Essay Writing Guidelines: Structure, Argument, and Evidence, Study Guides, Projects, Research of English Literature

Download Essay Writing Guidelines: Structure, Argument, and Evidence and more Study Guides, Projects, Research English Literature in PDF only on Docsity! 1 English Literature Writing Guide 2 Contents: Guidelines for Essay Writing 3 Writing Examinations 9 Stylesheet 11 Plagiarism 17 Grade Descriptors 18 5 ESSAY STRUCTURE Your essay should present a discussion and a reasoned argument: it should not be a set of random reflections on the texts or topic you have chosen. This will require some planning and organisation of your material before you begin to write, to ensure that your argument is coherent and engages directly with the question asked. A good introduction is often the key to a good essay. The first thing you should do is define any complex or potentially ambiguous terms in the question. This can also be one good way of effecting an introduction. Another is to consider why the question might be asked, what makes it interesting, or why it is relevant to the texts you are considering. You might also use your introduction to outline briefly your intentions in writing the essay: but remember that for a 1,000 or 2,000 word essay the introduction will necessarily be brief. 6 The body of the essay of the essay should relate to the issues you outline in your introduction. It also needs a coherent structure: if you have used your introduction to identify the key issues of your discussion, structuring the essay becomes easier, as you can address these issues in separate paragraphs. Make the links and transitions between paragraphs clear. Remember that every paragraph and sentence should contribute directly to your argument. Your essay needs to strike a balance between argument and supporting evidence. Avoid unsupported generalisations. Stating that 'society is a patriarchy' or that 'evil is more interesting than good' without offering evidence to support the assertion is little different from claiming that 'the earth is flat' or 'tall people are more intelligent than short ones'. Even your more particular points about texts or issues always need supporting evidence, often in the form of quotations from the texts. Remember that you may need to explain how your evidence supports your point. Your essay needs a conclusion to avoid it petering out and losing its force. You might use the conclusion to draw together the threads of your argument, to re-visit the original question, or even to point towards new questions that your discussion has opened up. Whatever your conclusion, you should use it to step back slightly from the detail of the preceding argument to re-consider the wider picture. INDEPENDENCE AND CRITICAL READING The purpose of an essay is to develop and present your own thinking about the texts and issues raised by the question. All essays are likely to draw on ideas taken from others, whether from critical books, lectures or discussions. But clearly an essay is not intended to be simply an anthology of others' ideas: those ideas should only be introduced in order to form and advance your own argument, which is both the substance and the purpose of the essay. USE OF SECONDARY (CRITICAL) MATERIAL Critical books and articles are often useful in stimulating your ideas about the literature you are writing on. It is also important to develop some awareness of the ongoing critical debate about works and literary issues; sometimes you may even be asked to write about the critical or theoretical works themselves. But ideas and words from other writers should never simply replace your own, either directly, or in the form of paraphrase. Quoted or paraphrased thoughts and words from another critic should be included in the text of your essay only if you wish to say something about them. You may want to take issue with them, or to develop them, or to illustrate a particular view which you then discuss. It is not helpful to quote from or paraphrase critics simply because you think their words sound more authoritative than your own. While you will often draw on other critics' ideas, you need to distinguish their words and opinions clearly from your own. Students should exercise caution and care in the use of paraphrase in particular. It is imperative that the reader should always be able 7 to distinguish your voice and argument from that of the critics you cite. So avoid simply ventriloquising critical arguments and conduct instead a critical engagement with them. For example, do not accept interpretations in critical works as matters of fact; demonstrate to the reader of your essay the ways in which you have produced a thoughtful response to the critics that you have employed. If you do not ensure that there is no confusion in an essay about the origin of its arguments, you will find that your readers are unable to judge your arguments. You will also lay yourself open to a charge of plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence. (See the section on Plagiarism below). Make sure your essay obeys these rules:  Words drawn directly from another writer should always be put in quotation marks: it is not acceptable to offer them incorporated into the body of your essay as if they are your own, even with minor variations.  