COM 203 Argument & Analysis Assignment Guidelines PDF

COM 203: Argument & Analysis Professor Buddy Allman Assignment Writing Guidelines  Cite ALL sources in-text:  Quotes AND paraphrases  If a signal phrase is used, cite only the page #  Otherwise, cite the source ▪ EXAMPLE: Murgatroid writes, “whoopie cushions are always fu...

COM 203: Argument & Analysis Professor Buddy Allman Assignment Writing Guidelines  Cite ALL sources in-text:  Quotes AND paraphrases  If a signal phrase is used, cite only the page #  Otherwise, cite the source ▪ EXAMPLE: Murgatroid writes, “whoopie cushions are always funny” (45). ▪ EXAMPLE: In slapstick comedy, it has been said that “whoopie cushions are always funny” (Murgatroid 45). Assignment Writing Guidelines  Include a “Works Cited” page:  Always use a separate page  Center the words “Works Cited” on the top line  Alphabetize the list  Double-space  Use a hanging indent after the first line of each entry Assignment Writing Guidelines  Quotations get double quotation marks  “booger”  Quotationswithin a quotation get single marks  Travis notes, “My favorite line in the show is when Johnny uses the word ‘booger’ on the air” (68). Assignment Writing Guidelines  “It’s” means “it is.” NEVER ANYTHING ELSE!  For all other uses (including to show possession), use “its”  EXAMPLE: It’s a nice day in the neighborhood.  EXAMPLE: The bear grabbed its head. Assignment Writing Guidelines  Use quotation marks for short works like an article, song title, webpage, or television episode  EXAMPLE: In the episode “A Greater Britain For Us,” Jones states…  Useitalics for lengthy works like a book, journal, newspaper, movie, album, website, or television series  EXAMPLE: When watching movies like Casablanca, one must… Assignment Writing Guidelines  Avoid slang or sidebar comments:  (tee-hee!)  (Can you believe that?)  DoNOT use emoticons or internet abbreviations:   ;)  LOL  4U Assignment Writing Guidelines  “a lot” is TWO words  “alot” is NOT a word! Assignment Writing Guidelines  Do NOT use first person!  “In this essay I will demonstrate…” – WRONG  “Next I will discuss the concept of…” – WRONG  “In my opinion, my paper is about…” - WRONG Assignment Writing Guidelines  Avoidusing words like “prove” or “truth” in your explanation of research  Researchers and scientists never definitively “prove” anything but rather, based on findings from the research, “suggest” or “support” certain conclusions Assignment Writing Guidelines  Maintain a professional tone:  Avoid words like “gonna,” “wanna,” etc.  Avoid contractions (can’t, I’ll, we’re, they’ve, etc.) ▪ Use “cannot,” “I will,” “we are,” “they have,” etc.  Avoid using slashes in place of conjunctions (“or,” “and,” etc.) ▪ “people change what they say/act in such a way...” or “every night/day people engage in...” -NO: it's “say OR act” or “night AND Assignment Writing Guidelines  Avoid using “etc.” in formal papers  “…cucumbers, watermelons, etc.”  Use“and others” or “and other aspects” or something similar:  “…cucumbers, watermelons, and other foods.” Assignment Writing Guidelines  “Could of” is NOT a substitute for “could have”  Nor is “would of” a substitute for “would have”  “Could of,” “would of,” “will of,” etc. DO NOT EXIST  “I could of used my miter saw.” –WRONG ▪ I could have used my miter saw.”  “I would of shot him if I had my rifle.” – WRONG ▪ I would have shot him… Assignment Writing Guidelines  Misuse of “being” or “being as”  Many use the word “being” or the phrase “being as” when they mean “since” or “because”  EXAMPLE: “Being as I woke up late, I missed the bus.” –WRONG ▪ Try “Since…” or “Because I woke up late…” Assignment Writing Guidelines  When something is derived from another source, it is based ON it, not based OFF OF it  EXAMPLE: “Superman is based off of the comic book.” –WRONG  The correct phrase is, “Superman is based on the comic book.” Assignment Writing Guidelines  “Media” is a PLURAL word  EXAMPLE: The media contain (NOT “contains”) many interesting quotes.  EXAMPLE: The mass media are (NOT “is”) responsible for… Assignment Writing Guidelines  Semicolonsseparate two independent clauses, both of which are complete sentences in their own right:  “My iguana wandered off; nevertheless, I didn't worry because I knew she'd return.”  Colonsseparate an independent clause from a list or an amplifying idea: Assignment Writing Guidelines  farther – further  “Farther” refers to additional distance  “Further” refers to additional time, amount, or other abstract matters ▪ EXAMPLE: You may be further from an "A" than you think, so when you study, go no farther than the best place to concentrate. Assignment Writing Guidelines  less – fewer  “Less” refers to qualities or quantities that cannot be individually counted  “Fewer” refers to separate (countable) items ▪ EXAMPLE: Those with less knowledge receive fewer high grades. Assignment Writing Guidelines  there/ their/ they’re:  There: a place that isn’t “here”  Their: belonging to others  They’re: contraction of “they are” Assignment Writing Guidelines  your/ you’re:  Your: shows possession  You’re: contraction of “you are”  “It’s the difference between knowing your crap and knowing you’re crap.” Assignment Writing Guidelines  Apostrophe usage:  Do NOT add an apostrophe to a non- possessive plural word! ▪ “There were fifty clown’s in that car.” – WRONG  Add an apostrophe if a word shows possession: ▪ “This stupid trip was Helen’s idea.”  If the possessive word is plural, place the apostrophe on the outside of the “s” ▪ “I am going to my parents’ house.” Assignment Writing Guidelines  Commas matter:  “Let’s eat, Grandpa!”  “Let’s eat Grandpa!”  “I like kissing, my comfy boxer-shorts, and dogs.”  “I like kissing my comfy boxer-shorts and dogs.” Assignment Writing Guidelines