Writing manual final8 14 14

WHS Writing Manual Page 1 of 60

Woodstock High School

Writing Manual

Chapter One—PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the representation of another’s words as the writer’s own.

These words may come from any written or electronic source. Some examples of plagiarism include the following:

not citing a source when idea or words are taken from another author;

not citing a source when even a sentence or group of sentences from another author are used;

not citing pictures taken off the internet

not citing audio or video components

making up citations;

taking of an entire paper or portions of a paper from an on-line or off-

line source, including a disk computer file;

using statistics or diagrams without citing the original source;

paraphrasing too closely to the original wording of the source.

Video information

One way to avoid plagiarism is to paraphrase or restate the author’s words in the writer’s own words. The full meaning and intent of the original writer’s words are conveyed yet the wording is modified to the present writer’s

style and interpretation. Therefore, paraphrasing can be longer than the original text. Paraphrasing is also used to explain meanings of proverbs, legal

documents, poems, or obscure or symbolic writings. In research, the writer may introduce the paraphrase by citing the original author and work. An example of this would be the following:

In his book, The Origin of the Species, Charles Darwin states that animals

that are the strongest and the most acclimated to the climate and conditions they live in will live the longest.

The author, source, and paraphrasing of Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory are stated in one introductory sentence. The writer would then continue

to develop the concept with examples, quotations, statistics, and other research studies.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism

http://www.commoncraft.com/video/plagiarism


Another example of paraphrasing would be as follows:

Here is the original poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” by Robert Frost: 1. Nature’s first green is gold.

2. Her hardest hue to hold. 3. Her early leaf’s a flower. 4. But only so an hour.

5. Then leaf subsides to leaf. 6. So Eden sank to grief.

7. So dawn goes town to day. 8. Nothing gold can stay.

A paraphrasing of this poem line by line might be as follows:

1. The trees, grass and flowers have gone from green to gold 2. Because it is difficult to keep things green. 3. The buds that open first form flowers

4. That last for a short time. 5. Then leaves knock each other loose as they fall 6. So a sadness fills what had been beautiful and fresh.

7. As the spring turns to fall, 8. The green goes away and this will always happen.

Other ways to avoid plagiarism include the following:

reading and summarizing the author’s information in the researcher’s/writer’s own words;

recording what is known on the topic prior to beginning research;

noting sources for ideas that will need citations;

recording quotes exactly with notation of citation information along

with the quotation;

checking through the rough draft for statements that might need

citations or for re-writing statements into the researcher’s/writer’s own words;

explaining the article or ideas to another so that understanding is

reached and wording is original.


Chapter Two—THE WRITING PROCESS

Prewriting is the step during which the writer gathers his observations, research, interview notes, and other materials to begin the organizational process of defining the audience, focusing on the purpose of the writing, and

organizing thoughts that will develop the major ideas. The type of writing will define the complexity of this step (see chapter #3 for the types of writing).

Prewriting ideas can be put down on paper in a number of ways: outlining, graphic organizers, webs, lists, etc. If an outline is required, the

following example should be followed to make sure the punctuation and format are correct:

Careers in Education

I. Areas for teaching A. Elementary level

B. Middle school level C. High school level D. Vocational level

E. College level

II. Preparation

A. Four-year degree B. Student teaching

C. Specialty courses 1. In education 2. In methodology

3. In special education III. Rewards

A. Working with children

B. Working with technology C. Having summers off

Most students are familiar with many types of graphic organizers and

webs. An example of a character web is included with the characterization

paper.

The first draft allows the writer to state the purpose and to put ideas on paper. This is the time when ideas from the prewriting process are expanded upon and organized. The structure of the paper begins to take place:

paragraphs are formed, transitions are added, etc. All papers require a thesis statement, the idea or central thought that

guides the entire paper’s development. Thesis statements typically are found as the first sentence of the paper or as the final sentence in the introduction.

Topic sentences further develop this thesis statement. Development of the topic sentences occurs in the paragraphs. Details, examples, quotations, paraphrasing, statistics, researched facts, and examples from the text are ways

topic sentences are developed into paragraphs. The topic sentences of each

https://www.teachervision.com/tv/tvsearch/site=TV&lowest_grade=109&highest_grade=112&type=graphic-organizer


paragraph give the reader the general information of what will be covered in the paragraphs. If the reader were to read topic sentences only, he would get an

overview of the entire paper. The writer’s development of the thesis should be obvious from the topic sentences.

The audience is important to keep in mind when writing. The author

must ask himself who the audience is for that particular paper. For example, if

the paper is on a very complicated scientific subject and the audience has no prior knowledge on the topic, the writer must be very clear in his explanations and may have to define terms for the audience.

The revision process is the most important step in the writing process.

The first draft is the skeleton of the paper which then requires revising punctuation, rewriting for clarity of thoughts, adding details, looking for grammatical errors, addressing transitions and revising sentences for interest

and variety.

The sharing and publishing step may mean that the assignment is turned in only for grading. Or the written material could be published in the school newspaper, The Wall, or in the school literary magazine, Carpe Diem.

Students may also share their written efforts with other students in a class setting or present their written assignments orally as part of a group or

individual research project. In any case, the sharing of a polished writing that is grammatically correct and clearly presented is the final step in the process.


Chapter 3—TYPES OF WRITING

The type of paper written depends on the assignment. This manual will highlight the major types of writing assignments given at WHS: persuasion, exposition, narration, comparison/contrast, summary, précis, DBQ/FRQ.

A combination of these writings may also be appropriate.

Persuasive writing attempts to convince or influence the reader to accept the writer’s position. When the writer is asked to defend, to convince

another party to change its mind, or to explain why a situation needs to be changed or modified, the persuasive format should be used.

When the writer is attempting to persuade the audience, he should not

state his arguments in the initial paragraph. The reader may not be ready to

be persuaded to a new viewpoint and will begin defending his own opinion instead of reading a differing point of view.

The writer should be careful not to use inflammatory words to incite or anger the audience he is trying to convince. Such words as stupid, ludicrous, or dumb usually cause adverse reactions in the reader, especially if the reader

feels the exact opposite of the writer.

Expository writing explains or gives information to the reader. The

writer could be the expert (on playing Xbox games, for instance) or may have researched the topic and is relating information to the reader from the sources.

Most expository papers use chronological order, order of importance, spatial order, and comparison/contrast development.

Narrative writing tells a story from beginning to end. High interest should be developed in the thesis paragraph. This can be done with a “teaser” introducing the drama that is to be told in the paper. An example of such a

“teaser” would be…”Little did I know that this would be the scariest evening of my life;” or “I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.” The thesis paragraph

should also place the reader into the setting and time frame of the incident to be related. A range of emotions or feelings should be explored, as in moving from embarrassment to joy, from fear to relief, from anger to humor. These

emotions should be explained, not just stated.

Comparison/Contrast writing will occur when the writer is asked to compare or find similarities or contrasting points between two items. It is important to note that comparison papers do not imply that both similarities

and differences must be addressed. This would depend on the two items being compared. Comparison papers are developed by the point-by-point method, the block method, or a combination of both.

In a point-by-point development, all the ideas regarding one attribute

of the comparison are discussed in one paragraph. If the writer is comparing the human brain to a computer, he might discuss the structure of both, the

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4mFTcOccQGseWo4S3p2ZDlWZ0RFZ0h2X0RJTlpOYjJwdkJz/edit?usp=sharing


ability of both to think complex thoughts and to reason, the time required and fatigue factors in working through a problem, and the different ways each

processes problem-solving. Each of these points would be covered by discussing first the brain’s abilities and then the computer’s.

In a block method, presents all arguments related to A and ten

compares and/or contrasts them to all arguments related to B. The block

method might be the easier type of development to follow for the first-time writer.

Summary Writing is a very specialized form of writing highlighting the main points of larger text: novel, article, or chapter. This is not a re-telling of

the information but a presentation of the main points in condensed form. Three questions guide the writing of a summary:

1. What is the main point of the text?

2. What information, facts, statistics does the writer use to support the points?

3. What are the most important features of the selection? Features of a summary

1. A summary is usually no more than one-third the length of the

original.

2. A summary provides the main ideas of the original, omitting all of the details except a few vital ones – names, dates, times, and places.

3. A summary presents the main ideas in the most logical order. 4. A summary expresses the main ideas of the original in the summary

writer’s own words.

5. A summary includes the source you are summarizing.

A summary concludes with a sentence that ties all your points together

and brings the summary to an effective end.

Students having difficulties with summary styles might practice stating the main point(s) of the article in 20 words or less, which is a GIST of the article. A writer can tell if he has understood the article’s main points if he can

re-tell its thesis concisely.

Précis Writing is a short analytical piece of writing of something that the

writer has read.

Guidelines for writing a précis are as follows:

be only 4-7 sentences

not have thesis or restatement of the prompt.

vary the sentence structure.

use incredibly sharp and precise language.

answer the question with one or two detailed thoughts and examples.

not waste any time setting up the prompt/question

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EL7E9qTLDAut4otIlHGlDlZS45GbLLgEJX6KB-fRmcM/edit?usp=sharing


An abstract is a 100- to 150-word paragraph summarizing a paper or

research article.

Features of an abstract 1. Highlight key information on a copy of the paper.

2. Begin with the thesis statement – the article’s purpose. 3. Summarize key points in the order they appear in the paper. 4. Include only essential information, methods, and results.

5. Avoid technical terminology, specific quotations, and interpretations. 6. Condense information from the original by omitting repetition and

unnecessary details, by replacing long phrases and wordy clauses with short phrases or single words, and by combining ideas from two or more sentences into one sentence.

7. Present the main ideas and the important supporting ideas in the same order as the original.


Chapter 4- IN-CLASS WRITING STYLES

Students will be required to write in-class essays and short answer

essays in many classes at WHS. This type of writing is significantly different from out-of-class writing due to the time constraints of the class testing hour.

