The purpose of this document is to explain to incoming Literary Studies majors what basic research and writing skills they should already possess before taking Literary Studies courses. The faculty expects that you have already taken basic composition and research-writing courses (such as English 1010 and 2010) before enrolling in the major.

Students should be able to conduct library research on a given topic, locating sources with the library's online catalog and journal indexes, and obtaining those sources in the stacks (if the USU Library holds those sources) or through Interlibrary Loan (if the USU Library does not). Students should also be able to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources, depending upon the type of research paper they are writing.

In general, these are the basic steps in researching a literary-critical paper:

-Discuss your project with a reference librarian; he or she can help you by recommending various general reference sources and defining your search terms for use in the various online catalogs and indexes.

-Search the USU Library's online catalog to see what monographs (books) our library holds on your topic.

-Search another (larger) library's online catalog to see what monographs that library holds on your topic that our library does not. You might try the University of Utah's library catalog, for example.

-Search the MLA International Bibliography (available on the USU Library web site) for articles in literary-critical journals on your topic. Note that the USU Library does not hold every journal in this database; note also that the database is occasionally out of date, and will tell you that USU doesn't hold certain journals which we in fact do. (So check our catalogue before using Interlibrary Loan.) You can also use other indexes to arts and humanities journals, but for a literary-critical paper, always begin with the MLA International Bibliography.

-For those books and journal articles not held by the USU Library, you must use the Interlibrary Loan office to request those sources by mail or electronic delivery. It can take up to two weeks to receive a requested book or journal article, so be sure to start your research early.

Your teacher may have particular recommendations for you, but the above five steps describe the basic research process you will follow repeatedly in your career as a Literary Studies major.

The MLA (Modern Language Association) sets the standard for citing and documenting sources (both primary and secondary) within a literary-critical essay. Generally speaking, MLA style demands that you provide citations for quotes and paraphrases parenthetically within your text, and then append a bibliography of works cited at the end of the essay.

Your teachers will expect you to know and use MLA style in Literary Studies courses. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (6th edition) clearly describes this style in detail and gives many examples of how to introduce quotations within your essay, how to cite different kinds of sources, how to organize your bibliography, and so on.

The Literary Studies faculty recommends that you purchase this book at the beginning of your career in the major, read it carefully, and consult it each time you write a research paper. The Handbook is also available in the reference area of the USU Library.

Nothing undermines both the authority of the writer and the interest of the reader faster than an essay containing basic writing errors. Your essays should be carefully proofread and polished before submission. Below is a list of a few of the most common grammatical and mechanical errors that drive college teachers crazy, and which you should therefore strive to eliminate from your writing.

Do not confuse its and it's: the former is a possessive, and the second is a contraction of it is. Be sure, however, to use the apostrophe-s ('s) for other possessives (the critic's argument, or the people's court).

Watch out for passive voice (_____ is ______ by ____), whose overuse will make your writing awkward and wordy and weak. For example, I wrote the paper is stronger than The paper was written by me.

Avoid sentence fragments: do not allow dependent clauses to masquerade as complete sentences. Incorrect: Because I went to the store and found the whole coriander seeds. Or, When I was six and life seemed so much simpler.

Do not produce run-on sentences, in which two main clauses are rammed together without a conjunction. Incorrect: Some critics make this argument I disagree with them. Correct: Some critics make this argument, but I disagree with them.

And last but not least, run screaming away from the dreaded comma splice, by far the most common grammatical error of all. You cannot join two main clauses (complete sentences) with only a comma: Some critics make this argument, I disagree with them. Use a conjunction: Some critics make this argument, but I disagree with them. Or a semi-colon: Some critics make this argument; I disagree with them.

There are many other possible errors, of course; the Literary Studies faculty recommends that you regularly consult a grammar handbook to review such errors and keep your writing clean, just as your computer regularly runs a virus check to keep itself clean. Or, if you prefer an earthier metaphor: get in the habit of combing your prose carefully to remove such errors, like lice, from your work.

Plagiarism is the presentation of the words or ideas of other people as your own; it is an academic crime. There are no "degrees" of plagiarism, no distinction between "intentional" and "unintentional" plagiarism: either these words or these ideas are your own, or they are not. If not, they must be cited properly, giving credit to your source. Note that not just quotations but also summaries and paraphrases of other sources must be cited properly.

Please understand that there is no shame in using lots of sources (provided they are credible) when writing an essay, and therefore no reason to conceal your use of sources, however extensive. One of the major goals of the Literary Studies program is to produce experienced research writers who know how to use sources in an essay. However, passing off the work of other writers as your own, original work is entirely unacceptable.

Any instance of plagiarism in a Literary Studies course will result in disciplinary action by the instructor (the student may receive a failing grade on the assignment, or even for the whole course). The instructor will then inform the student's academic advisor and refer the case to the Department Head and the Dean of the College, who may take further disciplinary action (in some cases, suspension or expulsion).

If you have questions about plagiarism and how to avoid it by properly citing sources, consult with your instructor before submitting your work.