HOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE USE OF CRITICS IN WRITING ESSAYS

AN EXTRACT FROM A CRITIC The diffuseness of Troilus and Criseyde cannot easily be illustrated briefly, for it pervades the whole poem. One has only to compare it with later long poems, such as Paradise Lost, or Hyperion, to see how little concentrated its normal style is: it is notably not a work in which every rift is loaded with ore. (From A.C. Spearing, Chaucer: Troilus and Criseyde, London, 1976, p. 11).

USING THIS EXTRACT IN WRITING A CRITICAL ESSAY (WITH MLA REFERENCING STYLE) A: Adequately Acknowledged 1. Troilus and Criseyde is a poem which proceeds at a very slow pace allowing the author to develop his points at his leisure. It is not concentrated poetry like that of Donne. Writing about the poems diffuseness (to use his word), Spearing remarks that it is notably not a work in which every rift is loaded with ore (11). [The words taken from Spearing are in quotation marks and there is a page reference.] 2. The style of Troilus and Criseyde is much less densely packed than that of, for example, Donne. Even compared to other poems of much greater length than Donnes it is considerably more leisurely in its pace, as Spearing makes clear by suggesting a comparison with Paradise Lost or Hyperion (11). [None of Spearings words are used but his specific point about Paradise Lost or Hyperion has been used and needs to be referenced. The writer has added new material which is not from Spearing and does not need to be referenced.] 3. To summarise Spearings argument, it is not possible to show in a short essay how unconcentrated the style of Troilus and Criseyde is: to do this adequately one would need to look closely at the whole poem. A comparison with other poems of similar length makes this aspect of Chaucers style very obvious. This is not a poem in which every single line is closely packed with meaning (Spearing 11). [The writer has not used any of Spearings specific examples or quoted from Spearing but the argument comes from Spearing and a reference is needed.]

4.

Troilus and Criseyde proceeds at a slow and gentle pace as if the author feels he has plenty of time and space to get his message through to the reader. Unlike Donne, Chaucer does not pack every line with meaning. Rather he is content to develop his ideas at his leisure making each of his points over the space of a stanza (or even a group of stanzas) rather than making a new point in every line. [A borderline case; the writer has developed his/her own ideas and owes almost nothing to Spearing beyond the point that the poem proceeds slowly which anybody could see for themselves. No reference is required but one could nevertheless be included.] B: Inadequately Acknowledged

5.

Troilus and Criseyde is a poem which proceeds at a leisurely pace. It is diffuse rather than concentrated. Its diffuseness cannot easily be illustrated briefly, as it pervades the whole poem. We have only to compare it with later long poems, such as Hyperion or Paradise Lost to see how little concentrated its normal style is: it is notably not a work in which every rift is loaded with ore. [The passage has been copied from Spearing with no quotation marks and no reference. This is plagiarism and will lead to the essay being failed.]

6.

Troilus and Criseyde is a poem which proceeds at a very slow pace allowing the author to develop his points at his leisure. It is not concentrated poetry like that of Donne. It is notably not a work in which every rift is loaded with ore. [Part of this is in the writers own words but the last sentence is copied word for word from Spearing with no quotation marks and no reference. This is also plagiarism and if there is more in the essay it will fail.]

7.

Troilus and Criseyde is a poem which proceeds at a very slow pace allowing the author to develop his points at his leisure. It is not concentrated poetry like that of Donne. It is notably not a work in which every rift is loaded with ore (11). [This is also plagiarism. The page reference is not sufficient by itself. The last sentence is word for word from Spearing and must be in quotation marks as well as having the reference.]

Works Cited

A.C. Spearing. Chaucer: Troilus and Criseyde. London: Edward Arnold, 1976.