To write successful in-class essays students should use the following suggestions to assist them:

Read the question carefully and underline the specific verb that tells you exactly what you are going to be doing. Some examples of these verbs and

their meanings are as follows: analyze – separate into parts and examine each part

compare – point out similarities contrast – point out differences define – clarify meaning

discuss – examine in detail evaluate – give your opinion

explain – tell how, what or why illustrate – give examples summarize – briefly review main points

trace – show development or progress

Plan the answer. A list of major points and subpoints, a graphic organizer, or a short outline of thoughts help organize the answer so that the writing

will go more quickly.

Watch time constraints. Plan according to the value of the essay questions. If one question is worth more points than another, divide the

time accordingly. If there is only one question to answer, the expectation is that the answer will be in multi-paragraph form, not just a paragraph in length. A suggestion for a 50-minute essay test would be to spend

5 minutes to brainstorm, organize and jot down ideas

35 minutes to write the essay

10 minutes to revise, edit and check spelling

Re-state the essay question in statement form as the first sentence in the

essay. This provides focus for both the writer and the reader.

Using the order of your outline or plan, develop claims/topic sentences

quickly with specific evidence: statistics, quotes, and supporting details. The evidence should be analyzed and prove the students’ claims. Be

complete but not wordy.

Write one paragraph for each main point.

To connect ideas and examples, use transitions.

Use a strong concluding statement that summarizes the main ideas of the

essay


Chapter 5--RESEARCH PAPER

A research paper is a form of expository writing that presents the results of an investigation of a specific topic. Information from a variety of sources is gathered, evaluated, organized and presented in a final form. It is important to

give credit to the sources used to write the paper; this is called documentation. MLA (Modern Language Association) and APA (American Psychological

Association) are two of the most commonly used documentation styles.

The research process involves the following steps:

Selecting a topic

Gathering information

Taking notes

Writing the paper

Documenting sources

Selecting a topic The topic choice is a key element in the success of the research paper. Begin

with a general subject area of interest, then, after some initial research, narrow the focus of the topic. At this point a preliminary thesis statement should be developed.

Example World War II

Battles of World War II

Battles of the Pacific during World War II

Military strategies of Pacific battles during World War II

Island hopping as a military strategy during WW II Bombing the Philippine Islands in WW II

Preliminary Thesis: It was effective military strategy to bomb the Philippine

Islands during World War II.

Gathering information

The requirements of the assignment will dictate how many sources are needed. Generally it is best to have a variety of sources: books, periodicals, electronic

media, and interviews. Evaluate all sources for appropriateness, accuracy, and bias. Students may use the following checklist to help them evaluate sources.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/11/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/


Evaluation Checklist

All Sources (Including Internet) Yes No Comment

Is the author a recognized authority?

Is the information up-to-date?

Are there bibliographies or references to other sources?

Can the information be confirmed by other sources?

Can bias be detected?

Internet Sites

Can the source of the information be determined?

Are there links to other appropriate sites?

Has the site been reviewed by a recognized agency?

Create bibliography cards for each source of information. Follow the format for either MLA or APA documentation style (see pages 15-24). This will ensure

that all of the information needed to create a Works Cited page at the end of the research paper has been included.

Sample Bibliography Card

Taking Notes

Complete, accurate note-taking is necessary for creating a well-organized, well-documented research paper. . Also, be sure to include the page number(s) of the source on each note card.

There are three types of note cards: direct quotation, paraphrase, and summary,

Direct quotation – record the statement or idea word for word. Place in quotation marks.

Paraphrase – restate the information into one’s own words. Do not leave out any of the ideas or facts. Refer to the

Paraphrasing section on page 1 for more help on this skill.

Summary – condense an author’s ideas into one or two

sentences; include only the main points. Refer to the Summary section on page 8 for more help on this skill.

Note Card Sample

Willis, Roy, ed.

World Mythology

New York:

Henry Holt and Co., 1993.

P. # Source #

Keyword

“Direct quotation”


Writing the Paper

Each paper should have a working outline, a rough draft with sources cited, time for revision, and the final product that will include a bibliography. Since a research paper is required in Sophomore Composition, students should

recognize these steps and practice them every time they are assigned to do research.

Documenting Sources

It is important to give credit to the original source of all ideas, opinions and facts, which have been directly quoted, paraphrased or summarized. Failure to do so is plagiarism (see page 1). Credit is provided to give authority

to the paper, to allow the reader to verify the information contained in the paper, and to enable the reader to locate additional information on the subject.

There are several documentation styles. Two of the most commonly used are the MLA (Modern Language Association) style manual and the APA

(American Psychological Association) style manual. MLA is generally used by the humanities (literature, philosophy, history, etc.). APA is preferred by the

social sciences (psychology, sociology, political science, etc.) and the pure sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.). Usually the instructor will indicate

which style to use; if no directions are given, choose one style and use it consistently throughout the paper.

If questions arise refer to the complete handbooks, available in the LRC, or go to the organizations’ web sites:

http://www.mla.org http://www.apa.org Sample entries for both styles are provided in this manual. The complete

handbook for each style is available in the school Learning Resource Center.

Ask at the circulation desk for either the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th ed. or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th ed.

Endnotes

Some teachers may require endnotes rather than parenthetical

references within the text. The endnotes page is a separate page placed after

the text and before the Works Cited (Reference) page. Each endnote is numbered and must match a numbered reference in the paper itself.

http://www.mla.org/

http://www.apa.org/


Chapter 6—BUSINESS WRITING

Business Letter Format

Top Margin = 1 inch & Bottom, Left, and Right Margin = 1 inch Open Punctuation – No punctuation after Salutation or Complimentary Close Block Format – All components of a letter are aligned at the left margin (LM)

Mixed Punctuation – colon after salutation and coma after complimentary closing.

Letter Head Company Information – name, telephone, fax, web site,

email, or address (takes up 1st inch of paper).

Date Spell out month (come down 6 lines from top of paper)

QS

Letter Address To whom the letter is going to (1st line could be an

attention line) DS

Salutation Dear Sally (no punctuation if open & colon in mixed

punctuation) DS

SUBJECT LINE Identifies the topic of letter – ALL CAPS

DS

Body of Letter Single Spaced, Double-Spaced between paragraphs

DS After last paragraph

Complimentary Close Sincerely; Cordially yours; Yours truly (no comma if

open punctuation & a comma if mixed punctuation is selected)

QS Typed Name Person who wrote the letter

Dept./Title If title is 2 words or more, put below their name,

otherwise, keep with name DS

Reference Initials Person who keyed the letter; lowercase and no punct.

DS

Enclosure(s) Any attachments that go with the letter

DS

Copy Notation If a copy of the letter is being sent to one or more

people. Key a lower case c followed by those people that are going to receive the letter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2txr6OY5dY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2txr6OY5dY


*Note: Not all letters require subject lines, reference initials, enclosures,

and/or copy notations. Regardless of which notations are needed, key them in the order given with a DS between them.

Legend – QS = Quadruple Space – DS = Double Space – SS = Single Space – LM = Left Margin

Business Letter with Letterhead

2” TM

1” BM

Legend: TM, BM, LM & RM = Top, Bottom, Left & Right Margin – QS = Quadruple Space – DS = Double Space

Merkel – Evans, Inc 1321 Commerce StreetDallas, TX 75202-1648Tel. (214) 871-4400

(6 returns from the top)

November 10, 20--

(QS)

Mrs. Evelyn M. McNeil

4582 Campus Drive (Letter Address)

Forth Worth, TX 76119-18385

(DS)

Dear Mrs. McNeil:

HOLIDAY SEASONS FAST APPROACHING (Subject-ALL CAPS)

(DS)

The new holiday season is just around the corner, and we invite you to beat the rush and

visit our exciting Gallery of Gifts. Gift giving can be a snap this year because of our

vast array of gifts “for kids from one to ninety-two.”

What’s more, many of our gifts are pre-wrapped for presentation. All can be packaged

and shipped right here at the store.

A catalog of our hottest gift items and a schedule of holiday hours for special charge-

card customers are enclosed. Please stop in and let us help you select that special gift,

or call us if you wish to shop by phone.

We wish you happy holidays and hope to see you soon.

(DS)

Cordially yours,

(QS)

Ms. Carol Suess, Manager (if title is 2 words or more, move to next line)

rj Reference Initials

(DS)

Enclosures

c Jim Smith (Copy Notation)

1” LM

1” RM


Personal Business Letter Format

Top Margin = 1 inch & Bottom, Left, and Right Margin = 1 inch Open Punctuation – No punct. after Salutation or Complimentary Close

Block Format – All components of a letter are aligned at the left margin (LM) Mixed Punctuation – colon after salutation and coma after complimentary closing

Return Address Person who is sending the letter (come down 6 lines from top)

Date Third line of the return address

QS

Letter Address To whom the letter is going (1st line could be an attention line)

DS

Salutation Dear Sally (no punctuation if open & colon in mixed

punctuation)

DS

SUBJECT LINE Identifies the topic of letter – ALL CAPS

DS

Body of Letter Single Spaced, Double Spaced between paragraphs

DS After last paragraph

Complimentary Close Sincerely; Cordially yours; Yours truly (no punctuation if open & coma in mixed punctuation)

QS

Typed Name Person who wrote the letter

Dept./Title If title is 2 words or more, put below their name,

otherwise, keep with name DS Enclosure(s) Any attachments that go with the letter

DS

Copy Notation If a copy of the letter is being sent to one or more people. Key

a lower case c followed by those people that are going to receive the letter. *Note: Not all letters require subject lines, reference initials, enclosure notations, and copy notations. Regardless of which notations are needed, key

them in the order given with a DS between them.

