Handout and materials: Instructions for writing papers

INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITING PAPERS

By Russell M. Cluff

1. Getting Ready to Write:

A. Read the text (short stories, novels, poem or plays) very carefully, using the dictionary when needed, in order to understand the work -that is, its words-- very well. Don't fail to take good notes so that you are actually writing to remember key passages and other information.

B. Before beginning, you should study the "Vocabulario para el estudio de la prosa," or the "Spanish Versification" handout underlying terms you are certain you will use and then use it like a dictionary while writing.

C. Pay special attention to genders: one simple error like this may result in "15" grammatical errors. Remember the sheet entitled "SOME PROBLEM AGREEMENTS . . ." Memorize these often misused, incorrect genders.

2. Writing the Paper:

A. Start the paper with a minimal introduction, one that helps the reader understand about whom he/she is reading You might give a little biography (very little) and something about the author's major works (review articles and general works about Spanish and Spanish American Literature are great sources for this type of information).

B. Give your statement of purpose (thesis statement): what you plan to accomplish in a general sense, and then in a more specific sense what you see as most significant in the works --what you intend to emphasize.

C. Interpretation requires "context" in order for your reader (who is not necessarily I, the instructor) to understand what you are talking about; therefore, introduce each text by providing a very brief plot summary (that is, only what is necessary of that plot) -- unless your approach needs no such exposition.

D. In the body of your paper, give a formal analysis of the works, emphasizing the most important elements (for example, do not harp on "point of view" in a work that makes no special use of this resource).

E. When the body of your paper is complete, give a concise conclusion that is not too repetitious (synonymous of already used terms do wonders for conclusions). Try to be creative; try to portray the "life experience" that has expanded your horizons through your close reading of these works.

3. Some Do's and Don'ts:

A. Use words such as "análisis," "estudio," and "ensayo," instead of "papel." Mix it up for the sake of variety.

B. Compose a creative title that will both delimit and anticipate the content (perhaps conclusions) of your study. Avoid titles such as "Estudio sobre Las batallas en el desierto."

C. In Spanish, you capitalize only the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns in the title of a book (novel, short stories collection, play, etc,; examples: La muerte de Artemio Cruz. Cuentos de amor locura v muerte. En la ardiente obscuridad). Also, you always underline the titles of books.

By contrast, short stories use the same type of capitalization, but use quotes, and are not underlined: "El cholo que se vengó").

D. Use the "historical present:" When giving plot-summary type information (expositional information), it is customary to write in the present tense. This portrays the attitude that one is writing about a work that is not that was. Example: "En este cuento el protagonista es un hombre que se encuentra con su antigua amada y conversa con ella. La conversación representa parte de su plan de vengarse del que ella lo haya rechazado y se haya casado con su presente esposo."

E. Never write one-sentence paragraphs. Ideas are developed and expressed fully in several sentences that are related and follow one upon another logically. Very complex ideas may be subdivided and may require one, two, three, etc., related paragraphs.

F. Be careful with accentuation. One error repeated ten times becomes ten errors. Go back to previous grammar texts if you are not longer clear on accentuation rules. You can also read the "Syllabification, Stress and Accentuation" section of this supplement.

G. Do not make of your essay a mere outline (like the one I did on "El cholo que se vengó"). I want elements that have been outlined previously by you for organizational purposes, but that in final draft constitute clear paragraphs following each other in a logical sequence.

H. Do not pile up the quotes; that is unacceptable. I wish to read your ideas and insights, substantiated by quotes (not too log and not too often) only when appropriate.