Writing Guide - North Penn School District
Contents
1. If any part of the assignment is unclear ask your teacher to explain Next write down any potential topics that seem interesting Write down all of your thoughts about your topic without worrying about what you do not yet know Your teacher may give you a graphic organizer to use in this step Review your notes and highlight the most interesting ideas problems issues or concepts that you wrote down If you know very little about your topic the pre search will help focus your topic further What is Pre Searching You may have heard of researching but what does pre searching mean Pre searching is a preliminary step to help you understand your topic well enough to begin to refine and focus it It is also a test drive to help you decide whether and how to proceed with a topic you have chosen When you do not know where to start with a topic that is new to you reference books can provide quick access to background information Consult on line valid resources Read about topics that interest you and make notes about anything you find intriguing want more information about or do not understand Pre searching or exploring the information available on a particular subject also helps define a workable topic Your topic must be narrow and focused enough to be interesting yet broad enough to find adequate information for your research The librarian in your IMC will be able to help you find these resources Once you have a general idea o2. Subtopics must be parallel with subtopics both in your thesis and on your outline paragraph topics must be parallel with paragraph topics and supporting evidence must be parallel with supporting evidence See the following resource for instructions on ensuring parallelism in your outline https owl english purdue edu owl resource 544 01 Research papers critical papers and other types of research writing may require that you approach an outline differently However all outlines will utilize the same format Regardless of the way your outline takes shape the purpose remains the same to organize your ideas prior to writing your draft Your outline should be double spaced like the body of your paper Additional Sources http writingcenter cos edu 201 1 10 making an outline http writing2 richmond edu writing wweb outline html http writing2 richmond edu writing wweb outline html Outline Example Template Thesis Statement I First Subtopic in Thesis topic of the first section of your paper A 1 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section I 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence B 2 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section I 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence C 3 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section I 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence Il Second Subtopic in Thesis topic of the second section of your pape
3. The middle ingredients are the supporting sentences The bottom bun is the concluding sentence Like the topic and concluding sentences the buns hold everything together and resemble each other although they are not exactly alike Adapted fromhttp time4writing com September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide EXAMPLE Social Studies Thesis Although women in contemporary Japan do not experience the same equality enjoyed by their Western counterparts women in 21 century Japanese society face new demands to support their families in addition to their traditional private roles Topic Sentence Public opinion in Japan regarding gender role division between the public and private spheres appears to be changing Concluding Sentence These and other figures from the same survey clearly indicate a trend toward increased popular acceptance toward non traditional gender roles in Japan Next Paragraph Topic Sentence The same trend may also be noted in popular perceptions of women s life priorities Notice that the concluding sentence reflects but does not replicate the topic sentence It also serves to transition to the next paragraph topic From http writesite elearn usyd edu au m3 m3u2 m3u2s5 m3u2s5_2 htm EXAMPLE English Literature Based Paper Thesis Holden s fear of adulthood and his desire to protect innocence stem from his experiences with loss and corruption in the world Ref
4. HTML plain text txt 3 After entering a title for your paper and selecting a file click Upload to upload your paper A status bar will appear displaying the upload progress 4 Review the preview panel This is a text only version of the paper being uploaded Confirm it is the correct version of the file to send September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 5 Click the submit button Warning This step must be completed or the submission is not finished 6 After the submission has is complete a digital receipt is displayed on screen A copy is also sent via e mail to the address for the user login Save the receipt and the paper ID it contains as this is proof of a completed submission 7 If your paper is in a format that Turnitin does not accept you can submit it by cut and paste a To submit a paper this way select cut amp paste upload using the pull down at the top of the form b Copy the text of your paper from a word processing program and then paste it into the text box in the submission form If you submit your paper using the cut and paste method you can skip steps 4 6 above ORIGINALITY REPORTS The Originality Report provides a summary of matching or similar areas of text found in a submitted paper When an Originality Report is available to be viewed an icon is placed in the Originality Report column of the class portfolio page Overwritten or resubmitted papers m
5. Never use is when or was when or is where or was where Wrong At the beginning of Act Four is when Abby steals money from Reverend Parris and disappears from Salem Right As people of Salem begin to question her credibility Abby steals money from Reverend Parris and disappears from Salem 6 Avoid faulty parallelism All grammatical elements in any compound structure must follow the same form Wrong I love swimming skiing dancing and to walk Right Ilove swimming skiing dancing and walking Note All elements in formal outlines must be parallel 7 Citations quotation punctuation Quotation marks ALWAYS follow commas and periods Wrong Mr Henry pointed at the ocean The boat tipped over he cried about 100 yards due east of here Right Mr Henry pointed at the ocean The boat tipped over he cried about 100 yards due east of here September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 8 Avoid misplacing commas and periods when closing a sentence with a quotation Wrong Icried at the end of Anne Tyler s Average Waves in Unprotected Waters Right Icried at the end of Anne Tyler s Average Waves in Unprotected Waters Wrong I cried at the end of Anne Tyler s Average Waves in Unprotected Waters which is my favorite short story Right I cried at the end of Anne Tyler s Average Waves in Unprotected Waters which is my favor