If you either paraphrase a critic or other source, give a brief citation within brackets at that point (but see the cautionary note re paraphrasing above). STYLE University level essays should be written in a formal style and demonstrate your understanding of the codes of academic discourse as they relate to the study of English Literature. While there are variations between different disciplines, there are three main characteristics that are common to all academic essays. These are:  An overriding concern to interpret and make meaning through the presentation of arguments;  Careful attention to the marshalling of relevant and valid facts, examples and other kinds of evidence to substantiate or refute arguments and interpretations;  A structure or organisational framework which has not been chosen arbitrarily, but is instead designed to present arguments and evidence in a coherent and logically appropriate form. Clarity and expressiveness of language is obviously particularly important in essays on literature, and the development of an accurate and engaging writing style is one of the aims of a degree in this discipline. 10 Always divide your time carefully. One very good, very long answer can never achieve a mark high enough to compensate for a second incomplete, overly short or abbreviated answer. Take your time, think, and write clearly. With preparation and thought, exams can be intellectually stimulating rather than an ordeal. They are there to assess your capacity to respond quickly, to write intelligently and clearly in relation to particular questions, and to show your capacity for stimulating and thoughtful written discussion under time pressure. As such they are a valuable part of the transferable skills you are developing at University. 11 STYLE SHEET There are many different presentational styles around. The Department of English Literature prefers the style approved by the Modern Language Association, known simply as ‘MLA Style’. All written work submitted to the Department should conform to the following guidelines. I. PRESENTATION AND LAYOUT Essays should be typed or word-processed, double-spaced. Pages should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, including the final page which comprises the list of Works Cited. The page number should appear on the top right-hand corner of each page. The beginnings of paragraphs should be indented five spaces from the left-hand margin. No additional space should be inserted between paragraphs. Use a clean font in a size that is clearly legible. Times New Roman (12 point) is ideal. As well as the use of grammatical sentences, it is important to use paragraphs intelligently. Each paragraph should represent a coherent element within a developing argument. II. TITLES Ideally, ITALICISE (or if necessary underline) the titles of: books, plays; long poems published as books; pamphlets; and periodicals (newspapers, magazines and journals). Examples: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; Henry IV, Part 1; Paradise Lost; The Scotsman; Studies in Scottish Literature. ENCLOSE WITHIN SINGLE QUOTATION MARKS, and do not underline, the titles of articles; essays; short stories; short poems; songs; chapters of books; unpublished works (such as lectures, speeches and dissertations). Examples: ‘The Traffic in Women: Notes on the “Political Economy” of Sex’; ‘Tradition and the Individual Talent’; ‘The Library Window’; ‘To His Coy Mistress’; ‘The Flower of Scotland’; ‘Judges’ (in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit). This distinction is made in order to avoid ambiguity or confusion: ‘King Lear is confused’ is a comment on the character of that name; ‘King Lear is confused’ is a judgment on the play. ‘"High Windows" is Philip Larkin's finest achievement’ refers 12 to a single poem; ‘High Windows is Philip Larkin's finest achievement’ refers to a complete collection. III. PUNCTUATION The sense of your essay depends on its punctuation as well as on the words you choose. These are some common problem areas: a. Capitalization. In titles capitalize the first letter of the first word and of all the principal words including nouns and proper adjectives. Examples: To the Lighthouse, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, A Passage to India, Sons and Lovers, The Novel: Modern Essays in Criticism). Capitalize references to parts of a specific work. Examples: Mahood's Introduction (in Twelfth Night), Morrell’s Preface (in Four English Comedies). b. Exclamation marks should be sparingly used. c. Italics. As well as italicising (or if necessary underlining) the titles of published books, plays, pamphlets, periodicals, and long poems, also italicise foreign words used in an English text (except quotations, titles of articles, proper names and foreign words anglicized through usage). The underlining or italicising of words, phrases or sentences for emphasis should be done sparingly. d. Quotation marks. Be consistent in your punctuation. If you use single quotation marks, use them in the same circumstances throughout. The British system uses single quotation marks first, double quotation marks for quotations within quotations. Example: According to Northrop Frye, ‘The word “grace” with all its Renaissance overtones from the graceful courtier of Castiglione to the gracious God of Christianity, is a most important thematic word in Shakespearean comedy.’ e. Rhetorical questions, i.e., questions asked for effect rather than genuine enquiry, should be sparingly asked in your essay. f. Square brackets. Use them for a parenthesis within a parenthesis, to enclose interpolations in a quotation, or to complete missing information. Example: F.P. Wilson suggests that ‘in Marlowe’s share of the play [Doctor Faustus] there is nothing of predestination and reprobation’. 15 Content footnotes, on the other hand, may be included but should be kept to a minimum. They should be consecutively numbered (in superscript), single spaced, and appear at the bottom of the page. Example: Where the main text reads: It has been asserted that the Oxford Book of English Verse played a defining role in the culture of the First World War (Fussell 159).1 The content note might read: 1While Fussell’s emphasis on polite reading practices held sway until relatively recently, historical accounts have since emerged which emphasise the importance of popular working class culture in the British trenches. For further advice on the use of in-text references you should consult http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c08_s1.html VIII. WORKS CITED A list of all works cited should appear on a new page at the end of your essay, arranged in alphabetical order. Use quotation marks (but not italics or underlining) for titles of articles, essays, short stories, short poems, songs, chapters and sections of books. Use italics or underlining for titles of published books, plays, long poems, pamphlets, periodicals, operas, films and classical works. Please note: the following are just a few examples of the different kinds of entries that you might have to use. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, you should consult http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c08_s2.html. 1. A book with a single author: the simplest form of reference. Fussell, Paul. The Great War and Modern Memory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1975. 2. Two or more books by a single author Fussell, Paul. The Great War and Modern Memory. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1975. ---. Wartime: Understanding and Behaviour in the Second World War. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989. 3. A book by multiple authors Hughes, Linda, and Michael Lund. The Victorian Serial. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1991. 4. An edited collection of essays Watt, Ian, ed. Pride and Prejudice: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1963. 5. A work in a collection 16 Brower, Reuben A. ‘Light and Bright and Sparkling: Irony and Fiction in Pride and Prejudice. ’ Jane Austen: A Collection of Critical Essays. Ed. Ian Watt. Englewood Cliffs , N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1963: 62-75. 6. An edition Shakespeare, William. Anthony and Cleopatra. Ed. John Dover Wilson. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968. ---. Twelfth Night. Ed. J. M. Lothian. London: Methuen, 1975. 7. An article in a journal Reiss, Edmund. ‘Medieval Irony.’ Journal of the History of Ideas 42.2 (1981): 209-26. 8. A web site The quality of web site content varies enormously, from refereed journals by reputable academic presses to discussion groups for teenage fans of Wuthering Heights. You should therefore be particularly cautious about the electronic sources that you use. As with printed sources, there is a prescribed format for the citation of electronic texts. Entries should include (where applicable) the name of the author, title of the web page, title of the site, date of publication, date it was accessed, and url: Jones, Mary. ‘Why read Wordsworth?’ Life and Work of Wordsworth. 2002. 15 Nov. 2004 <http://www.englishistory.net/wordsworth.html>. Detailed guidance regarding the documentation of web sites, in their various manifestations, can be found at http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c08_s2.html. 17 PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is the use of material taken from another writer's work without proper acknowledgement, presenting it as if it were your own. While it is perfectly proper in academic study to make use of another person's ideas, to do so under the pretence that they are your own is deceitful. Plagiarism, whether in coursework or examinations, is always taken extremely seriously within the university as it is a form of cheating. Work found to be plagiarised may be penalised, assessed at zero, or not accepted, and in serious cases may lead to disciplinary action being initiated. Work undertaken for our courses is designed to help you develop your knowledge and understanding, and your own powers of analysis and argument. Essays, exams and exam essays assess these skills. Plagiarism therefore undermines the whole purpose of the academic study of literature. For all work for the department’s courses, it is important to be aware of, and to acknowledge the sources of arguments and words. This applies to material drawn from critical books and lectures, but also from the work of other students (including tutorial or seminar discussions) and from the internet and other electronic sources. Lectures, tutorials and seminars must not be recorded or otherwise transmitted, unless there is special dispensation relating to disability (endorsed by the Disability Office). Tutors will check web-based material, as well as other sources, where they have reason to suspect that the writing a student submits does not represent their own ideas, words and arguments. While deliberate plagiarism involves an intention to deceive and is easy to avoid, it is possible to fall unawares into practices which could be mistaken for plagiarism if you are not familiar with the proper means of using and acknowledging material from other writers. Inadequate referencing and inappropriate use of others' material could inadvertently lay you open to charges of plagiarism. Since different subjects involve different uses of material, and may have different conventions about how it should be acknowledged, it is important that in each of their subjects students consult departmental guidelines about the purpose and presentation of written work in that discipline. 