Writing Assignment 2 Requirements
1. Choose a topic worthy of discussion and develop a thesis which examines one or more literary aspect(s) of the work(s) in a meaningful way. You will be evaluated on the clarity of your thesis which states your opinion, your organization of the support materials, as well as the appropriate and sufficient provision of support materials. You may use any of the suggested topics, or a topic of your own choosing as long as it relates to American writing from 1800-1865.
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2. Ensure that your paper follows the basic five paragraph model: an introduction that includes an attention getter, a clearly stated thesis and appropriate transitions; a body of at least three paragraphs that develops the thesis with sufficient and appropriate support; a summary conclusion that restates the thesis, summarizes the main ideas and provides a sense of closure. If you use a comparison/contrast format, clearly establish either a BLOCK or POINT BY POINT organization in the body of the essay. If you choose to discuss one or more works by one author, organize the body of your essay by analyzing one or more of the following in relation to the theme(s): plot; point of view; characters, or impact of setting. Writing about poetry is a bit more difficult; however, if you choose poetry, you should examine both the FORM of the poems as well as the CONTENT. Please refer to “Literary Analysis Basics” for additional information.
3. You should address the following in your analysis which will comprise the BODY of your essay:
- In the opening of the paper, discuss the writer(s) you have chosen by providing some historical background about the writer’s life and body of work and how the writer and work(s) are impacted by or impact the society, culture and politics of the historical period. This should be roughly one or two paragraphs following the introduction.
- The next 3-5 paragraphs of your paper will depend upon the topic and format that you have chosen. You will be evaluated on your ability to identify and use basic literary terms of literary analysis. Keep in mind that the body of the paper develops your thesis with sufficient and appropriate support. This support should come not only from your own analysis, but also from authorities who agree or disagree with your analysis.
- You must use a minimum of three sources, one of which can be your textbook. Ensure that the Works Cited page follows MLA style and that all material which is not your original thought or considered common knowledge is documented appropriately with in-text citation. Refer to “MLA Style Quick Tips” or email me if you have any questions.
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4. Your paper should have appropriate identification including your name, the course, and the date of submission, as well as a title and a Works Cited page, following MLA style. The paper should be approximately 4-5 pages in length plus one Works Cited page and should include at least three sources, one of which may be your text.