4- How to write an essay - 2
7. How to write
Style is not something I can prescribe in a Argumentative Essays set of notes like this. Write well: if you have any problems in this direction, it is for your tutor Argumentative Essays to tell you about them. But here are a few random points instead.
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This is what linguists call a style appropriate Argumentative Essays to the occasion. Be aware: a certain scholarly gravity is called for. Not too heavy so that it's uninteresting. But Argumentative Essays avoid colloquial abbreviations: should not, not shouldn't. Jokes are hazardous: if they don't [do not follow my practice as regards Argumentative Essays don't] work, they can cost you a lot. Avoid them, on the whole: or at least don't be jokey. Don't Argumentative Essays for goodness sake imitate the way I'm writing here, either the rather flippant colloquial style or the somewhat overbearing tone, Argumentative Essays or the numbered subheadings. This is an essay on how to write a literary essay, not a literary essay.
Quotations
Firstly, quote Argumentative Essays sufficiently but not too copiously. Not more than a third of any page at the very outside, and usually just Argumentative Essays a few lines at a time. It's your thought, not the quotation, that is the point. On the other hand, Argumentative Essays never forget that your ideas should be tied firmly into the text, and that you should demonstrate this by quotation. Argumentative Essays Secondly, always give page numbers for your quotations: you will need to know where to find them again.
Short paragraphs
No short Argumentative Essays paragraphs.
Length
A non-assessed essay should be about six sides of handwritten or four sides of typed A4 at least.
Copy it
Always make Argumentative Essays a photocopy of any essay you do before you hand it in. Academics are very unreliable, and not uncommonly lose Argumentative Essays essays.
8. Getting it back
Here is a summary of things to keep in your mind about writing an essay. When I Argumentative Essays mark an essay, they are the things that I particularly look out for:
o Use of critics (ie don't slavishly agree with Argumentative Essays them)
o Range of reference to literary texts, including obscure ones
o Clear and perceptible structure
o Interesting ideas tied in to quotations
o The paragraph:
1. Length
2. Topic Argumentative Essays sentence
3. First sentence, last sentence
4. First paragraph (sets out themes)
o List of works consulted (properly styled)
o Quotations properly laid out, and references Argumentative Essays styled properly
o One side of the paper only
o Spelling and punctuation
9. Two how-to-do-it books
MLA Handbook for writers of research papers, theses, Argumentative Essays and dissertations , (New York: MLA, 1977) Gen. Ref. Z 253.
This is the most useful text to buy. It has Argumentative Essays notes on everything you need, including how to do indented outlines. It's not as full or as easy to understand Argumentative Essays as the next title below, but it's all there.
Update (27/3/99): you don't have to buy it any more. It's here, Argumentative Essays in a really helpful frame format. This is wonderful. All students should use this site all the time.
Kane, Thomas S, Argumentative Essays The Oxford Guide to Writing , (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983).
This book has it all: how to make an indented Argumentative Essays outline, how to spell, how to punctuate, how to write a paragraph, how to take notes, how to sharpen your Argumentative Essays pencil--everything. The bad news is that (a) it's rather American, and (b) it's out of print. Go and look at Argumentative Essays the short loan copy and photocopy anything you find useful. It's of particular use if you have any punctuation problems.
10. Argumentative Essays Useful Links
Here is a wonderful set of documents on how to write essays; here, from the same source, is a Argumentative Essays full set of links about writing of various kinds.
Here, courtesy of Voice of the Shuttle, are a whole set of Argumentative Essays links about how to write, think, look things up, and so on. Remarkable.
3/6/01
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