HENRY HUDSON REGIONAL SCHOOL STUDENT WRITING GUIDE

HENRY HUDSON REGIONAL SCHOOL STUDENT WRITING GUIDE In an effort to establish uniform standards throughout Henry Hudson Regional School, the English Department has prepared a guide for students to consult when submitting written work. This guide answers questions often asked by students. These rules are to be applied to any written work for any class. It will be easier on both students and teachers because there will be consistent expectations for all papers. Since research papers are assigned in many classes, we have attached highlights of the MLA (Modern Language Association) stylebook. There are other research paper formats (APA, Chicago, etc.), but the MLA style is used at many colleges so it is the one we have selected. Now students will have a copy of the rules for preparing these papers and can apply them to any subject area. These rules will begin to be second nature when used for all research assignments. It is essential that each student keep this copy of standards in a notebook as you will be held accountable and will be expected to adhere to these guidelines. 1

STANDARDS FOR WRITTEN WORK 1. All written work must be on uniform size paper 81/2 x 11. 2. Handwritten papers must be done in ink (no pencils). 3. Typed papers must be double-spaced with margins. 4. Write on one side of the paper only, unless specific directions indicate otherwise. 5. Use a paper clip or staples to hold papers together. 6. Identify papers by using the proper heading: Student Name Subject Date Teacher Topic 7. All papers submitted must be neat. 8. All papers submitted must be legible. 9. All papers submitted must be complete. 10. All papers submitted must be on time. 11. Research papers must follow MLA guidelines (attached). 12. Research papers must be typed. RESEARCH PAPER MLA STYLE 2

OUTLINE 1. The first page seen by the teacher is the outline of the paper. Number the outline with small Roman numerals (top right-hand corner). Write your name in the top left-hand margin, followed by the course title, your teacher s name, and the date when the paper is due (each entry on a separate line, double-spaced). Example: i John Smith English I Mrs. Jones September 28, 2002 2. Center the title of the paper and quadruple space (4 spaces) before the thesis. A good title should tell the reader what the paper is about. Double space throughout the rest of the outline. 3. The thesis is one declarative sentence preceded by the word Thesis. The rest of the outline follows the rules for outlining (either sentence outline or topic outline). DO NOT MAKE THE OUTLINE TOO LONG a general rule is one page of outline for every 5 pages of writing. 4. College papers require no title page, but some teachers do so be sure to check with your teacher! SAMPLE OUTLINE ON FOLLOWING PAGE: i John Smith English I Mrs. Jones September 28, 2002 The History and Use of Computer Animation 3

Thesis: The use of computer animation, in cinematography, has changed to become more applicable over the years. I. There are many advantages to computer animation. A. The use of 3-D adds depth to the picture. A. Routine coloring and drawing are coming to an end. II. The cost of this animation is on the decline. A. More projects are able to use this technique now that it is becoming more affordable. B. The cost will continue to decrease and this form will be easier to utilize. III. The United States is ahead of both Japan and Europe in advancing computer animation knowledge. A. Dream Flight set new standards in animation. B. Through the use of vector animation, this short film broke into the general market. BODY OF THE PAPER 1. The first page of the body of the paper should have your last name and number 1 (top right-hand corner). The heading should be identical to the outline (double-spaced): Example: John Smith Smith 1 English I Mrs. Jones September 28, 2002 2. Double-space again, center the title (capitalize the first, last, and principal words). DO NOT UNDERLINE. Quadruple space, begin the introduction of the paper. 3. Double-space the body of the paper. A 1 margin is required on all sides. 4. Always type your last name before the page number. This includes the Works Cited page. 5. When handing in the paper, DO NOT STAPLE OR PLACE IN A FOLDER! Use a paper clip. 6. The thesis is traditionally restated in the first paragraph of the paper. 7. Parenthetical Citations refer the reader to the Works Cited page at the end of the paper (the list of sources). The author s last name and page numbers of the citation have to be mentioned within the parenthesis. If the same source is used in the next citation, only the page numbers have to be listed. If there is no author, use the title of the reference work. STUDY THE PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION OF THE SAMPLE PAPER. 8. According to the MLA Handbook, each text reference to an outside source must point clearly to a specific entry in the list of Works Cited. The essential elements of an in-text citation are the author s name (or the document s title, if no author is identified) and a page reference or other information showing where in a source cited material appears. Create an in-text reference to an Internet source by using a signal phrase, a parenthetical citation, or both a previewing sentence and a parenthetical citation. 4