6. The North Penn Writing Guide To The Student This North Penn Writing Guide is designed to help you write a formal scholarly paper in any course you take in the North Penn School District While many of the references are for English and Social Studies courses the process formatting and style apply to all academic disciplines Your teacher will give you a writing and or research assignment with specific requirements Use this guide to help you through the process of writing and researching As you begin the writing process consider the purpose of the writing assignment as you select and focus on a topic A good paper always begins with selecting a topic that interests you and developing a thesis or position to defend In the research process you will collect and analyze information about your topic and you will gather quotations and text based evidence to support your thesis You will create an outline that organizes your information and thoughts As you examine your information and think about proving your thesis you will write the rough draft Finally after revising and proofreading the paper you will submit it through Turnitin com Always remember to ask your teacher for assistance at any step in this process Good writing takes time and effort and several revisions GOOD LUCK IN THIS WRITING PROCESS Step 1 Select Define and Focus a Topic How do I select a good topic A good topic 1 Meets the requirements and
7. Your teacher may also have a checklist for specific assignment The state standards include grammar or writing conventions as part of the overall expectations in the ELA PA Core Standards Note Follow the North Penn School District Writing Guide for format and process guidelines Good writers will apply all of these guidelines to be considered EXCELLENT WRITERS The Top Thirteen Rules for all writing 1 Avoid sentence fragments run ons and comma splices e Avoid sentence fragments Make sure all sentences have subjects and verbs Wrong The taller of the two brothers Right Jake is the taller of the two brothers e Avoid run on sentences When joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction and or but be sure to insert a comma before the conjunction Wrong Mrs Jones cut pieces of stained glass with a diamond wheel and her husband put the pieces together with wax and lead Right Mrs Jones cut pieces of stained glass with a diamond wheel and her husband put the pieces together with wax and lead e Avoid run on sentences or comma splice errors sentences that run together with no punctuation between them or run together with only a comma between them Wrong Louisa ran errands all day for her boss now she is exhausted Right Louisa ran errands all day for her boss now she is exhausted 2 Use the third person Use he she they him her them Avoid second person you Do not use first person pronouns un
8. mail address and password associated with your Turnitin student user account in the appropriate fields 3 Click the Sign In button to log into the student homepage SUBMITTING A PAPER BY SINGLE FILE UPLOAD 1 To submit a paper click the Submit button next to the paper assignment 2 The paper submission page will open Enter a title for your paper put your name in the title To select a paper for submission click the browse button and locate the paper on your computer Your paper must be in one of the following formats MS Word WordPerfect RTF PDF PostScript HTML plain text txt 3 After entering a title for your paper and selecting a file click Upload to upload your paper A status bar will appear displaying the upload progress 4 Review the preview panel This is a text only version of the paper being uploaded Confirm it is the correct version of the file to send 5 Click the submit button Warning This step must be completed or the submission is not finished 6 After the submission is complete a digital receipt is displayed on screen A copy is also sent via e mail to the address for the user login Save the receipt and the paper ID it contains as this is proof of a completed submission 7 If your paper is in a format that Turnitin does not accept you can submit it by cut and paste a To submit a paper this way select cut amp paste upload using the pull down at the top of the form b Copy the
9. scope of the assignment Consider the scope of the project will be how much time you have and what kind of information you are required to include Your topic should fit the theme or subject of your class Is your assignment informational or argumentative Are you responding to a text a novel or a play To select and focus your topic examine the assignment carefully 2 Interests you and your reader Choose a topic both you and your reader usually your teacher and classmates will enjoy learning more about Consider topics that are significant to you your family your community or that have always been areas of interest that you want to learn more about 3 Can be researched e Choose topics that focus on issues and ideas for which some information already exists e Choose a topic that addresses the issues or questions in your class e Beware of topics that are so broad or basic or self evident that you might have a difficult time producing interesting opinions or analysis about them September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide How do I Get Started The ability to develop a good research topic is an important skill A teacher may assign you a specific topic but most often teachers require you to select your own topic of interest Before selecting your topic make sure you know what your final project should look like Read your assignment carefully to make sure you understand what your teacher expects
10. select a quotation and write it on the note card you include an analysis of the quotation as it relates to the outline Primary Source Notecard with Analysis Roman numeral 1 I 1 A B Author of original Topic or idea om source If more than Slug Protecting innocence Holden s Realization Salinger one source bythe same author include Eee The thing with kids is if they want to grab for the gold ring ou have to let them do it if they fall off they fall off Detail Symbolically Holden realizes that he cannot be a catcher Analysis in the rye By articulating this thought Caulfield finally ac cepts that the children have to grow up and learn things on his sister has to experience life and those September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Secondary Source Notecard Roman numeral 1 Il 1 A B Author of original source If more than Topic or idea Slug Protecting innocence Holden himself Trowbridge one source by the same author include title as well The thing with kids is if they want to grab for the gold ring ou have to let them do it if they fall off they fall off Analyze the Information for a Literature Based Paper Once you have found specific textual evidence supporting your thesis and sub topics of your paper you will need to analyze the information e Address how or why the specific action textual evidence relates to a s
