MLA Works Cited Page and In-Text Citations

Here are two great handouts from our library that help you see the proper formatting and use of MLA citations.

First, for your in-text citations, see this handout. 

Second, here's the handout for your MLA Works Cited Page format.

From the English Lab page, here are a few helpful pieces: 

On formatting your whole paper in MLA style in MS Word. 

AND... 

Here is a very clear video tutorial to help you with Word 2007/2010 MLA formatting, including running a page header and setting up your Works Cited page.

Reading Plus and Learning Curve Help Pages

Hey folks,

Good to see you logging into Reading Plus and Learning Curve from the lab tonight.

Remember our goal is to do one Learning Curve assignment per week and spend 30-45 minutes on Reading Plus doing exercises. Shoot for three SeeReader (SR) exercises and one each of Read Around (RA) and iBalance (iB).

If you're having trouble at home, here are a couple of helpful hints to get you going:

1) Learning Curve:

Click here: Improving sentence-level skills with Learning Curve

2) Reading Plus:

Go to login.readingplus.com 

Site code is ccsf

Your username is your student ID. 

Your Password is your last name (first letter capitalized).

Another way to enter the site is try "searching by class" 

See below:  

Ok. Onward! 

Homework Schedule for Paper 2 Assignment

Your Homework Schedule for the Next Segment (Reefer Madness Paper) is as follows:

Week of 9/22:
Answer Questions on Ch. 1 Handout here and respond to Q5 with at least 1 page of free writing toward your essay in your journal. (Note: I will be checking these off in class on 9/29.)

Go over Active Reading for entire "Reefer Madness" chapter, improving your first round and summarizing/mapping the main points and structure that Schlosser uses. Identify specific items you might want to use in your paper. Also decide which way to go with your thesis.

Note: here is the handout on Ethos/Pathos Logos.

Week of 9/29:
Write Rough Draft of Reefer Madness Paper.
Use your free writing and consider outline structure from handout to create paragraphs with main ideas/topic sentences to support your thesis.
Bring three printed copies of your draft to class for peer review.

Week of 10/6:
Finish your Final Draft to hand in on 10/13 at the start of class.
Consider:
Revision tools: Use feedback from Peer Review and Outline Template Handout

Editing: Now that you've considered your paragraph arrangement and what points you want to get across, examine the interior of your paragraphs: Do they start with a topic sentence (an idea)? If not, where/what is the idea for the paragraph? What unifies it? Do you use evidence? Is it properly set up, cited if necessary? Do you make your point clear?
Is each paragraph approx. 1/3 to 2/3 of a page? Not longer or shorter?

Proofreading: Consider the work you've been doing on Learning Curve. Go to Lab to get help from tutors. Read your work out loud to hear how it sounds. Use proofreading strategies here.

2nd Paper: Your First Argument Paper: "Reefer Madness" -- Is Schlosser Effective?

An Appealing Argument?

Background

In the first chapter of Eric Schlosser’s book Reefer Madness, he argues that the punishments for marijuana use and possession are perhaps too stringent and these strict laws reveal a problem within American culture’s perception of marijuana use and possession.

Task

In a 3-4 page essay discuss in detail how effective you think Schlosser’s argument is. Some questions to think about when addressing this prompt would be: What is Schlosser’s argument? How does he support his argument? What kind of argumentative strategies is Schlosser using? Is he persuasive and if so, how? If not, why not? What function do rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos and logos have in his argument?

Goals for this Essay

•       A unique title that shows some level or original creativity/thought.
•       An introduction that introduces the reading, author, and topic and catches the reader’s attention.
•    Clear thesis statement that conveys your opinion about Schlosser’s argument (NOT about marijuana laws).
• Your thesis should be one of the two: either you find Schlosser's argument effective or you do not find it effective--then you'll prove why.

• Well-organized body paragraphs in which you:

·      Have strong topic sentences that clearly support your thesis statement.

·      Use of evidence from Schlosser’s introduction and first chapter to support your points, specifically identifying effective or non-effective use of rhetoric (think Logos, Ethos, Pathos) in his argument.

·      Explain/analyze how and why your evidence proves your points.

• Quotations and references to Reefer Madness using the MLA guidelines.
• Work Cited page.
• Free of proofreading errors.

Due Dates/Schedule

Rough Draft: 10/6—Start early! 

Begin preparing your ideas and outlining or freewriting before 9/29.

Final draft due:         10/13

Homework for week of 9/15

THIS HOMEWORK IS DUE ON 9/22.

1)   Outline "Reefer Madness" pp. 13 to 53 using template handout as a guide.

Outline should have: 10 sections

Strive to use complete sentences for the main ideas of sections.

            Should be typed and printed.

See attached template handout for assistance. 

2)   Actively Read “Reefer Madness” to end (p. 74)

I’ll be checking active reading in class.
Continue to focus on marking main points, adding key words in margins.

3)   Learning Curve – Finish Subject/Verb Agreement assignment.

4)   Reading Plus: Complete Diagnostic test and work through a few more exercises until you either a) level up or b) reach an hour’s time spent.

Don’t let too many days go by before you start in on this work. Break it up into pieces that you can accomplish easily and chip away.

Part of the challenge of the once-weekly course is to take responsibility for your own time management and get work done over a span of time. You can do it! Email me if you need pointers, help or encouragement.

Accessing Online Resources for Class

We have two useful online resources to draw from so far for your class lab hours.

1) The first is Learning Curve.

You may access our class page on learning curve here:
http://www.macmillanhighered.com/learningcurve/rules7e/938931

When you first access this page, you'll need to use the code 8pj-duj-aygf6s9a to get in. 

Follow these instructions:

select “I have a student access code,” enter the code 8pj-duj-aygf6s9a, and click Submit.

If you have problems registering or logging in, please contact Customer Support. You can reach a representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

1. through the online form
2. by chat

Or from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. EST, 7 days a week: 
by phone at (800) 936-6899

2) The second is Reading Plus

Access Reading Plus here: https://login.readingplus.com

The site code is ccsf

Select our class from the list, your name and use YOUR LAST NAME as your password.

3) The English Dept Lab Page

For more info, questions and further resources, visit the English Web Resources Page here:

http://www.ccsf.edu/Departments/English/labpage/webresources.htm

or the English Dept. Lab page. 

Enjoy!

Homework Due on 9/15: Continuing Summary Work

Hello!

As many of you realized last night, your summary assignment is still in the works. All but a few of you chose to do revision and development for another week rather than turning your current work in for a grade. Having looked a few of these over, I can say you made the right choice. 

Look to your peer editing and revision process this week to keep improving those summaries. I look forward to seeing final drafts Next Week.

Reading HW: do your best Active Reading on Schlosser's first section in the book, "Reefer Madness." (The section has the same title as the book.) to p. 53. 

I'll be grading your active reading on pp. 13 to 53 of the book as your quiz grade on active reading during our next 

class. Be sure to mark main points in the margins and underline the best of his ideas.

Here's the link to the peer review form, again.