Writing is a fascinating, arduous and solitary

profession. The technical skills necessary to produce

even a commonplace novel are quite as complicated
as those necessary for a brain operation.

Hugh MacLennan

We are pleased to present The Vanier English Department Writing Guide. Since much of the material in this
booklet is based on the Vanier Student Writing Guide we gratefully acknowledge the efforts and ingenuity of those
who have worked on this project in it’s various editions and guises. Brian Campbell, Grace Hawley, Fran
Ponomarenko, Pat Tedford, Anne Blott, Judy Macdonald, Fran Davis, Judith Stonehewer, Pat Salmon, Carol-Anne
Inglis, Doug Miller and Kim Muncey have all contributed in a variety of ways to the creation and continued growth
of this writing guide. We have also consulted The M.L.A. Style Manual.

We also thank all those teachers and staff who have suggested improvements and given us feedback on areas where
students need further clarification. Finally, we appreciate the lively cartoons drawn by Trung-Hieu Tran.

Pam Berlow
Aurora Flewwelling-Skup
Erin MacLeod
 2

VANIER ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

WRITING GUIDE 2008

Table of Contents

A Literary Essay 3
The Thesis Statement 3
The Essay outline 5
From Outline to Draft 6
Paragraphs 7
Transitional Words 7
The Intro 8
The Body Paragraphys 8
The Conclusion 8
Sample Paragraph 9
Plagiarism 10
Direct Quotations 11
Paraphrasing 11
The Checklist 12
MLA Style 13
Formatting 13
Sample Format: The First Page 15
Acknowledging Sources 16
Parenthetical Documentation 16
Works Cited 21
Sample Essay 24
Editing Your Paper 28

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A LITERARY ESSAY:

Most college level English courses will require you to write a literary essay, an analysis of a work of
literature (short story, novel, poem, play, non-fiction article) in essay form.

For proper analysis, you will need to first centre your arguments around a strong thesis statement, and then
organize your main points and evidence by making an outline.

THE THESIS STATEMENT:

A sentence that states clearly and precisely what your paper is designed to
prove or explain. It is not a topic or a question, it is the answer. Your thesis is the
most important sentence in your essay, as it controls the rest of the paper. Every idea
in the paragraphs that follow it must contribute to the development of your thesis.
Avoid vague and subjective terms like “interesting” or using the personal pronoun, as in “I think that…” when
creating your thesis.

Here are three (3) important considerations when creating a thesis. While your thesis may be worded in
several different ways when it appears in your introduction, conclusion, and is referred to in your body paragraphs,
you need to always be making the same argument. The following “best” examples are taken from former Vanier
student Jennifer Smith’s literary essay on Irving Layton’s “Rhine Boat Trip”.

1. Your thesis should be LIMITED.

Too Broad Holocaust was a horrible event.

Better When Irving Layton visited the Rhine River in Germany, he felt uncomfortable because he thought
about the Holocaust.

Best The beauty of the Rhine River in Irving Layton’s poem, “Rhine Boat Trip”, is forever
overshadowed by the horrors of the Holocaust.

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2. Your thesis should be UNIFIED.

Weak The Rhine River in Germany is very beautiful and is an area that was affected by the Holocaust.

Better Even though the Rhine River in Germany is very beautiful, Irving Layton can only think of the ugly
images of the Holocaust when he sees it.

Best In his poem “Rhine Boat Trip,” Irving Layton suggests that a place is forever affected by the events
that occurred in its past.

3. Your thesis should be EXACT.

Weak Irving Layton thinks people should not visit the Rhine River.

Better Irving Layton argues that people should not forget the Holocaust.

Best The Rhine River, according to Irving Layton in his poem “Rhine Boat Trip”, will forever be haunted
by the ghosts of the Holocaust.

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THE ESSAY OUTLINE:

WORKING TITLE: An Appreciation of “Rhine Boat Trip” by Irving Layton

INTRODUCTION:
I. A. HOOK/OPENING:
An example of how events can change a place is when a death occurs in a house, the
people affected see only this death whenever they enter the house.

B. THESIS STATEMENT:
In his poem “Rhine Boat Trip,” Irving Layton suggests that a place is forever
affected by the events that occurred in its past.

C. MAIN SUPPORTING POINTS:

1. Allusions to the Holocaust
2. Contrasting imagery of beauty and ugliness
3. Structure of a boat trip in spatial sequence

BODY PARAGRAPHS:
II. SUPPORT FOR THESIS:
The Rhine River, according to Irving Layton in his poem “Rhine Boat Trip”, will
forever be haunted by the ghosts of the Holocaust.

