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Week two:
Read pp. 1279-1288. Also read “The Story of an Hour” (p. 48), “The Lady with the Dog” (p. 50), “The Yellow Wallpaper” (64), and “A Rose for Emily” (p. 168).
Read the Week Two lecture.
Read the essay template posted on BlackBoard closely, and practice the skills it demonstrates (but do not copy it word-for-word!).
Write an outline for the first 2-page essay (in MLA format) about one of the stories we have read this week or last week (due Sunday night at midnight). Post discussion and respond to two classmates.
All assignments must be formatted correctly; use MLA standards for font, spacing, and margins. See the website OWL at Purdue and look up MLA format for all of the information you will need in this class. Formatting will be graded!A few preliminary thoughts to keep in mind as you approach the reading assignment:
Pay close attention to the elements of the template. It’s a very useful breakdown that should help you immensely as you draft. The model essay is not perfect (it is from another student), but should also be quite useful.
The examples in this chapter are very helpful, so read through them closely for ideas and tips.
Discussion Guidelines:
For discussion, by Friday I want you to create a Discussion Post regarding the assignment and reading. Do this in a complete paragraph (or two), practicing in your role as a communicator and being mindful of your audience in this situation.
After you have posted in the discussion board, you will begin collaborating with your classmates. As you respond to one another’s posts (you must each post two responses by Friday, though more posts are certainly permitted!), I hope you not only get new ideas for looking at writing and levels of formality, but also that you have the opportunity to share ideas for improving writing in various areas that your classmates and you mention.
Expectations:
I expect you to read the assignments carefully and respond thoughtfully and in interesting ways to the reading and to one another. You should always seek to expand the conversation, and not to end it.
Some Additional Information:You are outlining the first essay this week! The essay will only be two pages in length, which means you will have a very short amount of space to present your argument. This should hone your argumentation and careful analysis in preparation for the research paper, which will be six pages in length. Here is a nice overview of the process of drafting this first essay:First, you will select your story. Let me know if you have read another story in the textbook that you would like to work with, but usually it is best if you use one from the assigned readings. We have discussed them already, so you should feel prepared to give opinions on them to a reader who has not read as closely as you have.Next, decide what element of fiction you are most interested in. Something about the plot? A character? The point of view that the writer chose? The setting? An important idea that you think many readers have missed? An object in the story (some detail) that you think is more important than most readers realize? Something about the writing itself that you want readers to notice? Decide that next, so you can look at the text most effectively and specifically. It is easiest to come up with a question about the story first, and then read the story again carefully so that you may decide what you think the answer is to that question – and then come up with the reasons (quotes from the text) that make you believe that your answer is right. Giving your reader this information should persuade them in just the same way that you were persuaded!Now, look at the text: underline or mark every part of the story that helps you understand the element you are focusing on. If it is a character, mark all of the places where that character speaks, is described, or acts. Once you have all of the passages marked, think about them for a while. This is extremely important! You must come up with the best possible explanation for what this element is doing in the story, and you want a nice strong argument that will be interesting and helpful to readers of your essay. This requires some time and thinking, and perhaps even a good night of sleep to mull it over.Once you have decided what your argument is (something like “This element is more significant than most readers realize for these four reasons that we can see in the story:…”), figure out the main reasons why you think this and the textual support (specific lines in the story) that support those reasons. Then put them in a logical order (chronological, most important to least important, etc. – choose an order that makes sense to you!), and create an outline for your paper.Finally, begin writing. You will create an outline with a thesis and preview sentence, main points for body paragraphs with transitions, and you may want to include the quotes that SHOW that your ideas are supported by the story (at least one quote for every main point!) and an explanation of why that quote supports your thesis (see the selections in our textbook for a review of how to use quotes in a paper!), and finally indicate your conclusion – one that is not repetitive but makes the essay even more important to the reader while reminding the reader of the main points. This template is an extra level of help that most classes do not include; take advantage of this resource! It demonstrates very clearly exactly how to structure a paper, how to transition clearly and effectively, and how to arrange evidence. It is, however, BAD WRITING. You should not be as mechanical, repetitive, or clunky in your own writing. Be inspired by the structure and the ideas, but DO NOT copy the wording exactly. You should find that it gives you many good ideas, and that your draft is a lot more readable and interesting than the template, but that the