Practical Guidelines for Writing a Paper in Literary Studies PDF

Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 1 Practical Guidelines for Writing a Paper in Literary Studies April 2017 This guide aims at helpin...

Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 1 Practical Guidelines for Writing a Paper in Literary Studies April 2017 This guide aims at helping students to write a term paper in the field of English literary studies. Simi- lar guidelines for papers in English linguistics can be found on the departmental website. 1 The Aims of a Scholarly Paper in the Field of Literary Studies........................................................2 2 Searching for Secondary Sources..................................................................................................2 3 Working with Secondary Sources..................................................................................................3 4 Writing and Revising Your Text.....................................................................................................4 5 Some Stylistic Hints......................................................................................................................4 6 Layout..........................................................................................................................................5 7 Structure of a Term Paper.............................................................................................................5 7.1 Basic Structure.................................................................................................................5 7.2 The Title Page..................................................................................................................5 7.3 The Table of Contents......................................................................................................5 7.4 The Introduction..............................................................................................................6 7.5 The ‘Body of the Text’......................................................................................................6 7.6 The Conclusion................................................................................................................6 8 Quotations and Paraphrases.........................................................................................................6 8.1 General Rules...................................................................................................................6 8.2 Different Style Sheets......................................................................................................7 8.3 Citing Sources in the Text.................................................................................................7 8.3.1 Accuracy and Alteration of Quotations................................................................9 8.3.2 Literary Works................................................................................................... 10 8.4 The Works Cited List....................................................................................................... 11  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 2 1 The Aims of a Scholarly Paper in the Field of Literary Studies To simplify, one central aim of a paper in the field of literary studies is to enhance our understanding of texts, the process of writing in general, and the reception of literature. For instance, a scholar might present a certain reading or interpretation of a given text and try to convince others of its cor- rectness by giving reasons for it. This basic principle (i.e. giving reasons) applies to all topics in the field of literary studies. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a plausible argumentation for your posi- tion which the reader can follow and which will, hopefully, be convincing. Furthermore, you should write in a coherent and precise way and ensure that the overall structure of your paper is logical and serves your argumentation. Keeping this aim of literary studies in mind, you should write your term paper by starting from a clear question and trying to solve a problem. Try to formulate your opinion on the topic of your term pa- per in the form of a thesis and then prove this thesis in the course of your paper. It is not sufficient to string together several sections that each discuss a certain aspect of your topic but lack coherence. For instance, a paper that just summarizes the plot of a novel, analyzes the main characters and pre- sents the biography of the author is not scholarly. Such a paper would lack a coherent line of argu- ment that ‘binds together’ the individual sections. Ask yourself what you think is interesting about your topic and what you want to find out or to prove. Do not just retell what is written elsewhere or summarize information on your topic. A scholarly pa- per always has a specific purpose which determines its structure. Therefore, you should only include material that helps you to answer your question or to solve the problem your paper tackles. Your term paper, and especially the introduction, should not contain any elements which are of no further relevance to your subsequent argumentation. For instance, do not include a section on the biography of the author under discussion, unless this section has a function for the whole and is necessary for your argumentation. Ultimately, you will not convince your reader by including as many secondary sources as possible, but by making a case for your thesis in a conclusive and precise way. 2 Searching for Secondary Sources One can distinguish between primary texts – texts and media which you analyze in your term paper – and secondary sources which you need to realize