MAIN POINT: A. Allusions to the Holocaust:

EVIDENCE: 1. “ghosts of Jewish mothers looking for their ghostly children,”

2. “murdered rabbis”
3. “cattle-cars”

B. Contrasting imagery of beauty and darkness:

1. “And the clusters of grapes / in the sloping vineyards / are myriads of blinded
eyes / staring at the blind sun”.
2. “However sweetly they sing / one hears only / the low wailing of cattle-cars
/moving invisibly across the land”.

C. Structured as boat trip, in spatial sequence (described in the order he would see
them):

1. First stanza – the castles

2. Second stanza - the vineyards
3. Third stanza - the Lorelei who live in the cliffs overlooking the Rhine
4. Fourth stanza - the cattle-cars that move like train tracks across the land

CONCLUSION:
III. RESTATEMENT OF THESIS:
The beauty of the Rhine River in Irving Layton’s poem, “Rhine Boat Trip”, is
forever overshadowed by the horrors of the Holocaust.

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FROM OUTLINE TO DRAFT

Now you are ready to begin the rough draft. Your paper will build on the organization set up in your outline and
will consist of three major sections:

1. Introduction: The first paragraph

a. Try to involve the reader in your subject with an interesting
opening.
b. Make a clear statement of the thesis or main idea.
c. Roughly indicate the scope of your subject: how you will
support your thesis.

2. Body of the Paper: All the well-developed paragraphs you write to develop your thesis

3. Conclusion: Usually the last paragraph

a. One effective way of concluding is to remind the reader of the major points of the essay and how
they are related to the thesis.
b. A brief account of the wider implications of the overall thesis may be given if appropriate.

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PARAGRAPHS

The essay is developed for the reader in stages, step by step, and each step is identified by having a paragraph to
itself. The paragraphs on the following page were taken from the student essay. Study them and notice the
following:

1. Although part of a larger essay, the paragraph stands alone.

2. Each paragraph is centered on a single idea which is related to the thesis.

3. The paragraph is full. It offers enough support to satisfy the reader.

4. Paragraph unity is achieved by having one sentence which states the idea of the [Link] sentence is the
topic sentence, and is usually at the beginning of the paragraph.

5. Within a paragraph the writer needs to signal the movement from thought to thought. Similarly, when
paragraphs are part of a longer essay, the writer should include appropriate transitional words or phrases to
move from paragraph to paragraph and from section to section. Consult the following list of transitional words
and phrases.

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THE INTRODUCTION

Many have noticed that when something horrible happens in a place, that place is never seen the same
again; for example, a death occurs in a house, and the people affected see only this death whenever they enter the
house. To the same effect, in his poem “Rhine Boat Trip,” Irving Layton suggests that a place is forever affected by
the events that occurred in its past. He does this effectively through allusion to the Holocaust, through contrasting
imagery, and through the structure of the poem.

The first sentence in this introductory paragraph opens with a general idea meant to grab our attention, but
which is also linked to the main idea or thesis of the paper. The thesis is underlined. Notice how the author,
the title of the text under discussion are both included in this opening paragraph. Finally, the paragraph
ends with an overview of the scope of the essay.

THE BODY PARAGRAPH/S

In this poem, Irving Layton uses allusions to the Holocaust to communicate his view that a place will
forever be haunted by its past. The Rhine River is told to be a very beautiful place, but Layton, instead of seeing its
beauty, sees only the horror of its past. Images of “ghosts of Jewish mothers looking for their ghostly children,”
“murdered rabbis,” and “cattle-cars” used for the transportation of the Jews, all allusions to the Holocaust, are
what he sees when traveling this river. A place can be extremely beautiful, a paradise, but its past can forever mar
this beauty; this is what Layton wants us to see. By alluding to the Holocaust, one of the most violent events in the
history of the world, he effectively gets his point across; the Rhine River will forever be haunted by the ghosts of
the Holocaust.

The first sentence, the topic sentence, has been underlined. It is developed through examples and quotations
from the poem. (see the following page for more details on body paragraphs).

THE CONCLUSION

Reading this poem shows how powerfully an event can affect a place. Through the allusion to the
Holocaust, the reader is able to associate his own horror at this event with the scenes described in the poem. The
beautiful images of the river when associated with contrasting darker images gives the effect that Layton intends;
that is, these beautiful images are marred by these darker images. The reader, through the structure of the poem,
feels as if he himself is on a boat ride with these images laid out before him. Irving Layton gets his point across
extremely well, making the effect of the poem extremely powerful. The beauty of the Rhine River is forever
overshadowed by the horrors of the Holocaust.

In this final summation of the writer’s main thoughts notice how the central premise of the essay is returned
to in each of the underlined sentences. The writer of the essay has also made reference to the wider implications of
the poem by noting how the reader might feel while reading the poem under discussion.