template helps you to make your ideas much clearer and to make your argument much clearer and well-supported.The model essay may be very useful once you understand the template. This is student writing, so it is not perfect, but it is the template being used in an actual essay. I hope it is helpful!Finally, proofread! Read aloud, slowly and carefully, edit grammar and spelling and confusing sentences, and then revise the whole paper to make it stronger and clearer. Often after writing a draft your thesis will change slightly – and that is good! You can then revise your whole draft before turning it in, and be in better shape!Your outline can be shorter (less than one full page, with bullet points and not full paragraphs), but should at least include your thesis, supporting arguments, and the textual evidence you have located to support each of your arguments (sections of the essay).As you work through the reading and your discussion post and responses to classmates, please E-mail me with any questions and keep in touch!Reflection or Response Papers:First, please know that a summary is very different from a reflection/response paper, as it is brief (about two or three paragraphs in length for this class), and states what is on the page (in your own words). The reflection or response paper is in some ways the opposite: it explores your impressions and analysis, and in large part skips summarizing the facts. When you are asked to write one of each, keep that in mind – they should be very different in content and emphasis. Reflection (or response) papers should be 2-3 pages in length in MLA format (this means that the minimum length is “onto the third piece of paper,” to compensate for the heading on the first page in MLA format). You are giving a relatively informal but robust analysis of the topic, whether that is a text, your ideas for a paper, or your reflections on how you will revise a paper. The purpose is for you to clarify your own thoughts, practice analysis of ideas and texts, practice successfully communicating your analysis in writing, and then receive guidance through instructor feedback that will help you to continue with your coursework.Short Essays: Each essay should ultimately be about 2-3 pages in length in MLA format (margins, double-spacing as visually appropriate, citing as needed, font, etc.), so choose your topic for analysis with that scope in mind; the narrower the better is typically good advice when working with a complex literary text. Your essay will present your thesis about a text from our course, and support that thesis with supporting arguments that are in turn supported by textual evidence (quotes and paraphrases) and your analysis of those quotes and paraphrases. Use MLA format to cite quotes, paraphrases, and summaries from the text, as well as any information from secondary sources. I do not recommend reading any secondary sources, though, as we will be working on a research paper later this term and that is when secondary sources will be required and most appropriate. Avoid block quoting in a paper that is fewer than 25 pages in length (which means avoid them for this entire class, please), and be sure that you analyze (discuss) every quote (from the primary source or secondary source) for a minimum of twice the length of the quote itself. The minimum length of each essay is firm, because it indicates the scope and level of detail I expect for this assignment; any paper that is less than four pages in terms of content (in MLA format that means that the body paragraphs of the essay should extend onto the third “piece of paper” in order for you to have two full pages of content – the heading and citations do not count toward length) will have the grade reduced by the percentage of the assignment that is missing. There is no penalty for exceeding the five page “maximum,” but please refrain from exceeding seven pages as the structure will become rather different than required as the paper becomes longer. The essay should include the following features:
An introduction that contextualizes the argument and thesis and lays out the key counterarguments clearly, and makes it evident what readers will miss if they do not read your essay and look more closely at the text you are analyzing. Your introduction and thesis should not follow this template word for word, but should include the elements presented here: “Although careful readers may believe _________ about [text’s title], I argue that close analysis instead suggests _________ for these reasons: __________, __________, _________, and __________.” The elements are the counterargument, clear presentation of the text itself, explicit phrasing of the writer’s position, and a “preview” of the main arguments supporting the thesis (the organizational pattern of the whole essay) in order.
Clear transitions that include a topic sentence (the argument presented in the paragraph), clear connections to the thesis, and reminders of previous arguments as appropriate. Another template that may be instructive, but should not be used word for word is as follows: “In addition to [previous main point], a second reason why [restate thesis] is [topic sentence].”
■ 2-3 paragraphs per page for appropriate pacing of your structure in MLA format.
MLA format citations for all quotes, paraphrases, or summaries from the text. I do not recommend secondary research (scholarly research) for this paper, but if you do any, you must cite it accurately and completely.
Do not plagiarize any sources, or your own previous work for another setting.
Supporting evidence with clear analysis for every main point presented in your essay.
A formal conclusion that reminds readers of your thesis and main points in 1-2 sentences, and then gives direction for future scholarship related to the topic (another approach to the same text) or argument (the same approach applied to a related text).
