A Manual for Writers (by Kate L. Turabian)

A Manual for Writers by Kate L. Turabian

            A Manual for Writers is an essential guide for anyone who is putting together a paper in the Chicago format. Written by the creator of the Chicago style, Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers was first published in 1937 and is now in its eighth edition. With over nine million copies sold since its first publication, the manual has become an important part of high school and college classrooms (Turabian). Within this source, a student can find information on how compose research papers, theses, and dissertations in Chicago style.

In the 1930s Kate Turabian became the dissertation secretary for the University of Chicago. While working as the secretary, she began to write a pamphlet on how students could correctly write their dissertations (Kate). This is the origins of A Manual for Writers. Since the manual was created on the grounds of the University of Chicago, the school has always been involved with the book by way of publishing the eight editions and having the book revised by the editorial staff of the university.  The original editors for a large majority of the editions were Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. Booth and Williams were both professors at the University of Chicago while Colomb taught at the University of Virginia. All of the three were published writers along with being editors for the manual. With the last of the three original editors to have died in 2011, the editorial staff of the University of Chicago has taken the place of editing the book (Kate). The University of Chicago Press has published numerous scholarly works that are respected among college classrooms. This gives A Manual for Writers an upper hand when a student or professors are looking into guides for the Chicago style.

The contents within the manual are laid out in a way that makes consulting the book an easy task. Over the years the book has retained its three part structure as to how the contents are arranged within the books. This first part of the book contains information on the steps in the research and writing process. The second half of the book discusses how to cite the wide variety of sources that a writer might come across in research. The third section contains a comprehensive guidance on all components of the editorial aspect of research (Kate). The manual also offers a bibliography and an index in all editions.

The editors have managed well when making sure that every new edition is up to date concerning new technologies that have allowed for new sources and citations. From the first publication in 1937, there have been many changes in technology that have had an effect on the manual. The largest of these changes came with the creation of computers which allowed for new sources to be made for the research process. These new electronically published sources included journals, magazines, newspapers, and books.

Overall, Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers has become the number one guideline for the Chicago style of citations. It contains a vast amount of citation guidelines concerning different types of sources. After have being created at and being published by the Chicago University Press, the manual has acclaimed academic acknowledgement throughout the world. This acknowledgement allows purchasers of this guideline to feel confident in their decision to consult the manual for any citation questions that may arise during research.

Works Cited

“KATE L. TURABIAN.” Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers, Eighth Edition. The University of Chicago Press, n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2013.

“Turabian Style.” Turabian Style. The University of Chicago Press, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.

Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language

            With the well-known name of Cambridge, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language is one of the most dependable sources when it comes to the understanding of the English language. The encyclopedia includes six sections that deliver different topics concerning the English language. These sections discuss topics of the history of the English language, the English vocabulary, English grammar, spoken and written English, using English, and learning about English. The book is composed of twenty-five chapters and also contains a preface, appendices, and indexes. The twenty five chapters are organized in a way that readers will be able to easily find the information that they are seeking, while also being able to consult the index for guidance. The encyclopedia is also packed with colored images, maps, and tables that will better help a reader in his or hers search for information on the English language. The encyclopedia, now in its second edition, contains an extended section on world and internet English (Cambridge).

David Crystal is the author of the two editions of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. The first edition was published by Cambridge University Press in 1995 and continues to be published by the university today. It is said that David Crystal is the foremost authority of the English language (Cambridge). Having since had published the first edition of the encyclopedia, Crystal has also published sources on the English language, most being published by Cambridge University Press. Some readers might find the age of this encyclopedia to be of a concern since, compared to other encyclopedias, this source is only eighteen years old. This should not be a concern, however, due to the fact that David Crystal has been recognized for his services towards the English language in 1995 by receiving an Order of the British Empire. This acknowledgement allows for scholars to be assured when consulting Crystal’s encyclopedia for information concerning the English language (Cambridge).