20 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: A 1, 90-100, I: Highly Excellent - Exemplary A1 90- 1001 00 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Comprehensive, fully assimilated, with outstanding evidence of independent reading. 100 Command of Material Imaginative, authoritative, with original insight producing a subtle and nuanced piece of work of publishable quality. Awareness of Scholarship Fully conversant with relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. Demonstrates exceptional awareness of related material beyond the confines of the topic itself with an ability to incorporate this convincingly into specific argument. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Sharply focussed on a clear line of argument in response to the question, while showing outstanding awareness of the complexities and wider ramifications of the issues raised. Clarity of Structure Logically sophisticated, fully coherent structure, fluently developed. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought Critically acute, perceptive and sophisticated throughout. Demonstrates an exemplary ability to analyse issues and texts from a number of points of view culminating in an exemplary, independent conclusion. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Compelling use of extensive primary evidence to support a convincing and original argument; demonstrating mastery of, and making a fresh contribution to, relevant critical contexts and/or debates in its engagement with secondary sources. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Lucid and precise; exemplary paragraphing. Grammar & Syntax Sophisticated syntax and correct grammar. Spelling Accurate. Fluency of Writing Fluent, sophisticated, incisive and mature. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing Accurate, consistent, well judged and appropriate. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list Complete, accurate, consistent and logically organised. 21 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: A2, 80-89, I: Highly Excellent A2 80-89 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Comprehensive, fully assimilated and with highly excellent evidence of independent reading. Command of Material Imaginative, authoritative, with original insight producing a subtle and nuanced piece of work of potentially publishable quality. Awareness of Scholarship Fully conversant with relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. Demonstrates a highly excellent awareness of related material beyond the confines of the topic itself and an ability to incorporate this convincingly. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Sharply focussed on clear line of argument in response to the question, while showing highly excellent awareness of the complexities and wider ramifications of the issues raised. Clarity of Structure Logically sophisticated, fully coherent structure, fluently developed. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought Critically acute, perceptive and sophisticated throughout. Demonstrates an exceptional ability to analyse issues and texts from a number of points of view culminating in a strongly independent conclusion. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Compelling use of extensive primary evidence to support a convincing and original argument; demonstrating mastery of relevant critical contexts and/or debates through engagement with secondary sources. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Lucid and precise; excellent paragraphing. Grammar & Syntax Sophisticated syntax and correct grammar. Spelling Accurate. Fluency of Writing Fluent, sophisticated, acute and mature. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing Accurate, consistent, well judged and appropriate throughout. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list Complete, accurate, consistent and logically organised. 22 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: A3, 70-79, I: Excellent A3 70-79 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Very extensive, very well assimilated and with strong evidence of independent reading. Command of Material Imaginative, authoritative, with original insight producing a subtle and nuanced piece of work. Awareness of Scholarship Fully conversant with relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. Demonstrates an excellent awareness of related material beyond the confines of the topic itself with an ability to incorporate this convincingly. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Sharply focussed on a clear line of argument in response to the question, while showing excellent awareness of the complexities and wider ramifications of the issues raised. Clarity of Structure Fully coherent, logically consistent structure, clearly developed. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought Critically acute, perceptive and sophisticated throughout. Demonstrates an excellent ability to analyse issues and texts from a number of points of view culminating in an independent conclusion. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Very strong use of extensive primary evidence to support a convincing and well rounded argument; demonstrating excellent knowledge of relevant critical contexts and/or debates in its engagement with secondary sources. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Lucid and precise; excellent paragraphing. Grammar & Syntax Sophisticated syntax and correct grammar. Spelling Accurate. Fluency of Writing Fluent, sophisticated and mature. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing Accurate, consistent, well judged and appropriate throughout. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list Complete, accurate, consistent and logically organised. 25 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: D, 40-49, III: Satisfactory D 40- 49 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Adequate but superficial, with little evidence of independent reading and with some omissions or inaccuracies. Command of Material Unspecific, derivative use of material with a broadly patchy grasp of primary texts and main aspects of the topic. Awareness of Scholarship Generally weak grasp and handling of relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Some relevance but lack of focus. Clarity of Structure Discernible argument but lacking coherence. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought Little evidence of critical awareness or insight, descriptive rather than analytical; little or no evidence of independent thought. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Poor deployment of evidence in support of argument. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Lacking clarity and precision. Grammar & Syntax Simple syntax, with some grammatical errors. Spelling Significant number of inaccuracies. Fluency of Writing Lacking fluency; some awkwardness. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing Inconsistent in formulation of references and in decisions about when a reference is appropriate. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list Clear weaknesses in some areas. 26 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: E , 30-39, Fail: Falls short of the standard expected for a pass* *In examinations this mark may indicate short measure, incomplete answers or rubric violation. E 30- 39 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Inadequate, no evidence of independent reading and with inaccuracies or incompleteness. Command of Material Vague response to inadequate reading. Derivative if accurate. Awareness of Scholarship Very poor grasp of relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Largely irrelevant. Clarity of Structure Largely incoherent and/or lacking in logical development. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought No evidence of critical awareness or insight; descriptive narrative of dubious relevance to topic; no evidence of independent thought. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Little evidence used which is poorly deployed and/or serious misinterpretation of evidence. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Unclear and imprecise. Grammar & Syntax Weak syntax, with grammatical errors. Spelling Many inaccuracies. Fluency of Writing Poorly written and lacking coherence. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing Very poorly referenced, with clear failing in accuracy, consistency and judgement. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list Very weak in all areas. 27 GRADE DESCRIPTORS: F , 20-29% Clear Fail* *In examinations it will often involve seriously short measure or incomplete answers. F 20- 29 KNOWLEDGE Range [breadth/depth] Seriously inadequate, with major omissions and/or serious inaccuracies. Command of Material Serious inadequacies in knowledge base, which compromise response to material. Awareness of Scholarship Little or no awareness of relevant literature and major issues surrounding a topic. ARGUMENT & ANALYSIS Focus on Question Wholly irrelevant. Clarity of Structure Wholly incoherent and/or lacking in logical development. Analytical Skills and Independence of Thought No evidence of critical awareness or insight; descriptive narrative of dubious relevance to topic; no evidence of independent thought. Use & Evaluation of Evidence Marks at this level will have major omissions and/or misinterpretations of evidence. LANGUAGE & EXPRESSION Clarity, Organisation & Accuracy Unclear and imprecise throughout. Grammar & Syntax Serious weakness in syntax and grammar. Spelling Substantial errors. Fluency of Writing Incoherent and/or compromised by lack of content. SCHOLARLY APPARATUS Accuracy & Consistency of Referencing As E, but with even greater failing, including near or complete absence. Accuracy & Consistency of Works Cited list As E, but with even greater failing, including near or complete absence.