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SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:

In this poem, Irving Layton uses allusions to the Holocaust to communicate his view that a place will

forever be haunted by its past. The Rhine River is told to be a very beautiful place, but Layton, instead of seeing its

beauty, sees only the horror of its past. Images of “ghosts of Jewish mothers looking for their ghostly children,”

“murdered rabbis,” and “cattle-cars” used for the transportation of the Jews, all allusions to the Holocaust, are what

he sees when travelling this river. A place can be extremely beautiful, a paradise, but its past can forever mar this

beauty; this is what Layton wants us to see. By alluding to the Holocaust, one of the most violent events in the

history of the world, he effectively gets his point across; the Rhine River will forever be haunted by the ghosts of

the Holocaust.

SENTENCE 1: Topic sentence – refers to poem, author, literary technique and main point.

In this poem, Irving Layton uses allusions to the Holocaust to communicate his view that a place will forever be

haunted by its past.

SENTENCE 2: Introduces the kinds of examples that will be used – horrific images from the past.

The Rhine River is told to be a very beautiful place, but Layton, instead of seeing its beauty, sees only the horror of

its past.

SENTENCE 3: Integrates direct quotations from the text as examples of the literary technique.

Images of “ghosts of Jewish mothers looking for their ghostly children,” “murdered rabbis,” and “cattle-cars” used

for the transportation of the Jews, all allusions to the Holocaust, are what he sees when travelling this river.

SENTENCE 4: Analysis of how these examples are used by the author and prove your thesis.

A place can be extremely beautiful, a paradise, but its past can forever mar this beauty; this is what Layton wants

us to see.

SENTENCE 5: Concluding sentence that links back to the thesis and transitions to the next paragraph.

By alluding to the Holocaust, one of the most violent events in the history of the world, he effectively gets his point

across; the Rhine River will forever be haunted by the ghosts of the Holocaust.

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FAILURE TO DOCUMENT: PLAGIARIM

What Exactly is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism (from the Latin, PLAGIARE, to plunder or kidnap) is presenting someone else’s words as your own.
Failure to document (or cite) is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism is cheating and, therefore, it is a serious offense!
Do not underestimate your teachers! They are quite savvy and capable of tracking down plagiarised material.

What Is The Penalty For Plagiarism?

The mark for any work that has been plagiarised is 0. Teachers will not let
you submit an alternate assignment. A letter is placed in your file,
and repeated offenses are likely to lead to expulsion.

What Does All This Mean?

This means that you cannot take information or ideas directly from a text or electronic source (i.e. the Internet)
without identifying the sources. Identifying the source is known as citing. Plagiarism also includes copying another
person’s work, or letting someone else copy your work. In such circumstances, both individuals are guilty of
cheating.

How Can You Avoid This Problem?

Cite all your direct quotes and paraphrased passages.

Direct Quotation and Paraphrase

The two ways to include information and ideas from a text or electronic source are direct quotation and paraphrase.
Whether you are paraphrasing or using direct quotation, you must include a citation in your work. You must also
give the complete details for the source of your information and ideas, including author, title, publisher and date of
publication, in your Works Cited list.

About Direct Quotation

To use a direct quotation means to insert the exact wording of an existing text into your work using quotation
marks. Try to integrate shorter quotes into your own paragraphs, rather than quoting entire passages. Use
appropriate punctuation to show direct quotes.

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Example:
The following text was taken from “Biography” at [Link].

Original Text:
Layton’s early literary influences included the poets Tennyson, Walter
Scott, Wordsworth, Byron, and Shelly; the novelists Austen and George
Eliot; the essayists Bacon, Goldsmith, Johnson, Addison, and Swift; and,
of course, Shakespeare and Darwin. His hunger for knowledge led
Layton to explore political and philosophical thought. Among other
writers, he began to read Marx and Nietzsche and, joining the Young
People’s Socialist League for a short time, he had fierce debates with
budding politicians such as David Lewis and poets such as A. M. Klein.

DIRECT QUOTATION

According to biographical information, Layton’s “hunger for knowledge led [him] to explore political and
philosophical thought. Among other writers, he began to read Marx and Nietzsche” (“Biography”).

If you alter punctuation, capitalization, sentence length, or words in the original quotation, be sure to use square brackets [ ]
and/or an ellipsis mark (...) to show where you have made changes.

About Paraphrasing
To paraphrase means to use your own words to express the content of a text. It is an essential skill in research, as it
shows both that you have understood the original text and that you are able to interpret and express it in your own
terms. But remember, these are still not your own ideas, and the source must be cited. Otherwise, you are
pretending to be originating and not summarizing someone else’s work.

PARAPHRASING

Layton was widely read and was influenced in his own writing by many of the classics of English literature as well
as his explorations of the works of writers such as Nietzsche and Marx (“Biography”).