Legend – QS = Quadruple Space – DS = Double Space – SS = Single Space – LM

= Left Margin

WHS Writing Manual page 15 of 60

1” BM Legend: TM, BM, LM & RM = Top, Bottom, Left & Right Margin – QS = Quadruple Space – DS =

Double Space

(6 returns from the top)

1764 Seminole Dr.

Detroit, MI 48214-2176

November 19, 20—

(QS)

Mr. Thomas E. McCarthy

2552 Madison Rd.

Cincinnati, OH 45208-3172

(DS)

Dear Mr. McCarthy:

(DS)

FRIENDS IN NEED (SUBJECT LINE – ALL CAPS)

(DS)

Someone once said, “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” and I am in need.

When you were in Honors English at Hillside High School, I recall your using Cliff’s Notes to

help you through some of the more esoteric reading assignments. Do you still have those

“Notes”?

Among our readings for second semester are Great Expectations and Hamlet. Cliff’s Notes

would be especially helpful for the latter, but I’d appreciate having both. If you can lend me

these, I’ll be forever grateful. Please let me know if you can be of help.

Knowing you, I’m sure all is going well at college.

(DS)

Cordially,

Joanne Smith (QS)

Joanne Smith

Student at Large (if title is 2 words or more, move to next line)

(DS)

Enclosures

(DS)

c Jim Jones (Copy Notation)

Personal Business Letter

1” LM

1” RM

2” TM


Resume

Bertha Winthrop

Objective To obtain an executive secretarial position with Norton Industries.

Work Experience 2000-Present McDonald’s Corp. Woodstock, IL

Customer Service Specialists

Customer relations

Maintaining company standards – maintenance/cleanliness

Cash Handler

Inventory Control

1996–2000 Bertha’s Home/Child Care Woodstock/Wonder Lake, IL

Child Care Specialist

Provided safe and nurturing environment for children

Responsible for care of the home

Education 2000-2004 Woodstock High School Woodstock, IL

Diploma – pending upon graduation – spring 2004

Major Emphasis – Administrative Services

GPA – 4.65 – upper 15% of class

School Activities Pom Pon Squad – 4 years; Chorus – 2 years; Theatre Club – 2 years

Special Skills &

Abilities

Key between 70 and 80 wpm. Computer skills include: Microsoft Office 97 &

2000 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access), Windows Operating Systems

3.11, 95, & 98. Working within teams and willing to take on a leadership role.

Interests

Spending time with family; reading; writing; church activities

References Mr. Ralph Morris. Store Manager. McDonald’s Corp. Eastwood Drive.

Woodstock, IL 60098-0704. (815) 338-5468.

Mary Lou Smith. Homemaker. 458 Evergreen. Wonder Lake, IL 60097-0458.

(815) 444-9633.

Roger Oberman. Business Education Instructor. Woodstock High School. 501

W. South St. Woodstock, IL 60098-4204. (815) 338-4370, ext. 141.


U. S. State Abbreviations

Ctrl+F12 or Ctrl+O Open Ctrl+Backspace Delete one word to left

Ctrl+N New Document Ctrl+Delete Delete one word to right

Ctrl+F4 Close Document Ctrl+X Cut text

Alt+F4 Exit Word Ctrl+C Copy text

Shift+F12 or Ctrl+S Save Ctrl+V Paste text

F12 Save As Ctrl+Shift+C Copy formats

Ctrl+F2 Print Preview Ctrl+Shift+V Paste formats

Ctrl+P Print

F12 Open Help Ctrl+F Find

Shift+F12 or Ctrl+S Open context-sensitive Help Ctrl+H Replace

F4 Repeat last action Shift+F4 Repeat Find or Replace

Ctrl+Z Undo Shift+Insert Paste Clipboard contents into text box

F5 or Ctrl+G Go To

Shift+F5 Go Back Ctrl+L Left-Align

Shift+F10 Display shortcut menu Ctrl+E Center

Ctrl+R Right Align

Ctrl+Left Arrow One word to left Ctrl+J Justify

Ctrl+Right Arrow One word to right Ctrl+1 Single Space

Home Beginning of line Ctrl+2 Double Space

End End of line Ctrl+5 One-and-one half space

Ctrl+Up Arrow One paragraph up Ctrl+M Indent from left margin

Ctrl+Down Arrow One paragraph down Ctrl+Shift+M Decrease indent

Page Up One window up Ctrl+T Set handing indent

Page Down One window down Ctrl+Shift+T Decrease handing indent

Ctrl+Home Beginning of document Ctrl+Q Remove paragraph formatting

Ctrl+End End of document

F7 Start spelling check

Shift+Right or Left Arrow One character to right or left Shift+F7 Start Thesaurus

Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow To start of word Ctrl+-(Hyphen) Optional hyphen

Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow To end of word Ctrl+Shift+-(Hyphen) Nonbreaking hyphen

Shift+End To end of line Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar Nonbreaking space

Shift+Home To start of line

Shift+Up or Down Arrow One line up or down Shift+Enter Insert line break

Ctrl+Shift+Up Arrow To start of paragraph Ctrl+Enter Insert hard page break

Ctrl+Shift+Down Arrow To end of paragraph Ctrl+Shift+Enter Insert column break

Shift+Page Up One screen up

Shift+Page Down One screen down Tab Move to next cell

Ctrl+Shift+Home To start of document Shift+Tab Move to previous cell

Ctrl+Shift+End To end of document Alt+Home Move to first cell in current row

Ctrl+A Select All Alt+End Move to last cell in current row

Alt+Page Up Move to first cell in current column

Ctrl+B Turn on or off bold Alt+Page Down Move to last cell in current column

Ctrl+I Turn on or off italic Alt+Shift+Page Down Select column

Ctrl+U Turn on or off underline Ctrl+Tab Insert tab within cell

Ctrl+Shift+D Turn on or off double underline Alt+5(numeric keypad) Select table

Ctrl+Shift+A Turn on or off all capitals

Shift+F3 Change case of characters Ctrl+K Start AutoFormat

Ctrl+Spacebar Remove character formatting Ctrl+Shift+N Apply Normal style

Ctrl+Shift+= Turn on or off superscript Alt+Ctrl+1 Apply Heading 1

Ctrl+= Turn on or off subscript Alt+Ctrl+2 Apply Heading 2

Ctrl+Shift+H Turn on or off hidden text Alt+Ctrl+3 Apply Heading 3

Ctrl+Shift+K Turn on or off small capitals

Ctrl+Shift+> Increase text size

Ctrl+Shift+< Decrease text size

Moving the Insertion Point

Deleting, Copying, and Pasting

Selecting Text

Character Formatting

Keyboard Shortcuts

Introductory Word Skills

Find and Replace

Paragraph Formatting

Writing Tools

Line, Page, and Column Breaks

Tables

Styles

https://www.usps.com/send/official-abbreviations.htm


Chapter 7 Science Department Writing Requirements

General: When writing in any science class, students are expected to use correct rules of English grammar. This includes spelling and punctuation, complete sentences and legible handwriting. Plagiarism of

any kind is not allowed. Working in lab groups does not grant students permission to have identical work. Each student is responsible for their

own lab write-up. Scientific Calculations: Mathematics is a form of communication just

as much as language is. Students must write complete mathematical thoughts just as they must write complete thoughts when they are using

written language. The following procedure is designed to lead students through the mathematical writing process in science.

Five-Step Problem Solving: 1. Identify what is known. Write down information that is given or that

you know.

2. Identify the unknown. Write down the quantity that you are trying to find.

3. Write the formula. Find a scientific formula that applies to the situation and write it down. Include both sides of the equation.

4. Substitution. Substitute numbers and units into the formula. Include both sides of the equation.

5. Express your answer, with correct units.


Lab Reports in Science

How a teacher wants a lab report written varies, but lab reports generally include most, if not all of the following elements:

Title: The title is the name of the lab.

Problem or Purpose: The problem or purpose describes the objective of

the lab. Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a statement of what the student thinks will

happen as a result of the experiment. Often the hypothesis is written as an answer to the problem statement.

Materials: The materials section contains a list of materials used in the lab.

Procedure: The procedure section is a step-by-step set of instructions that describes how the lab was performed. It should be written clearly

enough that someone not familiar with the lab could perform it.

Observations/Data: Observations: In this section students record what they see, hear, feel, of smell during the experiment.

Data: This section contains data obtained during the experiment. The data should be entered into a data table with neatly defined cells. The heading on each column or row should include units.

Analysis/Discussion: This section includes analytical thought regarding

the observations and data gathered during the experiment. There are several items that could be included: 1. Graphs

2. Groupings. 3. Mathematical manipulations.

4. Discussions relating the data gathered into major scientific ideas. Conclusion: This section is a brief description summarizing the lab. It

should always attempt to summarize the following: 1. What were you attempting to do in the lab? 2. What were the results of the lab? This may include error analysis.

3. What do your results tell you? Do they answer or address the problem, purpose, or hypothesis of the lab.


Chapter 8--Fine Arts

Art Critique (35 points)

Objectives: – The student will analyze an art piece and identify an critique

and judge its characteristics, design, and meaning.

– The student will use art vocabulary.

Directions: Critique an art piece describing it according to this form. Write your critique in paragraph form using complete sentences. This critique will need to be in a five-paragraph format. You will be evaluated

on both the critique of the art piece and the writing mechanics. When describing the art piece use examples from the artwork to help explain

your points. Critique the artwork using the following points: First paragraph should include:

Describe the art piece. What is happening in the composition?

What media was used? What does the piece look like? Name of

art piece and artist?

Is there a focal point of the artwork? What is the first thing you

notice?

Second paragraph should include:

Describe the process that the artist went through to create this

piece. What did they do first, second, third in creating it?

Third paragraph should include:

Describe items that are repeated in the artwork. Are they lines,

shapes, colors?

Describe the colors. Are they bright? Grayed? Pretty? Garish?

Soft? Pastel? Clashing? Describe the value and contrast. Are

they dark or light? High contrast? Low contrast?