11. so using Turnitin com to prevent plagiarism The district s plagiarism policy is reflected in the discipline code The teacher will instruct the students to follow either Option A or B described below Students may ask their teacher or librarian for guidance through this process Turnitin com PLAGIARISM PREVENTION OPTION A The North Penn School District requires you to submit your paper to Turnitin so that you can look at your own paper critically and avoid plagiarism Turnitin compares your paper against billions of internet documents archived internet data that is no longer available on the live web a local repository of previously submitted papers and a subscription repository of periodicals journals and publications The comparison document is called an Originality Report which matches similarities between your submission and Turnitin s database of documents All of the instructions below were obtained from the turnitin com website http pages turnitin com rs iparadigms images Student_Manual_en_us pdf First you must create a user profile TO CREATE A USER PROFILE 1 Go to www turnitin com and click on the Create account link next to the Sign In button 2 Click on the student link 3 The Create a New Turnitin Student Account form must be completed to create a new student user account 4 Your teacher will provide you a class ID number and a case sensitive Turnitin class enrollment passwo
12. suggested that the sky is falling Little 37 o Chicken Little stridently suggests that the sky is falling 37 o Inher analysis Chicken Little urgently claims The sky is falling 37 o The sky is falling Little 37 e Works with no author o The possibility of the sky falling has made newspaper headlines recently Sky Falling o The blogosphere has been buzzing with speculation regarding this point Falling Sky Net e Works with a corporate author o Research confirms these observations Committee for the Study of Stratospheric Descent 117 o Research by the Committee for the Study of Stratospheric Descent confirms these observations 117 For additional current information refer to the NPSD web site the NPHS library link OWL guide to in text parenthetical documentation September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Part 8 Submit the Final Copy The submission of the final copy of the paper is the final step to completing the formal academic paper Students usually receive a check list from the teacher to review their papers prior to submission Teachers may have detailed specifications for the final format of the paper The guidelines in this Writing Guide reflect the protocols and practices of the MLA format In many cases you will be given a peer editing check list North Penn School District requires students submitting formal scholarly papers with research and citations to do
13. text of your paper from a word processing program and then paste it into the text box in the submission form If you submit your paper using the cut and paste method you can skip steps 4 6 above September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide ORIGINALITY REPORTS The Originality Report provides a summary of matching or similar areas of text found in a submitted paper When an Originality Report is available to be viewed an icon is placed in the Originality Report column of the class portfolio page Overwritten or resubmitted papers may not generate a new Originality Report for a full twenty four hours The Originality Report icon shows a percentage and a corresponding color indicating on an index where this percentage falls in terms of matching content This percentage is the Similarity Index Please see the Turnitin website for directions on how to view Originality Reports and determine what they mean Turnitin Student User Manual Turnitin Paradigms LLC 2014 Web 27 May 2014 lt http pages turnitin com rs iparadigms images Student_Manual_en_us pdf gt September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Appendix A A Writer s Checklist ve This checklist is applicable to all formal academic writing The first 13 rules are to be applied to all formal secondary writing The remaining items are to be specified by the teacher for the individual assignment and or grade level
14. North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide The North Penn Writing Guide for Students The North Penn School District promotes the research and writing processes as an interdisciplinary element of effective instruction This North Penn Writing Guide provides the foundation and information needed for students to engage in research and writing in all academic curricula The skills reflected in this guide are aligned with the PA ELA Core Standards The goal of this document is to provide a How To Guide to prepare and write a scholarly paper Table of Contents Part 1 Select Define and Focus a Topic Part 2 Craft and Revise a Thesis Research Question Part 3 Gather Information Identifying primary and secondary sources Evaluating the validity of the sources Part 4 Take Notes Analyze the information Part 5 Develop an Outline Identify key concepts and questions for an initial outline not done Synthesize the information from sources notecards noodle tools Organize the information how does student do this Finalize the outline Part 6 Write the Rough Draft Part 7 Document Sources and Prepare Works Cited Bibliography Quotation citation started and need how to blend quotations NP IMC website Parenthetical documentation examples Works cited preparation Part 8 Submit the final copy Turnitin com Appendix A A Writer s Check List Appendix B Why Study Grammar September 2014 North Penn School District
15. TIAL to the creation of a successful paper You may be taking notes and revising your outline concurrently Consider your outline as the PLAN or STRUCTURE of the paper Most formal papers have at least three main topics reflected in the Roman numerals The Roman numerals align with the three prongs of your thesis statement The main topics are usually more than one paragraph When outlining be sure to 1 Identify your topic or thesis statement 2 Arrange your main points in a logical order and list them in the outline This order can be changed later as you evaluate your outline 3 Create sub points beneath each major idea By convention each time you have a new number or letter there need to be at least two points i e if you have an A you need a B if you have a 1 you need a 2 etc By this point your outline should be taking shape use the traditional format below I A 1 2 B 1 2 IL A 1 2 B 1 2 September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 4 Evaluate your outline Look over what you have written Does it make logical sense Is each point suitably fleshed out Is there anything unnecessary Are there any changes you need to make to the order of subtopics or supporting details of your outline 5 Ensure parallelism in your outline It is important that your final outline utilizes parallel structure which in essence means that your outline is grammatically consistent