Notice how the paraphrase says much the same thing as the original paragraph, but uses different words. Despite
this it would still be plagiarism without the citation at the end.

PLAGIARISM

Layton’s early literary influences included the poets Tennyson, Walter Scott, Wordsworth, Byron, and Shelly and
his hunger for knowledge led him to explore political and philosophical thought. He began to read Marx and
Nietzsche and, joined the Young People’s Socialist League for a short time.

The problem with this is that it is just a cutting and pasting of the ideas and words in the original paragraph.
There’s been no essential change to the meaning and all but one or two of the words are exactly the same as the
original paragraph. There is also no citation to indicate that these ideas are not the author’s own, but are instead
taken from an outside source.

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THE CHECKLIST

Test your essay against this checklist before you finalize your work and hand it in to
your instructor.

1. CONTENT AND ARGUMENT:

a. Do you have a clear thesis statement in your first paragraph?
b. Does each paragraph or main section have a clear topic sentence?
c. Is each main section or paragraph well developed, with adequate support for the point you are
making?
d. Do your sections flow smoothly from one to the next with clear transitional expressions to bridge
your ideas?
e. Does your organization build towards your conclusion? (Your essay should not trail off in
afterthoughts).

2. WRITING:

a. Have you proofread your work? Look for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. (Review
past essays for examples of your problem areas, check spellings in a dictionary, and ensure that
each sentence is complete and clear to the reader).
b. Make sure that your diction (choice of words) and your usage are correct. Check a good English
handbook for discussion of frequent errors.
c. Can anything you wrote be misunderstood because of vagueness or ambiguity?

3. ESSAY FORMAT:

a. Does your essay follow the required format, especially title page, margins, double-spacing, and
page numbering?
b. Have you used correct documentation for all borrowed ideas and quoted words? Have you quoted
accurately, and do the quotations flow with the grammar and syntax of your paragraph?
c. Have you correctly listed all items in your Works Cited list?

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MLA STYLE

What is MLA style?

MLA stands for “Modern Language Association”. The MLA has developed a series of guidelines for formatting
papers and citing sources. MLA style guidelines are used as a standard for writing papers in the humanities, and
especially in English composition and literature courses.

Why MLA style?

MLA style was not developed simply to frustrate students—although sometimes it might seem to be the case! It
was actually developed to help students make sure that they attribute their sources and avoid plagiarism. In
addition, the standardization of paper formatting helps to eliminate bias in marking. Even though the marking of an
essay is somewhat subjective, if everyone’s papers look the same, it ensures that teachers enter the marking process
with as little subjectivity as is possible.

Also, by ensuring that you have formatted your essay correctly and that you have made sure that all of your
quotations and resource material have been correctly cited, you will be paying the kind of attention to detail that
ensures a carefully written essay!

GENERAL FORMATTING GUIDELINES

Neatness and uniformity of appearance are important. These qualities are an indication of the effort and care you
have taken with your term paper. Note the following guidelines apply:

1. Type your essay using a word processing program.

2. Print your essay on 8 ½ by 11 inch standard paper. Only print on one side of the page using a 12 point
font. Make sure you use a common font—Times New Roman and Arial are good choices.

3. Double space your essay.

4. Margins should be uniform and should be set up as follows:

Left margin — 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Right margin — 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Top margin — 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Bottom margin — 1 inch (2.54 cm)

5. Number the pages of your text in the upper right hand corner of each page. The page number should be
accompanied by your last name as follows: Smith 1

6. Do not make a title page for your paper.

7. On the left hand side of the page, the first line should contain your name, the second line the name of
your instructor, the third line the name of the course, and the fourth line the date. Ensure that the date is
formatted as follows: day month year.
E.g. 12 November 2008

8. The title of your essay should be written directly below the information in the left hand corner. The title
should not be underlined, italicized or written in bold print.

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9. Enter the text of your essay, making sure to indent each paragraph, starting from the line directly
underneath your title.

10. Do not full justify your paper. Your paper should only be left justified. This means that the right hand
margin of your paper should look “ragged”. It should not be in line with the right hand margin.

See the following page for an example of a well-formatted first page of a paper written according to MLA style
guidelines.

Vanier English Writing Guide 2008

 Kramer 1

Jennifer Kramer

Professor Gary Leonard

English 603-101-31

2 September 2004

Having a Cat as a Pet is the Cat’s Meow!

"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are

not the only animal friend people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. They make

wonderful companions. Also, cats are well behaved and they don’t ask too much of their owners.

Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent housepets.

In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are affectionate.

They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin. Who can resist a purring

cat? If they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite playful. They love to chase balls

and feathers, or just about anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when

their owners are participating in the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained.

Using rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted

behavior or perform tricks. Cats will even fetch!