Which of the elements (line, shape, color, value, or texture) do

you think are most dominant in this artwork? Why?

Fourth paragraph should include:


Do you feel an emotion when looking at the art piece? Describe

the emotions.

What do you think the artist is trying to say with his artwork?

Fifth paragraph should include:

Why do you like the art piece? Describe two positives of the

artwork.

What do you dislike on the art piece? Why? What could be

improved?


Chapter 9--Transitions

Each type of writing needs good transitions as signposts for the reader. Transitions are also important to show the type of development being used. For example, chronological order shows sequencing or

ordering of events. Time sequences are important to explain processes (process paper), to give directions (informative or expository paper), to relate a story (narrative paper).

Examples of chronological transitions include the following:

After a while After that

As soon as At first

At the same time Before During

Earlier Eventually Finally

From that time In the beginning

First In the end

Last Later

Meanwhile Once

Next Second Since

Since them Soon Now

Until Subsequently

When

Examples of transitions for spatial order include the following: Above

Across Adjacent to

Alongside Among Around

Before Behind

Below Beside Between

Beyond In front of Inside

In the middle of

Off

On Outside

Over Throughout To the left

To the right To the side of

Toward Under Underneath

Up Upon Within


Examples of transitions for order of importance include the following:

Above all A second factor

The best way Compared to Equally important

Finally furthermore Moreover

Of less importance Of more importance

Of major concern Of minor concern To begin with

Worst of all

Below is a list of many of the most common transitions in our language. These words serve to clarify thinking and to lead the reader through the

thoughts set on paper: According to

After all Afterwards

Also And yet As a consequence

And yet As a result At present

In summary In the first place

In the future In the past Indeed

Initially Last of all Later

Likewise Many times

Moreover Most important Nevertheless

Next Notwithstanding

On the contrary On the other hand Otherwise

Perhaps Put simply secondly Similarly

Sometimes Stated briefly

Still

Subsequently Then

Therefore Thirdly Thus

To begin with To conclude To illustrate

At the same time Before

Besides Briefly But

Certainly Consequently Despite

Earlier Equally important

Even so Even though Finally

First of all For example

For instance For that reason Foremost

Furthermore Generally However

In a few instances In addition


In brief In contrast

In fact In like manner

In other words In particular

In short In some cases

In spite of To sum up

To summarize


Chapter 10--Common Punctuation and Grammar Problems

Verb tenses

When writing an essay, keep the same tense throughout the paper. Use either present tense or past tense but do not shift from one to the other.

Shift in tense: After she proved the point, she feels relief.

Correct tense: After she proved the point, she felt relief.

Do not use sentence fragments. Incorrect example: When he came to the door

In a large New England town

Correct example: When she came to the door, John

immediately knew who she was. In a large New England town many seaside

restaurants sell lobster dinners at a reasonable price.

Do not use run-on sentences. Incorrect example: My sister attends college at night, in the

daytime, she works as a nursing assistant.

The national parks preserve the scenic wonders of our country,

also they provide recreational facilities for visitors.

Correct example: My sister attends college at night. In the daytime she works as a nursing assistant.

The national parks preserve the scenic wonders of our country. They also provide recreational facilities for visitors.

Active and Passive Voice

The active voice places emphasis on the performer of the action.

The passive voice places emphasis on the receiver of the action.

In most writing the active voice is to be used.


Passive: The sandwich was eaten by me. Cupcakes were baked by Mr. Gustafson.

Active voice: I ate the sandwich. Mr. Gustafson baked cupcakes.

Commas

Use commas to separate items in a series.

Every Saturday morning I jog one mile, eat breakfast, and leave the house by eight.

Use commas to separate two adjectives that directly precede a noun that

is not joined by a conjunction. That large, colorful hat is mine.

Use commas to separate the independent clauses of a compound sentence if the clauses are joined by a conjunction.

My birthday is in June, and my sister Kim’s is in July.

Use a comma after certain introductory elements.

introductory words: Now, aren’t you proud of yourself? Juan, please answer the telephone.

a series of prepositional phrases:

From now until next month, I will be working at Gary’s Garage on the weekends. In the corner of the top shelf of the refrigerator near the bacon, the

corn starch is stored.

introductory participial or adverbial clauses: Tipping his hat, the gentleman greeted his guests. When we get home, let’s go for a walk.

for clarity:

Besides Mary, Lou is a good friend of mine.


Use commas to separate elements in dates and addresses.

On Saturday, June 16, 2000, my older brother graduated from high school.

Write to Hanson Studio, 400 Wellkon Highway, Portland, Connecticut 06480, for free samples.

Use commas to enclose parenthetical expressions.

On the other hand, I like the arrangement of the song. The class trip, by the way, was very enjoyable.

Use commas to enclose appositives.

Their car, that old red convertible, needs a new muffler.

Apostrophes

To show posssession Add ‘s to form the possessive of a singular noun

Sam + ‘s = Sam’s Sam’s dog ran without his leash in

the park.

dime + ‘s = dime’s I want only a dime’s worth of candy Taco Bell +s = Taco Bell’s All of Taco Bell’s food is on sale

today.

Target + s = Target’s Target’s merchandise is being

unpacked today.

Add only an apostrophe to form the possessive of a plural noun that ends

in s.

grandparents + s = grandparents’ My grandparents’

house is for sale. Smith + s = Smiths’ The Smiths’ dog is loose again.

If a plural noun does not end in s. add ‘s to form the possessive.

men +s = men’s The men’s clothing was destroyed in the fire.

children + s = children’s Children’s stories were being told around the campfire.


To check to see if the ‘s is to be added to a word to form the possessive,

invert the possessive word and the word following it to see if it is correct.

The following sentence is an example. Pat’s sunglasses were left in the car.

Invert sunglasses were and the sentence reads Pat’s were of sunglasses

left in the car. This sentence and its meaning aren’t correct; therefore, do not

make sunglasses possessive.

Pat’s sunglasses were left in the car. Invert sunglasses Pat and the sentence reads The sunglasses of Pat were

left in the car. This sentence and its meaning is correct; therefore, make Pat possessive by adding ‘s.

Use an apostrophe in a contraction to show where one or more letters have been omitted.

there is = there’s There’s one too many CD’s in the package. who is = who’s Who’s going to show the video?

Note: Don’t confuse the word who’s with the word whose.

Correct Example: Who’s (who is) coming to the party? Whose book is this?

he will = he’ll He’ll be going to the football game.

it is = it’s It’s about time for the game to start.

Note: In the above sentence the contraction it’s stands for it is. The apostrophe only goes between the t and the s. This is the only time the

contraction is used in this word. If you use a possessive, it is to be written as in the following:

The dog lost its way home in the storm.


Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural of numbers, letters, symbols, and words that are used to represent themselves.

Too many TVs were being used in one room.

The CDs were being sold at a reduced price. Ands are not to be used to start sentences. Yous are not to be used in essays.

Semicolons

Use a semicolon between the clauses of a compound sentence when they are not joined by a conjunction.

The Julian calendar was very much like our own; every fourth year was a

leap year with an extra day. Use a semicolon between the clauses in a compound sentence when they

are joined by transitional words.

The corn wasn’t ripe; in fact, the only vegetables ready to be picked were

the tomatoes.

Colons

Use a colon before most lists of items, especially when a list comes after an expression such as the following:

When you go to the store, you will need to bring the following items: coat, gloves, boots, and a hat.

Have you learned the following computer terms: disk drive, modem, and debugging?

A colon is never used after a verb.

Incorrect: When you write an essay, you must include: name, period,

date, and class.

Correct: When you write an essay, you must include name, period,

date, and class.


Underlining or italics

Underline or place in italics titles of

books: The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men periodicals: Time, Sports Illustrated

newspapers: The Chicago Tribune, Northwest Herald

full-length plays: The Miracle Worker, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

long poems: Evangeline, I Hear America Singing

long musical compositions: Beethoven’s Fifth

operas: Carmen symphonies: William Tell Overture

ballets: The Nutcracker

CD’s: John Denver’s Greatest Hits

airplanes: The Enola Gay ships: Titanic

trains: The Orient Express

spacecraft: Freedom

titles of movies: Psycho

radio and TV series: The Shadow, Buffy The Vampire

Slayer

Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used to enclose

the titles of chapters: “Huck’s Lies”

articles: “The Benefits of Acupuncture”


stories: “The Fall of the House of Usher”

one-act plays: “The Monkey’s Paw”

short poems: “Old Ironsides”

songs: “Friends Forever”

Use a comma to separate a direct quotation from a speaker tag.

“You will need to bring me all the materials,” said Dad.

Santiago remarked, “That’s a strange method.”

“The paper drive,” Juan said, “was a big success.”

Note: Commas and periods always go inside closing quotation marks.

Jane said to the rest of the class, “You will need to read “Winter

Dreams.’”

Use single quotation marks within double quotation marks.

“The short story ‘Safe and Soundproof’ was written by Joan Aiken,” Mr.

O’ Flannery informed us.

“Dad said, ‘Call me if you need a ride home,’’Miguel told his mother.

Note: The following examples show where to place a question mark or an exclamation mark based upon its use.

Anita asked, “What time should I meet you?”

Who said, “Go west, young man.”?

“Oh no,” Edie exclaimed, “I just missed the bus!”

I thought I was dreaming when the announcer said, “You have just won the trip to Hawaii.”!


Hyphens

Use a hyphen when writing out the numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine.

forty-nine, twenty-three

Also use a hyphen when writing out a fraction that is used as an adjective or when it comes at the beginning of a sentence.

Three-fourths of the people applied to be a computer programmer.

The vote must receive a three-fourths majority vote. Use hyphens when using age as an adjective before the noun.

She is a fourteen-year-old girl.