your study. The latter comprise monographs, es- says, articles, book reviews, and bibliographies. Whether to list primary texts and secondary sources separately in the works cited list is a matter of preference. If you are unsure, contact your seminar instructor for advice. It is mostly helpful to start your search for secondary sources with looking up the topic you are writ- ing about (e.g. author, genre, literary theory, or work etc.) in the relevant literary handbooks: Abrams’ A Glossary of Literary Terms, The Oxford Companion to English Literature, The Oxford Com- panion to American Literature, The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English, Kindlers Neues Litera- turlexikon, and the Metzler Lexikon Literatur- und Kulturtheorie, to name just a few. These hand- books give you an overview of the field you are writing about and some of them list further literature you might want to consider. When you define the topic of your term paper you should try to formulate a question you want to answer (as mentioned in the previous section). This question helps you to identify key terms that are important for your paper. You can then search for these key terms in the (online) catalogs of the de- partment library and the university library, which also provides the opportunity to borrow books from other universities (‘Fernleihe’) and to order articles published in journals via mail. Furthermore, you should use online databases like the MLA International Bibliography to find publications on your topic. (These databases can be accessed via the homepage of the main library.)  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 3 Using the above-mentioned catalogs and databases, you start to compile a list of sources that are relevant for your term paper. In a next step you should scan the bibliographies of the most interest- ing sources for further material. The titles and subtitles of the respective publications give a first im- pression of their relevance for your research question. Generally speaking, newer publications should be preferred in your research because they summarize the recent scholarly debate and will therefore save you time. 3 Working with Secondary Sources Do not just take over ideas from your secondary sources, but try to form your own judgments. It is perfectly acceptable to formulate your own position, to make a claim, or to criticize the critics you do not agree with, as long as you give arguments that reinforce your position. A certain opinion is not true just because it was published by a renowned scholar. On the contrary, in literary studies, schol- ars always argue about different interpretations and try to convince others that their own idea is cor- rect. Thus, do not just adopt a position, but scrutinize it. Every position has to be checked and weighed against others. These guiding questions can help you to asses a scholar’s position:  What is the main thesis of the text?  What arguments does the author support it with?  Are the arguments plausible? Working with secondary sources, you have to keep in mind that these sources should help you to write your term paper. That is to say, you use these sources; they serve you in gathering information, understanding a text, and testing your own thesis. Therefore, it is helpful to put the sources you use into different categories: sources may provide you with information, support your thesis, contradict your thesis, or be ‘neutral’. Most often there are conflicting scholarly opinions on the topic you write about. It is essential that you do not leave out a position that is relevant for your topic but does not agree with your own thesis. Instead, you have to include it, explain the arguments that contradict your own position, and discuss them. Try to give an overview of the scholarly controversy at hand. Including such ‘opposing’ positions also helps you to improve your paper since you can formulate and flesh out your own position against the background of someone else’s opinion. To argue against a differing opinion makes it easier to accentuate your own thesis. In order to use the secondary sources in the way described above, you have, of course, to read them. Although there are many different ways to work through texts and everyone has his or her own techniques, the following hints may help you to effectively extract the most important information from your sources. Generally speaking, one can read material in three different ways.  By reading cursorily, the structure and the rough content of a text can be grasped by scanning for relevant keywords. This technique is helpful to decide whether or not a secondary source is relevant for your term paper.  Relevant texts can then be read selectively; that is to say, one only reads important parts of a publication, say, the introduction, conclusion and some chapters that sound interesting.  Lastly, one can read the most important sources intensively and closely, underlining important passages (only in your own books or on copies) and taking notes. Underlining, notes in the margins and full excerpts can help you to find relevant passages again that you may want to quote. An excerpt summarizes the text, pointing out its theses and arguments. You can also add your own thoughts on the text, but be sure to mark your annotations in order to avoid mixing up your own ideas with those taken over from the source.