In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats do not

bark or make other loud noises. Most cats don't even meow very often. They generally lead a

quiet existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats train their kittens to use the

litter box, and most cats will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats usually

understand the concept when shown the box and will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and

owners must make provision for this. A tall scratching post in a favourite cat area of the house
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ACKNOWLEDGING SOURCES

If you want to quote other sources, you will

need to ensure that you document and cite each
source. MLA style helps you do this.

Your paper should therefore include what is

called parenthetical documentation. Also,
the last page of your paper should be a Works
Cited page.

This section will provide basic information on

how to acknowledge sources for English
essays. If you have any questions, consult the
MLA Style Manual or ask your teacher.

PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

Parenthetical documentation is used when you are quoting from other material. It acknowledges all your sources in
parentheses in the text of your paper. You need to document direct quotations as well as paraphrased or
summarized ideas, opinions and information. You also must document quotations from another student's work or a
lengthy section of class notes.

When you quote from another source, record quotations accurately, making sure that you do not change the
author’s meaning. You may shorten a quotation but indicate the omission of words with an ellipsis (three spaced
periods). If you leave out the words at the end of your quotation, four spaced periods are required. To add a detail
for clarity, use square brackets [ ].

Your use of quoted material must make sense, whether as complete sentences or as words integrated into the
grammar of your own sentences. Be careful when integrating quotations.

Prose Quotations-Quotations from Short Stories, Essays, Novels, and other Non-Poetic Sources
Short prose quotations (up to four lines) should begin and end with quotation marks. These quotations will remain
in the body of your text.

Long prose quotations (five lines or more) should be separated from your text by indentation and should be double
spaced. Quotation marks are not used.

Verse Quotations-Quotations from Poems

Verse quotations of two lines or fewer are integrated into your text. Use a forward slash (/) to mark the division
between lines and enclose the passage in quotation marks.

Verse quotations of three lines or more are separated from the body of your paper by three spaces and are single
spaced. Indent the widest line 10 spaces and follow the line arrangement of the original precisely. Do not use
quotation marks (see sample essay).

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HOW TO USE PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

Keep parenthetical references as brief as clarity and accuracy permit.

Give only the information needed to identify the source. If, for example,
you have included the author's name in the sentence, you need not repeat
it in the parenthetical page citation that follows.

Do not use a comma between the author's last name and the page number,
for example:
(Frye 42).

Hyphens indicate a continuous sequence of pages, for example:

(36-40) or continuous lines of poetry, for example, (2-5).

Colons separate volume and page numbers, for example:

(Daiches 2:28).

Periods are used to separate acts, scenes, and lines in drama, for example: (Hamlet II.3.23 26) and chapters and
verses in the Bible, for example, (Acts 2.3).

If you are using a title in your citation, italicize it if it is a work published on its own, like a book (Poe, Tales).
However, if it is the title of a story, essay, poem in an anthology or an article in a journal or on a website, put the
title in quotation marks (“White Dwarfs” 12). These rules do not apply to titles of sacred works such as the Bible,
the Koran, and the Torah.

Abbreviations are used when possible, for example, ch. for chapter.

If a quotation already contains a quotation, use single quotes for the inner quotation and double quotes for the full
passage.

EXAMPLES FOR BOOKS IN PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

AUTHOR'S OR EDITOR'S NAME IN TEXT:

Bloom maintains that Shakespeare's sonnets are superior to those of all other English poets (1-3).

AUTHOR'S OR EDITOR'S NAME NOT IN TEXT:

Shakespeare's sonnets are superior to those of all other English poets (Bloom 1-3).

TWO AUTHORS:

Garrett and Klenoski (12-13) point out that the example set by administrators plays an important role in business

ethics.

NO AUTHOR:

Never pack your passport in your luggage. Always carry your passport on your person (Pan Am's World Guide ix).
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ONE AUTHOR WITH TWO DIFFERENT WORKS:

Jones has stated “Cats are categorically the worst kind of pets” (Cats and Other Animals 5). Elsewhere he says that

cats can irritate visitors (Families with Cats 10).

MULTI-VOLUME WORKS: Note the volume number precedes the page numbers and is separated from them by a
colon.

Barnes maintains that there have been marked changes in historians' perceptions of the true impact of the

Renaissance on thought and culture (2: 549-51).

TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORS AND WORKS IN ONE CITATION:

This point has been variously argued before (Frye 42; Bree 101-102).

ANTHOLOGIES: AUTHOR'S NAME IN TEXT:

In the final lines of de Maupassant's “The Necklace”, we learn how ironic Mathilde's sacrifices have been (72).

ANTHOLOGIES: AUTHOR'S NAME NOT IN TEXT:

In “The Dead,” Gabriel starts his evening on a sour note when he blames Gretta for making them arrive late (Joyce

178).

