Argumentative essay on Langston Hughes poem roots of expression (jazz and blues)

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1. Keep the \”tone\” of your language less personal. \r

– Avoid \”I will\” statements: eg/ \”In this essay I will explore how Shakespeare engages with the theme of love in \”Sonnet 118.\” Here, you can simply state: \”Shakespeare engages with the theme of love in his \”Sonnet 118.\” Note that this is not a thesis statement either. This is simply presenting the topic which you will write on. \r

– Avoid other statements like \”This essay will show.\” We already know that this is an essay. \r

– Avoid saying \”we\” wherever possible: eg/ \”As we can see in line two . . .\”; \”We need to understand that . . .\” When you say \”we\” you are immediately including the reader in your assumptions about the poem. Don’t do it. Tell the reader what they ought to know, don’t tell what they already know. \r

– Exceptions for \”I\” = \”I argue that . . .\” \r

2. Avoid generalizations and vague language. \r

Eg./ \”people\”; \”this\”; \”that\”; \”In this life . . .\”; \”the best thing\”; \”the most common part\”; \”love is important\”; \”death is bad\”; etc . . . \r

– Ask yourself: Am I being specific here? Does my reader know specifically \”who\” I’m referring to? Am I referring to very broad and generalized themes or topics without clarifying the context in which I’m using them? \r

– Am I ranting? Am I going on a rabbit trail talking about themes and ideas without connecting them directly to the text I’m supposed to be referring to? \r

3. Avoid assumptive language \r

– Is the language you are using \”assumptive.\” Does it say what a \”theme\” is rather than explain how the author of the text describes a theme or topic? In a critical analysis you are analyzing a text, not your own opinions. Avoid sharing your own opinions and personal ideologies. Instead, focus on sharing and explaining how the text and its author engage with the topic. You’re voice will be evident in your analysis of the text, not in your personal reflections of what this or that means. \r

eg/ \”Shakespeare reveals an important contrast of eternity versus temporality. This means that heaven and hell is being compared. Life is not long, so it’s important to enjoy love when you can and to love others. When sin entered the world . . . bla, bla, bla.\” \r

– Basically, what’s happened here is the writer has made a grand assumption about the text concerning some obscure notion of heaven and hell and then gone on a theological rant. The writer has not given any reflection on the text itself and has provided not quotations or references to the text. The writer should avoid phrases like \”this means that\” and opt for phrases that reference the text more like \”this implies that,\” or \”this reveals that,\” or \”this points to,\” or \”this brings into question,\” etc… Then the writer has to explain why! \r

4. Quote Integrations. \r

– Do not begin a sentence with a quote. Just don’t. \r

– Introduce the quote using a phrase followed by a comma. \r

Eg/ Shakespeare claims, \”…\” \r

– Unless introducing the quote with a semi-colon, the quote must sound like part of the sentence. Imagine that you took the quotations away. Does it sound like a well-structured sentence? If not, then you need to re-format it. \r

– Don’t fear a semi-colon! Eg/ Hughes uses the image of a river as a metaphor for the long and winding African heritage in the United States: \”I’ve known rivers;/ ancient dusky rivers . . .\” (####). \r

– Use MLA in-text sourcing. After every quote should be a page number in brackets. \r

Eg/ Shakespeare introduces a comparison: \”Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day\” (####). —> Note how I put the period after the sourced page number. \r

5. Follow Format! \r

– MLA format. Look it up. Do your research! \r

– 12 pt font, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins all around, double-spaced. \r

– Indent paragraphs. \r

– No extra spacing in between paragraphs. \r

– Use a bibliography not a \”reference list\” or \”source list\” etc… \r

-** Put all punctuation inside quotations! \r

eg/ Do not do this: Shakespeare introduce us the topic of marriage: \”Let me not to the marriage of true minds\”. —> The period has to go before the quotation! \r

eg/ Shakespeare introduces the reader \”to the marriage of true minds\”, which draws together the theme of love and truth. —> The comma should be before the quotation! \r

6. Punctuation \r

– Are you using commas, semi-colons, colons, and m-dashes correctly? \r

–> DO YOUR RESEARCH! Look at our writing guide book as well. \r

7. Proof Read \r

– Go to the writing centre. Why not? \r

– Have a colleague or friend read over and edit your work before handing it in. \r

– Give yourself at least 1-2 days after completing the paper to hand it in. That way you can re-read your work with \”fresh eyes\” and catch mistakes that maybe you wouldn’t have a day earlier. \r