9. You should observe research conventions when introducing the source of a long or important quotation, especially the first time you refer to it. Examples are: As Dr. John Smith states Anthropologist Margaret Mead observes that 10. Any quotation longer than 3 lines should be indented 10 spaces (left-hand margin only) and should NOT be enclosed in quotation marks. 11. Do NOT single space long quotations. 12. The parenthetical citation follows the final period of the quotation. 13. When a work has 2 authors, both last names are cited. 14. When a work has 3 authors, list all 3 last names in the citation (Jones, Smith, Clark). For works with more than 3 authors, use et al after the first name. (Jones et al). 15. Ellipsis points, 3 spaced periods ( ) are used when a writer leaves out part of a quotation. 16. The final paragraph is usually a summation and restates the thesis. PLAGIARISM Plagiarism occurs when a student does not give credit to a source when using his/her information in a paper. Paraphrasing is when the student rewrites information in his/her own words and style. Following each paraphrase or direct quote, he/she provides a parenthetical note to credit the source of the information. You must give credit whenever you use: a. Another person s idea, opinion or theory b. Any facts, statistics, graphs, etc. (any information that is not common knowledge c. Quotations of written or spoken words d. Paraphrase of another person s words Every student is expected to do his/her own work. Cheating will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating will receive a zero for that activity and may be subject to disciplinary action. Cheating includes giving and/or receiving answers or plagiarism. TWO SAMPLE PAGES OF RESEARCH PAPER FOLLOW: Michael Jones Jones 1 English I 5

Mrs. Jones September 28, 2002 The History and Use of Computer Animation Computer animation has become an important part of cinematography. It has grown since its prehistoric debut in 1981 (Bergeron 49). Things that were unimaginable a decade ago are tangible now. Computer animation is commonly used in commercials, movies, cartoons, and music videos. This animation is very young and fast growing. The use of computer animation, in cinematography, has changed to become more applicable over the years. This is a truly unique form of animation. A third dimension is visible to the artist through the computer. Doug Strothers, a computer animator, explains that the third dimension is called a depth dimension (Ward 732). The animator is in complete control of the environment he creates. As Dan Philips, manager of the computer-generated imagery department at Disney studios states: Unless there s an animator behind the computer, you re going to end up with what the computer thinks is correct and that s bad animation. (Armstrong and Schwartz 42) Jones 2 This system ends the routine drawing and coloring that tie directly with traditional animation. Armstrong supports computer animation by saying that, Paint and brush are no match for creating 3-D settings and other tough jobs. (42) The cost of this animation is becoming more and more comparable to that of traditional animation. A few years ago computer animation was too expensive to be considered as an alternative to hand-drawn cartoons. With costs exceeding $200,000 for thirty seconds of commercial time, it proved to be unpopular with advertising agencies. In comparison, a thirty minute cartoon costs only $250,000 (Ward 738). Michael Jackson s 1992 music video, Black or White, contained some computer animation (Armstrong and 6