Hedda withholds the fact that she has the manuscript as she urges Lovberg to do the deed “beautifully” (Ibsen

1050-51).

EXAMPLES FOR ARTICLES IN PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

SIGNED ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS:

After long debate, American Roman Catholic bishops have formally pronounced that sexism is a sin (Ostling 52).

UNSIGNED ARTICLES IN MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS: Use title, or shortened version of title.

In a recent Time article, it is suggested that there may soon be a resurgence of Japanese Red Army terrorists

(“Bombs in New Jersey and Naples” 14).

UNSIGNED NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: Use title and omit page number if article is only one page.

Some athletes have used interesting tactics to negotiate a fair contract (“Dawson . . . on Rejoining Expos”).

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EXAMPLES FOR LITERARY WORKS IN PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

NOVELS:

For classic prose works (i.e. novels) which may appear in different editions, include page number(s) followed by
chapter numbers and any other division that is relevant.

One of the most famous lines in Dickens is “Please, sir, I want some more” (Oliver Twist 12; ch. 2).

When we first encounter Raskonnikov in Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky presents us with a man

contemplating a terrible act but terrified of meeting his talkative landlady (1; pt. 1, ch. 1).

PLAYS:

For classic plays written in verse (e.g. Shakespeare or Marlowe) which may appear in different editions, do not use
page numbers but record the title of the work, if it has not already been indicated in your text. Follow this with the
appropriate division(s), act (in Roman numerals), scene (in Arabic numerals) and finally the exact line number(s)
that you have quoted.

As the play progresses, it quickly becomes obvious that Goneril holds her father in contempt. She instructs her

servants to treat him “. . . with what weary negligence you please “ (King Lear 1.3.12).

The light imagery in the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet begins when Romeo says “. . . what light through

yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun” (11.2. 2 3).

POEMS:

For classic poems, which may appear in different editions (e.g. Chaucer), do not use page numbers, but record the
title of the work, if it has not already been mentioned in the text. Follow this with the name or number of the
section of the poem you have quoted and the exact line numbers.

Chaucer begins The Canterbury Tales with a description of the season: “When that April with his shoures

soote/The draught of March hath perced to the roote” (“General Prologue” 1-2).

Pope's An Essay on Man clearly states its purpose: “The proper study of mankind is Man” (“Epistle II” 2).

For modern poems, simply indicate the line numbers in your parenthesis, as in the example below. Also notice that
the quotation, since it is a long quotation from a poem, is indented.

Mary Jo Salter’s poem “Welcome to Hiroshima” merges a billboard ad with the haunting image of a mushroom-

shaped nuclear cloud:

. . . While a channel

silent in the TV of the brain

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projects those flickering re-runs of cloud

that brims its risen columnful like beer

and, spilling over, hangs its foamy head,

you feel a thirst for history . . . (3-8).

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WORKS CITED

The Works Cited list is the last page (or pages) of your paper. It
is the source for all of the works you have parenthetically
referenced in your paper.

An entry in a Works Cited list has three main divisions: author,

title, and publication information. If an entry is longer than one
line, the other lines are indented by five spaces (or one tab).
Entries in a bibliography are arranged alphabetically by the first
word in each entry. Each word in the title of a work should start
with a capital letter and titles of books, films and plays should
be italicized. Titles of book sections, articles, poems and short
stories should be placed in quotation marks.

There are many different types of sources that you may use in a paper. Here we have presented the way to list
common sources. If you are referencing a source that does not fall under one of the following categories, ask your
teacher how you should construct the Works Cited entry or consult the MLA Manual of Style at the reference desk
in the library or in The Learning Centre.

EXAMPLES FOR BOOKS IN WORKS CITED LIST:

ONE AUTHOR:

Brewster, Elizabeth. Selected Poems of Elizabeth Brewster. Ottawa: Oberon, 1985.

TWO AUTHORS:

Parks, Franklin, and James A. Levernier. Structuring Paragraphs: A Guide to Effective Writing. New York: St.

Martins, 1981.

NO AUTHOR:

Parents, Professionals and Mentally Handicapped People. Cambridge, Mass.: Brookline Books, 1983.

EDITOR:

Sheps, David G., Ed. Critical Views on Canadian Writers: Mordecai Richler. Toronto: Ryerson McGraw Hill,

1971.

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EXAMPLES FOR ARTICLES IN WORKS CITED LIST:

SIGNED ARTICLES IN MAGAZINES, JOURNALS AND NEWSPAPERS:

Ostling, Richard N. “Listening to the Voices of Women.” Canadian Woman Studies 22(3) (May 1990): 52-68.

