Ms. Elouej's CLEAR Method Paragraph Writing Guide

Comprehensive review flashcards covering formatting, point of view, quotation mechanics, announcement phrases, the CLEAR acronym, and proofreading rules for analytical writing.

How should titles of novels or book-length works be formatted when typed versus handwritten?

They must be in italics if typed, or underlined if handwritten.

How should titles of poems and songs be formatted in a CLEAR Method paragraph?

They must be placed in quotation marks.

What point of view (POV) is required in CLEAR Method paragraphs, and which are forbidden?

Only 3rd person point of view is permitted. 1st person (I, we, us, our) and 2nd person (you, your, yourself) are strictly forbidden.

What are announcement phrases?

Phrases that bring attention to the writing of the paragraph or the assignment (such as "this quote," "in Chapter x," or "the assigned reading").

Instead of using announcement phrases like "early on in the novel," how should textual events be framed?

They should be written in terms of a moment in the text (as part of a character's journey).

What are examples of acceptable replacements for the announcement phrase "This quote shows"?

"This poignant moment shows…", "This tense conversation shows…", "This argument shows…", "This conflict shows…", "This tender exchange shows…", or "This dream shows…".

Why is the standalone word "this" discouraged, and what should be added after it?

"This" is a vague word that interrupts the reader; it must always be followed by a clarifying word or phrase (other than announcement words like "quote" or "chapter").

What punctuation must follow a dependent clause lead-in ending in a verb like "says," "thinks," "explains," or "states"?

A comma.

When should a colon (:) be used?

A colon should be used when an independant clause is used. (Uses how or that)

What punctuation is typically needed after a lead-in that ends in words like "how" or "that"?

Typically, no punctuation is needed.

Where is the period placed when a quotation is followed by a parenthetical citation?

The period goes after the parenthetical citation, never inside the closing quotation marks.

Where do punctuation marks go when a quoted sentence ends in a question mark or exclamation point followed by a citation?

The question mark or exclamation point stays inside the quotation marks, and a period is placed after the parenthetical citation.

When is a question mark or exclamation point placed after a parenthetical citation?

Only when the writer's own sentence containing the quote is asking a question or exclaiming a statement.

What does each letter in the CLEAR acronym stand for?

C: Claim—Topic sentence; L: Lead-In to evidence; E: Evidence: Quote (or Paraphrase); A: Analysis of the evidence; R: Return to thesis / Return to argument.

What are the first 3 typical proofreading errors identified? (1-3)

1. Proper nouns not capitalized; 2. Non-proper nouns capitalized; 3. Missing or unnecessary apostrophes

What are the other 3 typical proofreading errors identified? (4-6)

4. Misspellings; 5. Mixing up colon and semicolon; 6. Comma splices;

What are the final two proofreading errors identifed? (7 & 8)

7. Spaces before commas and periods; 8. Spelling "cannot" as two words ("can not").