SUMMER READING ESSAYCOMMON ERRORS

Main Points• Must be distinctively different than other main points• Each should strongly prove your thesis

• Read through a main point aloud and ask yourself, “Does this really help prove the point I’m trying to make?”

• Should have at least two body paragraphs. I know it’s a short paper, but if you’re concise, it’s possible.• The more main points you have, the stronger your thesis becomes

Spelling• Mary Shelley—make sure to spell the author’s last name

correctly!

In-Text Citations• Need to go at the very end of sentence even if they

quotation is used midway through• Period belongs after the parenthesis

Support• Each body paragraph should include some citation

whether you are pulling part of a direct quote or paraphrasing some specific event.

• Support is important to provide because it acts as evidence to your claims.

• Stay away from generalizations!

Quotation Integration• When integrating quotations, you should make it sound

like a part of your own writing.• Good example: Instead, Victor sees “the miserable monster” that

he has to deal with (Shelley 43).• Bad example: “When I reflected on his crimes and malice, my

hatred and revenge burst all bounds of moderation” (Shelley 97). This shows that…”• The quotation in this case is not integrated into your own words and is

less concise.

Conclusion Paragraph• Summarize all of your main ideas from each of your body

paragraphs

Transitions• Transitions needs to be used to better the flow of your

essay• Without transitions, the essay is choppy

• Transitional phrases:• However• Furthermore• In addition• Therefore• Finally• Lastly• Besides• Moreover• Following

Subject-Verb Agreement• Your subject and verb should always match• Your subject should remain the same throughout the

sentence.• Bad example: How a person is raised affects their development.• Good example: How a person is raised affects his development.

• In this case, the author refers to “a person” meaning one. Therefore, the author cannot say “their” because it refers to more than one person.

Use of Semicolons• When using a semi-colon, the two clauses on either side

need to be independent (include a subject and verb and could stand alone as a sentence).

• The two clauses should also make sense together.• Example: We had too many fumbles; we lost the game.

Comma Usage• Commas are needed after introductory clauses

• Examples:• After waiting in line for hours, I was finally allowed into the concert.• Although he did the act out of love, his actions are considered evil.• While she worked on her homework, her sister finished the snacks.• Therefore, she was right.

For/Because• For and Because are not always interchangeable.

• Read aloud the sentence to make sure it sounds correct.• Try since or due instead.

• “Due to his appearance, many are afraid of the monster.”• “Since the monster has a disturbing appearance, many are afraid of

him.”

Contractions• Do not use them in a formal paper!

Works Cited Page• A works cited page always needs to be included• Title it: Works Cited (each word capitalized and centered)• Needs to be double-spaced• No extra space needed between title and citations• First line of a citation needs to aligned all the way to the left of the page

• Any line that follows the same citation needs to be indented

• Title of the novel needs to be italicized• Example:

Works Cited

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein: A Norton Critical Edition. ed. J.

Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton, 1996