Sample first sentences for academic summaries, analyses and reader responses.

If the name(s) of the author(s) are known:

 

· In Jane Smith’s article, “History of the Dog,” she discusses how dogs first became domesticated.

· In Lee Garcia’s article, “Dating a Clod,” the author describes a bad dating experience.

·  In the article “History of the Dog,” by Jane Smith, the author writes about how dogs first became domesticated.

·  Jane Smith’s article, “History of the Dog” describes how dogs first became domesticated.

·  Smith’sHistory of the Dog” is about how dogs first became domesticated. 

 

Notes:

Do not use the author’s first name alone: e.g., “Jane’s article…”  

Never write “In Jane Smith’s article, ‘History of the Dog’ describes how dogs first became domesticated.”  That is bad English!  In Jane Smith’s article, ‘History of the Dog,’ it describes how dogs first became domesticated” is not as bad, but still incorrect for college writing, since whatever “it” refers to is not entirely clear.

-------------------------------------------------------

For articles with no author’s name given:

· The article “The History of the Dog” is about how dogs first became domesticated.

·  In the article, “History of the Dog,” the author discusses how dogs first became domesticated.

·  ”History of the Dog” tells how dogs first became domesticated.

Notes:

Be sure your first sentence is correct English!  Do not use the title and author of the article you are reading as the title of your paper!  Do not write “the author says” or “the article says.”  Authors normally write, not say text.  And articles or books never “say” or “tell” anything at all--only people say, tell or write things.

 O.W. 6/08 rev 1/12

Owen M. Williamson - Education Bldg 211E - phone: (915) 747 7625 - fax: (915) 747 5655
The University of Texas at El Paso - 500 W. University Ave. - El Paso, TX 79968
Important Disclaimer

Creative Commons License
Open Courseware | OCW |This work is dedicated to the Public Domain..