Getting Started

Reading for Comprehension

Pay Attention to Relationships:
Whether bonds of blood or emotion that tie characters together, it is their connections to each
other and the way those connections evolve that forms the central action of much fiction.
Listen to Characters:
When characters in novels speak or ponder at length, its time to pay attention. Like soliloquies
in drama, a lengthy speech or inner monologue can give you insight into the characters
motives, an idea of his or her worldview, and even a clue to central themes in the work.
Practice: Go back over a chapter or story you just read, looking at only what is written inside
quotation marks. If the book youre reading is yours, highlight or otherwise mark each one.
Now, read through the chapter once more, reading only your marked passages.
Look Out for Recurring Images, Phrases, or Bit Characters:
Poetry isnt the only place to find verbal imagery and symbolism. If you find yourself asking
Havent I seen this before? then you may have discovered an important motif.
Practice: After youve finished a novel, re-read the first chapter and see if you recognize any
keywords from the last chapter of the book. Are there any similarities or coincidences between
the two?

Notetaking
Notes from a lecture or teaching are written in the note-taking column; notes usually consist of
the main ideas of the text or lecture, and long ideas are paraphrased. Long sentences are
avoided; symbols or abbreviations are used instead. To assist with future reviews, relevant
questions (which should be recorded as soon as possible so that the lecture and questions will
be fresh in the student's mind) or keywords are written in the key word column. These notes
can be taken from any source of information, such as fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs,
lectures, textbooks, etc.
Within 24 hours of taking the notes, the student must revise and write questions and then write
a brief summary in the bottom five to seven lines of the page. This helps to increase
understanding of the topic. When studying for either a test or quiz, the student has a concise
but detailed and relevant record of previous classes.
When reviewing the material, the student can cover the note-taking (right) column while
attempting to answer the questions/keywords in the key word or cue (left) column. The student
is encouraged to reflect on the material and review the notes regularly

Brainstorming

Ask yourself what your purpose is for writing about the subject.
There are many "correct" things to write about for any subject, but you need to narrow down
your choices. For example, your topic might be "dorm food." At this point, you and your
potential reader are asking the same question, "So what?" Why should you write about this,
and why should anyone read it?
Do you want the reader to pity you because of the intolerable food you have to eat there?
Do you want to analyze large-scale institutional cooking?
Do you want to compare Purdue's dorm food to that served at Indiana University?

Ask yourself how you are going to achieve this purpose.

How, for example, would you achieve your purpose if you wanted to describe some movie as
the best you've ever seen? Would you define for yourself a specific means of doing so? Would
your comments on the movie go beyond merely telling the reader that you really liked it?

Start the ideas flowing

Brainstorm. Gather as many good and bad ideas, suggestions, examples, sentences, false starts,
etc. as you can. Perhaps some friends can join in. Jot down everything that comes to mind,
including material you are sure you will throw out. Be ready to keep adding to the list at odd
moments as ideas continue to come to mind.
Talk to your audience, or pretend that you are being interviewed by someone or by
several people, if possible (to give yourself the opportunity of considering a subject from
several different points of view). What questions would the other person ask? You
might also try to teach the subject to a group or class.
See if you can find a fresh analogy that opens up a new set of ideas. Build your analogy
by using the word like. For example, if you are writing about violence on television, is
that violence like clowns fighting in a carnival act (that is, we know that no one is really
getting hurt)?
Take a rest and let it all percolate.
Summarize your whole idea.
Tell it to someone in three or four sentences.
Diagram your major points somehow.
Make a tree, outline, or whatever helps you to see a schematic representation of what
you have. You may discover the need for more material in some places. Write a first
draft.
Then, if possible, put it away. Later, read it aloud or to yourself as if you were someone
else. Watch especially for the need to clarify or add more information.
You may find yourself jumping back and forth among these various strategies.
You may find that one works better than another. You may find yourself trying several
strategies at once. If so, then you are probably doing something right.

Outlining

Why create an outline? There are many reasons; but in general, it may be helpful to create an
outline when you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information.
For research papers, an outline may help you keep track of large amounts of information. For
creative writing, an outline may help organize the various plot threads and help keep track of
character traits. Many people find that organizing an oral report or presentation in outline form
helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd. Below are the primary reasons for
creating an outline.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Aids in the process of writing

Helps you organize your ideas
Presents your material in a logical form
Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
Defines boundaries and groups

How do I create an outline?

