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Literary Criticism: About Literary Criticism

Comprehensive guide to literary criticism resources.

Notetaking Templates

Avoid Plagiarism

Intentional

Unintentional or Intentional

Non-Attribution

Fraud

Patchwriting

Failure to Cite

Failure to Quote

Intentional "borrowing, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining work composed by someone else and submitted”2 under another's name.

Not always thought of as academic dishonesty, patchwriting is "half-copy[ing] the author's sentences ... by plugging your synonyms into the author's sentence structure."3 It can occur whether or not the original author is cited.

Summarizing, paraphrasing or using author's exact language without properly citing the source using footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical notes

Using original author's exact language without using quotation. May result from students' inexperience with the material, or citation process.

2 Rebecca Moore Howard, “Plagiarism, Authorships, and the Academic Death Penalty,” College English 57 (Nov. 1995), 799.

3 Diana Hacker, The Bedford Handbook, (New York:  Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1998), 572.

"Types of Plagiarism | Shapiro Undergraduate Library | MLibrary." MLibrary Homepage | MLibrary. University of Michigan, 17 May 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2011. <http://www.lib.umich.edu/shapiro-undergraduate-library/types-plagiarism>.

Summary of MLA - 8 Changes

What is literary criticism?

"Criticism asks what literature is, what it does, and what it is worth."  -Encyclopedia Britannica

Literary criticism analyzes, interprets, and evaluates works of literature. Though you most often find criticism in the form of an essay, in-depth book reviews may also be considered criticism. Criticism may analyze an individual work of literature. It may also examine an author’s body of work.

Why study literary criticism?

Authors present us with work that can have multiple meanings, expecting us to consider thoughtfully - to interpret. Writers and critics build on each others' understanding of a work of literature in a kind of dialog. Good criticism can help us develop a better understanding of a work. In addition, it can help us develop a point of view about a work, whether or not we agree with the opinions of the critic.

When looking at criticism, check for:

  • Credentials of the writer
  • Quality of the sources--journals, books, Websites


Opinions supported by evidence, relating to:

  • Characterization
  • Voice
  • Style
  • Theme
  • Setting
  • Technical qualities of the writing (artistry, style, use of language)
  • Interpretation
  • Complex ideas and problems
  • Relationship of work to the time, or social, historical, or political trends


When looking for criticism, AVOID:

  • Plot summaries, SparkNotes, Pink Monkey, Cliff's Notes, etc.
  • Casual posts on discussion groups
  • The works of other students
  • Author biography

 

Source and for more information: http://hhslibprojectpage.weebly.com/literary-criticism.html