Engl 565-01: American Genre (Novel)
Fall Semester 2006
Writing Assignments
TTh 11:00-12:15, Grubbs 312
Instructor: Dr. K. Nichols
E-mail: knichols11@cox.net
Paper #1
Due: 10/19
Length: 5 typed pages
Topic: Write a comparison-contrast paper based on one of the following topics:
- Clara and Hester as independent women
- Wieland and Dimmesdale as guilty sinners
- Pearl, Topsy, and Eva as symbolic child figures
- Chillingsworth and Legree as villains
Although you may use some of the material we discussed in class, try to add your own examples or analysis to it by going into it in more detail than we did or by finding examples we did not look at in class or by making connections with other aspects of the novel than those made in class discussions.
NOTE: Although you will be focusing on your designated characters, make sure that you also view them in relation to major themes, characters, and/or actions in the novels.
Paper #2
Due: 11/30
Length: 5 typed pages
Topic: Faulkner, Chopin, Hurston, or Hemingway.
More information will be posted here at a later date.
Organization/Focus
- Introduction: Introductions in short papers should be short--maybe 3-4 sentences long. Begin with some general statement about your topic (if you are going to write about Hawthorne's symbols, get the words "Hawthorne" and "symbol" somewhere in the opening sentence). Also include the full name(s) of author(s) and complete title(s) of the novel(s) in the opening sentences. Perhaps provide some pertinent background, or explain why there have been problems with the topic or even disagreements about it, or maybe suggest why that topic is so important in the tradition of American literature. End the paragraph with your thesis (your thesis will be the overall conclusion you have drawn about your topic). Remember that your thesis is what the rest of the paper will be about.
NOTE: Most or perhaps all of the introduction will be your own
writing,
but it is OK to include a short paraphrase/quotation, properly cited.
- Body of Paper: Sub-divide your thesis/conclusion into 3-4
sub-points (since you can't talk about everything at once). Those sub-points will form
the topic sentences for the body paragraphs--your
own writing, what you have to say about that sub-point, the point you want to make.
Each topic sentence should be followed by lots of specific details/examples/quotations
from the novels, as well as your explanation/analysis of that information (the
"well-developed paragraph").
WRITING TIP: Arrange your sub-points according to the Order of Climax--begin with your second-best sub-point followed by your weakest sub-point and then work your way up to your best sub-point at the end so that the paper finishes on a strong note.
For quotations, include a page number (in parenthesis) directly after the quote. If it isn't clear in the paragraph which novel you are referring to, insert the author's name before the page number, as in this example: (Hawthorne 10). Avoid long quotations in short papers. It is often more effective to work a quoted word or short phrase into your own sentence.
If you consult outside/secondary sources, follow MLA directions (below). In that case, I prefer you use the method of including the author's name in the paragraph at the beginning of the borrowed material (According to Smith, . . .) and putting the page number in parenthesis at the end of the borrowed material. A separate Works Cited page is needed if outside/secondary sources are used. Remember that the outside/secondary source must be cited whether you summarize it, paraphrase it, or quote it.
NOTE: I hate skimpy body paragraphs that are only 1-2 sentences
long; put
some meat on those bones--another 6-8 sentences of
details and examples and
explanations, please!)
- Conclusion: Conclusions in short papers should be short--maybe 3-4 sentences long. Begin the concluding paragraph with a re-statement of your thesis/conclusion--but in language very different than was used in the introduction. In a couple more sentences, refer to your topic as a whole-- why it is significant and worth studying, for instance, or finally, what it all adds up to.
NOTE: In a short paper, do not repeat your sub-points--much too repetitious.
MLA Style Documentation
If you consult any outside sources, you must include references to them in your paper. Also use standard in-text citation (author and page), and put the source information on a separate bibliography page (labeled "Works Cited"). Follow MLA directions.
See this short summary of MLA style: Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format, created by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab. It gives the basic "rules" for in-text citation and bibliographies, including how to list electronic sources.
Also check MLA Style: MLA Style: Frequently Asked Questions.
For more detailed information on MLA style, consult a hardcopy of the "official" MLA Handbook.
Typing Directions:
Use Times New Roman font, size 11 or 12. Double-space everything--no exceptions. One inch margins on all sides. Put your last name and page number in top-right corner (1/2 inch from top).
On the first page, in the top-left corner, put your name, your instructor's name, the class name and number, and the date. Below that, in the center of page, add a title.
See an MLA example: Paper Format--Example.
Put all documentation on a separate page and follow MLA directions.
