Matteson’s Guide For Writing The Perfect Paper

Matteson’s Guide For Writing The Perfect Paper Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

What Exactly Is A Literary Analysis? • Makes an argument • Is not a summary • Deals with interpretation • Supported by evidence Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

The Thesis Statement • Last sentence of first paragraph • Clearly states the argument you are trying to validate – MUST BE ARGUMENTATIVE! • Your entire paper should focus on defending and proving the thesis. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

What Makes A Thesis Effective? • Clear • Specific • Debatable (not a statement of fact) This is BAD, BAD, BAD. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

What Makes A Thesis Effective? • Original • Stated as a complete sentence. • Appropriate to the assignment – Your thesis must address the prompt. You should not copy the prompt into your paper at any point, but your thesis should directly address the point of the prompt. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Always KNOW that I have read the text. • Do not summarize the plot Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • It is proper to use the present tense when writing about literature Incorrect:Othello believed that Iago was honest. Correct:Othello believes that Iago is honest. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Titles of poems, stories and essays should be put in quotation marks • Titles of books, plays and periodicals should be underlined or italicized Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • The first time you mention an author, use his or her full name • For all later references, the last name is sufficient • Do not reference the author by first name only William Shakespeare is the author of Othello. William is an excellent writer. Avoid this Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Avoid the use of great praise when discussing the author or the text. William Shakespeare, England’s greatest writer, addresses the theme of racism in many of his works. The Sound and the Fury is the most brilliant American novel. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Avoid writing in the first person • The use of the first person shifts the reader’s focus towards you and away from your argument • Example: Through every tragedy I have read throughout my entire life, I would definitely say Hamlet was one of the tragic heroes that suffered the most.” – Not a bad statement, but all the ‘I’ statements take away the objective element of this student’s argument. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Avoid writing in the passive voice • Passive constructions hide the question of who is doing the action INCORRECTIago is described as a villain by Shakespeare. CORRECTShakespeare describes Iago as a villain. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hint • Distinguish between the author’s voice and the character’s voice INCORRECTShakespeare says, “It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul” (V.ii.1). CORRECTOthello says, “It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul” (V.ii.1). Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Avoid using an inflated vocabulary—this makes you sound pompous and often creates an unnecessary complexity to your writing. Also, avoid wordiness – get to the point. • OR… it makes you sound silly when you use language you really don’t know how to use. • Example: “As he continues his passive state others question the perception left by his emotional state, because an active physical state fails to be significant.” Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Avoid the use of contractions in formal writing • Do not use slang Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Helpful Hints • Focus on organization • Focus on clarity • Focus on providing evidence to validate your argument • Focus on fine-tuning your argument ***A paper that discusses one issue will always be superior to a paper that superficially examines many*** Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Final Thoughts… • Write a conclusion. Even if it’s one sentence, write a conclusion. • Intro. Paragraphs should be concise and get straight to your argument. No flowery prose! • ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE PROMPT…. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

LOOK AT IT AGAIN. Matteson AP Lit. Literary Analysis

Matteson’s Guide For Writing The Perfect Paper