Rubric: Takes audience and expectations of readers into account in terms of wording, syntax, structure, level of detail, and tone: 25% Structure and features of a professional, academic essay about a literary text, including those outlined above: 50% Ethos (spelling and grammar, formal wording, proper citation for quotes and/or paraphrases [in MLA format]): 15% Comprehensiveness (includes proper depth and scope for occasion and topic, covers relevant details and elements and presents the text and analysis accurately): 10% Research-based argument responding to counterarguments, for an academic audienceThis 6-8 page research paper will draw heavily on the expertise you gained when analyzing the texts in the essay assignments. You are now adding the step of contextualizing your analysis and argument among the scholars and professionals (most credible sources of information and expertise), without losing any of the careful structure, centrality of your own thesis and conclusions, or strict grounding in primary sources (the text itself) as you introduce this research to your writing.The primary difference between this paper and the essay is that now you will integrate research from literary scholars in two ways: they will contextualize your thesis with specific counterarguments (which are any alternate readings of the text; they do not need to argue against your position, but any presentation of a different reading of the text), and they will follow your analysis of textual evidence and agree with your close reading, or add counterarguments that you will then rebut. Research never substitutes for evidence from the primary text. Research never substitutes for your argumentation and analysis. Research is always tertiary; the text comes first, then your analysis because this is your paper, and the scholars come third and either agree with your analysis or add counterarguments that you then rebut clearly, using textual evidence to do so. Use MLA format to cite quotes, paraphrases, and summaries from the text, as well as any information from secondary sources. You should cite a minimum of ten secondary sources for this paper, but you do not need to quote from all of them (you may simply paraphrase or summarize), and some will likely appear several times in your paper while others appear only once. Avoid block quoting in a paper that is fewer than 25 pages in length, and be sure that you analyze (discuss) every quote (from the primary source or secondary source) for a minimum of twice the length of the quote itself. The minimum length is firm, because it indicates the scope and level of detail I expect for this assignment; any paper that is fewer than six pages in terms of content (in MLA format that means that the body paragraphs of the essay should extend onto the fifth “piece of paper” in order for you to have six full pages of content – the heading and citations do not count toward length) will have the grade reduced by the percentage of the assignment that is missing. There is no penalty for exceeding the eight page “maximum,” but please refrain from exceeding ten pages as the structure will become rather different than required as the paper becomes longer. The essay should include the following features:
An introduction that contextualizes the argument and thesis and lays out the key counterarguments that scholars hold clearly (using their names), and makes it evident what readers will miss if they do not read your essay and look more closely at the text you are analyzing. The “survey of the literature” should be 2-3 sentences that group scholars who have read the text differently than you present in your thesis summarizing the positions that scholars have taken on the topic which you will be disagreeing with in your thesis. This establishes credibility (and controversy!) for your topic, and allows you to then “weigh in” on the topic with your thesis, making it clear right away what the counterarguments are, why readers should care about the topic (scholars are disagreeing), and also what readers might miss if they did not read your paper.
Your introduction and thesis should not follow this template word for word, but should include the elements presented here: “Although readers may believe _________ about [text’s title], I argue that careful analysis instead suggests _________ for these reasons: __________, __________, _________, and __________.” The elements are the counterargument, clear presentation of the text itself, explicit phrasing of the writer’s position, and a “preview” of the main arguments supporting the thesis (the organizational pattern of the whole essay) in order.
Clear transitions that include a topic sentence (the argument presented in the paragraph), clear connections to the thesis, and reminders of previous arguments as appropriate. Another template that may be instructive, but should not be used word for word is as follows: “In addition to [previous main point], a second reason why [restate thesis] is [topic sentence].”
2-3 paragraphs per page for appropriate pacing of your structure in MLA format.
MLA format citations for all quotes, paraphrases, or summaries from the text or from secondary research.
Do not plagiarize any sources, or your own previous work for another setting.
Supporting evidence with clear analysis for every main point presented in your essay.
Scholarly perspectives that agree with your analysis or that add counterarguments (which you then clearly rebut with textual support).
A formal conclusion that reminds readers of your thesis and main points in 1-2 sentences, and then gives direction for future scholarship related to the topic (another approach to the same text) or argument (the same approach applied to a related text).
Rubric: Takes audience and expectations of readers into account in terms of wording, syntax, structure, level of detail, and tone: 25% Structure and features of a professional, academic essay about a literary text, including those outlined above, and sufficient research for such a paper: 50% Ethos (spelling and grammar, formal wording, proper citation for quotes and/or paraphrases in MLA format): 15% Comprehensiveness (includes proper depth and scope for occasion and topic, covers relevant details and elements and presents the text and analysis accurately): 10%
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