Drafting, Cleaning, and Seasoning Your CARP

1. Drafting, Cleaning, and Seasoning Your CARP Writing the Rough Draft

2. Rough Draft Format • MLA format: • Size 12 Times New Roman • Double-spaced • 1” margins • MLA Title Page (see CARP Packet) • Last name page number in upper right-hand corner (but NOT on title page). This should be in the header. • MLA heading on p. 1 • Title of paper centered on p. 1, NOT underlined or bolded or italicized • Works Cited page numbering continues from rest of paper • Example of MLA-formatted paper

3. In-Text Citations • Your in-text citations should align with the first item in each citation on the Works Cited Page. • For example… • Ansen, David. "Hitchcock's Greatest Reborn." Newsweek. 20 Oct 1996: n. page. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://www.newsweek.com/hitchcocks-greatest-reborn-179046>. • (Ansen 5) • "Vertigo." IMDb. IMDb.com, Inc., n.d. Web. 26 Feb 2014. <http://www.imdb.com/title/ tt0052357/?ref_=nv_sr_1>. • (“Vertigo” par. 5) This citation indicates a title (in quotes), just as it appears on the Works Cited Page. This source does not have an author, so we use the title for the in-text citation.

4. In-Text Citations • When writing your paper, you must cite every piece of research—paraphrases and quotes. • It is better to over-cite than under-cite. • Cite anything that is not your own information/idea. • Try to use variety in how you introduce and cite your information: • For instance, Newsweek author David Ansen explains that Vertigo’s impact went beyond its on-screen drama; it introduced lasting themes that have since been replicated in the film industry and beyond (par. 5). • Note: This source did not have page numbers, so I used a paragraph citation. • Note: The period is placed after the parenthetical citation. • Note: I cited this even though it is a paraphrase—because it is still research information, not my own idea. • Note: I included only the paragraph in the citation because I named the author prior to the fact/evidence. This can be achieved the same way with a title if there is no author.

5. In-Text Citations • Another approach: • Vertigo may have been considered racy at the time, but Hitchcock’s genius prevailed in the film’s “indelible metaphor for the objectification of desire” (Ansen par. 5). • Note: I cited the author’s last name in the citation this time because I did NOT mention his name prior to the quote. • Note: The period is AFTER the citation. • Note: Here, I blended a paraphrase and a quote. I still cited the material. • Cite all research—paraphrases, direct quotes, and blendings of the two. • Anything that is not your own words MUST be in quotation marks!

6. In-Text Citations: Indirect Sources • What if you are citing a direct quote, but the source’s author is not the person who said the quote? • Here’s what you do: • Jim Jones, an esteemed movie critic, deemed Vertigo a “masterpiece of unprecedented thematic import” (qtd. in Ansen5). • For more examples, see the OWL at Purdue.

7. Writing the Paper: Finding a Balance • Let your sources speak… • You can’t just make claims; you have to support your claims with the research. • Use numerous sources in order to fully prove your thesis. • Each piece of evidence should move your paper one step forward in proving your argument. • When using a full-length direct quote (a complete idea), attribute the information to the speaker. • According to Ansen,… • Ansen makes a startling claim… • For instance, Ansen argues,… • Long direct quotes (four lines or more) should be indented (.5” left). This is called a block quote. Block quotes do NOT use quotation marks. See example at OWL at Purdue . • Please do NOT use epigraph quotes. All quotes should be smoothly integrated into the text of the paper. • …without shoving you aside. • Your paper should be a balance of fact and commentary—of research and your explanation of the research. • Your words come through as you explain how the evidence proves the point. • Don’t just expect your reader to understand the point; build the link for your reader.

8. Writing the Paper: Cohesion • Transitions • Your paragraphs should be ordered in a logical way. They should not be randomly organized. • They should instead be an inevitable series of interlocking arguments that build to a convincing point. • The junctions between paragraphs need to demonstrate links. • This can be done by using transitional words and/or phrases. See this list of transitions. • This can also be achieved by demonstrating the link at the end of one paragraph and the beginning of the next. • Metadiscourse: transitions and signal phrases (RG Chapter 7) • Between sections: connect points to ones made in previous paragraphs with transitions and signal words. • Within sections: subtly show the relationships among ideas. (similar, equal, likewise, moreover, additionally, etc.)

9. Writing the Paper: The Introduction • A college-level paper does not rely on cutesy rhetorical questions and “Imagine if” statements to draw in the reader. • Your paper should open with something captivating, and compelling, but also professional. • After hooking the reader, be sure to provide necessary contextual information. • What does the reader need to know about my topic in order to understand my thesis and overall argument? • Are there any key terms I need to define? • Is some biographical information necessary? • Lead naturally to your thesis statement, which should be near the end of your introductory paragraph.

10. Reminders • Stay in third person! No I, me, you, our, we, etc. • Numbers between one and ninety-nine are written out; 100 and up, use #s • If you’re using which correctly, it should be preceded by a comma. (She subdued the peasants’ rebellion, which had threatened her power.) • Officeholders’ titles are only capitalized when used as part of their name. (President Bush won the 2004 presidential election. The president attended a meeting this morning). • Avoid: • Generalizations and vagueness (things, a lot, kind of, very, the people) • Using so as an “infinite modifier” (MLK was so eloquent.) • Clichéd transitions: “firstly”, “secondly”, any form of “conclude” • Absolutes (always/never) and fawning (“flawless”, “impeccable”, “perfect” • Apostrophe errors. You should know how to properly punctuate possessives, so errors in this category will prove catastrophic to your grade. • Typos of any kind. Spell- and grammar-check your paper! Even though this is a rough draft, you are expected to edit and revise your work. You will be turning this in for a score out of 50 WHOPPING points!

11. Closing Notes • Please refer to your CARP packet for the rough draft rubric. • You will peer edit your rough draft on Monday, March 10. (Please bring a full-length, accurate , printed rough draft that day). • You will turn in the peer-edited rough draft and an updated version on Tuesday, March 11. This will be for a 50-point grade. • If you have any questions, use your resources first; then come ask. • Your Works Cited page and in-text citations need to be PERFECT in the rough draft. • If there is a source in your paper that is NOT on the Works Cited page, you are going to be a sorry soul. • If there is a source on the Works Cited page that is NOT cited in the paper, you are going to be a sorry soul. • If you do not use five sources, one of which is a true scholarly article, you are going to be a sorry soul.