Note the difference:

She is fourteen years old. Use a hyphen after the prefixes ex-, self- and all- and before the suffix –

elect.

ex-governor, self-assured, all-around, Use a hyphen with all prefixes before a proper noun or a proper adjective.

pre-World War II tension, pro-American plays, mid-June sale

Dashes

Use dashes to set off an abrupt change in thought.

Then we opened the old porch---well, that’s an incident that must wait for another time.

Use dashes to set off an appositive that is introduced by

words such as that is, for example or for instance.

Many popular house plants---for example, the spider plant and the

philodendron---thrive in sunless rooms.


Use dashes to set off a parenthetical expression or an appositive that

includes commas. Use dashes to call special attention to a phrase.

The gentle, quiet koala---probably the most harmless animal in the world---lives almost entirely in the branches of the eucalyptus tree.

Mr. Pierce rehearsed individual groups – the brasses, the woodwinds, and the strings – and then he assembled everyone together for the final run through.

Use dashes to set off a phrase or a clause that summarizes or emphasizes

what has preceded it.

The hot days, the cold nights, the mosquitoes---all these turned our

camping trip into a disaster.

Sentence Variety

Combine short, choppy sentences into longer ones to make the writing

more interesting and to read more smoothly. Example: short, choppy sentences: The plane moved slowly.

The plane moved along the runway The plane moved toward the hangar.

one sentence: The plane moved slowly along the runway toward the hangar.

or

Along the runway, the plane moved slowly toward the hangar.

Combine ideas of equal importance with the use of conjunctions.

Example: “Mississippi Rag” is an early example of ragtime piano

music. “Harlem Rag” is an early example of ragtime piano music. one sentence: “Mississippi Rag” and ”Harlem Rag” are early

examples of ragtime piano music.


Combine sentences by subordinating.

Example: The corona can be seen during an eclipse. Usually it is invisible.

one sentence: Although it is usually invisible, the corona

can be seen during an eclipse.

Use a variety of sentence types in writing.

Rewrite sentences containing dangling and misplaced modifiers. Always

place phrases as close as possible to the word they modify.

misplaced modifier: We saw ducks paddling our canoe on Walden

Pond. (This sentence tells the reader that ducks are paddling the canoe.)

correct placement of modifier: Paddling our canoe, we saw ducks on Walden Pond. (This sentence now places the phrase paddling our canoe next to we so it’s clear who is paddling.)

dangling modifier: Running down the beachfront, the kites were

very colorful. (Who’s running down the beachfront?)

correct modifier: As we ran down the beachfront, we were able to enjoy all the colorful kites.


Chapter 11—HOMONYM PROBLEMS

Because many of these words sound alike and because many of these

combinations are learned at the same time, the writer often becomes confused as to which word is needed. Please refer to this list when in doubt:

Accept and except. Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is a preposition meaning to leave out.

Examples: I accept the award on behalf of the team. Everyone except Bob went to the movies.

All right and alright. All right is the only correct spelling. Many writers

remember that all wrong is two words; therefore, so is all right.

Examples: My answers on the science test were all right. All right, you can go to the dance with him.

Affect and effect. Affect is a verb meaning to influence. Effect is a noun meaning result.

Examples: The rain will affect the race.

The effect of the rain will be a postponement of the race. (Note: Effect can also be a verb meaning to accomplish. He will effect change

through legislation.) All ready and already. All ready is an adjective meaning prepared. If the

writer can leave out all and there is sense in the sentence, this is his choice for writing. Already is an adverb meaning previously, signaling that the action is

completed.

Examples: The teams are all ready to go. (The teams are ready to go.) The team already left before I arrived.

A lot and allot. A lot is an adjective (or article) followed by a noun meaning a group of, many, and sometimes, a piece of land. This is the only spelling for

this word. Writers are rarely confused by a little. This is the opposite of that term. Allot is a verb meaning to distribute.

Examples: We expect a lot from our students. The school is buying a lot across the street.

We can allot only five minutes for that activity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZLkcFns8Ks


Bad and badly. Bad is an adjective meaning not good. Badly is an adverb telling how something was done. Badly cannot be used to explain how a

person feels (I feel badly) unless the intent is to explain that the person’s sense of touch is impaired. It is correct to say “I feel bad” when the speaker/writer

feels sorrow or regret about a situation. Examples: I feel bad about the loss.

He was bad and was grounded for his behavior. I performed my solo badly.

Between and among are both prepositions. Between is used when there are

only two people involved. Among is used when there are more than two.

Examples: Divide the candy between Mark and Sally. Divide the candy among Mark, Sally, and the rest of the team.

Can and may are both verb forms but their use implies different things. Can means that the subject is capable of doing something. May is a way of asking

permission to do something.

Examples: He can type faster than anyone in class. May I go to the game with my friends?

Choose, chose are both verbs. Choose is the present tense; chose denotes

past tense.

Examples: First we will choose captains.

After we chose captains, we began the game.

Cloths, clothes are both nouns. Cloths are pieces of material. Clothes are what we wear.

Examples: The cloths were put into a bag to be used for washing the car. I got some new clothes for Christmas.

Complement and compliment. Complement is a verb meaning to add.

Compliment is a verb meaning to say something flattering to or about someone else.

Examples: Complementary angles touch one another. The centerpiece will complement the beautiful table settings.

I complimented Sam on his win in tennis.

Could of, could have. The first does not exist in our language. We cannot put a preposition (of) into the middle of a verbal expression. When we speak, we


often say could’ve. The writer thinks that is spelled could of. Only could have is correct.

Example: I could have (or could’ve) gone but my homework was not

done.

Desert and dessert. The first word, pronounced with the accent on the second

syllable, means to leave without warning or to leave someone or something behind. The second word, dessert, is something to eat. One way to distinguish

between them is to remember that we all would like seconds on dessert, therefore, there is a double ss. Desert can also be a noun when referring to the

large areas of sand and arid areas such as the Sahara Desert. Examples: The soldiers will desert if they’re attacked again.

I love strawberry shortcake for dessert. The man crawled through the desert looking for an oasis after his camel

died.

Fewer and less. Fewer is used with plural words. Less is used with singular words.

Examples: He has fewer points than I do. He has less milk than I do.

Good and well. Good is an adjective; well is an adverb.

Examples: That apple is good.

He plays basketball well. Hear and here. Hear is a verb meaning to take sound in through the ear.

Here is an adverb telling where.

Examples: I hear the noise. The bus is coming here first.

It’s and its. It’s is a contraction for it and is. Its is a possessive adjective and

can be used only before nouns. A good test for which one to use is to break apart the contraction. If “it is” works in the sentence, then the writer wants to use it’s.

Examples: It’s hot in this room.

The cat is washing its paws.

Leave and let. Leave is a verb meaning to depart. Let is a verb meaning to allow or permit.


Examples: Leave the books on the table.

Will you let me go to the movie?

Lie and lay are both verb forms. Lie is an intransitive verb (cannot take a direct object) that means to recline or be in a prostrate position. Lay is a

transitive verb (can take a direct object) that means to put down or place.

Examples: Ray lies on the couch every afternoon to take a nap.

Please lay your homework assignments on the desk as you leave.

Like and as. Like is a preposition that is followed by a noun or pronoun. As is a conjunction, often used with “if,” that is followed by phrases and clauses.

Examples: March came in like a lamb.

He entered the room as they were leaving. He acted as if he were the only person that was hurt.

Loose and lose. Loose is an adjective meaning not close together. Lose is a verb meaning the opposite of find, to cease having.

Examples: There is a loose thread on my sweater.

I hate to lose money. Passed and past. Passed is the past tense of the verb pass. Past is a noun

meaning earlier than present time.

Examples: Paul passed the note to Marie. The past is often studied in history.

Personal, personnel. Personal is an adjective having to do with an individual person. Personnel is a noun referring to a group of people, like employees of a

firm.

Examples: My personal choice is going to a movie. The personnel of the company are being given a raise.

Principal and principle. Principal is a noun referring to the head

administrator of a school. It can also be an adjective meaning the main or chief idea. Principle is a noun referring to a rule. Many students learn this saying, “our principal is our pal,” to remember this.

Examples: The principal read the morning announcements.

The principal reason for my quitting was the salary. The principle of gravity is being applied to his experiment.


Quiet and quite. Quiet is an adjective meaning absence of noise. Quite is an

adverb meaning actually or somewhat.

Examples: The library is quiet. He is quite a bowler.

Regardless, irregardless. Regardless is the preferred; irregardless is redundant and non-standard and should not be used.

Example: He will go regardless of the weather.

Stationary and stationery. Stationary is an adjective meaning standing still

or not in motion. Stationery is a noun meaning paper on which letters are written. Students can remember the difference because the “e” in stationery should remind them of the “e” in letter.

Examples: I exercise on a stationary bike.

My brother gave me stationery for Christmas so I could write him letters while he’s at college.

That, which refer to things; who and whom refer to people.

Examples: I found the map that was missing. I saw the girl who was dating my brother.

Then and than. Then is an adverb telling when. Than is used in comparisons

between two people or objects.

Examples: I went to the ball game; then I went home.

She is taller than he is.

There, their, and they’re. There is an adverb telling place, telling where something is. Their is a possessive adjective showing something belongs

someone or something referred to in the sentence. They’re is a contraction for the pronoun they and the verb are.

Examples: The ball is over there. They have their own car.

They’re coming over after dinner.

Through and threw. Through is a preposition meaning in at one side and out the other. Threw is a past tense verb meaning to hurl or toss.

Examples: I went through the passageway.


He threw the ball. NOTE: Thru is a substandard spelling and should never be used.

Too and to. Too is an adverb referring to quantity or meaning also. To is a

preposition. To can also be a part of an infinitive.

Examples: That box is too heavy for me to lift. Let me go, too.

I’m going to the library to study. (infinitive)

Whether and weather. Whether is a conjunction meaning “if” and connotes doubt. Weather is a noun referring to the climate changes.