Overall, The Cambridge Encyclopedia for the English Language is a credible source when seeking information about the English language. With a well arranged table of contents containing twenty-five chapters, David Crystal has provided a well-rounded encyclopedia that has been created for a general audience. Maps, tables, and charts allow readers to better understand the information within each chapter and to obtain facts and figures dealing with the English language.

Works Cited

“Cambridge Encyclopedia English Language 2nd Edition :: English Language and Linguistics: General Interest :: Cambridge University Press.” Cambridge Encyclopedia English Language 2nd Edition :: English Language and Linguistics: General Interest ::            Cambridge University Press. Cambridge University Press, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

A History of the English Language

   This reference source was written by Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, and published in New Jersey by Pearson Publishings. They are currently on the sixth edition of this reference. While the authors of this text are male, the entire publishing staff is female. The publishing staff is comprised of those that were assigned to the project by Pearson Publishing. This narrows the scope of those working on the project to the authors, since the editorial staff was assigned not picked for their work.This reference book is written on the English language as we know it and how it came to be the way it is. The book is divided into chapters and then subheadings in that chapter, the chapters are also organized by era. Some of the Chapters include: “English Present and Future”, “Old  English”, “the Reestablishment of English”, and “the English Language in America”. The easiest way to navigate this source is to read the subheadings or use the index.

    Within the chapters of the book, the authors traverse the changes that have occurred in the English Language in a clear and concise manner. For instance the entirety of Old English (chapters 3 and 4) is covered in no more than 65 pages. Inside of those 65 pages 53 subheadings are covered. The authors attempt to spend no more than a page on each subheading only expanding when completely necessary. By doing this they cover the vast majority of the history of the English Language without going too far. Some of the subheadings here follow the lines of: Old English pronunciation, Old English Vocabulary, The Germanic Conquest, Continental Borrowing, The tests of borrowed words, and Effect on Grammar and Syntax ( Baugh vii-viii).

    Littered throughout the novel are charts and examples to help explain what is difficult for reader to understand without visuals. In the chapter “Old English”, The Lord’s Prayer(Baugh 58) appears, so that one may reference how the prayer would have been written in OE verses the way it wouldbe written today. When the book is  talking of the Great vowel Shift, a Chart appears that shows the changes that took place on the vowels, and the way that they affected the way English speakers pronounce things today (Baugh 197.)  This chart shows how words would have been said phonetically before the shift and then after the shift. These charts help readers better understand the material in this source.

    This resource is very helpful for students and professors when discussing the English Language. Even when discussing pieces of Literature from different periods: Beowulf from Old English, Canterbury Tales from Middle English, and Shakespeare form Early Modern. This book can help scholars understand the meaning behind unfamiliar words, the reason they were used and what they truly meant at the time. This is a handy resource to have in ones back pocket because language is at the root of everything, and understanding its history brings one closer to understanding many things.

Works Cited

Baugh, Albert C., and Thomas Cable. A History of the English Language. 6th ed. Abingdon:

        Routledge, 2011. Print

Purdue OWL

Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) is an educational website that is used an online writing resource. Originating at Purdue University, Indiana, in 1995, Purdue OWL is solely produced through the University and its staff members. OWL’s website is directed by Linda Bergmann, and the associate director of the site is Tammy Conard-Salvo. There are many other important members of Purdue OWL’s production as well as many tutors, who are not named (“Contact”). OWL’s credibility is validated because the website is published by the University, and its professional stance of the directors and coordinators are critical to the success of Purdue OWL’s website. As educated professionals, they are able to accurately inform others how to write a paper in correct MLA (Modern Language Association) format. One can access Purdue OWL’s website by typing in the following URL: https://owl.english.purdue.edu.
The main mission of Purdue OWL is to offer students and teachers a valuable and easily accessible resource on learning the basics of writing papers. Mostly known for its helpful guidelines on proper MLA citation, OWL also helps teach users to become better writers through improving writing techniques and style. For example, Purdue Owl gives easy to understand examples of how to properly format an MLA paper, and they provide a corresponding picture of a sample paper with arrows pointing to specific places where one would place margins, text indentions, and even where to place in-text citations (“MLA Sample Paper”). The website, laid out in nine major English-geared sections, includes titles labeled, “General Writing,” “Research and Citation”, “Teacher and Tutor Resources”, “Subject-Specific”, “Job Search Writing”, “English as a Second Language”, “About the OWL”, “OWL Exercises”, and “Giving to the OWL.” All of these sections also contain sub-sections, which present additional links and information ( PurdueOWL).
Overall, Purdue OWL is essential and beneficial to students and educators, especially those who are taking or teaching English courses. Not only is the website free and easily accessible, but it is also a great substitute for difficult- to- understand MLA guideline books. Purdue Owl is a great example of a valuable teaching tool that can be used in or out of the classroom.