16. abase of documents All of the instructions below were obtained from the turnitin com website http pages turnitin com rs iparadigms images Student_Manual_en_us pdf First you must create a user profile TO CREATE A USER PROFILE 1 Go to www turnitin com and click on the Create account link next to the Sign In button 2 Click on the student link 3 The Create a New Turnitin Student Account form must be completed to create a new student user account 4 Your teacher will provide you a class ID number and a case sensitive Turnitin class enrollment password Enter those in the relevant spaces 5 Enter your first name last name and a valid e mail address to use as your login for Turnitin 6 Create a user password The user password must be between six and twelve characters long and contain at least one letter and one number Re enter the password to confirm it PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE SO YOU DON T LOSE IT 7 Select a secret question from the drop down menu Enter the answer for the question Remember and keep this information The answer is case and space sensitive 8 Review the user agreement To continue using Turnitin click on I agree create profile 9 From the completed user profile creation page click on Log in to Turnitin September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide TO LOGIN TO TURNITIN 1 Go to www turnitin com 2 At the top right enter the e
17. al sentence s is your thesis statement It clearly states the purpose of your paper and how you intend to prove your thesis hows represent your Roman numerals in your outline This information must remain parallel throughout the paper Include in the introductory paragraph e General statement about the topic e General information about the novels plays such as time place theme characters first and surnames and or conflict OR e General information about the research topic such as location in history or geography background of the topic basic timely issues e Introduction of your topic e Thesis statement See Step 2 of Writing Guide for the development of a thesis statement First Paragraph Structure Broad statement about topic Background information Previews the thesis Context of the thesis argument Concise statement of theme topic Thesis statement Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs of the paper must follow your outline You will include the information and quotations gathered on your note cards in the writing of the rough draft See Step 7 for details about parenthetical documentation which describes how to document your quotations September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Consider each Roman numeral a chapter in your paper A chapter may be a single paragraph or multi paragraph e Fach paragraph must contain a strong topic sentence stating the topic to be discussed
18. and capital letters are used for subtopics The Arabic numerals 1 2 are used for supporting details or examples Once you have finalized your thesis gathered your information taken your notes and written your outline you are ready to begin writing your rough draft September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Step 6 Write The Rough Draft To write your rough draft you will be incorporating your thesis your outline your research and your quotations into the written document Your paper represents the best critical thinking and analysis you can apply to the research and preparation Your analysis of the topic is essential to the development of your thesis To begin organize your outline and notecards so that your notecards are in the order of the information on your outline Format Number Number all pages consecutively in the upper right hand corner 1 2 inch from the top Your last name and consecutive page numbers are to appear on all pages beginning with the second page Directions below are to be used with Microsoft Word Adding Page Numbers and Inserting Name on Research Critical Paper ADD PAGE NUMBER FIRST BEFORE INSERTING NAME On the Insert Tab click page number pick from drop down menu usually Top of page option 3 Close Header Footer On the Page Layout Tab Click on Page Setup o Under Layout Check Different first page o Click OK e Tap on Page 2 o Double Click in Header area an
19. ay not generate a new Originality Report for a full twenty four hours The Originality Report icon shows a percentage and a corresponding color indicating on an index where this percentage falls in terms of matching content This percentage is the Similarity Index Please see the Turnitin website for directions on how to view Originality Reports and determine what they mean RESUBMITTING Based upon your originality report you may want to edit your paper and resubmit it You may do so multiple times before the due date of your paper Any second or subsequent submission will overwrite the original file submission in this assignment Multiple files cannot be uploaded to the same assignment This is an amazing opportunity for you evaluate your own work for plagiarism Please take advantage of it Turnitin Student User Manual Turnitin Paradigms LLC 2014 Web 27 May 2014 lt http pages turnitin com rs iparadigms images Student_Manual_en_us pdf gt September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide OPTION B Turnitin compares your paper against billions of internet documents archived internet data that is no longer available on the live web a local repository of previously submitted papers and a subscription repository of periodicals journals and publications The comparison document is called an Originality Report which matches similarities between your submission and Turnitin s dat
20. d inset name in front of number e Close Header Footer Follow the outline EXACTLY or REVISE the outline to match the order in the paper Use correct parenthetical documentation See Step 7 in Writing Guide Place the proper North Penn heading on the 1 page Heading and title of paper Student s Name Teacher s Name Course Name Class Period ex English 10 Period 2 Date 11 November 2014 European Style Title of the Paper Allow 1 margins all around double space entire paper including the Works cited page use Times New Roman 12 point font The title of your paper is centered on the line after the date in the heading It does not receive any punctuation September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Sections of the Rough Draft Introductory paragraph In form the introductory paragraph must resemble an inverted pyramid starting with general information and gradually becoming more focused as you lead up to your thesis the most important sentence in the paper You must begin your introductory paragraph with a general statement or a broad philosophical statement about the topic e g Recurring motifs weave through prose poetry and music If you are writing a critical paper that analyzes a literary work the next sentences must mention the titles of the novels plays italicized and the authors names You may also include a statement of plot and of theme Usually your fin
