Writing Guidelines

Literary readings: Precision

• When you are trying to characterize the tone or

effect of a phrase or a line or even a character, be
as precise as possible.

• Choose an adjective and test it for accuracy

 Which are better choices of word? And
why?
Answer A Answer B

We can see Eveline’s panic in We can see Eveline’s panic in

how ‘her hands clutched the
iron in frenzy.’ The choice of
‘clutch’ and ‘frenzy’
underscore her anxiety and
increasing distress.
how ‘her hands clutched the
iron in frenzy.’ The choice of
‘clutch’ and ‘frenzy’
underscore her desperation
and increasing irrationality.
 Literary readings
• Avoid glaring misreadings of the text. Always
check that the text says what you think it says.
• Read everything in context.
• Avoid speculative comments not supported by
the text: ‘Eveline stays because eloping is a
sin.’
 Writing Tips: Style

• Do NOT write in an ‘academic’ style. Clarity of

expression counts for more than a high-flung
style that is confusing. If you have trouble
writing long sentences, use shorter ones.
 Writing Tips: Quotes

• Choose your evidence well and always gloss your quotes.

• You may be able to identify an appropriate quote but if
you do not explain why this extract is significant, your job
is only half done.
• Example: It’s not good enough to simply say that this or
that word/sentence shows Eveline’s increasing distress.
You need to explain how it does so! (See next slide)
 Example
Poor answer Better answer

We can see Eveline’s panic in

how ‘her hands clutched the
We can see that Eveline is
iron in frenzy.’ The choice of
distressed because of how ‘her
‘clutch’ and ‘frenzy’
hands clutched the iron in
underscore her desperation
frenzy.’
and increasing irrationality.
 Writing Tips: Quotes
• Do not take quotes out of context.

• When using quotes within a sentence, make

sure the entire sentence is grammatical. This
means that you have find a way to make the
quote work with your part of the sentence.
 Example
Incorrect Correct

Eveline responds to her fiancée

by ‘[setting] her white face to

Eveline responds to her him, passive, like a helpless

fiancée by ‘set her white face animal’

to him, passive, like a helpless OR

animal’ Eveline responds to her fiancée

by turning ‘her white face to him,
passive, like a helpless animal’
 Writing Tips: Transitions
• Pay attention to transitions: Make sure the end of each
sentence/paragraph will lead you logically to the next
sentence/paragraph.
• Use transitional words/phrases to help you:
– However; In contrast; In addition; Therefore; Thus; Furthermore etc etc
– But you need to remember to make transitions by idea, not just
mechanically by words
• You are developing your argument, not simply giving me a list of
bullet points. Shape your essay accordingly.
 Writing Tips
• Make sure you are answering the question!
• Be careful that you do not turn the question
into some other essay question
• If you don’t answer the question, no matter
how well you write, I can’t give you more than
a C+/B-. You might do even worse than this.
 How to avoid not answering the
question
• Check the topic sentences of your paragraphs
– If your opening sentences focus on something
other than the issue that the question is
interested in, something isn’t right.

• Always ask yourself if you are orientating your

points to the question
 Plagiarism Warning
• http://www.english.hku.hk/plagiarism.htm
• Plagiarism will lead to immediate failure of the
assignment, and may lead to you failing the course
• Your plagiarised work will be seen by a School panel
and may result in further actions, eg.
Recommendation that your case be sent to the HKU
Disciplinary Committee.
 How to cite your sources

• http://www.english.hku.hk/general_files/Guid
elines%20for%20Citing%20and%20Documen
ting%20Sources.pdf
 3.6 Quotations
There are a number of ways of indicating your use of reference
material. The simplest is direct quotation. You should make it
clear that the quotation is a quotation, and briefly indicate its
source in your essay itself (see 3.1), or in a footnote, as well as
listing the source in your bibliography.

Eg 1:

In “Tradition and the Individual Talent”, T. S. Eliot declares:

The business of the poet is not to find new emotions, but to use
the ordinary ones and, in working them up into poetry, to express
feelings which are not in actual emotions at all. (4)
 Alternative forms
Eg 2:
The argument put forward by Eliot (4) depends on a
distinction between emotions and “feelings which are not in
actual emotions at all”.