 

 

Works Cited

“Contact the Purdue Owl and Writing Lab Staff.” Purdue Owl. The Writing Lab and The OWL at Purdue University, 2013. Web. 29^th Oct. 2013.

“MLA Sample Paper.” Purdue Owl. The Writing Lab and The OWL at Purdue University, 2013. Web. 20^th November 2013.

Purdue OWL. The Writing Lab and The OWL at Purdue University, 2013. Web. 28^th Oct. 2013

The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English

The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English is widely recognized as the most authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of slang in the world.

The NPD uses three criteria for the inclusion of a term; it has to be (1) slang or conventional English (2) used anywhere in the English speaking world, (3) after 1945. Included are words that fit that criteria including pidgin, creolised English, and borrowed foreign terms used by English speakers in English-language conversation. No term is excluded on the grounds that it might be considered offensive as a racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, or other slur. Each entry is organized into 6 parts: Headword, placement of phrases, definition, gloss and citation, country of origin, and dating.  A sample entry for the slang term “bridge” is “a group of four in a restaurant or soda fountain.”This definition dates back to 1967 and there are citations for the information provided as well as a glossary that states the word “bridge”, in this context, is an allusion to a bridge party.  The NPD digs its hands into the very depth of our culture to understand generational creations and their true meaning in everyday communication.

Today, the major effort of those working on the NPD has been to improve the dictionary as a comprehensive online resource. Currently the NPD is dealing with the unprecedented migration of slang from the spoken word to the written word, due to the popularity of electronic communication along with social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The dictionary receives international contributions not only from the United Kingdom and America, but also from Australia, India, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the Caribbean. Tom Dalzell serves as senior editor and Terry Victor as editor.

For TTU Students, the NPD is accessible in print through the TTU Library ready References located on the 2^nd floor. Our culture appears to be defined through our words, and the NPD documents the everyday language that we use to create the unique culture of our generation. Through its credibility, international influence, and proven popularity, the NPD is a valuable resource to students and educators.

Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary began in 1857 when members of the Philological Society of London decided that the existing English dictionaries failed to encompass the totality of the English language. Now, over 150 years later, the OED is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over 600, 000 words from the English speaking world. The Oxford English Dictionary differs from the average dictionary because it incorporates a rich history into its composition. In the OED you will find not only the present day meanings and pronunciations of words, but also their linguistic history which traces the English language through 3 millions quotations from classic literature and travel texts, to film scripts and cook books.  The entry for the common English word “learn” for example, includes 15 definitions, each of which are supplemented with multiple relevant quotes from various authors in history. For example, the 3^rd definition in the entry for “learn” with the meaning “to acquire knowledge of (a fact)” lists a quote dating back to 1600 from the Shakespearean play Much Ado about Nothing, “I will presently go learne their day of marriage.” Examples, such as this one, gives dictionary impressive literary depth and it helps aid the researcher with a  greater historical profundity than the average dictionary.

The OED prides itself on being available as an online publication, the entire work of which is constantly being updated and revised.  Tech students can access the OED online database through Tennessee Tech’s Eagle search, which also automatically consults the database when researching any academic research topic. Multivolume print editions are also available in the TTU Library References located on the Second Floor.

