THE WEEK THAT WAS

This is the week that you turn in the final copy of your argumentative research paper. You really do not focus on anything else this week:

Look closely at the comments I have given you on the various drafts of this paper.
Ask me any questions about the comments I have made because they are the things I will weigh most heavily in evaluating project.
Integrate your source material to support yourself. Do not let your sources substitute for your own words. Say the idea/information first in your own words, then quote/paraphrase a source to echo and document what you've just said.
Make sure that you introduce your research material with a signal phrase: "As the Congressional Report stated," or "Dr. Clemens reports in his study that ...." These signal phrases help separate your paper into what is clearly your words and thoughts, and those coming from sources.
Focus on in-text citations and the "Work Cited" page. Your ability to accurately cite secondary research is at the heart of this project. I will be placing special emphasis on your ability to apply the rules and formats for MLA citation procedures and formats.
For your “Works Cited” page, which must include entries containing full information on the source, please use one of the many citation machines available today:

http://www.noodletools.com
* my rating

http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/citeintro/nof_citesession.php?Grd=Sec
** my rating

http://citationmachine.net/
*** my rating

If you have not looked at these web sites yet, now is the time to do so. If you cannot adequately document your paper using MLA rules and citation styles, it will be very difficult for you to do well on this project. Here are additional MLA training web sites that I recommend:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html?PickLink=http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite5.html

http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml

http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/intext.html

http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/list.html

Finally, this last paper is about correctness in grammar, punctuation and mechanics. At this stage, there is no reason for these kinds of errors, especially spelling errors. Here are your options. I urge you to take advantage of as many as possible:

Check your paper closely yourself by reading it out loud. This will alert you to missing words and awkward phrases especially.
Have someone proofread your paper for you. Another pair of eyes can see things you can't because you are so familiar with what is on the page.

Good luck on your papers. As always, do not hesitate to contact me if I can help in any way.

David Taylor