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Paper 1 | Paper 2| Grading Criteria |
When writing about fiction, please remember to use literary terms such as: plot, climax, theme, central idea, setting , tone , character (protagonist, antagonist, flat, round, dynamic, static), point of view (third person, first person, omniscient), language (metaphor, simile, personification, symbolism, diction), irony (external, internal), and conflict (external and internal). When writing about poetry, please remember to use poetic terminology, such as theme, imagery, tone, figurative language, and rhythm.
In your essays, you should support your thesis and main points with specific examples from the stories and poems. You will also need to take a critical stance or approach, such as: formalist, biographical, historical, feminist, psychological, etc. For paper two, you are required to research or use secondary sources--sources that inform the topic beyond the text. When you do use secondary sources, please remember to cite them properly in your paper using MLA documentation.
As for organizing the papers, here is a good basic structure:
Introduction: (1-2 paragraphs): In the first paragraph, name the title of the work(s) and the author(s), and state your thesis. If you need more space, you can briefly summarize the work(s) in the second paragraph.
Main Body: Lay out the analysis of the work(s) you are discussing: (a) You might want to organize the paper around main points that support your thesis, then use the text(s) to support your main points and thesis; or (b) you might discuss each work separately and make connections to your thesis throughout the paper.
Conclusion: This should not be just a short paragraph or sentence that abruptly ends the paper. Instead, it draws together or summarizes the crucial evidence or points you've laid out above. In other words, it synthesizes what the evidence reveals.
1000-1500 words
For both papers one and two, please follow basic and literary guidelines as discussed above. You also need to study the 1301/1302 review where the specifics of grammar, mechanics, and MLA documentation are covered in detail. The final copy must incorporate at least two direct quotes from the text(s) using MLA documentation and include a works cited page listing all works discussed and cited from.
Remember to submit an outline (and thesis statement) for your paper to me via email two weeks before the paper is due (Thursday). The outline should be no longer than one page and you do not have to use Roman numerals. The purpose of the outline is to look at your thesis statement and the organization of your paper to make sure that you are on the right track. After your outline has been approved, you can begin writing the paper. You will submit the rough draft of the paper to your group's discussion board (for peer editing/evaluation) by the Thursday of the week the paper is due. For Paper 1, the outline is worth 5 points and the peer editing is worth 5 points. For Paper 2, the outline is worth 10 points and the peer editing is worth 10 points. Do not submit the final version to me until your outline has been approved, at least two other students have critiqued your paper (and vice versa), and you have made modifications. If you encounter difficulty getting your team members to peer edit your paper, you may submit it to the Student Lounge and appeal for assistance.
The final version of this paper must be submitted to your instructor via email by the date noted on the schedule. Please note in your submission, the names of the students who peer edited your paper and vice versa.
If Paper 1 is more than one week late, the student may lose 20 pts. If Paper 1 is not completed before the final "drop" date, the student may lose 40 pts. and be asked to withdraw from the course. You cannot pass this course without completing all three major assignments (the two papers and the midterm).
Note: After Paper 1 is graded, you may revise it (and earn back no more than half the points deducted). For example, if you earn 77 points on your paper, the most you can earn back by revising it would be half of 23 points, or 11.5 points. When you submit the revised paper, please attach the original paper (with my editing marks) so that I can analyze the changes.
For the first paper, select one of the topics below (or email me with a suggestion of your own:
1. Romanticism was a literary movement marked especially by an emphasis on imagination, emotions, human reason, and a love of nature, beauty, and liberty. Discuss the one or more tenets of Romanticism as exemplified in the works of 2-3 Romantic writers.
2. What do Romantic poets have to say about some of the traditional themes of poetry: love, death, loss, religion, or the passing of time? Choose one theme and use the works of 2-3 poets studied to illustrate your points.
3. Compare and contrast the use of language in the works of 2-3 Romantic poets.
4. Discuss the connection one or more of the Romantic poets has to art, music, and literature as exemplified in the works.
5. Analyze the role of letters in Sense and Sensibility and/or Frankenstein and how they further the novel's plot and develop its characters.
6. Discuss the role of illness in Sense and Sensibility and/or Frankenstein.
7. Examine the role of suspense and foreshadowing throughout Frankenstein. How does foreshadowing differ among the three main narrators (Walton, Victor, and the monster)?
8. Analyze Mary Shelley's attitude toward Romantic values in Frankenstein.
9. Compare and contrast Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (focus on language, theme, setting, etc.) to the works of J.K. Rowling and/or J.R.R. Tolkien.
10. One of the values of Romanticism is an appreciation for the past. The Romantic Poets make numerous references to classic art and literature in their poetry. These writings include Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Dante's Inferno, the Christian and Hebrew bibles, the works of Shakespeare, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Virgil's The Aeneid. Choose one of these classic works and discuss its treatment by at least two of the Romantics. How does an understanding of classic works promote a better understanding of the poetry?