Notice the construction of the above entry. After the name of the journal, you list the information as follows:
Volume (Issue Number) (Date): Pages.
If the journal or magazine you are quoting from does not provide some of this information, simply use what is
available.

Johnston, David. “Family and Friends Fight Shock, Grief After Girls Kill Themselves.” Montreal Gazette 12

December 1992: A1.

Notice that for a newspaper, you list the information as follows:

Date: Page.

UNSIGNED ARTICLES IN MAGAZINES OR NEWSPAPERS:

“Bombs in New Jersey and Naples.” Time (25 April 1988): 14-15.

“Dawson Hasn't Closed Door on Rejoining Expos.” Montreal Gazette 31 October 1986: C1.

ARTICLES IN BOOKS:

Woodcock, George. “Son of a Smaller Hero.” Critical Views on Canadian Writers: Mordecai Richler. Ed. David

G. Sheps. Toronto: Ryerson McGraw Hill, 1971. 15-21.

EXAMPLES FOR PLAYS/POEMS/SHORT STORIES IN ANTHOLOGIES IN WORKS CITED LIST:

PLAY:

Ibsen, Henrik. “Hedda Gabler.” To Read Literature. Ed. Donald Hall. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston,

1983. 1005-61.

POEM:

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” To Read Literature. Ed. Donald Hall. New York: Holt Rinehart and

Winston, 1983. 514.

SHORT STORY:

De Maupassant, Guy. “The Necklace.” Understanding Fiction. Ed. Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren.

Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1979. 66 72.

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FILMS:

Coppola, Francis, dir. The Conversation. American Zoetrope, 1974.

Notice how the above entry lists the production company and the year of release.

PERSONAL INTERVIEW:

Sheila Watson. Personal Interview. 10 July 1996, Nanaimo.

RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS:

“Apartheid.” Prod. John Blake. Frontline. PBS. WCFE, Plattsburgh. 10 May 1986.

Notice how the above entry lists the information as follows:

Producer. Series. Network. Local Station, Location. Date of Broadcast.

WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) SITE:

Padgitt, Steven T. “Suicide by Teens.” Working with Today’s Youth for a Better Future Tomorrow.

<[Link] 12 Aug. 1997 (30 Oct. 1997).

This entry includes the following information:

-the author’s name (if known)
-the full title of the document in quotation marks
-the title of the complete work if applicable in italics or underlined
-the full http address (URL) enclosed within angle brackets
-the date of posting on the Internet
-the date of your visit in parentheses

For documenting other types of electronic sources, it is best to check with your teacher or the most recent MLA
style guidelines. Since electronic sources are new, these guidelines are changing.

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APPENDIX A: SAMPLE ESSAY IN MLA STYLE

The following section illustrates the format and style of a short research essay in MLA style.

In the sample essay, note how most of the important forms of parenthetical documentation and works cited entries
are handled and explained. Observe also how short and long quotations are integrated into the paper as smoothly as
possible so that the reader can follow the ideas.

The following model student essay was written by former Vanier student Jennifer Smith on October 5, 2001. She
has kindly submitted it to the Vanier Learning Centre and Vanier English Department for use in our updated
Writing Guide. The essay will be used in the guide as an example to illustrate the Thesis Statement, the Outline,
the Essay Paragraph, Plagiarism and proper MLA style referencing.

This is the poem that is the subject of the essay:

Rhine Boat Trip (1977)

by Irving Layton

The castles on the Rhine

are all haunted
by the ghosts of Jewish mothers
looking for their ghostly children

And the clusters of grapes

in the sloping vineyards
are myriads of blinded eyes
staring at the blind sun

The tireless Lorelei:

can never comb from their hair
the crimson beards
of murdered rabbis

However sweetly they sing

one hears only
the low wailing of cattle-cars
moving invisibly across the land

Vanier English Writing Guide 2008

 Smith 1

Jennifer Smith

Professor XXX

English 603-XOX-XO

14 February 200X

An Appreciation of “Rhine Boat Trip” by Irving Layton

Many have noticed that when something horrible happens in a place, that place is never

seen the same again; for example, a death occurs in a house, and the people affected see only this

death whenever they enter the house. To the same effect, in his poem “Rhine Boat Trip,” Irving

Layton suggests that a place is forever affected by the events that occurred in its past. He does

this effectively through allusion to the Holocaust, through contrasting imagery, and through the

structure of the poem.

In this poem, Irving Layton uses allusions to the Holocaust to communicate his view that

a place will forever be haunted by its past. The Rhine River is told to be a very beautiful place,

but Layton, instead of seeing its beauty, sees only the horror of its past. Images of “ghosts of

Jewish mothers looking for their ghostly children,”(3-4) “murdered rabbis,” (12) and “cattle-

cars” (15) used for the transportation of the Jews, all allusions to the Holocaust, are what he sees

when travelling this river. A place can be extremely beautiful, a paradise, but its past can forever

mar this beauty; this is what Layton wants us to see. By alluding to the Holocaust, one of the

most violent events in the history of the world, he effectively gets his point across; the Rhine

River will forever be haunted by the ghosts of the Holocaust.