21. e North Penn Writing Guide Three Types of Note Cards All notes must relate to and prove the thesis Direct Quotation This notecard contains a direct quotation from the source and is punctuated with quotation marks at the beginning of the quotation and at the end Paraphrase A paraphrase reflects the meaning of the selected textual passage but uses the words of the student writing the paper Be careful when paraphrasing NOT to plagiarize Summary A summary notecard offers in a sentence or two the thoughts the student gathers while reading a source Be careful NOT to plagiarize Sample Quotation Notecard Source referring to Topic a the in the upper Daily Life 3 right corner of the bibliography source card y Inavillage during the Renaissance Isabella and her mother Note Only one idea per card Source referring to the in the upper right corner of the bibliography source card Note Only one idea per card Page September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Sample Summary Notecard Source referring to Topic or eee the in the upper pe o Life right corner of the bibliography source card Not unlike most families oe people during the Renais sance went to the market for food What they bought then Note o what we buy now vegetables bread meat and Only one idea per card You will take notes from primary and secondary sources When you
22. ement 1 Does the thesis statement provide focus for the research paper or essay 2 Does the thesis statement indicate or imply the areas of development of the essay or research paper 3 Is the thesis statement interesting Does your thesis address any or some of the following questions e Why e So what e Who e How e Where 4 Is the thesis statement concise in its wording 5 Is the thesis statement grammatically correct Is it parallel in structure Is it a complete sentence Is it punctuated correctly 6 Is the thesis statement contained in an introductory paragraph that provides context and substantive background In many cases your teacher will accept or approve a thesis to make sure you are on the right track Remember that the foundation for an excellent paper rests on the quality of the thesis statement The thesis is the most important sentence in your paper Once you have a thesis statement you will gather information to support your position using primary and secondary sources September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Step 3 Gather Information Gathering information is the research component to support your thesis or your argument You will use both primary and secondary sources in your papers Both types of sources provide information and support for your thesis Primary and Secondary Sources Primary sources The raw materials of history original documents and objects w
23. erence the novel Catcher in the Rye Topic Sentence Allie s death was a devastating experience with loss that contributes to Holden s intense desire to protect innocence Clincher Statement Though the death of Allie was a major factor that influenced Holden s view of the world other experiences with loss also played a role in Holden s attitude towards growing up Next Topic Sentence Another experience that has caused Holden to fear adulthood was witnessing the death of his classmate James Castle September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Conclusion The conclusion of your paper moves from specific to general pyramid style The conclusion synthesizes the points of your thesis or argument The conclusion answers essential questions or universal questions raised by your thesis The level of thinking and analysis is important to your conclusion Refer to Webb s Depth of Knowledge Bloom s taxonomy e Analyze synthesize and evaluate are the key strategies to use You have analyzed throughout your paper using your text based evidence your conclusion sums up your analysis and offers the highest level of critical thought The paper ends with a broad philosophical statement or comment about the topic Remember that the last thing said is the first thing remembered Information taken from MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Sixth Edition ED Joseph Gibaldi and Walter S Ac
24. f your paper you will need to focus your thoughts and write a position on the topic Step 2 The Thesis Statement A thesis statement is the controlling idea of an essay critical paper and or research paper Asserting a position or defending a point of view the thesis is scholarly in nature and assumes a formal academic tone A thesis statement does not have to consist of a single sentence an analytical thesis may contain several sentences that clearly state a central argument in response to a query or prompt While the thesis must be sufficiently broad enough to allow development it must be specific enough to demonstrate focus The thesis both reflects and generates substantive research critical analysis and synthesis of thought The thesis encompasses what you will prove in your paper and how you plan to do so September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Develop and Write the Thesis Statement While there may be variations in the writing of thesis statements the following guidelines apply to the writing process as taught in the North Penn School District 1 The thesis statement is a one sentence or occasionally two sentence statement of the central idea you wish to develop in your research paper or essay Essentially the thesis statement establishes a context for the reader 2 The thesis statement should be exact and succinct in its wording Its language should be carefully considered so that it sa
25. hich were created at the time under study Secondary Sources Accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without first hand experience Examples Primary Sources Secondary Sources Diaries Encyclopedia Articles Letters Biographies Interviews Non fiction Texts interpreted by a third party Speeches Journal Magazine and Newspaper Articles not written at the time under study Eyewitness Accounts Videos at the time of the event of the event Photographs Laws or Statutes Legal Documents birth certificates marriage certificates etc Historical Journal Magazine and Newspaper Articles from the time Autobiographies Memoirs September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Evaluate the Validity of the Sources Does the author or responsible party have relevant credentials for the topic If the source is a website is it affiliated with a trustworthy institution or organization Is the information presented fact or fiction Does the source promote a particular point of view Does the source seek financial gain Is information in this source consistent with other known reliable sources When Is the information current enough for your needs Where Does the author cite reliable sources of information If the source is a website from which domain is it If the source is a website is it a personal website look for a tilde in the URL Analyzing Primary Sources htt