11. To understand British literature, one must have a basic understanding of Greek and Roman mythology. Ovid's Metamorphoses is a collection of nearly 250 myths, all centered around some kind of metamorphosis or change. Discuss how one of the British writers we have studied thus far echoes the theory of change or metamorphosis by alluding to ancient mythology.
12. Compare Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792) and John Stuart Mill's The Subjection of Women (1860). In what ways are they addressing the same topic but proposing different solutions? How does Mill's text appear as a response to Wollstonecraft, even though he makes no mention of her in his entire text?
All quizzes and bulletin board activities MUST be completed before you submit the final exam/paper 2.
The final is not optional and you must earn 120 pts. or more to pass the course.
Unlike previous assignments in this class, there is NO one week grace period for the final exam. Please note the due date for the final exam in the schedule--it is approximately one week before the last day of the course.
If the final exam is more than 2 days late, you may lose 80 pts.; if the final exam is more than 3 days late, you may receive an F in the course. All major assignments (the papers and the midterm) must be completed in order to pass this course.
For both papers one and two, please follow basic and literary guidelines as discussed above. You also need to study the 1301/1302 review where the specifics of grammar, mechanics, and MLA documentation are covered in detail. The final exam must include at least two direct quotes from the stories and three outside sources using MLA documentation. Two of these sources should be scholarly articles that support your thesis. Use the ACC Library (or other library) to find these sources. To access online literary databases, go to the ACC Library Online. Next, click "Find Articles," then go to the Humanities and Literature databases to find literary biographies and analyses. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a reduction of one letter grade on your exam.
Remember to submit an outline (and thesis statement) for your paper to me via email two weeks before the paper is due (Thursday). The outline should be no longer than one page and you do not have to use Roman numerals. The purpose of the outline is to look at your thesis statement and the organization of your paper to make sure that you are on the right track. After your outline has been approved, you can begin writing the paper. You will submit the rough draft of the paper to your group's discussion board (for peer editing/evaluation) by the Thursday of the week the paper is due. For Paper 1, the outline is worth 5 points and the peer editing is worth 5 points. For Paper 2, the outline is worth 10 points and the peer editing is worth 10 points. Do not submit the final version to me until your outline has been approved, at least two other students have critiqued your paper (and vice versa), and you have made modifications. If you encounter difficulty getting your team members to peer edit your paper, you may submit it to the Student Lounge and appeal for assistance.
The final version of this paper must be submitted to your instructor via email by the date noted on the schedule. Please note in your submission, the names of the students who peer edited your paper and vice versa.
For this paper, choose one of the topics below:
1. The Victorian period was rife with the tensions of lingering Romanticism and Modernist ideas poised on the horizon. Mass transportation, modern modes of communication and manufacturing, a population movement from agrarian to urban locations, the expansion of democratic tendencies, and the "woman question" all contributed to the tensions and inconsistencies of the period. Discuss this conflict as exemplified in works of 2-3 Victorian writers.
2. The 18th and 19th century was a difficult time for women in Great Britain, who were rated as second class citizens and could not vote, hold office, or get a decent education. Bad working conditions and underemployment drove thousands into prostitution, while other Victorian women were expected to marry and have children, or to remain unmarried spinsters, who were both repressed and impoverished. Discuss the plight of women as exemplified in the works of one or more of the British writers who lived during this time period.
3. Explore the impact of industrialization as exemplified 2-3 of British writers and their works.
4. Modernism in literature emphasized the individual and placed high value on style and content that were seen as new, original, ground-breaking, shocking, and challenging to the status quo. Modernist poetry frequently rejected traditional end rhyme and consistent meter that made up familiar poetic forms. Modernist prose experimented with fractured and multiple narrators and points of view and with psychological realism expressed through stream-of-consciousness writing. Modernist writing also took on themes that had previously been taboo. Sexuality, violence, bodily functions, religious doubt, the senseless waste of war, and the world's ugliness all became fair game for writers. Discuss the one or more tenets of Modernism as exemplified in the works of 2-3 contemporary British writers.
5. Compare and contrast the work of one of the Modern poets to the work of one of the Romantic poets. How does this 20th-century poet support or challenge the tenets of Romanticism?
6. Choose one of the writers we have read this semester and write an essay showing how his or her life is reflected in one or two specific works.
7. Discuss the use of animal imagery in the works of Lawrence, Carroll, and/or another British author we have studied.
8. Compare and contrast the use of language in the works of two British writers.
9. Compare and contrast the traditional roles of women in the works of two or more British writers.
10. What do 19th and 20th century British poets have to say about some of the traditional themes of poetry: love, death, aging, loss, religion, etc.? Choose one theme and use the works of 2-3 poets studied to illustrate your points.
11. The writings of the great Greek philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, are alluded to in several of the writings of British writers, including Blake, Arnold, Joyce, Yeats, and Shelley. Compare and contrast the values of Plato and/or Aristotle to the values of at least two of these writers as expressed in their works.
