Writing about Lit: a PrimerDr. Gerald Lucas

Present Tense

• Write about literature in the present tense

Present Tense

• Write about literature in the present tense

• Odysseus pokes out the cyclops’ eye.

Present Tense

• Write about literature in the present tense

• Odysseus pokes out the cyclops’ eye.

• Not: Odysseus poked out the cyclops’ eye.

Research

• Begin with

Research

• Begin with

• Dictionaries

Research

• Begin with

• Dictionaries

• Encyclopedias

Research

• Begin with

• Dictionaries

• Encyclopedias

• Google

Research

• Begin with

• Dictionaries

• Encyclopedias

• Google

• Yahoo

Cite

• Cite only solid sources, like

Cite

• Cite only solid sources, like

• Professional web sites

Cite

• Cite only solid sources, like

• Professional web sites

• Journal articles (some online)

Cite

• Cite only solid sources, like

• Professional web sites

• Journal articles (some online)

• Books

Titles

• Titles of short works are in quotation marks

Titles

• Titles of short works are in quotation marks

• Poem: “To His Coy Mistress”

Titles

• Titles of short works are in quotation marks

• Poem: “To His Coy Mistress”

• Story: “Babylon Revisited”

Titles

• Titles of short works are in quotation marks

• Poem: “To His Coy Mistress”

• Story: “Babylon Revisited”

• Song: “Ants Marching”

Titles

• Titles of short works are in quotation marks

• Poem: “To His Coy Mistress”

• Story: “Babylon Revisited”

• Song: “Ants Marching”

• Episode of TV Series: “Doomsday”

Titles

• Long works are italicized

Titles

• Long works are italicized

• Novel: Fight Club

Titles

• Long works are italicized

• Novel: Fight Club

• Film: Star Wars

Titles

• Long works are italicized

• Novel: Fight Club

• Film: Star Wars

• TV Series: Star Trek

Titles

• Long works are italicized

• Novel: Fight Club

• Film: Star Wars

• TV Series: Star Trek

• Play: Hamlet

If unsure about how to present a title: look it up!

Vocabulary

• Use literary vocabulary

Vocabulary

• Use literary vocabulary

• “novel,” not “book”

Vocabulary

• Use literary vocabulary

• “novel,” not “book”

• “protagonist,” not “main character”

Vocabulary

• Use literary vocabulary

• “novel,” not “book”

• “protagonist,” not “main character”

• “antagonist,” not “bad guy”

Vocabulary

• Use literary vocabulary

• “novel,” not “book”

• “protagonist,” not “main character”

• “antagonist,” not “bad guy”

• “film,” not “movie”

When arguing a point: use specific textual evidence.

Quote Correctly

• Incorporate the quotation and citation

Quote Correctly

• Incorporate the quotation and citation

• The writer shares a connection: “the axolotls spoke to me” (398).

Quote Correctly

• Incorporate the quotation and citation

• The writer shares a connection: “the axolotls spoke to me” (398).

• The writer shares a connection. “The axolotls spoke to me” (398).

Quote Correctly

• Incorporate the quotation and citation

• The writer shares a connection: “the axolotls spoke to me” (398).

• The writer shares a connection. “The axolotls spoke to me” (398).

• Use punctuation correctly with quotation marks (FAQs 78)

When a quotation is long, it should be block quoted.

Use Proper MLA

• Refer to The Writer’s FAQs (176)

Use Proper MLA

• Refer to The Writer’s FAQs (176)

• Must have:

Use Proper MLA

• Refer to The Writer’s FAQs (176)

• Must have:

• In-text parenthetical citation

Use Proper MLA

• Refer to The Writer’s FAQs (176)

• Must have:

• In-text parenthetical citation

• Works cited entry

In-Text Citations

• Appear at the end of the sentence

In-Text Citations

• Appear at the end of the sentence

• List the author’s last name and page # in parentheses

Works Cited Page

• Lists any work that you cite

Works Cited Page

• Lists any work that you cite

• Uses MLA style in English courses unless told otherwise

Works Cited Page

• Lists any work that you cite

• Uses MLA style in English courses unless told otherwise

• Must follow a particular format

MLA is tricky only if you don’t look it up!

Writing about Literature

• Focus

Writing about Literature

• Focus

• Do not try to write it all

Writing about Literature

• Focus

• Do not try to write it all

• Illustrate a theme or motif

Writing about Literature

• Focus

• Do not try to write it all

• Illustrate a theme or motif

• Analyze a character

Writing about Literature

• Focus

• Do not try to write it all

• Illustrate a theme or motif

• Analyze a character

• Discuss a metaphor

Writing about Literature

• Focus

• Do not try to write it all

• Illustrate a theme or motif

• Analyze a character

• Discuss a metaphor

• Trace a symbol

Have a thesis!

Organize

• Focus on a major issue

Organize

• Focus on a major issue

• Follow a logical order

Organize

• Focus on a major issue

• Follow a logical order

• Compare or contrast characters, works, etc.

Organize

• Focus on a major issue

• Follow a logical order

• Compare or contrast characters, works, etc.

• Work toward synthesis

Write Critically

• Use citations

Write Critically

• Use citations

• Focus on response

Write Critically

• Use citations

• Focus on response

• Remember art

Write Critically

• Use citations

• Focus on response

• Remember art

• Consider style and rhetoric

Write Critically

• Use citations

• Focus on response

• Remember art

• Consider style and rhetoric

• Don’t ape critics or peers