BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Rules for Written Assignments
Purposes of Writing:
TO INFORM: Writing of this sort conveys information, such as giving directions to someone or relaying a message.
TO EXPLAIN: Expository writing seeks to shed light on a subject, such as the clash of cultures in My Antonia.
TO INSTRUCT: Instructive writing encompasses the above two purposes. Generally, the writer seeks to elucidate ideas and perhaps inculcate some values. The piece may thus involve some persuasion.
TO PERSUADE: Persuasive writing uses several techniques that involve the appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos), rhetorical questions, allusions, analogies, and the like. The ultimate goal in this case is to sway one's interlocutor or audience.
TO ANALYZE: Analytical writing examines an author's use of specific techniques or rhetorical devices, such as tragic irony, imagery, or theme. This is sophisticated writing that goes beyond simply remarking on the presence of patterns in a work by seeking to account for their purpose.
Formatting Rules:
Heading:
Unless a teacher specifies otherwise, headings should contain at least your name, the date, and the title of the assignment.
If the paper is typed:
Use 1.5 or 2.0 spacing, unless instructed otherwise.
Margins should be one inch all around.
Use Times New Roman font, size 12.
Indent new paragraphs half an inch.
If the paper is hand written:
Use dark blue or black pen only.
Do not hand in papers with ragged edges.
Leave margins on the left and right side.
Indent five letter spaces.
Do not skip lines between paragraphs.
Ensure that your script is legible and reasonably sized.
Writing Rules:
Underlining vs. Quotation Marks:
Underline or italicize book titles. Quotation marks are for short stories and short poems.
Use of the Personal Pronouns:
Do not use the pronoun “I” unless writing a personal essay. There are rare exceptions in persuasive writing, but “I think,” “in my opinion,” and “I believe” are always wasted words.
Avoid the pronouns “we” and “you” as well. Usually, one can replace such words with the pronoun “one” (as is modeled in this actual sentence).
When Writing Analytical Papers:
The introduction should contain the name, author, and some basic plot information about the novel.
The thesis statement should be clearly identifiable in the introduction (most teachers prefer it as the last sentence of the introduction); if subtopics are listed, they should match the order in which they will be discussed in the paper.
Body paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence that states what will be proven in that paragraph.
Paragraphs have a minimum length of four sentences in academic papers.
Quotations from a work or literature or a critical source cannot stand on their own. They must be attached to your own words somehow, and they should be cited in MLA Format:
Ex: Tea Cake tells Janie, “You got de keys to de kingdom” (108).
Ex2: When Janie sees a picture of herself, she asks, “Where is me?” (4).
Ex3: Many critics think that Janie simply leaves one abusive husband for another: “As long as Janie functions as the object of a possessive lover, she will never be free” (Jackson 19).
Conclusions should not use “In conclusion.” They should create a sense of closure in the paper without restating the thesis in the exact same words.
When Writing Creative Assignments:
Dialogue should be in quotations and should change paragraphs with each new speaker. All punctuation should be found inside of quotation marks:
Ex.“Hey, Gary, how’s it going?” asked Sheila.
“It’s going well. I’m trying to learn all of these writing rules so that I can earn a high mark in English class,” he answered.
“Good luck!”
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