12. Compare and contrast the the place of religion in society, literature, and education in the Romantic, Victorian, and Modern eras. How does the function and place of spirituality get expressed?
If two or more members from a group (or outside a group) are interested, they can write this final paper as a team. Email me the names and the topic and I will set up a group page in Blackboard. If you are not interested in writing a paper in a group setting, please submit an individual paper.
Within the group, I will monitor teamwork and expect to see regular postings and participation. If I observe a member who is causing the team difficulty by not participating adequately, not meeting deadlines for tasks, not communicating, etc., then that student will be removed from the team and asked to create a completely different paper on his or her own.
If you choose this option, I will expect to observe several activities in the group's discussion board:
1. One team member needs to send me an email telling me which members of your group have agreed to participate in this assignment. If you want me to set up a separate group folder for this paper, please let me know.
2. Brainstorming and deciding on the topic.
3. Dividing up various responsibilities regarding the paper and setting up deadlines for each responsibility. For example, you might want to decide that one person writes the intro and conclusion, while other members write other sections of the paper. Either way, it is a group effort. Even if one person doesn't do his or her share, you are all still responsible for the final product. (I will deal with the person who is not contributing and you can certainly alert me to that fact as well.)
4. Constructing an outline for the paper and choosing one person to submit the final outline to the instructor when it is due.
5. Putting together a rough draft for the paper that everyone proofreads and comments on no later than one week before the due date.
6. Collaborating and communicating in a respectful manner throughout the process.
If you have any questions or concerns about this option, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please read the syllabus to learn more about the grading system in this course.
A papers set the standard of excellence. An A paper will show all the following characteristics:
1. The paper has a well-defined thesis, strong topic sentences, and smooth transitions.
2. Organization is entirely logical; there is a clear beginning, middle, and end.
3. The paper has been written in a clear, literate, and scholarly fashion. Analytical skills are superior.
4. The paper displays insight, originality, and a thorough understanding of the subject under discussion.
5. Elegant writing unmarred by proofreading errors, grammatical problems, spelling mistakes, or typos.
6. In research papers, documentation is ample and in the correct form, and indicates that the writer has examined the most important available sources.
A papers are engaging and say something interesting. Most of all, they teach me something new, or show me something I have not seen before.
B papers have most of the following characteristics:
1. There is a well-defined thesis.
2. The argument is clear and logical, with little irrelevant material, but there may be minor problems in organization. Analytical skills are evident.
3. The subject matter is thoroughly understood, and there is some evidence of original thought.
4. Research papers are correctly documented and are based upon an adequate number of sources of good quality.
A "B" paper makes no major errors in style, mechanics, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It has a clear thesis and contains good topic sentences and transitions. B papers are generally well-written, and not marred by any serious problems.
C papers have most of the following characteristics:
1. While there is a definite thesis, it may not always be made clear to the reader.
2. A person writing a C paper has difficulty in developing, supporting, or illustrating the thesis in the body of the paper. Analytical skills are weak.
3. A "C" paper has weak topic sentences and lacks transition.
4. The paper contains minor errors in style, mechanics, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
5. While understanding of the subject is adequate, there is little originality.
6. In research, documentation is adequate and in the correct form, but there may be reliance on sources of lesser quality.
One or more of the following characteristics may result in a D grade:
1. The thesis is poorly defined and supported.
2. The argument is illogical or unclear, and there may be unresolved contradictions and/or irrelevancies. Analytical skills are absent.
3. There are stylistic, grammatical, mechanical, and/or spelling errors.
4. There is some doubt that the writer fully understands the subject matter of the paper.
5. C papers fail to complete the assignment fully (i.e., inadequate paper length, failure to address assigned topic, etc.).
6. In research papers, documentation is adequate, but there may be some deviation from the correct form, and the sources may be poorly chosen and/or limited in number.
The following types of papers will be given failing grades:
1. Papers which do not meet university standards of English literacy and contain many stylistic, mechanical, grammatical, and/or spelling errors. Analytical skills are absent.
2. Papers not based on the assigned topic. Even a brilliant paper can earn an F if it is completely off the topic you were assigned to do.
3. Papers that fail to complete the assignment fully (i.e., inadequate paper length, failure to address assigned topic, etc.).
4. Papers written by students with a clear intent to cheat. In general, cheating includes plagiarism from another source such as the Internet; copying from another student is a form of plagiarism. Plagiarism will always earn you an F not only for the paper but for the course, and might even result in disciplinary action like suspension or expulsion: it's serious stuff.
5. Research papers which consist of little more than a series of facts or quotes, with little or no attempt at interpretation.
6. Research papers based on a single source (unless the assignment calls for the use of a single source).
7. Research papers with insufficient and/or incorrect documentation.
I won't fail any paper that shows honest effort. That means F's are reserved for students that show no effort (a paper written two hours before it is due, for instance), and for those who aren't honest.