This document provides an overview of assignments and deadlines for an English composition class. It outlines that a rough draft of an MLA paper is due for peer review and includes a checklist of MLA formatting requirements. Additionally, it discusses responding to criticism, citing evidence, and summarizing information concisely. Students are reminded that their final MLA paper draft and a mechanics midterm are due the following week.

1. Composition II
Week Seven
Thursday
October 6, 2016
Due Today:
-MLA rough draft(drop box
& printed copy)

2. MLA Paper Checklist
A guide to a finalized paper

3. Basic Formatting
 Times New Roman 12 pt. font
 Double spaced
 Heading double spaced
 Works Cited double spaced
 Margins 1 inch
 Indented the beginning of each paragraph
 Used proper MLA heading
 Paper has a title
 1 space away from heading and introduction
 Paper has properly formatted page numbers
 There is only 1 space between periods and new sentences
 uses the “No Spacing” style on Word
 Uses third person

4. Introduction
 Begins with an attention grabber
 Introduces any texts crucial to the argument
 Literary analysis
 Responding to work of others
 Has a thesis sentence
 Thesis is 1-2 sentences
 Thesis clearly states the argument
 Thesis gives an idea or lists main points
 Is concise
 Transitions into body with ease

5. Body
 Double spaced
 Supports main points
 Does not deviate from the argument
 Is fair and unbiased
 Ideas, thoughts, and sources are separated into their own paragraphs
 Employs effective transition sentences
 Varied sentence lengths
 Avoids excessive summary
 Covers all main points introduced in thesis

6. Conclusion
 Restates the thesis
 Restates the conclusion of the argument
 Recaps main points
 Finalizes main points

7. In-text citations
 Cite anything that is specific to a text
 Don’t cite when generalizing a theme or concept from a work
 Attributive citations
 Every source is first given an attributive tag
 The author and work is given in the attributive tag
 Page in located in parenthesis at the end of quote or paraphrase
 Parenthetical citations
 Name and page number is given after quote or paraphrase
 Direct quotes must be enclosed in quotation marks
 Period is after enclosing parenthesis …end quote” (Irving 7).
 All in-text citations have an entry on the Works Cited page

8. Works Cited Page
 On its own page after paper
 “Works Cited” centered on top of page
 Hanging indent for each entry
 Alphabetically organized
 Has a page number
 Proper MLA format
 Can be found in your book

9. Your Argument
 Communicated clearly
 Communicated concisely
 Communicating with authority
 Employs logos, pathos, and/or ethos
 Is supported with textual/ scholarly evidence
 Has main points
 Each main point is supported by evidence
 Acknowledges the opposition
 Suggests change or further research

10. In-class Activity: Being Concise
 Rewrite the following sentences concisely. Remove overly ornate and flowery
phrases. Reword the sentence to communicate its intent clearly. Use commas
to separate ideas.
1. The conclusion which they had reached allowed the smart, intelligent scientists to
debunk the predecessors outrageously insulting lies about this topic in particular.
2. The essays we found out were on the other hand of some use to the people of the
university’s science department and the university’s astrology department.
3. It turns out shockingly that the school was appalled to find that the previous
science team had been taking bribes and lying about research and padding the
results of their studies.
4. Gratefully the new group of scientists were very appreciative of the opportunity
they received to reestablish the truth about these seriously dangerous
environmental hazards.

11. In-Class Activity: What to cite
 Cite specific evidence from any text you are analyzing
 Cite any theory or idea that is not your own
 Cite any graphs, charts, or images you use
o Ichabod Crane stayed in the houses of his pupils and flirted with their sisters.
o Ichabod’s horse galloped quickly toward the bridge.
o The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is set in the 1700s and is one of
Irving’s most famous novels.
o Ichabod Crane represented how a fool’s imagination turns mischief into magic.
o Alice Cummings, in her review of Sleepy Hollow, stated that Ichabod Crane
represented how a fool’s imagination turns mischief into magic.
o The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was written by Washington Irving.
o Ichabod was not feeling confident about his relationship with Katrina when he left
the Van Tassel’s party

12. Textual/Scholarly Evidence
 Any claim you make in response to a text must be supported with textual
evidence
 Main points are claims that must be supported with textual or scholarly
evidence
 Each main point must have textual evidence
 Example: Ichabod Crane did not love Katrina for her soul, but for her money.
 Support: Irving uses the setting of the Van Tassel’s party to reveal Crane’s true
intentions. Crane fantasizes, not about his wife, but of land, food, and horses (9).
 Example: Sleepy Hollow is written to be a spooky town where anything is
possible
 Support: We know this about the setting because Irving uses specific imagery such
as, “the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a woodpecker, is almost the
only sound that ever breaks the uniform tranquility,” which suggests a momentarily
interrupted peace (1).

13. In-Class Activity: Support it or Cite it
 Does the statement below require textual/ scholarly support or a citation?
1. It is beneficial to children’s health to take physical education classes in middle
school and junior high.
2. A recent study done by the University of California showed that over 60% of young
children get less that 15 minutes of exercise.
3. The children of America are number one in global rankings concerning childhood
obesity.
4. Schools should take some of the responsibility in helping students get active.
5. Eighth grade instructor, Carl Dunn, explains in his article that, in his 15 years of
teaching, nothing was worse for the students than the dismissal of the physical
education program.
6. “They just can’t concentrate,” Dunn claims, “physical education was a time to
learn about the body and let the mind take a rest. Now what? Are we only brains?”
7. The dismissal of physical education programs is a step backward for any education
system.

14. Responding to Objections
and Alternative Views
Week Seven

15. Responding to Criticism
 Proper criticism is never personal
 You do not have to take all criticism presented to you
 Consider your facts: Is the statement/theory in question correct? Are you sure?
 Consider your stance: Do you believe this statement/theory supports your claim?
 Consider your audience: Are you constructing your argument coherently?
 Consider personal biases: Can this statement/theory be seen as offensive?
 Consider the opposition: Can this statement/theory be easily debunked?
 Decide what is best for the paper by:
 Responding to the criticism
 Changing your stance
 Let it be
 Do not be afraid to change your stance or opinion

16. In-Class Discussion: Responding to
Criticism
 Criticism from Tuesday’s in-class writing activity
 Consider: facts, stance, audiences, bias, and opposition
 Respond, change, or let it be
 I am rushing through the power points during lectures
 I do not make power points available for notes
 I should spend more time explaining citations
 I get out of breath and nervous when lecturing
 Changes in the volume of my voice
 Do not like the power point methods
 Lectures can move faster

17. DUE:
 Tuesday 10/11
 Bring a copy of your MLA rough draft to class AND submit a copy to drop box
 Study for your Mechanics Test Midterm (10/13)
 Your final draft of the MLA Short Essay is due 10/13
 No journal this week
 Study group: After class 10/11
 Bring a copy of the midterm