Examples: I don’t know whether I can go. The weather is gorgeous this month.

Which and witch. Which is an adjective or pronoun used in questions to pick

out particular ones. Witch is a noun often referring to someone who rides around on a broomstick and scares children at Halloween.

Examples: Which book do you want? Which of these dresses looks the best on me?

That girl dressed up as a witch will certainly win the costume contest.

Whose and who’s. Whose is a possessive adjective denoting ownership in a question form. Who’s is a contraction for the pronouns who and the verb is

when asking a question.

Examples: Whose book is this?

Who’s coming to the fair?

You’re and your. You’re is a contraction for the pronoun you and the verb are. Take apart the contraction and try “you are.” If it works in the sentence, you’re

is your choice. Your is a possessive adjective.

Examples: You’re late for class. Take your keys with you.


Chapter 12—TYPES OF WRITING SAMPLES

Example of a Persuasive Paper:

This was written as a contest entry for Illinois high school seniors, sponsored by the AAA Chicago Motor Club. Essays are judged on original ideas, a well-

organized essay with minimal spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. More than 3 errors would disqualify an essay. Students are limited to 500 words.

Defend or refute the statement that seatbelts are important.

Seat Belts: Nuisance or Necessity?

Last July 1 on a warm summer night, my friend Adrian would get into his car one final time. He never wore his seat belt, so why would he put it on

this time? He was only twenty-one, what could happen to him? If he only knew what was about to happen to him, he might have put it on. As he drove home from a friend’s house, he was hit in the passenger side of his car. He

was partially ejected and died instantly. If he had only taken the seconds that it takes to buckle a seat belt, he would have survived with some cuts and bruises.

The types of accidents like Adrian’s happen too often to young people.

They are so preventable. Many people believe that seat belts are a nuisance, but in reality they are a necessity. By not wearing a seat belt, a person’s chance of not getting injured in an accident is 1.5%, according to an Illinois

tollway report in 1997. It has been proven many times that wearing a seat belt can save lives. In many young people’s minds, seat belts are only worn when they are driving with a bad driver. They do not realize that it is better to wear a

seat belt and live through an accident than not to wear one and be dead in a casket. It makes no sense for young people to die when it could have been

prevented. They have their whole lives to look forward to; they should not cut them short by carelessness. The peer pressure is very high among young people to not wear seat belts because it is “uncool.” Young adults are very

easily persuaded because they just want to “fit in.” It is very humiliating for a person to be made fun of by their peers. Many young people will risk their lives

by not wearing a seat belt because it is the “cool” thing to do. Illinois has made some improvements involving seat belt laws for young

adults. There is a law that is specifically for kids eighteen and under. It says that the car can only have as many people in it as there are seat belts. Law enforcement officers can also pull a car over if the driver is under eighteen and

not wearing a seat belt. If someone is over eighteen, there has to be another reason in the car with the driver for them to be pulled over.


Seat belts save lives; it is a proven fact. I do not see why people even

think about not putting one on. If Adrian had another chance to decide whether or not to wear his seat belt, he would have put it on. It is too late now

for Adrian, but not for everyone else. Seat belts are definitely a necessity.


Example of an Expository Paper

Topic: What creature on earth could be considered the most respected and self-sufficient, excluding man. Support this selection with specifics.

Dolphins are Extraordinary

Dolphins have been widely publicized on television and in aquatic zoos because they are friendly, relate to humans, and can communicate with us. Dolphins are a most respectable, admirable, and self-sufficient animal. One

thing is for sure, dolphins are extraordinary.

Dolphins are proposed as “the animals of the sea.” They are respected in many ways. For example, they can jump high and are respected for entertainment of the people all over the world. Dolphins can also swim up to

fifty miles per hour and are respected by other animals of the sea because they are not the prey of any animal except the shark. Although they can escape the

predatory approaches of sharks with their speed, dolphins are also respected because they are life-savers. For example, dolphins are easy to train so they have been used over and over again for rescues of other wildlife of their own

species or for rescues of humans. Dolphins can save animals’ and humans’ lives. Finally, dolphins are respected because they seem just like us humans without any sort of limbs. For example, dolphins are mammals, so they feed

off their surroundings, they give birth to their young, and take care of their young until the infant is able to live on his or her own. Because dolphins seem

just like humans in many ways, they are highly respected by those same humans.

Anyone can join the fun of swimming with the dolphins in the lagoons in Florida. Injured dolphins are caught, taught to live and be healthy and then released back into the wild. Their stay in captivity allows humans to interact

with them and get to know them. People begin to admire the dolphins. Because they can jump, swim, and play, people can not wait to go to any

tropical place in the world just to see these dolphins.

For example, Florida, Hawaii, California, and some other places in the

world have programs called “Dolphin Quests.” These are simply chances for people to swim with dolphins on a daily basis. Dolphins know how to swim

from the moment they are born and, just like humans, dolphins can adapt into a world and fit into society in ways that not everyone knows of. No matter where tourists go along the coast, dolphins will be there to be looked at as an

admired creature of the world.

The dolphin is the most self-sufficient creature in the whole world.

Dolphins are a very simple species of living things. They are constructed of a body, a tail fin, and flippers. They can swim at high speeds through the water


and can jump up to twenty feet in the air because of the strength in their lower body. They feed off their surroundings and they live in pods. Dolphins are not

complex to their surroundings, either. Dolphins can protect themselves against enemies, get their food on their own and can also get enough exercise

to stay fit enough to protect themselves. For example, with their tail fin they can fight off enemies by attacking them with it or by simply pushing it to the extreme and swim away. Dolphins can also get their own food by just

swimming right up next to it and catching it in their mouth. Because dolphins only eat small fish and some types of underwater vegetation, they can supply themselves with the food and nutrients that they need to survive. Dolphins

also can stay alive by doing as much swimming as possible. Since they can swim, jump, and play, they get all the exercise that they need on their own

everyday. When they swim they are keeping their muscles working and when they jump out of the water they are working their muscles even more. When they play they are just working their aerobic system to get stronger. Dolphins

are just a simple animal that is self-sufficient in their own way.

Dolphins are respected, admired, and self-sufficient. That is why more and more people want to go and see the dolphins or are amazed when they see them.


Example of Narrative Writing:

Tell about a significant event from your past that has impacted your life. The Biggest Test of my Life

We had worked too hard, come too far, and practiced too long to lose that game. We were not going to let Lundahl Junior High take our glory away. I

was on the Olson eighth grade basketball team that was going to play for the conference championship that day. We had defeated twelve other teams before this one: thirteen was our lucky number. During the past two days we beat the

best, Johnsburg and Crystal Lake North Junior High. Today was our day. Tired or not, we were going to give it our all.

My legs were so tired and worn out that it felt as if I had been standing on them for days. The team tried to get loose. We did all the stretching we

could. After that, we ran out onto the floor. My legs were numb, and my hands were shaking as if I were taking the biggest test of my life. It looked as if

all of Woodstock came to see us play. Eventually the National Anthem was sung and the game began.

We controlled the jump ball. All of a sudden, my nervousness faded away. I brought the ball up the floor with confidence, finding an open Jay Dunlop on several occasions in the first half. We led by about twelve going into

halftime. The team was feeling good, but we knew we had to play just as well the second half to win. They threw in the ball to start the second half.

Lundahl looked focused. Their eyes were as if a hawk was searching for his prey. Soon, they had sliced the lead to eight going into the fourth quarter. They put on their press with amazing intensity. We made a lot of turnovers

leading to easy buckets for the Lions of Lundahl. It was a close game with only a little time on the clock. With a couple of missed free throws we let them get even closer to the win. Jay Dunlop was then fouled in the waning seconds. He

stepped to the line, calmly sinking one of two. The one was just enough to hold on to the win.

From that moment, I knew we would win. We were winning by four with only two seconds left. They threw in the ball as the buzzer sounded. I jumped

on my coach, Mr. White, hugging him and the rest of my teammates. Some players even had tears in their eyes. Later on, I started to get them as well. We

knew that this was our game, our season, our tournament, and our trophy. The bus ride home was spent laughing while we reflected on the game. Just when we arrived back to the school I thought to myself that this was the best

team I have ever been a part of. Now, every time I step onto the floor, I think of eighth grade when Olson won the Fox Valley Conference. I wonder if I will ever get the chance to do something like that ever again.



Comparison/Contrast Paper After viewing The Verdict and The Rainmaker, write a comparison paper on one or more aspects of the movies: characterization of the main lawyer, the cases involved, the assistant to the lawyers, the women involved in the lawyers’ lives, the judges, etc.

The stories from the movies The Verdict and The Rainmaker are extremely

similar. In The Verdict, Frank Galvin is a lawyer who is suing a hospital on behalf of a woman in a coma. He ends up winning a large sum of money

because of a surprise witness. In The Rainmaker, Rudy Baylor is the lawyer for a boy dying from leukemia. The insurance company refuses to pay for

experimental treatment of a bone marrow transplant, so Baylor and his client sue and end up winning fifty million dollars.

One of the major differences in the two moves is the development of the character of the lawyers. Frank Galvin from The Verdict is a veteran lawyer

with a losing streak who also drinks too much. Rudy Baylor is a young lawyer just recently out of law school who only has two cases and has never been in trial before.

Another difference is the lawsuit itself. In The Verdict, the case is against

a large hospital run by the Catholic church. Doctors from the hospital changed admissions records because they gave a pregnant woman the wrong anesthetic, causing her to swallow her own vomit and go into a coma. The case in The Verdict is about a boy with leukemia who is denied a treatment that would save his life. Both are cases dealing with serious issues, that of negligence on the

part of the doctors who gave Deborah Anne Kaye, the pregnant woman, the wrong anesthetic, and that of wrongful death when Donny Ray Black dies because of the treatment that was withheld from him.

