September 18, 2009 Archives

Bring three printouts of your Paper 1 Draft, to exchange with a peer and discuss in class.

I will ask you to get into groups of three. Each of you will have a draft in front of you.  Peer #1 will read your work aloud, and peer #2 and you will both listen and take notes on printouts.  Then peer #2 will share his/her notes, and #1 and #2 will discuss their reactions.  After they have both shared their reactions, you are welcome to comment. Change roles until every member has heard someone read their papers aloud.

First draft of a 4-5 page paper that demonstrates your ability to make an argument, supported by observations taken from a close reading.

• Note that "There is symbolism in this poem" is just an observation. You might do a wonderful job analyzing the symbolism and describing its components, but a list of observations does not amount to a debatable argument.
• "The flower symbolism in this work contrasts sharply with the protagonist's uncharitable actions, leaving the reader to question the narrator's reliability, which in turn makes it harder for the reader to empathize with the protagonist's sufferings."

Support your claims with direct, specific references to one or more texts we have studied in class.

• Remember to make a claim about the literary work, not about "people" or "love" or "nature."
• You may, of course, make a claim about how this particular work or author represents people, love, or nature; the key is to anchor your observations in the specific words that cause to think one way or the other on the topic you chose.

While I'm not asking for a paper that artificially divides itself up into "pro" and "con" sections, any literary essay needs to argue a debatable point, which means there has to be reasonable evidence that works against your claim.

Resources that you may find helpful:

• Roberts (chapters we have already read)
• Thesis Statements
• Blueprinting and Thesis Reminders
  
• Shape of an Academic Paper.pptx 
  Shape of an Academic Paper.pptx(slideshow -- I tried to make this with visual learners in mind)