Eg 3:
Schiffrin (1994, 5) says that discourse analysis is an ill-defined
area because “our understanding of discourse is based on
scholarship from a number of academic disciplines that are
actually very different from one another”.
 3.7 Paraphrase
Example:
Schiffrin (1994, 5)
There are problems with
defining the area of
“our understanding of
discourse analysis because
discourse is based on
of the heterogeneity of the
scholarship from a number
academic disciplines on
of academic disciplines that
which it is based (Schiffrin
are actually very different
1994, 5).
from one another”
 3.9 Plagiarism in action!
Sample:
From T.S. Eliot, “Tradition and
It has always seemed to me that the
the Individual Talent”
business of the poet is not to find
new emotions, but, so to speak, to
The business of the poet is not to use the ordinary ones and, in
find new emotions, but to use the
working them up into poetry, to
ordinary ones and, in working
express feelings which are not in
them up into poetry, to express
emotions at all. Thus we see that
feelings which are not in actual
poetry is an escape from emotion.
emotions at all.

• No quotation marks or citation

QUESTIONS?
 Final Test

• Answer three questions

• Short essays of 500-600 words each

• Please focus your attention on your thesis and

your topic sentences

• Don’t forget to answer the question

 How to find a thesis

• Check your conclusion — you may have a

workable thesis buried in your conclusion
instead

• A thesis is a summation of your best insights

into the question and the text
 Example

• Q: Discuss the role masculinity plays in

conceptions of modernity using one text
studied in this course.
 Steps
• Find an appropriate text that has interesting angle on
masculinity, that has an interesting male character
– F. T. Marinetti’s persona
– George Silverton
• Ask yourself what are the possible connections between
modernity and masculinity in Marinetti’s text or via
George:
– What versions of masculinity are presented to us?
– What vision of modernity are we shown via these male figures?
Not a Thesis
In this essay, I will discuss the role
masculinity plays in conceptions
of modernity by examining The
Futurist Manifesto. I will first
define what Futurism is, then
reveal the misogynism displayed
in the Manifesto.
This is a Thesis
I argue that Marinetti’s vision of
modernity is dominated by a sense of
misogynistic machismo. Modernity is
presented in the text as an exciting
new world of cars, speed, danger, and
adventure, a world intent on breaking
apart the old order. This is, however, a
future envisioned only for men; there
is no room for women.
 Structure
• Modernity as a macho man’s
I argue that Marinetti’s vision of
world
modernity is dominated by a sense
– cars, speed, danger
of misogynistic machismo.
– Futurist modernity predicated on
Modernity is presented in the text as
rejecting the past; the past is
an exciting new world of cars, speed,
connected to women
danger, and adventure, a world
• Marinetti’s misogynism
intent on breaking apart the old
– Where does he see women? How
order. This is, however, a future
does he view feminism and
envisioned only for men; there is no women?
room for women.
 How to write conclusions

• Do NOT simply recap your

essay*:
• Good conclusions reiterate
In this essay, I have shown the your thesis, but in a new way
ways in which masculinity plays a
• They may even bring to light a
role in modernity. In particular, I
new insight that pulls
highlight the misogynism of
together all that you have
Futurism as a movement.
previously discussed.

* This may be what you have been told to do

in other disciplines, like in Social Science
 Sample Conclusion
With Futurism, modernity is very much presented as a male-only project,
reserved for heroic men who are the masters of the new technologies and
masters of their own fates. Women have no place in Marinetti’s vision of
modernity, being merely part of the old order that needs to be rejected.
Given that this was an era when women and feminism were on the rise,
however, Marinetti’s construction of modernity as strictly as a man’s
world might well be construed as a deliberate move to deny women a
rightful place in modernity. It can also be seen perhaps as wishful
thinking. Women were to become major players in the modern world too
and Marinetti’s insistence on a male-dominated construction of
modernity can be read as defensive denial of modernity as both a project
for both men and women.
 Evaluations for ENGL1013
http://setl.hku.hk

Links for evaluations of course, lecturer, and

tutors

If any links are missing, contact SSRC by email

(setl@ssrc.hku.hk).

Deadline: Dec 7, 2017

 Tutorials

• Tutorials for Groups 1 and 3: Rebecca West

(2:30-3:20) Venue: MB201 and MB100

• Tutorials for Groups 2 and 4: Rebecca West

(3:30-4:20) Venue: MB201 and MBG07