Literature Exercise 4

Areas

By ENGL 1102

Writing about Literature: Literary Present tense, Thesis
Research MLA: Academic sources, title format, in-text citations, Work Cited
Defining and Identifying Literary Terms

Review

Effective Thesis Statements

• Debatable (Perspective + specific)

• Frost uses symbolism and metaphor to convey how change is inevitable.

• In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe uses the symbolism of the clock to symbolize how death is inescapable and beyond human comprehension.

  
  

​Ineffective Thesis Statements

• Make an announcement: This essay will...

• Provides a recommendation or unclear solution: If I were Sammy, I would....

• Presents facts: Frost uses symbolism, irony, and metaphor.​

Review

​Literary Present Tense
Use present tense (present tense verbs) unless referring to historical event or there is a logical shift in tense

Milton was trying to find love through AI or advanced technology.
​Milton tries to find love through AI or advanced technology.

Multiple Choice

Which option is an effective thesis statement?

• In "Eveline," Joyce uses symbolism, irony, and metaphor. .

• In "The White Heron," the protagonist's decision to save the bird results from her love of nature, conviction, and innocent disposition.

• If it were me, I'd tell the ornithologist the wrong location of the white heron and take the money.

Multiple Choice

Which option is an effective thesis statement?

• In "Nothing Gold Can Stay," Frost personifies nature to show that change is constant part of life.

• In "Nothing Gold Can Stay," Frost uses symbolism, irony, and metaphor.

• This essay will describe how "Nothing Gold Can Stay," uses various elements to convey the theme.

Multiple Choice

Which option uses literary present tense?

• In "A White Heron," Sylvia, the protagonist, undergoes a journey of self-discovery and ultimately chooses to protect nature over material gain, demonstrating a strong connection to the natural world.

• Her internal conflict between human connection and loyalty to nature was central to the story, with the white heron symbolizing both freedom and the innocence of the natural world. 

• She chose to remain silent, despite the potential for friendship and admiration from the hunter; this showed her deep commitment to protecting the heron and the natural world. 

Multiple Choice

Which option uses literary present tense?

• In Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart, the protagonist was very unreliable and untrustworthy

• In Asimov's "True Love, Milton Davidson, the protagonist uses a computer program to find his one "true love."

• The protagonist in Asimov's "A boy's best friend" did not live on earth; he had lived on the moon since he was born

Academic Sources and MLA

1. Determine the Credibility of a Source
2. MLA Title Format
3. MLA Punctuation
4. Signal Phrase and Author's Last Name
5. Documenting Fiction (Less than 4 lines)
6. Documenting Poetry (Less than 3 lines)
7. Block Quote
8. Work Cited Format
9. Work Cited Entry and Parenthetical Phrase
10. Work Cited Book Entry

1. Determine the credibility of a source

1. Expert or professional is author

2. Content is not negatively biased.

3. Credible citations and references.

4. Peer-reviewed & Reputable publisher

Credible

• Article published in an academic or scholarly journal and written by an expert:

• Li’s “Poe-try.” Sundance Literary Journal (Academic Journal)
  

Non-credible:

• Article published on a personal blog, highly biased, and written by a non-expert*
  Jones' "Is Poe a real poe-t or robot?" Personal Blog (highly opinionated)

Multiple Choice

Which option does NOT establish the credibility of a source?

• Peer reviewed

• The information is highly biased. 

• The author and publisher are reputable

• It contains citations and references 

Multiple Choice

Which option is a credible source for an essay on The Great Gatsby?

• Study guide: "The Green Light" by Jane Doe, from GradeSaver
  

• Academic journal

  "Searching for the Unstainable" by Dr. Walter James

• Personal Blog

  "Looking for love in all the wrong places" a highly opinionated blog post by John Doe

2. MLA Title Format

1. Underline or italicize long works

(Books, Novels, Film, Websites, Databases).

2. Quotation marks around short works
(Poems, Articles, Short Stories).

Long work:

The Great Gatsby (novel)

Short work:
Frost's "The road not taken" (poem)

Multiple Choice

Place quotation marks around short works (poems and short stories). Italicize or underline long works (novels, films, books, or websites).