One of the most important similarities between the two movies is the

David versus Goliath theme.. In both movies, there is one lone lawyer who is at the bottom of his game pitted against a huge corporation, or in The Verdict’s case, an archdiocese, and a lot of lawyers who are extremely well versed and

experienced in the law.

In each case, the lawyers lose their star witness. In The Verdict, Galvin had an expert in anesthesiology lined up to testify, but the doctor went on vacation right before the trial. He had to use a general practitioner instead. In

The Rainmaker, Baylor couldn’t find an ex-employee of Great Benefit, Jackie


Lemanchek, when he wanted her to give a deposition. However, Baylor’s assistant, Deck Schifflet did find her in an institution where she had

voluntarily checked herself in for drug abuse treatment.

The single witness to win the case is a technique both movies incorporate. Frank Galvin does find the admitting nurse, Kaitlyn Costello Price, to give testimony about the records being changed to protect the doctors.

Even though her testimony was stricken on a technicality, her side of the story is probably what won the case for Galvin. In The Rainmaker, Lemanchek

testifies as to how Great Benefit’s policy is to deny all claims for the first year, trying to wear down their customers. Since letters are sent out by various departments of Great Benefit to the policyholder, the policyholder can easily

become confused and give up. The most important concept that the viewer leaves these films with is

that the law is intricate and complicated and that good lawyers who are interested in justice for the ”little guy” can become heroes to their clients and

to their audiences.


Example of College Scholarship Essays

This was written as an admissions requirement for the UW-Madison in Wisconsin.

Four summers ago, I first set foot onto the University of Wisconsin

campus at Madison. I was carrying my seemingly 1000-pound French horn,

ready to attend the weeklong summer music clinic in the sweltering heat. During the week I got my first ever taste of college. Eating ice cream for breakfast and fighting for the showers was a brand- new experience for me, but

I loved it. I attended cheerleading camp in Oshkosh for the next three years, but it was never the same as Madison. On almost a weekly basis I would hear

people commenting on what a wonderful school UW Madison was, and I could envision myself attending school there. But I didn’t have much time for “envisioning.” High school and other things kept me occupied.

Schoolwork has taken up a great deal of time, especially with honors

English, science, and mathematics courses. It is not at all easy to maintain over a 4.0 grade point average while being involved in activities, but there is no doubt that it can be done. I know from experience. They year I have Advanced

Placement Calculus and English classes, and Honors College Bound Composition.

Cheerleading has also kept me very busy. By the end of this year, I will have cheered at over 100 games! In 2008, I was voted my squad’s “Most

Valuable Cheerleader,” but I am most proud of being named an NCA (National Cheerleaders’ Association) All-American in 2007. This award involves an intense tryout and very few receive the honor. This year I was nominated again

for the award. This past summer I taught two camps for young girls who were interested in cheerleading.

Band has been a great stress-reliever for me at many times. I love to play the French horn, and I have many awards to prove it. I have received ten

medals from the IHSA solo and ensemble contest, every one of them being a 1st. Last year I was involved in the County Honors Band, which was very challenging, but it’s those challenges that make life interesting.

Along with these activities, I feel that the National Honor Society has

been the most beneficial for me. Through NHS, I, along with two others, organized and ran the annual Christmas food drive for our entire high school. I’ve tutored middle school students two nights a week, and found that I love

teaching and being with children. But then there were many other things to keep me busy: planning the

school swing dance, representing my school at two statewide leadership conferences, and helping my church with the Adopt-A-Family program. I’ve


done stage crew for a local theater production, been on the Winter Formal Court, and grieved over the loss of a friend with many of my classmates.

When I do have time to think about college, UW-Madison comes to mind.

I believe the school would challenge me academically and could help me to succeed in my dream of being an English teacher with a major in biology. I am sure that I would adjust wonderfully to the university and could bring some

new ideas and help keep the old ones. I am sure that UW Madison would help me to become a “contributing member of the changing global society” (our high school motto) for long into my life.

What significance does participating on a team sport have in a high school education? When I was five years old, I decided that I wanted to grow up to play

basketball with Michael Jordan and baseball with Ryne Sandburg. In 8th grade I realized that basketball really wasn’t my sport after I had been selected to my

middle school’s B team for the second year in a row and noticed that everyone on my team was vertically challenged as I (we were all under 5 ft. tall) and that everyone on the A team was at least 5’3”. I lost my interest in baseball around

8th grade as well; actually I became afraid of it after missing a line drive, which knocked me out. In high school this left me the one sport I grew to love – soccer – and it has provided me with the greatest education one could ever ask

for.

I had always been a natural when it came to soccer, but I became an even better player as I started joining higher caliber teams and focusing on it. Eventually I got to the point where I had to be driven forty-five minutes out of

my hometown of Woodstock to practice in Rockford four or five times a week. Before this I used to spend my time with friends after school, but now I could only wave as I drove past them. They couldn’t understand why I would

dedicate so much of my time to soccer, and as the month and years passed, my friends became more distant. They started to exclude me as they all began

skateboarding, but my passion stayed the same. After feeling a little left out with my friends, I decided to take a trip to

Portugal with some of the new people I had met on my soccer team. While we were there, we took a trip to a professional soccer game. Sitting in the crowd,

doing the wave, and chanting in unison with 1000,000 soccer fans was the most beautiful feeling in the world. These foreigners made me feel right at home. My trip to Portugal proved to me that it doesn’t matter what language

you speak, or what country you’re from; as long as a person loves soccer, he has something in common with all of the world.

Upon returning from Portugal my involvement in soccer increased even more as my entire family’s social calendar became defined by whatever soccer


schedule I had for the week. As my younger brothers became very involved in the sport as well, this situation was magnified. My family grew very close

because we would spend many weekends together traveling to tournaments and staying at hotels. My parents have spent so much time watching soccer

that they won’t know what to do when my younger brothers and I have gone off to college.

I am very glad that basketball and baseball did not work out for me because soccer has carried me throughout my high school career. Soccer has proven to me that dedication, unity, and family play key roles in high school

education.

What movie has made a profound impact on your life?

One of the most provocative movies of the decade, American Beauty

perfectly captures the melancholy mind-set of suburban life. Set along the picturesque boulevard of maple trees in an eastern city, the lives of the cast are

ruled by society’s regulations, a pressure that eventually leads to their own mental destruction.

American Beauty demonstrates the unspoken social behaviors that are so present in our everyday lives. A Freudian dogma saturates the entire film. The

main desires of sex and aggression and an underlying Id are clearly displayed: Father Kevin Spacey’s sexual attraction to cheerleader Mena Suvari, WWI veteran Chris Cooper’s abuse of his wife and his own repression of his

homosexual urges are just a few examples of this underlying theme. After years of repression, there is an explosion; the drift between Kevin Spacey and

Annette Benning causes Kevin Spacey’s character to suffer an emotional breakdown. He enters a younger mental state, sells his car, quits his job, and starts to work out in an attempt to become more physically attractive. Wife

and mother Annette Benning relies so heavily on society’s norms to rule her own behavior that she becomes a hollow woman without her own unique characteristics. Her husband finds this change repulsing, and she therefore

seeks another lover to fulfill her needs. This adjustment in her behavior also leads daughter Thora Birch to seek a relationship with the very divergent boy

next door whom she eventually runs away with. This film has had a revolutionary effect on the way the ”normal”

American views his way of living. American Beauty showed the all-American family collapsing under the weight of societies stringent regulations. This

lifestyle presented closely resembles d the lives of many of the people who saw it and the potential for mental devastation altered the way they viewed their own way of living. The idea that our lives are completely ruled by the other

pole in our society and to truly be free one must break from their environment and become completely ostracized definitely had an impact. For this profound

impact, American Beauty won several Oscars, including best picture.


In conclusion, it’s hard to imagine how a movie could change the way of

thinking for an entire national audience, but this film has accomplished it. The dramatic portrayal of the cast along with captivating metaphors has

developed our outlook on our own behavior and the society that we live under. I personally found this film so excellent because after seeing it, I truly did re-examine my own life. I wondered if I had everything that wanted, and if I was a

truly liberated person. This is how one knows if a movie has made profound impact-- if he must think about how his life is in comparison to the film, and if he is living life the way that he really wants to.

What is your chosen profession and how did you come to this decision? In an age where innovation is king, I became subject to the idea that technology paved the way for economic growth, higher communication, and

more efficient transportation. As the World Trade towers collapsed to the New York streets, so too did my blind faith in the intrinsic value of technology and

my sense of security as an American citizen. The national defense, FBI and Secret Service provide America with

strength and security, but modern technology created a doorway in which fanatical groups could infiltrate the entire infrastructure of governmental files, documents, the mail, and the airways. As a result, such advances need to be

carefully kept in check.

A constant give and take is present between keeping the nation safe and keeping the nation free. Freedom defines America. My life as a United States citizen is incomparable to that of an Afghan woman. I may vote as I please,

dress as I please, and speak out on behalf of my beliefs. Leisure, employment, and education flourish under America’s doctrine of freedom.

Teachers across the nation are finding newer, clearer ways to relay information to students. My biology class recently conducted an anatomy

dissection of a fetal pig. Internet searches and digital cameras aided in documenting the information. Advances in DNA technology have greatly influenced the science field as well as society. It is easy to forget that the

opportunity to learn is not a right but a privilege.

I plan to embrace the privileges that lie before me. I hope to use the resources I have to further my knowledge and prepare me for medical school. As a psychiatrist, I will be conscientious of the technological advances in my

field and speak out against moral issues involved. I will stand up for the rights of individuals and carefully analyze the value behind my new technology. I believe that mental health is as equally important as physical health. In

becoming a doctor of psychology I will serve my community by offering therapy to those in need. This will better the lives of individuals and society as a whole.