The current chief editor is John Simpson, who has been working on innovating the OED for over 35 years by transforming it into a resource fit for the 21^st century. In addition to Simpson, the OED has staff members from some of the most respected Universities in the world including Oxford, University of York, University of Reading, Harvard, University of Sussex and Kellogg College.

The OED has never been profitable commercially for the Oxford University Press, and it remains committed to the sole motivation of researching and studying the origins and development of the English Language. The current revision program has been funded by $55 million, and the results of the program and addition of new words will be published online every 3 months. The Guinness Book of World records cites the OED as the world’s most comprehensive single-language print dictionary and its rigorous attempts to constantly update its enormous amount of information make it a highly attractive resource for all students.

A Handbook to Literature

The latest edition of A Handbook to Literature can be accessed through Tennessee Tech University’s library, where they have a physical copy of the book. Under the current editor William Harmon, successor to William Holman and professor of English at the University of North Carolina, the twelfth edition of this handbook, long popular in academia for its expansive work, has been revised and updated. He has added more than one hundred entries, which reflect current trends in literature and criticism. This comprehensive text is the definitive reference text on literature and literary criticism in English, providing an alphabetical listing of more than 2,000 important terms and facts in literature, linguistics, rhetoric, criticism, printing, book selling, and information technology. The terms variously defined, discussed, explained, and illustrated with no attempt at exhaustiveness, completeness, or novelty (Harmon xi). That is to say, with the expansiveness of the English language, not every term will fit within the pages of this book. What makes the Handbook unique; however, is that, unlike a dictionary which lists every word in the English language with quick, short definitions, this text refers only to terms relevant to English and literature, some with explanations spanning across several pages when necessary.

The book itself is organized into five distinct categories. The Preface gives a little history of previous editions the Handbook as well as hopes for expansion. The ‘To the User’ explains how the book is laid out and clarifies the formatting of pages. The next five hundred or so pages recount the definitions of the important terms of literature, such as art epic, deconstruction, golden line, and objectivism. As in earlier editions, the initial capitals heading the chapters have been chosen from twenty-six different typefaces significant in the history of writing and printing, along with the definition and time period of the font. Immediately following the alphabetical listing, the Outline of Literary History tabulates the most important events in the literary history of English-speaking people from as early as 2600 B.C. to 2010. Literary history is divided into three columns, World, British, and American, along with relatively arbitrary periods, and historical subdivisions within these periods called ages. Afterwards, the appendices lists changes in  the monetary terms and values of the British pound as seen in literature, events such as Pulitzer prizes for literature, fiction, poetry, and drama. And, since the fifth edition, the Handbook has included an Index of Proper Names, which lists the names and pseudonyms of all actual persons mentioned within the Handbook. The Index gives the title or short title of all articles in which the person is mentioned.

This would be a valuable resource in any college or scholarly setting because it defines some of the most used words in literature; it makes for a handy reference book that can be used to find important concepts or literary dates.

 

 Works Cited

Harmon, William. A Handbook to Literature. Longman: Pearson, 2012. Print.

How To Read Literature Like A Professor

 How To Read Literature Like a Professor

By: Thomas C. Foster

 This resource is a guidebook that covers the nuts and bolts of reading literature in three basic categories: major themes/motifs, literary models, and narrative devices. The scope of its range covers novels, short stories, plays, poems, movies, song lyrics, and cartoons. There are 27 chapters, the last one being a “test” case (the short story “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield) for the reader to try out all that they’ve learned. The total length of the book spans 319 pages, which includes the introduction, appendix, and index.

Foster covers a large range of topics under the three categories, such as Shakespeare’s plays, quests, the Bible, politics, vampires, food, irony, and plot. As for strategy, the author uses a Q& A format where he answers popular questions based on the previous topics, using conversation format to educate the reader as if they were a student in his classroom. Foster continues to build reading skills with the use of certain tools for literary interpretations: the breakdown of a quest (pg 4), quotable Shakespeare lines (pg 40), lists defining Christ figures (pg 119-122), principles on the use of disease in literature (pg 215), and the breakdown of his test case (pg 265-277).

