Guidelines for Writing

Tolkien Seminar
lmp

Criteria for grading formal essay:

depth and originality of analysis
creativity of approach to topic
urgency and clarity of argument
proper use of quotations to support argument
persuasiveness of argument
understanding of the themes, authors and texts in question
clarity of presentation (this includes, but is not limited to organization, proper grammar &
syntax usage and precise word choice)
Formal essays in this class are expected to be argumentative and analytical. I expect the following from
them:
1.

One of the most important aspects of a composition is the title. It introduces the work and adds a
professional quality to your essay. Always include a title!

2.

A clear, explicit, argumentative thesis. This thesis should have a sense of urgency. Another way
of explaining this requirement is to say that it needs to answer the so what question. If you
finish reading your thesis and you can ask so what? then you need to rephrase it. In other
words, your thesis needs to make an interesting argument and it should prove something that the
average reader might miss when reading the text. Think of me and this class as your audience and
convince us of the validity of your argument.
Ex. Of a weak thesis (borrowed from a former student paper): During books 17-24 of the
Iliad, Achilles demonstrates very clearly many of the themes we have seen throughout the
poem. Also, over the course of these books, Achilles changes multiple times the theme he is
demonstrating.
This thesis is too vague. What themes does Achilles demonstrate? How does he do it? And
why do we care that he changes the themes? Even if the student listed all the themes that
Achilles demonstrates this thesis would also be too broad. The best analytical papers focus
on a single theme and analyze it from as many different angles as possible. Moreover, the
sentences are not particularly well written. A character does not change themes or
demonstrate them. Characters have no control over themes in the text; only authors can affect
the way themes are written. So one way to write a thesis on this topic (so that the thesis is
narrow, explicit, urgent and well-written) is:
The drastic change Achilles character undergoes in book XXIV of the Iliad suggests that
true heroism lies in a characters willingness to delve into and question his own value
system.
This thesis is explicit (we now know exactly what the paper will be about), narrow (its only
about one major theme), and urgent (what defines true heroism is a major preoccupation of
this text and of modern societyanyone see Captain America?).

3.

Similarly, each paragraph should be organized around a particular idea or point you are trying to
make.

4.

Word choice is also very important in essay writing. While writing and proof reading be sure that
every word you have chosen accurately represents your thoughts. Also note that the language
used in essay writing is different from spoken language. In order to be respected as a writer and to
have your ideas taken seriously, you need to use the accepted language. Thus, although you
should not use big words that you find in the thesaurus and do not understand, you should also
avoid colloquialisms.

5.

Use textual evidence and explain how that evidence supports your claims. In other words, back up
your assertions with quotations from the text.

6.

When using quotations be careful to introduce them properly and then explain how the quotation
relates to your idea. This is very important. Many people just put quotations in their papers,
forgetting to give credit to the one quoted and thinking that the reader can figure out the meaning
by his/her self.

7.

Introduce quotations with either a comma or a colon. As a general rule, use a comma when the
quotation is part of the sentence and a colon when the quotation stands on its own as either its own
sentence or paragraph.

8.

Offset and indent quotations longer than 4 lines. For example:

Achilles hints at his true motivation when he discusses the two fates presented to him by his
mother:
For my mother Thetis the goddess of the silver feet tells me I carry two sorts of destiny
toward the day of my death. Either, if I stay here and fight beside the city of the Trojans,
my return home is gone and my glory everlasting; but if I return home to the beloved land
of my fathers, the excellence of my glory is gone, but there will be a long life left for me
and my end will not come to me quickly. (IX: 409-416)
Pay special attention to the fact that you do not use quotation marks for these longer, indented
quotes and note that the period comes before the citation.

9.

Imaginative thinking (i.e. using and supporting your own ideas) is rewarded in this class.

10. Double space your papers. You can use whatever size margins you like, as long as I can read the
paper. Please note that the suggested page length is only a suggestion. The most important part of
your paper is not its length, but what you say and how you say it. Precision and conciseness hold
a far greater value than wordiness and repetition.
11. When referring to the events in a piece of literature, write in the present tense. Even if you read
the work long ago the work still exists in the here and now, so you need to refer to it in the present
tense.
12. Use proper grammar, spelling and syntax. Some common mistakes to avoid include agreement,
misplaced commas, dangling participles, and simple misspellings (i.e. its & its). The best way to
keep your writing free of such errors is to proof read it several times. Have a friend read it
through and/or read it out loud. These techniques usually offer a different perspective and help
you see errors that you would have missed otherwise.
13. Avoid plot summary. You can assume that I have read the text, so you dont need to tell me what
they are about or where the story takes place. You do need to refer to the text to support your
arguments, but you dont need to take up space reviewing the story for your reader.