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 4 To work through a text thoroughly, you can set about your task in two steps: first, read the text and underline those passages that are most important for the argumentation of the author. Second, go through the underlined passages, recording and summarizing all relevant aspects. Whether you take notes on your computer or in handwriting depends on your preferences. Using a computer can be helpful since digital notes can be easily changed and complemented and the search function of word processors makes it easy to find relevant information. However, do not confuse your notes written on a computer with a finished text. A thought is not coherent and convincing just because it is neatly typed and grammatically correct, but it may still need to be revised. The internet is one of the most important sources of information today and you should use it in the research for your term paper. However, internet sources are ‘fleeting’, their reliability is often ques- tionable:  Often it is not clear on which sources they themselves rely  Texts published online can easily be modified or deleted  Quotations from the internet often cannot be verified Thus, internet sources cannot replace scholarly books and articles but only complement them. Be cautious with information from the internet and prefer printed texts if possible. Yet, one may have to deviate from this rule in rare cases, if a certain text can only be found online or the print version can- not be obtained with reasonable effort. An essay or a speech, for instance, that is available in full length as an online publication but only as an abridged version in print should be quoted from the internet. 4 Writing and Revising Your Text The first draft of your term paper will most probably not be perfect. A term paper always has to be revised and (partly) rewritten. Thus, you should not worry too much about the quality of your first draft. Keep in mind that a ‘bad’ text can still be revised and thus serve as the basis for a ‘good’ one. After you have finished your term paper, leave it for several days and then start to revise it. Having worked on a text for a long time, one tends to overlook a lot of one’s own mistakes. Thus, ask one or two of your fellow students to proofread your paper. When revising your term paper, it is helpful to separate two tasks: first, revise the structure of your paper and improve your arguments. Delete un- necessary repetitions and see to it that the text is coherent and understandable. Second, check for correct spelling, grammar, and bibliographic references. 5 Some Stylistic Hints Since the main purpose of your term paper is to answer a question or to prove a thesis, it has to be written in an understandable way, making your arguments plausible for the reader. All stylistic devic- es have to be subordinated to this goal. Consider the following hints on stylistic and linguistic mat- ters:  Do not use irony or sarcasm; polemics will not convince your reader, but a solid argument may  Your sentences should be of an adequate length; avoid run-on sentences and try to split long sentences into several shorter ones, provided this does not hinder the explanatory power or the persuasiveness of the sentence  Divide your text into paragraphs that each deal with one topic or argument; avoid paragraphs that consist of only one sentence  Use academic terminology and foreign words if only these terms express exactly the meaning you want to convey, but use them sparingly as your main goal should be understandability  Avoid jargon and colloquial language  Avoid short forms; ‘don’t’ and ‘doesn’t’ are exceptions which can regularly be found in scholar- ly papers  The content of a story must be referred to in the present tense, not in the past tense  If the title of a subsection stands alone at the bottom of a page, move it to the next page  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 5 6 Layout Use the following common layout (unless the seminar instructor specifies a different layout):  12pt font size, Times New Roman  Margins: left, right, top: 2.5 cm; bottom: 2 cm  1.5 space between lines  Full justification (‘Blocksatz’)  Footnotes: 10pt font size; single line spacing  Indented quotations: 11pt font size; single line spacing (see below, "Quotations of longer pas- sages" in section 8.3) 7 Structure of a Term Paper 7.1 Basic Structure The individual structure of your term paper depends on the specific question or thesis. However, there are some basic elements that all term papers in literary study have to include:  Title page  Table of Contents  Introduction  ‘Main Body’  Conclusion  Works Cited  Declaration of Academic Integrity (this document has to be signed by the author of the term paper; you can download it from the departmental homepage) 7.2 The Title Page The title page has to include the following:  University  Department/ chair  Name and type of class  Professor/ seminar instructor  Name of the author  Matriculation number  Title of the paper  Date handed in and term (Winter Term/Summer Term) 7.3 The Table of Contents The table of contents must include an overview of the structure of sections and subsections with their corresponding page numbers. All sections, including the introduction and the works cited list, have to be listed in the table of contents. (The title page, the declaration of academic integrity and the table of contents itself are not included.) The titles of sections as listed in the table of contents must be identical with the titles given within the text. See to it that each title describes the content of its section. Example Table of Contents 1 Introduction.............................................................................. 3 2 Section...................................................................................... 4 3 Section...................................................................................... 6 3.1 Subsection................................................................... 6 3.2 Subsection................................................................... 7 4 Conclusion................................................................................ 