Revising and Editing Ideas

for the Argumentative Critique Essay

Basic Information:

• All the writing “rules” you have learned before still apply.  You need an introduction and a conclusion.  You need a thesis (and possibly a forecast) statement which shows your position about (a) the essay you are critiquing, and (b) the issue.  You should have a topic sentence in each paragraph.  You should have only one main idea per paragraph -- some longer points may need more than one paragraph.  You should have a clear structure and clear transitions so that your readers can clearly follow your evaluation and argument.
• Be sure all your points are clearly explained and supported with evidence, but don’t add “fluff” or “padding” just to make the paragraph longer.
• You may use personal knowledge, experience, or observations in this paper for support and development.
• Remember to save time for editing and proofreading -- do this on one of your hard copies!  Read backwards (by word and by sentence), point to each word as you read, read out loud, have someone else read it out loud, etc.
• Your paper should be at least 3 full pages but no more than five pages -- but you can "bleed" onto page 6 if absolutely necessary.

Use of Sources:

• Remember to double-check ALL summaries, paraphrases, and quotations for accuracy and for correct citations.
• Remember to double-check ALL items of common knowledge.
• Beware of too much quotation.
• Remember to use [ ] in quotations if you need to change something.
• Remember to use . . .  in quotations if you need to remove something -- just don’t change the meaning with your omission.
• Do not use summaries, paraphrases, or quotations as “filler” -- be sure the reader knows why you have used a summary, paraphrase, or quotation; add your “commentary” after a summary, paraphrase, or quotation -- and NEVER end a paragraph with a quotation and no explanation.

In-Text Citations:

• Use a “signal phrase” for introducing quotations and source information longer than one sentence.
• Use author’s full name the first time he or she is mentioned; last name after that.
• If you quote authorities, include their credentials in your paper.
• Use a variety of signal phrases.
• Check the LBB, chapters 53b - 56a, pages 457-491, to ensure accurate punctuation of signal phrases and quotations.
• For parenthetical citations, the most common form is author’s last name and page number, e.g. (Rush 76).  No commas, and no “p.” or “page” or “pp.”  Do not include the date.  If there are no pages numbered, perhaps use (n.pag.).  The final period goes after the (  ) citation.
• Page numbers might be (4) or (4-7) or (4+) -- see the LBB for details.
• If you don’t have an author’s name, use a shortened version of the title, with appropriate underlining/italicizing or quotation marks.  If you don’t have a page number, perhaps use “n.pag.”
• See the LBB, Chapter 56c, pages 521-530, for information about formatting, including how to dolong quotations -- more than 4 typed lines long.
• Be sure the in-text citations correlate directly to the correct end-of-text citation.

End-of-Text Citations:

• Check your Works Cited and Consulted page from Essay #2 and the LBB, Chapter 56b, pages 491-520, to ensure the correct formats -- including punctuation and mechanics.
• Remember to alphabetize; do not use numbers.
• Remember to double-space the entire page.
• Don’t bold, underline, italicize, or quote Works Cited and Consulted (your title) on the final page.
• Remember the “reverse indentation” or “hanging indentation.”
• Double-check all bibliographic citations.

M.L.A. Session / Editing Session: Monday, December 10, 2007 -- bring four (4) copies of a complete almost-final draft (with in-text citations and works cited page) and highlighters.

Essay #3 and Portfolio Due: __________________________ by _____________________.