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EN 1201 - College Writing II (Gladstone)

Resources for Prof. Gladstone's College Writing II course.

Think like a Researcher

Step #1: Derive an essential question

Start by trying to answer the following questions:

What don’t you know about this topic?

Why is it important?

Why are you interested in it?

Where is the controversy?

Step #2: Collect background information

Step #3: Selecting academic sources

We have many different databases for all kinds of research projects. Use the drop-down menu to select the one that is right for you.

How to Make your Paper Great

Step #4: Make sure it is good

Does this match what I have found elsewhere?
 
Important characteristics:

qualified author will have a background in the field they are writing about. The authors should not show bias. Opinions are backed by research and evidence.

current publication date is something within the last 10 years typically. This can be shorter in the sciences.

bibliography or other references are important because they let us know where the author is getting their information from.

Step #5: Organize your thoughts

Now that you have some research you want to use, outline what you need to understand and deal with each piece individually. Identify connections as you write.
 
Find 1-2 resources to support each topic. You are unlikely to find one article or book that is going to cover everything you want to talk about. 

Step #6: Join the Conversation

Read through the bibliography or works cited. Are there papers that are cited a lot? Are there other resources that might be useful to you?

Most of our databases include tools to help you find other people engaged in the conversation.

Look for areas of overlap in your reading. Keep these questions in mind:

  1. Do any authors bring up the same points?
  2. Do they agree or disagree?
  3. Why does an author bring up a specific point, and how can you relate it to your own ideas about the topic?

Formatting your Bibliography

MLA Style Citation Examples

In-Text Citations

NOTE: MLA treats quotations and paraphrasing the same. 

(Last name Page)

Example:

(Dorris and Erdrich 23)


More than two authors

(Last name et al. Page)

Example:

(Burdick et al. 42)

Journal Articles

 Last name, First name. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol., no. if available, year, pages. Database, if available. Stable URL, if available. 

Example: 

 Borroff, Marie. "Sound Symbolism as Drama in the Poetry of Robert Frost." PMLA, vol. 107, no. 1, Jan. 1992, pp. 131-44. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/462806.


Journal article with multiple authors

When a source has more than two authors, include Last name, First name, et al.

 Last name, First name, and First name Last name. "Article Title." Journal Title, vol., no. if available, year, pages. Database, if available. Stable URL, if available. 

Example: 

 Dorris, Michael, and Louise Erdich. "The Crown of Columbus." PMLA, vol. 120, no. 3, May 1997, pp. 182-44. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/462806.

Books

Last name, first name. Book Title. Publisher, abbreviated as appropriate, year. 

Example:

Borroff, Marie. Language and the Poet: Verbal Artistry in Frost, Stevens, and Moore. U of Chicago P, 1979.


Book with multiple authors

When a source has three or more authors, reverse the first name and follow it with a comma and et al.

Last name, first name, et al. Book Title. Publisher, abbreviated as appropriate, year. 

Example:

Burdick, Anne, et al. Digital Humanities, MIT P, 2012. 


Chapter in edited book

 Last name, first name. "Chapter Title." Book Title, edited by Editor, Publisher, abbreviated as appropriate, year, pp. pages. 

Example:

 Bazin, Patrick. "Toward Metareading." The Future of the Book, edited by Geoffry Nunberg, U of California P, 1996, pp. 153-68.

Website

Sometimes, websites do not clearly state who wrote the information on the page. When no author is listed, omit the author information from the citation. Start the citation with the title.

 Last name, First name. “Article or Page Title.” Website Title, Name of the publisher, Date of publication, URL.

Example:

 White, Lori. “The Newest Fad in People Helping People: Little Free Pantries.” Upworthy, Cloud Tiger Media, 3 Aug. 2016,
www.upworthy.com/the-newest-fad-in-people-helping-people-little-free-pantries?g=2&c=hpstream.

How to Beat Research Stress

Step #7: Ask for help

RefWorks

RefWorks is a new way to collect, manage, and organize research.  You can read, annotate, organize, and cite your research as well as collaborate by sharing collections.

From simple bibliographies to papers formatted with in-text citations or footnotes, RefWorks handles it all. ​To learn more about RefWorks, use our RefWorks research guide.

To create a RefWorks account:

  1. Go to the link below and click Create account
  2. Fill in your information, making sure to use your DelVal email address.  
  3. Go to your inbox and click the email link to complete the activation process. 

Already have an account? Just go to the link below and click "Log In"

The Writing Center

The Writing Center is staffed by DelVal undergraduate peer tutors who help with writing assignments in all your courses. We view writing as a process that involves planning, reading, drafting, revising, and editing—writing with substance involves discovering your meaning through brainstorming, sharing, and getting lots of feedback.

Tutors help you gain a fresh perspective on the writing process, and can assist with any stage of the process:  choosing a topic or working through writer's block, generating ideas, creating an outline, sharpening a thesis, arranging and organizing paragraphs, citing correctly and fluently, editing grammar and mechanics, and more.

Instructors receive a copy of the tutor report completed during the session, to illustrate your engagement with the writing process and meeting the demands of writing across disciplines.

Services are on a walk-in basis, so no appointment is necessary. Schedules are posted in the Writing Center, on Inside DelVal, and on professors' Blackboard course pages.

Tutors look forward to working with you!