8 5 Works Cited.............................................................................. 9  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 6 7.4 The Introduction The introduction is one of the most important sections of a scholarly paper in the field of literary studies. Thus, allow enough time for its composition. The introduction informs the reader about the essential content, aims, and methods of a paper and describes as well as justifies its purpose. It typi- cally contains the following elements:  Problematization of the topic/ questions implied in the topic/ outline of the difficulties of the topic  Explanation and justification of the scope/ delimitation of the topic  History and significance of the question posed  Strategy adopted to answer the questions/ to deal with the topic  Desired results, hypotheses, etc. Ensure that the introduction explains the structure of your term paper and clarifies what you will do in the course of the paper and why you do it. The reader has to understand your train of thought. At the end of the writing process, check whether the introduction corresponds to the content of your paper. 7.5 The ‘Body of the Text’ The ‘body of the text’ or the ‘main body’ refers to the substantial part of your term paper. Please note that you should never actually call any section of your paper ‘main body’. The ‘body of the text’ is subdivided into different sections and subsections, depending on the specific question you deal with. The aim of the ‘body of the text’ is to answer the question posed in the introduction or to prove the thesis. More specifically, it usually contains the following elements:  Implementation of the inquiry  Structuring of the necessary material  Development of the argument  Discussion of each sub-topic  Use of transitional sentences in order to illustrate how each section relates to the other sec- tions and to the general question/ thesis of the term paper 7.6 The Conclusion The conclusion should give a concise summary of the results of your term paper, only suggesting the line of your argumentation. Furthermore, it should answer the question(s) posed in the introduction. In the conclusion, you may also point out new questions that possibly came up or were left open in the course of the writing process and could be the subject of further studies. However, the conclu- sion should not introduce any new arguments for the thesis – these have to be explained in the ‘body of the text’. Finally, you may also state your informed scholarly position on the topic of your term paper. 8 Quotations and Paraphrases 8.1 General Rules A scholarly paper has to be based on verifiable sources, meaning that the reader should be able to check all of the assertions that are made in the paper. Thus, you must always document all of the sources from which you take over ideas. Always specify the exact page numbers. This rule applies to quotations and to paraphrases (i.e. you adopt ideas from a text and put them into your own words). To reiterate, quotations, ideas, facts, theses, arguments, pieces of information that are not com- monplace but taken over from a source have to be documented and followed by an exact reference!  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 7 8.2 Different Style Sheets There are different style sheets that explain how sources should be documented. The MLA Hand- book1 is commonly accepted in literary studies. You may refer to the handbook for further infor- mation and more examples. It is available at the department and the university library. Another common style sheet is The Chicago Manual of Style. The official website explains the manual in detail and provides exhaustive examples: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html Please note that this website can only be accessed from a computer connected to the RWTH net- work (e.g. PC pool on campus, eduroam, a computer using the VPN client; please contact the RWTH IT Center if you need further information). If you are unsure which style sheet to use, ask your semi- nar instructor. Most importantly, only one style sheet should be used consistently for the whole term paper. The following examples are based on the MLA Handbook. 8.3 Citing Sources in the Text When you quote or paraphrase a source, the relevant bibliographic information is put into round brackets. The reader can then look up the name of the respective author in the works cited list and find the source. The works cited list has to be included at the end of the paper (see section 8.4 be- low). In the following, you will find examples of the most common cases. Example In-text citation “One of the most important trends in contemporary British fiction is the attempt to address and re- write narratives of the past” (Bentley 128). Works Cited Bentley, Nick. Contemporary British Fiction. Edinburgh UP, 2008. Note: When you quote a sentence, the period at the end is placed after the parenthetical reference. This does not apply to quotations of longer passages – see item no. 6 below. 1) Only one work by the author/editor cited Give the author’s surname and the respective page number(s). Example Psychoanalytic criticism can be defined as “a form of literary criticism which uses some of the tech- niques of psychoanalysis in the interpretation of literature” (Barry 96). Sometimes it is more concise to mention the scholar’s name in the sentence preceding the parenthe- tical reference and omit the name from the reference itself. Example Barry explains that psychoanalytic criticism “uses some of the techniques of psychoanalysis in the interpretation of literature” (96). 