Schwartz 42). Now about one tenth of all animation shown on television is computer generated because of its decline in price (Ward 718). The United States is paving the road for the advancement of computer animation. The art form is accepted as well as used in everyday life. On the other hand, according to Fred Ward, Europe is about five years behind in its development. Some major problems that are hindering the success of this animation are ignorance and high cost. European advertisers don t understand the advantages of computer animation. Besides, the price keeps their minds closed (738). WORKS CITED PAGE 1. This is the section listing all of the works you used in your research. The heading (Works Cited) is centered on the page 2 from the top., followed by quadruple spacing. 2. The entire page is double spaced, within as well as between bibliographic entries. The second line, as well as any other lines, in EACH bibliographic entry is indented 5 spaces. 3. The entries are listed in alphabetical order according to the first letter of the entry. 4. Left and right margins are 1. TYPICAL ENTRIES: Online Document Author s name (last name first). Document title. Date of internet publication. Date of access<url>. This is the basic information needed for the Works Cited Page. See the following website for more detailed information: http://webster.comnet.edu/mla Book with One Author Bloomfield, Leonard. Language. New York: Holt, 1961. * Note the last name of the author appears first, followed by a comma and then the author s first name. Periods followed by 2 spaces separate the major parts of the entry (name, title, facts of publication). No page reference is supplied; that appears in the parenthetical citations within the text of the paper. Names of well-known publishers are abbreviated ( Holt for Holt, Rinehart, and Winston ). Book with Two Authors Morgan, Clifford T., and Richard A. King. Introduction to Psychology. New York: 7

McGraw, 1966. * Note the name of the second author appears in its normal order with the Christian name first, preceded by a comma and the word and. * If a book has more than 3 authors, use the name of the first author (last name first), followed by et al. (Witt, Charles B., et. al.) Book in an Edition Other Than the First Mussen Paul Henry, John Janeway Conger, and Jerome Kagan. Child Development. 5 th ed. New York: Harper, 1979. Work From an Anthology Poe, Edgar Allen. The Raven. Great American Poetry. Ed. Richard Johnson. New York: McGraw, 1978. 38-40. Unsigned Magazine Article The Argument for Bilingual Education. Saturday Review 29 Apr. 1972: 54. * Note that the year is followed by a colon and then the page number(s). Signed Magazine Article Bergeron, Phillippe. Dream Flight. American Cinematographer 65 August/September 1984: 49-52. Signed Article in a Periodical Issued Quarterly Dugas, Donald. Bilingualism and Language Learning. School and Society 95 (Summer 1967): 294-96. *For ALL articles appearing in periodicals, magazines, or newspapers, the pages of the ENTIRE article must be given. *Since the periodical is issued quarterly, the volume number precedes the publication date (in parenthesis) and a colon separates the publication date from the page numbers. Newspaper Article Johnson, Jeffrey. New Program for Handicapped Children. New York Times 24 Nov. 1972, pt. 4:1. *Note the section of the paper is cited as well as the page. DNA. Encyclopedia Americana. 1994 ed. Article in a Reference Book Unsigned 8

Article in a Reference Book Signed Smith, Richard. Color and Light. Encyclopedia Brittanica. 1994 ed. Television or Radio Program Pollution in the Desert. Narr. Mike Wallace. Prod. Jack Fenway. Dir. John Brett. Sixty Minutes. CBS WCBS, New York. 6 Mar. 1994. * Note: Include show title, program or series title, pertinent actors, directors, producers, network call letters and city and date. Recording Webber, Andrew Lloyd. Phantom of the Opera. Perf. Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, and Steve Barton. Audiocassette. EMI, 1987. * Cite first whichever is emphasized composer, performer or conductor. Then include title, artist(s), audiocassette, LP, or CD, manufacturer, date or N.D. if unknown. Film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Paramount, 1982. Interview Broadcast Gramm, Phil. Interview with Charlie Rose. Charlie Rose. WNRT, New York. 6May 1994. Interview Personal Kennedy, Robert. Personal Interview. 11 January 1965. SAMPLE WORKS CITED PAGE FOLLOWS: Jones 6 Works Cited Armstrong, Larry, and Evan I. Schwartz. Lights, Camera Ok Byte-Brain, do Your Stuff. Business Week 2 Dec. 1991: 42. 9

Burka, Lauren P. A Hypertext History of Multi-User dimensions. MUD History. URL: Error! Reference source not found. Dec. 1994). Creation vs. Evolution: Battle of the Classroom. Videocassette. Dir. Ryall Wilson, PBS Video, 1982. Mumford, Lewis. The Highway and the City. New York: Harcourt Brace and World, 1963. Orchestra. CD-ROM. Burbank: Warner New Media. 1992. Redford, Robert. Personal Interview. 24 Sept. 1996. Sixty Minutes. CBS. WFSB, Hartford. 3 May 1991. 10