SJSU Writing Center: Workshops (Links to an external site.) & Tutor Appointments (Links to an external site.) (free!)

See also the Writing Center's massive list of handouts (Links to an external site.) on writing process & elements of writing

This semester, you will write several discussion posts as well as formal assignments. The discussion posts will provide a space for thoughtful critical analysis. However, since this is still a literature course and the written word can be powerful, I will ask you to write using formal language. This means, use complete sentences and document every source in each post by providing a live link/URL when appropriate. (This is always necessary.)  Below are some other suggestions for coherent writing. Know the rules, then learn how to break them purposefully.

• Include title and author of work when you begin writing your post
• A poem title or article title uses quote marks: “Sonnet”
• A book title or newspaper title uses underline or italics: Frankenstein
• Use complete sentences (subject, verb, predicate)
• Avoid passive voice (is/are/was/were — any form of to be)
• Absolutely avoid sentence fragments
• Use proper paragraph divisions where necessary
• Explain your point fully
• Do not summarize the readings; write knowing that I already have very intimate knowledge of the readings
• “I don’t know” does not = a response
• Avoid referring to yourself when you write these responses
• Definitely avoid using “I believe,” “I think,” “I feel”
• Use quotations from the novels when necessary
• Introduce quotes and/or paraphrases
• Use 8th edition of MLA (Links to an external site.) style when quoting and citing
• When punctuating anything with quote marks, the punctuation goes inside the quote marks (except in the case of the citation)

When in doubt, look it up on Purdue’s OWL. (Links to an external site.)