2) Two or more authors/editors with the same surname If you quote two or more authors with the same surname, provide first initials in your citation. In case these authors share the initial as well, provide the full first name. Example … (A. Nünning 30). … (V. Nünning 120). 3) A publication by more than one author/editor If the work you quote has more than one author, provide the names as follows. For two authors: (Surname and surname page numbers) For three or more authors: (Surname et al. page numbers) – “et al.” meaning “and others” 1 th MLA Handbook. 8 ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2016.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 8 Examples “Human purposes typically require us to impose artificial boundaries that make physical phenomena discrete just as we are: entities bounded by a surface” (Lakoff and Johnson 25). “One way to investigate the semantic content of texts is by looking at the semantic neighbors of words” (Louwerse et al. 176). 4) More than one publication by the same author If you quote more than one work by the same author, include an abbreviated title in order to distin- guish the sources from one another. Examples “Derridas intensive Beschäftigung mit Rousseau, Hegel und Husserl, Foucaults Kritik an Kant und Spivaks Rückgriff auf Nietzsche sind nur einige Beispiele für die intensive Beschäftigung poststruktu- ralistischer Theoretiker mit Grundfragen der Aufklärung” (Strasen, Poststrukturalismusrezeption 36). “Die Leser, von denen hier die Rede ist, sind tatsächliche Personen und nicht etwa in den Text einge- baute Leserpositionen, wie Isers ‘impliziter Leser’, oder Idealtypen, wie sie in der pragmatischen Lite- raturwissenschaft häufig unterstellt werden” (Strasen, Rezeptionstheorien 7). 5) More than one work in a parenthetical reference If you want to refer to several works, give authors’ surnames and page numbers set apart by semico- lon. However, it is not advisable to use very long parenthetical references because this may prove disruptive for the reader. Example (Barrett 67; Elliott 121) 6) Quotations of longer passages Quotations of longer passages (roughly more than four lines) should be set off from the rest of the text as follows: Indent the quotation c. 2.5cm from the left margin, do not use quotation marks, add parenthetical reference after the punctuation mark. Use 11pt font size and single line spacing. Example Groes explains the importance of McEwan’s work: The literary imagination has a significant contribution to make in mapping the workings of the private life and the personal imagination, and the wider concerns of the nation and the world, and Ian McEwan is the foremost cartographer of our time. Over the past three decades, his books have been both critically – and academically – acclaimed and embraced by audiences across the world. (Groes 1) 7) Citing a multivolume work If you borrow from only one volume of a multivolume work, give the author’s name and the page numbers in the in-text citation. E.g.: “…” (Wellek 26). If you borrow from more than one volume, give the volume number and the page number. E.g.: “…” (Wellek 1: 26). (In this case: page 26 in Volume 1 of the multivolume work.) See also item no. 6 under section 8.4 below. 8) Encyclopedia or dictionary with no information about the author If the entry in an encyclopedia/dictionary has no author, give the title of the entry. E.g.: “…” (“Meta- physical”). See item no. 9 under section 8.4 below. 9) Indirect sources Indirect sources are sources that are quoted in another source. You should use the original source, whenever possible. You may, however, use an indirect source, if the original is exceedingly difficult to  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 9 acquire (or if only the indirect source is available). In this case, include “qtd. in” (meaning “quoted in”) in your in-text citation. Example William Beckford expressed his harsh criticism of Frankenstein in a note he wrote on his copy of the novel: “This is, perhaps, the foulest toadstool that has yet sprung up, from the reeking dunghill of the present times” (qtd. in Hindle xxxix). 8.3.1 Accuracy and Alteration of Quotations It is essential that you do not change the meaning of a sentence or passage that you quote in your term paper or take them out of their context. Furthermore, you must ensure that your quotation reproduces the original to the letter. However, the following alterations are permissible, provided they are distinguished from the original: 1) Adding words Sometimes it is necessary to add a comment or an explanation. If you add words to the quotation, put them in square brackets to indicate that they are not part of the original text. Example “In contrast to Hegelianism [and its idea of an ideal Weltgeist], the Marxist concept of history is not that of an organic process but of a series of social conflicts and revolutions, moving forward in an upward spiral, culminating in the ultimate realisation of the ideal society” (Berensmeyer 46). 2) Omissions If you leave words out, indicate the omission by adding three periods “...”. Leave a space before each period. Example “In contrast to Hegelianism, the Marxist concept of history is not that of an organic process but of a series of conflicts and revolutions... culminating in the ultimate realisation of the ideal society” (Berensmeyer 46). Omission at the end of a sentence If the omission coincides with the end of your sentence, use the following format (note the space before each period). Example “In contrast to Hegelianism, the Marxist concept of history is not that of an organic process but of a series of conflicts and revolutions...” (Berensmeyer 46). 3) Erroneous spelling, faulty logic etc. If the source contains errors (e.g. spelling, grammar, logic), reproduce the error and add “(sic)” af- terwards to indicate that the quotation is accurate. Example He says that “people do ease themself (sic) on the stairs...” (Kelman 166). 