Tips for Writing an Effective Literature-Based Timed Essay

Borrowed from Ms. Zwick* Spend the first few minutes deciding what you want to prove in your response and draft the thesis statement (a sentence which makes an overarching claim; it must be “arguable”—in other words, you must actually have to build evidence to convince the reader that your idea is valid. Someone could, in theory, oppose what you are stating.) Thesis statements also often give the reader some idea how the claim is going to be addressed (two-four sub-claims that correspond to the body paragraphs)* Once the thesis is solid, you should know where you want to go with your writing and what major points you need to address to get there. Do NOT spend time during a timed writing doing a first draft. Just get a rough sketch (thesis and major body points down).* In the body of your paper, make specific claims (topic sentences) and then back them up with examples from the text (concrete details) to show how your claims are valid. Always connect these minor claims to your original thesis to show how they relate to the argument you are building (commentary).* Transition between ideas and paragraphs with more than “first,” “next,” etc. Try to link your ideas: e.g. “After Lancelot realizes his pride has obstructed his spiritual health, he undertakes a different kind of quest—this time, with Guenever.”* If you use quotations from memory, make sure to lead up to them with your own words and follow with your own analysis. Do not DROP them into your essay. If you remember a line closely but not exactly, paraphrase what was said:As Merlyn tells Wart, the best thing for his depression is to learn (White).* While giving relevant details (that you explicitly connect to the point you’re trying to make) is helpful, long summarizing is ineffective and detracts from your purpose.  Pack your sentences with information that relates to your argument.* Avoid making vague claims you will not be able to prove in the space and time allotted.* Spell major characters’ names correctly.* When you reread your writing during the last five minutes, add in words you accidentally left out.  Get comfortable with an asterisk system.  If you realize that you forgot to say something in a paragraph, make an asterisk where it should go, and at the end of your paper (or down the side) make an asterisk next to the information you’d like to insert.* Use present tense to discuss literature (in direct quotations, you may have to modify the verb tenses using brackets).  The idea is that these characters are experiencing everything right now, for the reader, each time the text is read.  Literature is ALIVE! Certainly, never jump between tenses.* Give your composition a creative title. Do not put your title in quotations marks or underline it, unless it’s a direct quotation. Make sure it’s clear which topic you have selected.* Conclude in some sort of logical way, without saying “In conclusion.” I should know it’s over by the way you wrap up your argument (or at least by the way the ink stops).* Be careful with the word “however.” Examine the following run-on sentence: “Lancelot goes on many quests, however, on his journeys he constantly thinks about Guenever.” This sentence needs a semi-colon instead of a comma after “quests.”* Be careful with semi-colons. They function like periods, except that sentences linked with a semi-colon are closely related in some clear way (see above).* Avoid improper antecedents. Examine the following faulty sentence:“By not being told the truth by Lancelot, gets him thinking about what his plans are.” This sentence lacks a subject who is “not being told the truth by Lancelot.” ALSO:“By making a slight mistake in life, IT could be remembered for an eternity.” This sentence is flawed because the subject, it, is not the one who makes “a slight mistake in life.”*Avoid direct references to the book, page number, chapter, etc. It is far more effective to say, “After Agravaine finds his mother, he . . . ” than “In chapter 34, he . . .”Similarly, “At this crossroads in her life” is better than “In the middle of the book.”* Become familiar with basic contractions.  (it’s=it is, but its=belongs to it)  Also, do not use an apostrophe s with names unless the name owns something.  More than one person named Zwick=Zwicks, NOT Zwick’s.* Two complete sentences joined by a conjunction must also be joined by a comma. For example: The students failed miserably.  The teacher tried to help. >> The students failed miserably, and the teacher tried to help.* Avoid blah, vague, or un-provable adjectives (unique, amazing, fabulous).* Do NOT praise the writer or the book.* Do NOT assume the speaker is the poet or the writer unless you are reading an autobiographical memoir.* “Poem Title.” Novel Title. “One-act Play Title.” Multiple-act Play Title.* After I initial each page and change, type your essay exactly as is (in MLA format). Staple the typed copy to the original copy. Submit both copies the following day. No essays without original (in pen) timed, signed copies will be graded.Click here to download a copy.