1. Determine the purpose of your paper.
2. Determine the audience you are writing for.
3. Develop the thesis of your paper.
Then:
1. Brainstorm: List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper.
2. Organize: Group related ideas together.
3. Order: Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to
concrete.
4. Label: Create main and sub headings.

MLA format

Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman).
Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles
contrast enough that they are recognizable one from another. The font size should be
12 pt.
Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise
instructed by your instructor).
Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends
that you use the Tab key as opposed to pushing the Space Bar five times.
Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner,
one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may
ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's
guidelines.)

Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works and, only when
absolutely necessary, providing emphasis.
If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited
page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested.
In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name,
the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in
quotation marks; write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital
letters.
Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as
you would in your text: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play; Human
Weariness in "After Apple Picking"
Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed
by a space with a page number; number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1,
2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your
instructor or other readers may ask that you omit last name/page number header on
your first page.

Writing with credibility

When writing, it is very important to use language that fits your audience and matches purpose.
Inappropriate language uses can damage your credibility, undermine your argument, or
alienate your audience. This handout will cover some of the major issues with appropriate
language use: levels of language formality, deceitful language and Euphemisms, slang and
idiomatic expressions; using group-specific jargon; and biased/stereotypical language. The
following is a short overview of the different aspects of using appropriate language. Review the
other sections of this handout for a more complete discussion:
1. Levels of Formality: Writing in a style that your audience expects and that fits your
purpose is key to successful writing.
2. In-Group Jargon: Jargon refers to specialized language used by groups of like-minded
individuals. Only use in-group jargon when you are writing for members of that group.
You should never use jargon for a general audience without first explaining it.
3. Slang and idiomatic expressions: Avoid using slang or idiomatic expressions in general
academic writing.
4. Deceitful language and Euphemisms: Avoid using euphemisms (words that veil the truth,
such as "collateral damage" for the unintended destruction of civilians and their
property) and other deceitful language.
5. Biased language: Avoid using any biased language including language with a racial,
ethnic, group, or gender bias or language that is stereotypical.

Citing Works
MLA has turned to a style of documentation that is based on a general method that may be
applied to every possible source, to many different types of writing. But since texts have
become increasingly mobile, and the same document may be found in several different
sources, following a set of fixed rules is no longer sufficient.
The current system is based on a few principles, rather than an extensive list of specific rules.
While the handbook still gives examples of how to cite sources, it is organized according to the
process of documentation, rather than by the sources themselves. This process teaches writers
a flexible method that is universally applicable. Once you are familiar with the method, you can
use it to document any type of source, for any type of paper, in any field.
Here is an overview of the process:
When deciding how to cite your source, start by consulting the list of core elements. These are
the general pieces of information that MLA suggests including in each Works Cited entry. In
your citation, the elements should be listed in the following order:
1. Author.
2. Title of source.
3. Title of container,
4. Other contributors,
5. Version,
6. Number,
7. Publisher,
8. Publication date,
9. Location.
Each element should be followed by the punctuation mark shown here. Earlier editions of the
handbook included the place of publication, and required punctuation such as journal editions
in parentheses, and colons after issue numbers. In the current version, punctuation is simpler
(just commas and periods separate the elements), and information about the source is kept to
the basics.

Researching
Research isn't limited to published material that can be found on the Internet or at the library.
Many topics you choose to write on may not have an abundance of sources and hence may
require a different kind of approach to conducting research. This approach involves collecting
information directly from the world around you and can include interviews, observations, and
surveys; this is called primary research.
If you are working on writing about a problem local to your school or community, you may need
to conduct primary research. You may be able to find secondary sources (such as those found at

the library or online) on the more general topic you are pursuing, but may not find specifics on
your school or town. To supplement this lack of sources, you can collect data on your own.
For example, Briel wants to research a proposed smoking ban in public establishments in
Lafayette, Indiana. She begins by going to the library and then searching online. She finds
information related to smoking bans in other cities around the United States, but only a few
limited articles from the local newspaper on the ban proposed in Lafayette. To supplement this
information, she decides to survey twenty local residents to learn what they think of the
proposed smoking ban. She also decides to interview two local business owners to learn how
they think the ban may affect their businesses. Finally, she attends and observes a town hall
meeting where the potential ban is discussed.
Many different types of primary research exist. Some common ones used for writing classes
include:
1. Interviews: A conversation between two or more people in which one person (the
interviewer) asks a series of questions to another person or persons (the interviewee).
2. Surveys and questionnaires: A process of gathering specific information from people in a
systematic way with a set series of questions. Survey questions usually have prespecified or short responses.
3. Observations: Careful viewing and documenting of the world around you.