26. htert Part 7 Document Sources and Prepare the Works Cited As you write your scholarly paper you will need to document your sources 1 within the text of the paper and 2 at the end of the paper with a Works Cited page How to Use Quotations Blending quotations and paraphrases into your paper is a special skill that takes practice Your quotation must align with the topics on your outline and serve as an example or explanation of your writing Good writers incorporate quotations and analysis together in their papers In the body of your paper there are several ways to indicate which of your sources you are citing or documenting a quote or idea You need to specify the source by author s name or if there is no author by title and the page number s You may work the information into the flow of your sentence or you may place it in parentheses Basic Parenthetical Documentation of a Quotation Bruno demonstrates his friendship when he takes hold of Shmeul s tiny hand in his and squeezed it tightly Boyne 212 Note the quotation marks surround the quotation the final period comes after the parentheses and there is no comma between the author s name and the page number from which the quotation came September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Examples from the NPHS IMC web site e Works with a named author Note that there is no comma within the parentheses o Some observers have stridently
27. in the paragraph Topic sentences must contain outline words Words and their synonyms in your outline are key words and are repeated throughout the paper to create continuity and focus For example corrupt immoral contaminated foul and tainted describe the barriers to Gatsby s failure to achieve his dream e Use transitions to move from one outline area to the next or from one supporting detail to the next e Each paragraph must contain a thorough discussion of details embedded details examples and supporting evidence e Each paragraph must contain strong analysis of details and quotations Explain and interpret each detail quotation and relate it to the topic sentence Your note cards will contain analysis include this material as you write v These paragraphs include accurate quotations vY These paragraphs include accurate documentation Concluding Clincher Statements A concluding sentence or clincher statement is a sentence at the end of each body paragraph that e summarizes the paragraph s main ideas e connects supporting points to the thesis e often provides a transition to the next paragraph topic e leaves the audience with a reminder of how the points made in the paragraph support the thesis Because clincher statements like topic sentences connect to the thesis argument they should be analytical in nature Think of your paragraph like a hamburger The top bun is the topic sentence
28. ite short story 9 Vary sentence structure Use phrases and clauses in complex sentences to achieve sentence variation Example of standard structure Courtney plans to take yoga lessons during her summer vacation Example of a sentence variation During her summer vacation Courtney plans to take yoga lessons 10 Using and blending quotations After quoting or paraphrasing never write This quote shows or proves Wrong This quote proves that Holden Caulfield abhors phonies Right Obviously by his reaction to Ernie s comment Holden abhors phonies Punctuating Titles 11 When referring to literary works italicize titles of long pieces such as novels plays long poems movies Note that underlining titles is no longer used Wrong The Odyssey The Great Gatsby Titanic The Crucible Right The Odyssey The Great Gatsby Titanic The Crucible 12 Use quotation marks to punctuate short stories and poems Wrong An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge The Road not Taken Right An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge The Road not Taken 13 Capitalize major words in your composition titles NEVER underline or place quotation marks around your own title at the top of compositions Wrong a Matter Of Time Right A Matter of Time Language Usage 14 Do not use slang or informal language Wrong Puritan kids were to be seen and not heard Right Puritan children were to be seen and not heard 15 Do no
29. less directed to do so For example I we us 3 Use of verbs Avoid shifts in verb tense Wrong Once we rested we are able to reach the top of the hill Right Once we rested we were able to reach the top of the hill September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Avoid use of passive voice Wrong Passive The ball was pitched by Babe Ruth Right Active Babe Ruth pitched the ball When analyzing literature use the present tense active voice as much as possible Wrong Atticus Finch defended Tom Robinson with integrity and aplomb Right Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson with integrity and aplomb Beware of the banal is Wrong Louise Mallard is planning for a bright fulfilling future Right Louise Mallard plans for a bright fulfilling future 4 Do not refer to a point or passage from the source e Never refer to points in the book play or short story Refer to events only Wrong At the end of the story Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem s lives Right While walking home from the Halloween pageant Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout and Boo Radley heroically saves their lives e Do not refer to the composition in the text of the composition Wrong This composition will prove that Peyton Farquar fulfills his dying wishes in an instant as his body drops from the Owl Creek Bridge Right Peyton Farquar fulfills his dying wishes in an instant as his body drops from the Owl Creek Bridge 5
30. n number and gender Wrong A person singular can choose their plural friends but they plural cannot choose their plural relatives Right A person singular can choose his singular friends but he singular cannot choose his singular relatives 24 Write out numbers under 10 Wrong 2 deer and ten horses Right two deer and 10 horses 25 Check constantly for misspelled words Be especially careful of names and places Wrong Massachusettes Author Miller the old sheperd Right Massachusetts Arthur Miller the old shepherd September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 26 Do not use so to join independent clauses You may use so that as a subordinating conjunction Wrong A group of geologists took a trip to Indonesia so they could learn more about various volcanos in the area Right A group of geologists took a trip to Indonesia so that they could learn more about various volcanos in the area 27 Not only and but also are married Do not separate them or insert a word between them Wrong Not only was she nice she was pretty too Wrong Not only was she nice but she also was pretty Right Not only was she nice but also she was pretty N ote When there are two clauses involved do not forget the comma see above example When there are not two clauses omit the comma see below Right She was not only nice but also pretty 28 Use apostrophes correctly Wrong The Feeney