With chapter titles like “Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not),” “It’s from Shakespeare…or the Bible,” “It’s All About Sex…Except Sex,” and “Is He Serious? And Other Ironies” the author creates an entertaining learning environment within his book. To navigate this resource, refer to the table of contents or look for specific key words within the index. The appendix is simply a section where the author suggests texts, movies, and secondary sources to further improve the reading skills of his audience.

The people involved with this resource include Foster’s agent Faith Hamlin, her assistant Kate Darling, and Foster’s fellow Professors at the University of Michigan at Flint. Inspiration for the project was drawn from Foster’s students, especially the content discussed during his lectures, as well as his family. The need for further investigations of literature led to his sequel How To Read Novels Like A Professor.

One thing to keep in mind when reading this text is its biased perspective since its content is drawn from one person’ s experience in the field, which inhibits the reader from comparing the provided information against other viewpoints. The contents of this book has a wide range which includes students, teachers, and professors (as indicated by the title) wanting to find an entertaining way to dissect the essentials of literature. Basically, it is professional enough to be used as a reference tool for education.

Works Cited

Foster, C. Thomas. How to Read Literature Like a Professor. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. Print.

HarperCollins. Company Profile. N/A. 2013. Web. 12 October 2013.

The Elements of Style

Privately printed and copyrighted in Ithaca, New York, 1918, by author William Strunk, Jr. himself, the original form of The Elements of Style had a slightly different appearance than the latest version. Now containing revisions, a new introduction, and an entirely new chapter dedicated to writing, all composed by E.B. White, the fourth printing of this book was published in 1959 by the Macmillan Company in New York. This new version contains a mere five chapters, four of those by the original author Strunk and the last chapter by White. “A Note on This Book,” also by White and located at the beginning of the text, explains to readers how White himself became a contributing author to The Elements of Style and also how and why he revised some of Strunk’s work. By writing a piece for The New Yorker regarding this textbook he had used when he was a student at Cornell (he was a former student of English Professor William Strunk’s in 1919), White’s brief essay was recognized by the Macmillan Company and he was asked to make a few revisions in the text and compose a new chapter on style, with the essay that he had written for The New Yorker appearing in the new issue of The Elements of Style as the introduction.

Following the Note and Introduction by White, readers will find a brief Table Of Contents with an outline of the five chapters. Originally meant to be used as a textbook (and sometimes still is), Strunk intended his book to introduce students to the principal requirements of style, containing essentials to becoming a successful writer. Strunk writes as though he is commanding readers to adhere to the rules in which he has laid out, rather than merely suggesting that they follow them. Parts of his “commandments” are rather humorous (at least for an English student), and this in turn somewhat lightens the mood of his “rulebook,” if you will.

The first chapter, titled “Elementary Rules of Usage” deals with just that. This book is rather simple and to the point, with anything unnecessary or that takes away from the essential subject matter eliminated, as readers will soon find out that Strunk was a huge fan of eliminating needless or redundant words. As a matter of fact, he would probably criticize the previous sentence, arguing that either “needless” or “redundant” should be removed. The first chapter is broken down into seven short sections; some of those being: “Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding commas,” “Enclosing parenthetic expressions,” and so forth. The preceding chapters follow that same format—Strunk introduces the subtopic of each chapter and gives a brief summary of the specific “rule” of writing. The second chapter covers the principles of composition, such as how to form effective sentences and ideas. The third and shortest chapter discusses form, such as when to italicize or capitalize titles of different works. The last chapter by Strunk is “Words and Expressions Commonly Misused,” a self-explanatory title. This chapter is quite useful for those who don’t know when to use similar words like who or whom. The final chapter, “An Approach to Style,” composed by White who proposes his own set of writing rules, captures the same essence and style as that of Strunk.

This pocket-size book is rather beneficial and convenient to students interested in the basics of the English language and also to teachers who wish to sum it all up into five simple chapters. Though unarguably brief, Strunk and White efficaciously capture the rules or commandments of successfully writing and using the English language.

Works Cited

Strunk, William, Jr., and Elwyn B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1959. Print.