Writing About Literature : Essay and Translation Skills for University Students of English and Foreign Literature
Writing about Literature combines detailed practical and scholarly advice with a sense of the scope and creative possibilities of literary criticism, empowering the student reader to make his or her own discoveries and experiments with language. In addition, it gives valuable guidance on adult language learning and translation skills for students of foreign literature. This handy, accessible guide covers all aspects of the essay-writing process, including: preliminary reading and choosing and researching a topic referencing and presentation computer use style, structure, vocabulary, grammar and spelling the art and craft of writing scholarly and personal insights into the problems and pleasures of writing about literature. Written in an entertaining and informative way and containing a wealth of practical advice and scholarly insights, this wise, witty and helpful book should be on every literature student's bookshelf
1 online resource (153 pages)
9780203504901, 0203504909
1048373637
Book Cover
Half-Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Reading
Texts and their contexts
Critical reading
Reading the critics
Background reading
Chapter 3 Research
Looking things up
Dictionaries
Biblical references
Classical references
Oral literature
General knowledge
Trusting the author
Libraries and librarians
Searching on-line
Using Google
Serendipity
Chapter 4 Essay topics
Choosing your own topic
Set topics and exam questions
The desert island essay
Chapter 5 Structure
Notes and drafts
Arguing a case
Chapter 6 Writing
Style
Words, plain and lacy
Jargon and theory-speak
Slips and solecisms
Mixing your metaphors
How to quote
How not to give offence
Titles
Naming your author
Making yourself clear
Chapter 7 Some common bad advice
'Tell the examiners what they want to know'
'Quote sparingly'
'Never say I'
'An essay should have a beginning, a middle and an end'
Chapter 8 Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Spelling
Dealing with dyslexia
Punctuation and syntax
Full stop
Question mark
Exclamation mark
Colon
Semicolon
Comma
Apostrophe
Inverted commas
Dash
Hyphen
Parentheses and Brackets
Ellipsis
Paragraphs
Grammar
Further reading
Chapter 9 Foreign languages and literature
Languages without Mr Casaubon
Real-life language learning
Speaking and listening
Reading
Latin and Greek
Language lessons
Vocabulary and grammar
Vocabulary
Grammar
Verbs
The translator's craft
Preparing for translation exams
Chapter 10 Referencing
Due acknowedgement
Footnotes and bibliographies
References
Bibliography
Chapter 11 Presentation
Studying your academic reader