31. ow we teach it is at the heart of every discussion regarding grammar and the study of writing There is a sound reason grammar is important Grammar is the glue that holds our language together the universal structure that enables us to communicate effectively with one another Without this structure and its accompanying rules communication would be an impossible task a virtual linguistic free for all Yet the study of grammar is more than simply identifying parts of speech and grammatical constructions The study of grammar entails identification of grammatical elements and more importantly their usage in both oral and written communication The two aspects of study cannot be separated from one another The North Penn School District believes that the teaching of grammar should be an integrated approach one that identifies and explains basic grammatical elements and concepts provides students with recurring practice of these concepts demonstrates their usage in literary texts and employs them in student writing The expectation is that students will move from recall to extended critical thinking This process facilitates student understanding of the structure of language appreciation for an author s craft and literary style and application to individual writing September 2014
32. p www loc gov teachers usingprimarysources resources Analyzing Primary Source s pdf Oc aa T 7 nena 2 Guide students with the sample questions as they respond to the TEACHER S GUIDE gt primary source Encourage them to go back and forth between the ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES os LS columns there is no correct order mm Have students identify and note details Encourage students to generate and Have students ask questions to lead to test hypotheses about the source more observations and reflections What do you nice first ind something 2 Where do you think th ame Torr Why do you What do you wonder about FURTHER INVESTIGATION Help students to identify questions appropriate for further investigation and to develop a research strategy for finding answers m What more do you want to know Afew follow up Beginning Advanced activity ideas Have stucer NPONE TWO IEE PIENAY SONCE Me Ash stude Intermediate 5 ae NOON jaer a6 aon demis obs e http www Joc gow teachers September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide As you gather information you will take notes that pertain to your topic and address your thesis Step 4 Take Notes Note taking Recording information from sources that supports a thesis Citations for sources should be completed before notes are taken These citations may be in electronic or paper format Citations are notes frequently on note cards that identify the sources you ma
33. pecific topic e Use analytical verbs to move from the textual evidence to the analysis e Use active not passive voice e Create a variety of sentences when analyzing the textual information e Avoid restating the quote Example Topic Protecting innocence Holden s realization From the novel Catcher in the Rye Textual evidence The thing with kids is if they want to grab for the gold ring you have to let them do it if they fall off they fall off Analysis Symbolically Holden realizes that he cannot be a catcher in the rye By articulating this thought Caulfield finally accepts that children have to grow up and learn things on their own Even his sister has to experience life and those things that Holden has always tried to keep from her As you take notes and analyze the information you will plan your paper organize your thoughts and create an outline for the whole paper September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Step 5 Outline the Research Literature Based Paper You may ask Why do I need to outline Outlining helps you to Organize ideas Create a clear structure Ensure developed paragraphs Maintain focus on thesis Ensure clear support of ideas Depending on the type of writing you may write your outline prior to researching as with the critical paper or after researching as with the social studies research paper In either case outlining is ESSEN
34. r A 1 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section II 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence B 2 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section II 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence C 3 Supporting Paragraph Topic in Section II 1 Supporting Evidence 2 Supporting Evidence 3 Supporting Evidence September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Note Your paper may have fewer or more paragraph topics or points of supporting evidence However remember that if your outline includes a I A or 1 it must always be followed by a IT B or 2 Outline Example from http writingcenter cos edu 2011 10 making an outline Thesis By lowering the barriers of physical appearance the unique anonymity of Internet communication could build diversity into community I No fear of being prejudged A Unknown physical attributes 1 Gender 2 Age 3 Race 4 Style B Freer communication C No automatic rejection II Inability to prejudge others A No assumption based on appearance 1 Body type 2 Physical disability 3 Race B Discovery of shared interests and concerns 1 Sports and other activities 2 Family values 3 Political views C Reduction of physical bias Example from The Little Brown Compact Handbook Sixth edition by Jane E Aaron Remember the roman numerals I II are used for the main topic sentence
35. rd Enter those in the relevant spaces September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 5 Enter your first name last name and a valid e mail address to use as your login for Turnitin 6 Create a user password The user password must be between six and twelve characters long and contain at least one letter and one number Re enter the password to confirm it PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE SO YOU DON T LOSE IT 7 Select a secret question from the drop down menu Enter the answer for the question Remember and keep this information The answer is case and space sensitive 8 Review the user agreement To continue using Turnitin click on I agree create profile 9 From the completed user profile creation page click on Log in to Turnitin TO LOGIN TO TURNITIN 1 Go to www turnitin com 2 At the top right enter the e mail address and password associated with your Turnitin student user account in the appropriate fields 3 Click the Sign In button to log into the student homepage SUBMITTING A PAPER BY SINGLE FILE UPLOAD 1 To submit a paper click the Submit button next to the paper assignment 2 The paper submission page will open Enter a title for your paper put your name in the title To select a paper for submission click the browse button and locate the paper on your computer Your paper must be in one of the following formats MS Word WordPerfect RTF PDF PostScript