4) Adding emphasis You may italicize words for emphasis. In this case include “emphasis added” in the reference. How- ever, use emphasis sparingly. Example “Note that only purely conceptual claims can be completely true or fully validated” (Margolin 9; em- phasis added).  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 10 8.3.2 Literary Works 1) Prose works When quoting from literary works, it may be helpful for the reader(s) of term papers to be provided not only with a page reference but also with other information like the chapter from which the quote or paraphrased information has been taken. This is helpful because the reader may be using a differ- ent edition than the author of the paper. The use of abbreviations is permitted and this format should be used: (Author’s surname page number(s); ch. chapter number) Example At the beginning of The Great Gatsby, the first-person narrator Nick Carraway provides information about his own family background; his family are, according to him, “prominent, well-to-do people” (Fitzgerald 6; ch. 1). 2) Verse Up to three lines of verse should be put in quotation marks within your text. Use a forward slash “ / “ to indicate line breaks and two forward slashes “ // “ to indicate a stanza break. Example The speaker refers to his/her place of origin in Ireland and the poverty associated with it: “My coun- try is Kiltartan Cross, / My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor...” (5-6). Quotations of more than three lines should be set off from the rest of the text. Indent the quotation c. 2.5cm from the left margin; do not use quotation marks (unless they are present in the original); reproduce the original layout as closely as possible. Example The speaker refers to human sense perception and describes the special, enhanced quality of his/her perception: how should tasting touching hearing seeing breathing any – lifted from the no of all nothing – human merely being doubt unimaginable You? (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened) (9-14) 3) Drama If the edition of the drama includes line numbers, omit page numbers and refer to act, scene and line. For Shakespeare’s plays you may refer to the title instead of the author and use the established abbreviations for the titles of the plays (see MLA Handbook). Example Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 1, Scene 1, line 114 Benedick refers to Beatrice as his “dear Lady Disdain” (Ado 1.1.114). If your edition does not include line numbers, refer to the page number and an additional division, if available (e.g. the act). Example Kate claims that dancing is “for young people with no duties and no responsibilities and nothing in their heads but pleasure” (Friel 13; act 1). A quotation of dialogue should include the characters’ names. Set off the quotation from the rest of the text; indent the quotation c. 2.5cm from the left margin; do not use quotation marks; indent all following lines of the character.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 11 Example Beatrice mocks the concept of filial duty, in particular the duty of a daughter towards her father: ANTONIO. (to Hero) Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled by your father. BEATRICE. Yes, faith, it is my cousin’s duty to make curtsy and say, ‘Father, as it please you.’ But yet for all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another curtsy and say, ‘Father, as it please me.’ (Ado 2.1.49-55) 8.4 The Works Cited List Please observe that every term paper has to include a works cited list. The proper title of this section of your term paper is “Works Cited”. This list contains every source that you quoted or paraphrased in your paper. The list should be in alphabetical order (referring to the author’s surname). Below, you will find a list of the most common types of publications that you will come across when writing your term paper. Further examples can be found in the MLA Handbook. Note: Use the following abbreviations for publishers: U (University), P (Press), UP (University Press). Capitalization in the titles of articles, books, etc.: Capitalize each word, but do not capitalize articles (the, a, an), prepositions, or conjunctions (unless they are the first word of the title or subtitle). E.g.: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Picture of Dorian Gray, When We Were Orphans This rule also applies to the titles of the sections and subsections of your term paper. 1) Monographs with one author Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Publisher, date of publication. Example Schweitzer, Ivy. The Work of Self-Representation: Lyric Poetry in Colonial New England. U of North Carolina P, 1991. 2) Monographs with more than one author Basic Format Surname, first name, and first name surname. Title: Subtitle. Publisher, date of publication. Example Nünning, Ansgar, and Vera Nünning. Grundkurs anglistisch-amerikanistische Literaturwissenschaft. Klett, 2001. If there are three or more authors, only the first author must be mentioned by name; the others may be replaced by “et al.” (“and others”). Example Boyer, Paul S., et al. The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 3) Books published in a series Include the series number, if available. Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Publisher, date of publication. Series name series number. Example Paul, Heike. Kulturkontakt und Racial Presences: Afro-Amerikaner und die deutsche Amerikaliteratur, 1815-1914. Winter, 2005. American Studies – A Monograph Series 126.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 12 4) Book published in a second or subsequent edition Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Edition, publisher, date of publication. Example Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2005. 