Sept. 11, 2001, occurred not because of one man, but as a result of

ongoing turmoil, starvation, hatred, and imperialism. One person cannot turn the powers of hatred and war around. However, by studying psychology, I will

better understand the conflicts between freedom and security, and minds of the oppressed. I will turn the world around impacting one person at a time.

Two Examples of an In-Class Essay:

In-Class Essay Example #1:

Choose a quotation and explain how it applies to a lesson you learned in your life.

“The fire of anger that you have for your enemy often burns you more

than him.” This is a lesson, hard-learned, a lesson that I myself have learned

on at least one occasion. Competition between two friends can lead to a great deal of anger. Whoever can better control his anger is usually the person that comes out on top. I was able to control my anger, so I came out on top.


Things were good between my friend Josh and me. We had shared many good times and good memories. I remember some of the better times like prom

or just goofing around at work. And then a new girl had started at work, someone who I had known and was friends with. We would spend time talking

or just hanging out when we should have been working. Josh did not even know her, so one night I introduced them and we all went out after work. I liked this girl a lot, and I made my intentions known to my friend Josh.

Apparently, he had intentions of his own. It was almost as if we had a competition or a race going on between the

two of us. Every time that I went out with her or did anything with her, he was there. He was even trying to go out with her despite the fact that he knew that

I liked her. That made me angry. I could almost feel the knife piercing painfully into my back. I felt betrayed. Someone that I thought I could trust was trying to steal the girl away from me. I was mad, maybe, but I knew that

wherever he was, I was always one step ahead, and that made him angry.

The difference between Josh and me was the way that we dealt with the anger. I just put it in the back of mind and focused on what I could do right. He, on the other hand, started to unleash his anger. He started talking about

me behind my back and trying to make me look like an idiot. Yet I still remained one step ahead of the game. The girl was not blind, though, and she could see what was going on. The more that he bad-mouthed me, the worse he

looked and the nicer I looked. What clinched it in the end was when he let his anger get the better of him and he went as far as keying my truck. That was it;

the girl was mine and he was out of the picture. After all that had happened to me throughout the entire ordeal, I kept a

cool head and never lost my temper. I never ever spoke one harsh word about him the entire time; as a result, I came out for the better. His anger made him look foolish and do rash, immature things. Just as the quote said, his anger

burned him more than it had ever burned me.

In-Class Essay Example #2:

Explain how one person in your life has influenced you:

My mother has influenced me in many ways throughout my life. She is

and always has been a very determined woman. My mother never stops showing me how much she loves me. She has unconditional love for my entire family and me. My mom is not only my mother but she is also my best friend,

someone that I can tell all my problems to and share happy moments with. My mom has always been very determined, which influences me to be

determined. The time that I first noticed this quality about her was when she decided to go back to school and get her teaching degree. At this time, my


brother and I were in sixth grade and my sister was a sophomore in high school. She went to McHenry County College

for two years and then transferred to Rockford College. This was a difficult time for the family since we were all used to having our mother around all of

the time. However, even when the stress at home was overpowering, she never let her family or her school interfere with her dreams. She always told us that she knew when she went back that there were going to be many obstacles she

would not to get through but she was determined to get her degree and therefore she worked through everything. Four years later my mother graduated from Rockford College and got a job as a fourth grade teacher in

Crystal Lake at Canterbury Elementary School. I am proud to have a mother with such determination to make her dreams come true and I hope that this

will always influence me to go for my dreams. Another special feature about my mom that has influenced me to be who

I am is the way that she always shows the rest of me and my family how much she loves us. Sometimes my mother does this with unconditional love, meaning

that she does not even realize that she is showing us love. She comes home from work every day and as soon as I get home, she is standing there waiting to give me a hug. My mother shows me plenty of respect, which in a way comes

from love. She loves me; therefore, she is going to treat me with respect, which I appreciate greatly. This has taught me that when I love someone that I have to show it just like my mother does.

My mom is not only a mother to me; she is also my best friend. I

appreciate everything that my mother does for me and hope that someday I will be able to pay back to her what she has given me. I can tell my mom all of my problems, whether it is about my friends or about a guy. My mom and I have a

very open relationship and, when something good or bad occurs, she is the first one that I tell. When something happens at school, I run to the computer to e-mail her and let her know what just happened and within minutes, I have a

response back from her. The same goes with my mother. If she is having a bad day and needs someone to talk to, she knows that I am always here for her.

My mom and I have many good times together laughing at each other; however, we do fight once in a while. This is definitely one of the hardest things for me to deal with because she does mean so much to me and when she is giving me

the cold shoulder, I don’t know what to do with myself. These fights only last a few hours and then we are back to being buds, but the whole time that we are

fighting I know that she loves ma and she knows that I love her, which is a great feeling.

My mother has and continues to influence my everyday decisions by showing her determination, her unconditional love, her presence and her willingness to be a terrific friend. I will always be grateful for what influence

my mother has had on my life.


Writing Summaries

The following three student papers are examples of a summary of the

magazine article entitled “Vessels of Death or Life” from the Dec. 2001 Scientific American.

The article written by Rakesh Jain and Peter Carmeliet entitled “Vessels

of Death or Life” appeared in the December issue of the Scientific American during 2001.

The term angiogenesis refers to the branching and extension of existing capillaries whose walls consist of one layer of so-called endothelial cells. It also

refers to the study of small vessel growth. The lack of small vessel or capillary production can lead to other problems such as tissue death in the cardiac muscle after a heart attack.

Angiogenesis helps to repair injured tissue, build the lining of the uterus

each month before menstruation; it also forms the placenta after fertilization. Angiogenesis inhibitors normalize tumor vessels before they kill them. This normalization may help anticancer agents reach tumors more effectively. The

authors include a one-page article concerning the positive results of therapeutic angiogenesis.

Until angiogenesis can be used more frequently, surgery or radiation will continue to be used to attempt to eliminate tumors. Currently, we are using

antiangiogenic drugs that combine with other approaches to improve success rate. There needs to be an improved amount of research concerning angiogenesis and possible cancer preventing drugs. Today we are working with

twenty compounds that manipulate angiogenesis, which are now used in human tests against cancer and other disorders.


Chapter 13—BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOURCES

Hagner, Elizabeth. Spelling Demons Week by Week. Portland, Main: J. Weston

Walch, 1997.

Microsoft Word Manual for shortcuts.

Sebranek, Patrick, Verne Meyer and Dave Kemper. Write for College.

Wilmington, MA: Great Source Educ. Group, 1997.

Style Manual and Handbook for Research Papers. Barrington, IL: Barrington

High School.

Tips to avoid Plagiarism and to Cite Sources:

http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/studets/c~merkel/cite.htm. April 2000.

Writing Style Manual for Township High School District 211. Palatine, IL:

Township High School.

Writing Style Manual. William Fremd High School.

http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/studets/c~merkel/cite.htm


Close Reading is the careful, sustained interpretation of a brief passage of text. It places great

emphasis on the particular over the general, paying close attention to individual words, syntax,

and the order in which sentences and ideas unfold as you read. This is a skill we will be

practicing all year long in this class. The goal is to have you read like a writer and write like

a reader.

1. Read the passage. Just listen to the words in your head. Avoid becoming entangled in words or lines that you

don’t understand. Instead, give yourself a chance to take in the entire piece before attempting to resolve problems

encountered along the way.

2. On the second reading, identify words or passages that you don’t understand. Look up words you don’t know;

these might include names, places, historical references, or anything else that is unfamiliar to you.

3. Read the punctuation.

4. When rereading, consider the following questions and answer them on a separate sheet of paper:

a. Pay attention to the title; it will often provide a helpful context for the piece and serve as an

introduction to it. What is significant about the title?

b. Can you paraphrase the general outline of the piece?

c. What has been happening before the piece begins?

d. Who is speaking? What is the speaker upset about? (Don’t assume that the speaker is the author.)

e. How is the piece divided? Where do the breaks come? Is there anything interesting about

punctuation?

f. What words or parts of speech are emphasized? What is its significance?

g. What is the tone of the piece? Can you hear the speaker’s voice as the piece goes along?

h. Who is the main agent in the piece? Does the main agent change as the piece progresses?

i. What has it invented that is new, striking, memorable—in content, in genre, in analogies, in

rhythm, in a speaker?

The worksheet called “SOAPSTone can help identify these elements in writing.

SOAPSTone Reading

Title of Reading:

Subject Briefly state the main idea(s)

You should be able to state the subject and main ideas in a few words or a very short phrase.

Your Answer:

Occasion What is the time, place, current situation,

Be certain to discuss and record both the larger occasion, that is, those issues or ideas that must have made the speaker think

Your Answer:


context in which the author is writing?

about this issue, as well as the immediate occasion.

Audience Who is the intended audience for the piece?

At whom is this text directed? It’s not enough to say “Anyone who read it.” You will want to identify a certain audience by describing some of its characteristics.

Your Answer:

Purpose Why is the author writing?

The purpose could be a purely personal one; i.e. to assuage guilt, to encourage action. But it could also be directed at the audience; you will have to decide what the message is and how the author wants the audience to respond.

Your Answer:

Speaker

Whose voice is telling the story?

Remember that it is not enough simply to name the speaker. What can you say about the speaker based on references to the text?

Your Answer:

Tone What is the feeling or manner of expression used by the author?

Try to choose a description of the tone that fits the piece as a whole. Include specific words or phrases from the text and explain how they support your statement.

Your Answer:


Most of the examples come from the book:

Applications of Reading Strategies within the Classroom by Cecilia B. Frank

Anticipation Guides

Frayer Model

Gist

Stop the Process

Think Pair Share

Two Column Notes

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QJRG1bfZAyjM5wGKhwXyg08okjQcdWI1qS8jpWJxV88/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14VwtigoOhzyxabM4cHSl3A57AlLX_acijFLo0I19ig8/edit?usp=sharing

Documents

Writing manual final8 14 14