36. s are in Disney World Right The Feeneys are in Disney World Feeney is the name of the family and is used as a plural in this example Example Most commonly made mistake with an apostrophe It s itis subject verb Its possessive Composition Style Guidelines 29 Never introduce dialogue with says or said YUCK boring Wrong Charlie said I never want to see you again Right Charlie bellowed I never want to see you again 30 Do not use contractions Wrong Daisy can t make up her mind Right Daisy cannot make up her mind 31 Avoid vague use of this as in this is Use this as an adjective but not as a pronoun This must be followed by a noun Wrong This is an example of bad behavior vague Right This behavior demonstrates a lack of good breeding specific 32 Never refer to the reader Wrong The reader can clearly see that Oedipus adores his daughters Right Oedipus clearly adores his daughters 33 When referring to a piece of literature such as a poem novel short story or play do not refer to it as such It is redundant Wrong I loved the play The Crucible and the short story Old Milon Right I loved The Crucible and Old Milon September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide Appendix B Why Study Grammar The study of grammar has consistently plagued both teachers and students alike The question of why we teach it and subsequently h
37. t use abbreviations such as vs for versus Rev Hale for Reverend Hale Do abbreviate titles such as Dr Mrs PhD Jr September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 16 Words and expressions to avoid e be there as in be there for you e gotten no such word e now and then clich e reason why eliminate why redundant 17 Do not use very and extremely They are banal trite and hackneyed 18 Do not use a lot but if you must it is two words Wrong alot 19 Wrong can not Right cannot 20 Avoid platitudes euphemisms and clich s Wrong Upon learning that he had only one day to complete the writing alignment Larry ran around like a chicken with its head cut off Right Upon learning that he had only one day to complete the writing assignment Larry became agitated and nervous 21 Write clearly and concisely and avoid repetitious redundant expressions Wrong Patrice s 12 birthday was the best most splendid most perfect most marvelous party ever Right Patrice s 12 birthday was marvelous Grammar Rules to Be Remembered 22 Avoid vague pronoun use When using he she they it make sure the pronoun refers to someone or something mentioned near the pronoun Wrong Raymond informed Kyle that it was his turn to drive to practice Whose turn is it Right Raymond informed Kyle that it was Kyle s turn to drive to practice 23 A pronoun must agree with its antecedent i
38. ted in the concluding paragraph 9 Generally however the thesis statement should be part of an introductory paragraph or two that not only establishes a context for it but also creates for the reader a desire to read the essay September 2014 North Penn School District The North Penn Writing Guide 10 The three pronged thesis statement is one type of thesis statement that effectively provides focus for an essay or research paper Such a statement is most effective when used in informational persuasive or argumentative essays or formal research papers for it indicates the three areas or subtopics to be developed in the essay research paper 11 The grammatical concern with the three pronged thesis is that the areas of focus are parallel in nature that is to say all three subtopics must have the same grammatical structure 12 Some thesis statements focus only on one central area of study because the research is devoted to the development of one specific idea This is not incorrect The whole point of a thesis is to focus the reader s attention and prepare him or her for what is to follow You should not contrive ways to create a three pronged thesis if you are only developing a single concept 13 The thesis statement and subsequently thesis paragraph should not contain detailed examples or in the case of literary criticism evidentiary quotations These should be reserved for the body of your paper Check List for a Thesis Stat
39. y use in your paper citations record the bibliographic information about the source that will appear in your Works Cited page The Works Cited page is a listing of all the resources you have used to write the paper While the examples in this Writing Guide have the appearance of 3 x 5 index cards you may use the electronic version of taking notes See your librarian or teacher to learn to use Noodletools or other on line formats to take notes from primary and secondary sources The information and analysis remains the same regardless of the format used Sample Source Card Source 3 MLA citation Wroble Lisa A Kids During the Renaissance New York PowerkKids 1997 Print Researchers use notecards to extract synthesize and organize information to support a thesis If the final product is an argumentative essay notecards may also include the counterpoint to the argument Some teachers have their students use electronic tools for note taking NoodleTools EasyBib etc while others prefer handwritten notes Cornell notes or index cards Your librarian can help with this step Regardless of the method of note taking all notes should include the following e the source and location page number of the information e away to arrange or group notecards by topic or idea that corresponds to your outline slug tag e aplace to record the information quotation paraphrase and analysis September 2014 North Penn School District Th
40. ys exactly what you want it to say while creating interest for the reader 3 The thesis should not be a simple statement of fact because this does not allow for expansion of topic In addition it should be neither too broad in scope for this results in information that is too general in nature nor too vague for this results in a lack of focus The key to an effective thesis is its clarity and comprehensiveness 4 The thesis statement should not assume a neutral stance To be a thesis that matters your thesis must answer Why or So what or place the central issue in terms of an Although proposition 5 The tone of the thesis helps to establish author s purpose therefore your choice of diction is critical The tone of the thesis should take into consideration both the subject being addressed as well as the audience whom the writer is addressing 6 The thesis statement should give focus to your essay or research As a roadmap for the body of the essay the thesis provides the reader with an understanding and expectation of what is to come 7 The thesis statement predicts foreshadows indicates or implies what the body paragraphs will contain 8 The thesis statement is usually located as the last sentence of the opening paragraph However the thesis statement may be found anywhere within the first paragraph Furthermore when employing inductive reasoning in an argumentative paper the thesis may actually be loca
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