Those Pesky Commas
Where does the comma go in the following sentence?
When I was watching the movie last night I fell asleep.
When I was watching the movie last night, I fell asleep.
(Commas go after introductory phrases.)
True or false: Include as many quotations from the source document as possible in the summary portion of your textual analysis.
False! Your summary should be your interpretation of the text. You should use quotations sparingly or not at all.
True or false:
A thesis statement is the first sentence in a paragraph that tie together all of the sentences that follow it within the paragraph.
False! That is a topic sentence. Each paragraph has a topic sentence.
True or false, the group of words below is a sentence.
Being able to stay balanced on the tree limb.
False: There is no subject.
True or False:
If you include someone else's words but change the phrasing a bit, then it's okay.
False!
If you're using someone else's words, sentence patterns, ideas, then quote and cite it.
Where does the comma go in the following sentence?
I wanted to go to the carnival with her but I thought she was a maniac.
I wanted to go to the carnival with her, but I thought she was a maniac.
When two independent clauses are in a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, yet), a comma comes before the conjunction.
When writing a textual analysis, your central claim is called what?
Thesis statement
A thesis statement most often goes where?
Often, the thesis statement is the last sentence in the first paragraph. If your summary in more than one paragraph, then the thesis should follow the summary section.
True or false, the group of words below is a sentence.
Beyond the reach of my fingertips, the birds with iridescent black turning to blue feathers.
False. The birds what? No predicate.
True or false:
If I read an article for an essay, I don't have to include an article's information on my Works Cited page if I don't quote from it.
False!
If you read an article that shaped your perception of an essay's topic while doing research, include it on the Works Cited page even if you do not cite it within the text.
True of false, the following sentence is punctuated correctly.
The panda eats, shoots, and leaves.
This sentence is false unless the panda eats something, shoots something, and then leaves.
True or false, your thesis statement is the same as the source document's thesis statement.
False! You include the source document's thesis statement in your summary, but you create your own unique thesis statement.
True or false:
A thesis statement can be characterized as the central claim of an essay.
True
True or false, the group of words below is a sentence.
Fouled out, ended the inning.
False. No subject.
Quoting
Punctuate the following sentence.
I went to the store and bought nutritional yeast vitamin B12 and a tofurkey.
I went to the store and bought nutritional yeast, vitamin B12, and a tofurkey.
The serial comma (aka Oxford comma) separates each item in a list.
True or False:
In the response paragraphs of your essay, you should be as subjective as possible.
False! Your response should strive to be objective.
"Climate Change Schmimate Schmange" is a real good article because it talks about some true stuff."
False. Though this thesis statement takes a loose position, there is nothing exact about it. There is no clarification about what constitutes good or true. It's too general.
"Article X" effectively outlined how A and B were strategically successful, but the article failed to consider C."
True or false, the group of words below is a sentence.
Because I said so.
False. Though this fragment is punctuated like a sentence, the word because is a subordinating word (like after, although, if, since, unless, until) and part of a dependent clause.
I said so, however, is a sentence.
When you restate a source document's ideas into your own words and keep to the same length as the original, it is called what?
Paraphrasing
Punctuate the following sentence:
I loved the dog I loved him with all of my heart but I had to put him down.
I loved the dog; I loved him with all of my heart, but I had to put him down.
I loved the dog. I loved him with all of my heart, but I had to put him down.
(Comma b/w dog and I = comma splice)
True or false:
When writing a textual analysis about how Disney princesses have been disempowered because of the language critics have used to describe them, be sure to include how much you love a particular princess so you can convince your reader that you have a vested interest.
False! Strive for objectivity in this next assignment.
True or false:
A thesis statement is a quote from the source document.
False.
True or false, the group of words below is a sentence.
Critters fly.
When you concisely state the source material into your own words, this is called what?
Summary