Irving Layton continues to make this point by using contrasting imagery. A beautiful

image is depicted at the beginning of each stanza; however, in the rest of the stanza, Layton
 Smith 2

associates a darker, uglier image with the beautiful one; an example of this can be found in this

quotation:

And the clusters of grapes

in the sloping vineyards

are myriads of blinded eyes

staring at the blind sun (Layton 5-8).

Normally, the grapes in the vineyards of the first two lines would be considered a quaint, pretty

image, but, in the rest of the stanza, it seems that even they cannot escape the tragedy of the

Holocaust. Blake does not see them as grapes. When he sees them, they symbolically represent

wine and luxury, the wealthy, who do not see what is happening around them and stare at an

equally blind source of media, a television set; in effect, the beautiful image of the grapes on the

vines is turned into an ugly image. Another example of this is found in the last stanza:

However sweetly they sing

one hears only

the low wailing of cattle-cars

moving invisibly across the land (Layton 13-16).

In the first line, the reader hears the beautiful auditory image of the sweet singing of the

mythological Lorelei (9). Unfortunately, even this enchanting sound is drowned out, in contrast,

by the horrible “wailing of the cattle-cars” (15). The Lorelei, like the Greek Sirens, sing so

beautifully that sailors, unable to draw themselves away from the sound, are shipwrecked. It is

unthinkable that anything could be heard above this, but Layton suggests that the violent past of

the Rhine is so powerful that nothing, not even the magical Lorelei, can diminish its horror.
 Smith 3

Irving Layton uses the structure of the poem to emphasize on the fact that this is written

as a boat trip. The images are organized in a spatial sequence; Layton writes about what he

would see first. As he is taking this boat trip, he sees the castles first; the first stanza depicts the

impression made by these castles (1-4). Following this, in the second stanza, he sees the

vineyards (5-8). The third stanza is about the Lorelei who live in the cliffs overlooking the

Rhine; therefore, it is the cliffs he would see next (9-12). Finally, Layton discusses the cattle-cars

that move invisibly across the land, which gives the impression of train tracks running over a

vast amount of land (13-16). This structure is effective because it gives those of us who have

never taken a boat on the Rhine River a chance to experience it vicariously through Layton’s

eyes. The reader is, therefore, more open to his view that the horror of Holocaust still affects the

beauty of the river.

Reading this poem shows how powerfully an event can affect a place. Through the

allusion to the Holocaust, the reader is able to associate his own horror at this event with the

scenes described in the poem. The beautiful images of the river when associated with contrasting

darker images gives the effect that Layton intends; that is, these beautiful images are marred by

these darker images. The reader, through the structure of the poem, feels as if he himself is on a

boat ride with these images laid out before him. Irving Layton gets his point across extremely

well, making the effect of the poem extremely powerful. The beauty of the Rhine River is

forever overshadowed by the horrors of the Holocaust.

 Smith 4

Work Cited

Layton, Irving. “Rhine Boat Trip.” Fortunate Exile. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 113.
 28

EDITING YOUR PAPER

The following books will help you in writing term papers and essays. They are available in the Library.

Aaron, Jane E. and Elaine Bander. The Little, Brown Essential Handbook for Writers. 1st Canadian edition. Don

Mills: Addison-Wesley, 1999.

Furberg, Jon and Richard Hopkins. College Style Sheet. 3rd ed. Vancouver: Vancouver Community College Press,

1992.

Hodges, John C. and Mary E. Whitten. Harbrace College Handbook for Canadian Writers. Toronto: Harcourt

Brace, 1986.

Norton, Sarah and Brian Green. The Bare Essentials. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985.

Roberts, Edgar V. Writing About Literature. 8th ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 1995.

In addition to these printed works, your English teacher is your best resource for preparing your papers. The
Learning Centre offers many handouts on writing, as well as on reading and studying. In particular, you may wish
to consult the following:

Checklist for Term Papers Essay Format

Analyzing a Short Story/Novel Improve Your Writing
Checklist for Term Papers 15 Faults to Fail the Argument
Thesis Statements Analyzing A Topic
Essay Writing Blues Writing Strategies
How to Analyze Poetry Limiting a Subject

The Library also has handouts for you to consult such as the following:

Search Strategies for CD-ROM Periodical Indexes, the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog), and The Internet.
How to List Information Sources MLA Style
How to List Movie Reviews

Vanier Student Writing Guide 2008