out
  on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper
• Double-space the text of your paper, and use a
  legible font like Times Roman. The font size
  should be 12 pt.
• Leave only one space after periods or other
  punctuation marks (unless otherwise instructed by
  your instructor).
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all
  sides. Indent the first line of a paragraph one
  half-inch (five spaces or press tab once) from
  the left margin.
• Create a header that numbers all pages
  consecutively in the upper right-hand corner,
  one-half inch from the top and flush with the
  right margin. (Note Your instructor may ask that
  you omit the number on your first page. Always
  follow your instructor's guidelines.)
• Use underlining throughout your essay for the
  titles of longer works and, only when absolutely
  necessary, providing emphasis.

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Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

• Do not make a title page for your paper unless
  specifically requested.
• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page,
  list your name, your instructor's name, the
  course, and the date. Again, be sure to use
  double-spaced text.
• Double space again and center the title. Don't
  underline your title or put it in quotation
  marks write the title in Title Case, not in all
  capital letters.

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Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

• Use quotation marks and underlining when
  referring to other works in your title, just as
  you would in your text
• Double space between the title and the first line
  of the text.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner
  that includes your last name, followed by a space
  with a page number number all pages
  consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4,
  etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with
  the right margin. (Note Your instructor or other
  readers may ask that you omit last name/page
  number header on your first page. Always follow
  their guidelines.)

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