5) A work prepared by an editor Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Edited by first name surname, publisher, date of publication. Example Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Edited by Sheldon P. Zitner, Oxford UP, 2008. If you cite an introduction to a scholarly edition, give the name of the writer of that introduction, fol- lowing this format: Zitner, Sheldon P. Introduction. Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare, edited by Zitner, Oxford UP, 2008, pp. 1-87. 6) Multivolume publication See also item no. 7 under section 8.3. If you borrow material from one volume, use the following format: Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Volume, publisher, date of publication. Example Wellek, René. Geschichte der Literaturkritik, 1750-1950. Vol. 4, de Gruyter, 1990. If you borrow material from more than one volume, use the following format: Basic Format Surname, first name. Title: Subtitle. Publisher, date(s) of publication. Volumes. Example Wellek, René. Geschichte der Literaturkritik, 1750-1950. de Gruyter, 1977-90. 4 vols. 7) Anthologies and collections To cite an entire anthology or collection, use the format explained below. Important note: If you bor- row from a specific essay within an anthology or collection, you have to refer to that essay – see item no. 8 below. Basic Format Surname, first name, editor. Title: Subtitle. Publisher, date of publication. If there are two editors, give both names: Surname, first name, and first name surname. If there are three or more editors, give the name of first editor mentioned and follow it with “et al.”. Examples Payne, Michael, editor. A Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory. Blackwell, 1996. Bercovitch, Sacvan, and Myra Jehlen, editors. Ideology and Classic American Literature. Cambridge UP, 1986. Schiffrin, Deborah, et al., editors. Telling Stories: Language, Narrative and Social Life. Georgetown UP, 2010. 8) Essays published in anthologies Basic Format Surname, first name. “Essay title: Subtitle.” Title of the Anthology: Subtitle, edited by first name sur- name, publisher, date of publication, pp. page numbers.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 13 Example Alber, Jan. “Unnatural Narratology: The Case of Retrogressive Temporality in Martin Amis’s Time’s Arrow.” New Approaches to Narrative: Cognition – Culture – Narrative, edited by Vera Nünning, Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2013, pp. 43-56. Two editors Strasen, Sven. “Wie Erzählungen bedeuten: Pragmatische Narratologie.” Neue Ansätze in der Er- zähltheorie, edited by Ansgar Nünnung and Vera Nünning, Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2002, pp. 185-218. Three or more editors Wenzel, Peter. “Endings in Literature: A Survey.” Last Things: Essays on Ends and Endings, edited by Gavin Hopps et al., Lang, 2015, pp. 19-34. 9) Articles in reference books When citing an article from a very familiar reference book, you may omit the information on the edi- tor. Example “Metaphysical.” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed., Merriam-Webster, 1996, p. 730. 10) Publications in periodicals Basic Format Surname, first name. “Essay Title: Subtitle.” Title of the Periodical: Subtitle, vol. volume number, no. issue number, date of publication, pp. page numbers. Example Barrett, Faith. “Addresses to a Divided Nation: Images of War in Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman.” Arizona Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature, Culture, and Theory, vol. 61, no. 4, 2005, pp. 67-99. 11) Electronic publications An entry for an online project, a database, a publication in an online journal or a professional website must provide the following information in this order:  Surname and first name of the author  Title and subtitle of the publication (essays and articles in quotation marks; entire websites italicised)  Title of the site (italicised); if this is distinct from item no. 2  Name of any institution or organization sponsoring the site  The date of the electronic (and print) publication or the latest update  URL  Date of access (optional) Sometimes not all these items of information can be found on the respective website; in such cases, one should provide what is available. A publication as part of a website Example Galitz, Kathryn Calley. “Romanticism.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, October 2004, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm. Accessed 23 February 2017.  Department of English Literary Studies RWTH Aachen University 14 An entire website Example Siegel, Kristi. Introduction to Modern Literary Theory, 2006, www.kristisiegel.com/theory.htm. Ac- cessed 1 March 2017. Note: Online sources like websites mostly do not have page numbers. In this case, only give the au- thor’s name in the in-text citation. If there is no known author, give the first item that appears in the corresponding Work Cited entry – e.g. title of the article, name of the website etc. E.g.: For proponents of New Criticism “a work of literary art should be regarded as autonomous, and so should not be judged by reference to considerations beyond itself” (Siegel). 12) Multiple works by the same author In order to document two or more works by the same author, give the surname and first name in the first entry. For the following entries use three hyphens followed by a period (“---.”). List the works alphabetically by title (ignore articles like “A”, “An”, and “The”). Example Nünning, Vera, editor. New Approaches to Narrative: Cognition – Culture – History. Wissenschaft- licher Verlag Trier, 2013. ---. Reading Fictions, Changing Minds: The Cognitive Value of Fiction. Winter, 2014.