Which option is the correct MLA format for the title of a poem?

• "The Poison Tree"
  (poem)

• The Poison Tree
  (poem)

• The Poison Tree
  (poem)

• "The Poison Tree"
  (poem)

Multiple Choice

Place quotation marks around short works (poems and short stories). Italicize or underline long works (novels, films, books, or websites).

Which option is the correct MLA format for the title of a short story?

• "The Gift of the Magi"

  (short story)

• The Gift of the Magi
  (short story)

• "The Gift of the Magi"
  (short story)

• The Gift of the Magi
  (short story)

Multiple Choice

Place quotation marks around short works (poems and short stories). Italicize or underline long works (novels, films, books, or websites).

Which option is the correct MLA format for the title of a novel or book?

• "The Great Gatsby" (novel)

• The Great Gatsby

  (novel)

• "The Great Gatsby"
  (novel)

• "The Great Gatsby"
  (novel)

Multiple Choice

Place quotation marks around short works (poems and short stories). Italicize or underline long works (novels, films, books, or websites).

Which option is the correct MLA format for the title of a film?

• "The Seeker" (film)

• The Seeker (film)

• "The Seeker" (film)

• "The Seeker" (film)

3. MLA In-text Citations (Punctuation)

MLA In-text Citations Punctuation

1. Periods go inside quotation marks (unless it is a parenthetical citation less than 3 or 4 lines).

One of the most popular poems is
Frost's "The road not taken."

Multiple Choice

Which option uses the proper punctuation for an in-text citation (when quoting from a work of fiction or prose)?

• The story centers on Gramps Ford, an elderly man who embodies the societal problems caused by the drug. As Vonnegut states, "it was made from dandelions and mud."

• The story centers on Gramps Ford, an elderly man who embodies the societal problems caused by the drug. As Vonnegut states, "it was made from dandelions and mud".

Multiple Choice

Which option uses the proper punctuation for an in-text citation (when quoting from a work of fiction or prose)?

• Love abounds in William Shakespeare's A "Midsummer Night's Dream".

• Love abounds in William Shakespeare's A "Midsummer Night's Dream."

4. Documenting Poetry or Fiction (Signal Phrase & Author's Last Name)

Author’s last name

is in the signal phrase

OR

in parenthesis at the end (not both)


Author's name in the signal phrase

• Frost states, "Nature's first green is gold / her hardest hue to hold" (lines 1-2).

  
  

Author's name in parenthesis

• The speaker states, "Nature's first green is gold / her hardest hue to hold" (Frost lines 1-2).

Multiple Choice

Which option is the correct MLA format if you are using a signal phrase?

• Updike states, "he never learned a trade" (line 15).

• Updike states, "he never learned a trade" (Updike line 15).

• Updike states, "he never learned a trade" (John Updike line 15).

Multiple Choice

Which option is the correct MLA format if you are using a signal phrase?

• In his article, Jones thinks the poem reflect a loss of love (24).

• In his article, Jones thinks the poem reflect a loss of love (Jones 24).

• In his article, Jones thinks the poem reflect a loss of love (George Jones 24).

5. Documenting Fiction or Article (Less than 4 lines)

1. Signal phrase + “quote” + (Parenthetical phrase).

2. Introductory statement + colon + "quote" + (Parenthetical phrase).

Multiple Choice

Which option is the correct way to cite from a work of fiction (less than 4 lines)?

• The narrator states, "She suffered endlessly, feeling she was entitled to all the delicacies and luxuries of life. She suffered because of the poorness of her house as she looked at the dirty walls" (Maupassant 2).

• The narrator states, "She suffered endlessly, feeling she was entitled to all the delicacies and luxuries of life. She suffered because of the poorness of her house as she looked at the dirty walls" (Guy de Maupassant 2).

• The narrator of Maupassant's short story states, "She suffered endlessly, feeling she was entitled to all the delicacies and luxuries of life. She suffered because of the poorness of her house as she looked at the dirty walls" (Maupassant 2).

Multiple Choice

Which option is the correct way to cite from an article (less than 4 lines)?

• According to Mark Dawidziak, "Few American writers have been read so widely for so long. And for many, Poe's death is inextricable from his fiction." (Dawidziak 142).

• Poe's life remains a mystery. In fact, "Few American writers have been read so widely for so long. And for many, Poe's death is inextricable from his fiction." (Dawidziak 142).

• Poe's life remains a mystery. In fact, "Few American writers have been read so widely for so long. And for many, Poe's death is inextricable from his fiction." (Mark Dawidziak 142).

6. Documenting Poetry for first time (Less than 3 lines)

One line:
Signal phrase + “quote” + Parenthetical phrase (use line or lines + line #).


Multiple lines:
Same as above but add line breaks for more than one line


Frost states, "Nature's first green is gold / her hardest hue to hold" (lines 1-2).

Multiple Choice

Which option is correct for the first poetry in-text citation (FIRST time you quote from a poem)?

• The speaker states, From time to time / The clouds give rest / To the moon-beholders." (Basho, lines 1-3).

• The speaker states, From time to time / The clouds give rest / To the moon-beholders." (Basho, 1-3).

• The speaker states, From time to time /The clouds give rest / To the moon-beholders." (Basho).

7. Block Quotes

Use Block Quotes

• More than 3 lines (poetry)

• More than 4 lines (fiction, article)

  
  

Signal statement + colon:

Quotation with no quotation marks.

Double space & Indent 5 spaces.

Punctuation

Parenthetical phrase

​The speaker describes how nature's beauty is temporary:​  
Nature's first green is gold​  
Her hardest hue to hold​  
Her early leaf's a flower​  
But only so for an hour. (Frost, lines 1-4)

Multiple Choice

Which is wrong with the in-text citation below?

The protagonist does not like her modest lifestyle:

All these things that another woman of her class would not even have noticed, tormented her and made her resentful. The sight of the little Brenton girl who did her housework filled her with terrible regrets and hopeless fantasies. She dreamed of vast living rooms furnished in rare old silks, elegant furniture loaded with priceless ornaments, and inviting smaller rooms, perfumed, made for afternoon chats with close friends - famous, sought after men, who all women envy and desire. (Maupassant 48)

• It needs quotation marks

• It should be indented 5 spaces

• It does not need the author's name in parenthesis

Multiple Choice

Which is wrong with the in-text citation below?

The poet describes the arrival of spring:

A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period --
When March is scarcely here (Dickinson)

• It needs quotation marks

• It should be indented 5 spaces

• It does not need the author's name in parenthesis

8. Work Cited

1. Running Header (last name page#)

2. Title = Work Cited or Works Cited

3. Double – spaced, plain text

4. Entries (Hanging indent)

5. Entries in alphabetical order

Multiple Choice

Which option best describes the MLA Work Cited page?

• 
  Single space
  

• Use Work Cited as the title
  

• Don't place entries in alphabetical order

9. Work Cited

MLA Work Cited Page 
The parenthetical phrase (what is in parenthesis in an essay) must match the Work Cited entry:

Parenthetical phrase: (Jones)

Jones, Paul. "Martian's Attack." Premley  Academic Journal, www.premley.org/paf4

Multiple Choice

---

If the following source is listed in the Work Cited page, which option should you place in the parenthetical phrase (in the essay)?
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Cask of Amontillado.” The Public’s Library and Digital Archive, ibiblio.org, pp. 1-19.

• (Poe 1)

• (Jones 1)

• (Parks 1)

10. Work Cited - Book Entry

Book Entry Format

• Author’s last name, Author’s first name.

• Title of the Novel

• Publisher

• Year

  
  

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus, Pen Publishers, 1978.


Note: City of publisher no longer needed for MLA 9th edition

Multiple Choice

Which option is the correct format for the MLA Work Cited entry for a book?

• Hemingway, Ernest. The sun also rises. Bloomberry Publishers, 1945.

• Hemingway, Ernest. "The sun also rises." Bloomberry Publishers, 1945.

• Ernest Hemingway. "The sun also rises." Bloomberry Publishers, 1945.