World Literature Senior Thesis Assignment The Essay

Transcription

1 World Literature Senior Thesis Assignment The Essay You will write an original literary analysis of your chosen work that incorporates two secondary sources. The details are listed below. Schedule All submissions listed below will be graded. You must schedule at least one conference between Jan. 19 and Mar. 14 to discuss your essay. If any of the submission dates fall on cancelled school days, the due date will then become the next day school is in session. If you will miss class on a submission date, it is your responsibility to arrange to submit the assignment in a timely manner. This schedule is designed to keep you from falling behind on your senior thesis. Taking initiative and working ahead of schedule in strongly encouraged. Select Book Dec. 1 Book Check Dec. 18 Summary One Due Jan. 25 (5) Final Summary Feb. 16 (5) Thesis Proposal Feb. 26 (5) Articles Selected Outline Due Mar. 7 (10) Rough Draft One Mar. 14 (5) Rough Draft Two Mar. 22 (5) Final Draft Monday, April 11 (40-50% of Quarter 4 Grade) Presentations Apr (10% of Quarter 4 Grade) *** Non-mandatory conferences can be scheduled at any time. *** Essay Audience: Assume this essay would be read by a number of college professors who are experts on your selected literary work. Essay Length: 6 8 pages Requirements: MLA Formatted Heading Original Title A fully developed introduction Sufficient support and direct evidence from the primary source Sufficient support and direct evidence from a secondary source A fully developed conclusion A MLA formatted works cited page

2 Grading The work and submissions for this assignment will be graded for punctuality, effort, and completion. The essay will be graded on the following: organization of writing and ideas, knowledge and direct use of the primary source, cohesion, rhetoric, writing mechanics, and formatting. *** See the posted rubric for more detailed descriptions of the expectations. *** Automatic Deductions Late Essays Omitting a required element Incorrect use of pronouns Incorrect use of contractions Run-on and fragment errors Plagiarism Academic dishonesty (intentional or unintentional) will not be tolerated. Any form of plagiarism can result in a failure or a zero for this assignment. Please see the student handbook for a complete description of expectations and punishments regarding this topic. If you have specific questions about sources, citations, or academic honestly, please see me to discuss. Style Tips Utilize the literary present tense Be printed and submitted in class on the assigned date Be submitted to turnitin.com at the assigned time Include the correct heading in the upper left hand corner of the first page Include an original title centered on the first page Include page numbers Staple Double-spaced and type in size 12 Times New Roman Avoid contractions, slang, and abbreviations Avoid errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and commonly confused words Avoid run-ons and fragments Proper MLA Heading Student s Name Teacher s Name Course Name and Period Due Date Title

3 Secondary Sources: You are required to use but are not limited to 2 secondary sources to write this paper. The sources must be: 1. Books relevant criticism or commentary from an actual book. You may use an E-Book version of the text, however you may not use an online excerpt of the text. Any college library should have the necessary resource(s) for this requirement. 2. Journal articles you can go through Gale or JSTOR in the library. Literary criticism is preferred. Book or Media reviews do not count. 3. Approved websites web address ends in.edu and the author has accreditations (he or she is the professor of the course for example) If you are unsure of the validity of a source, just check with me about it. me the title, author, and the publication that you found it in. Primary Source Choices: William Shakespeare: Any play not already covered by a course at St. John s All the Pretty Horses The Crossing No Country For Old Men Ernest Hemingway: A Farewell to Arms For Whom the Bell Tolls The Sun also Rises Jack London: The Call of the Wild White Fang J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit The Fellowship of the Ring The Two Towers The Return of the King John le Carre: The Spy Who Came in From the Cold Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

4 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger One Flew over the Cuckoo s Nest by Ken Kesey Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Catch-22 by Joseph Heller The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Frankenstein by Mary Shelley ***If you have covered this in an SJC class, you may not use it for the senior thesis*** Beloved by Toni Morrison ***If you are currently in Minority Voices and have covered this title, you may not use it for the senior thesis*** Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe ***If you are currently in Minority Voices and have covered this title, you may not use it for the senior thesis*** Dubliners by James Joyce Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte *** If you would like to choose a book not on this list, you must submit the title and author to me via by Dec. 1. You must arrange to check into the availability of secondary sources by Dec. 5. ***

5 The Presentation Assignment: Deliver 3 5 minute talk on the following topics in the order outlined below. We are isolating our speaking skills in this activity, so even though visual aids usual enhance presentations, we will not use them for this activity. No visual aids are permitted. You will be graded on your knowledge of the subject, your use of PEPP, your ability to follow your outline, adhering to the time limit, avoiding filler words, and the overall effectiveness of your speech Audience : Your classmates The speech will consist of the following parts in the following order. Part One Universal Discuss the universal idea that the work and your essay revolve around. Hook the audience by making it applicable to them. Part Two Background Briefly discuss the author background (name, awards, birth place, years lived etc.) Give a brief description of the book (what type of literature is it, setting, major characters, main conflict, and major events DO NOT SPOIL THE ENDING IF POSSIBLE) Part Three Thesis Tell the audience what you argued in your essay. Part Four - Outline Statement / Supports Using the primary source - briefly discuss a few of the reasons your point is valid Introduce and discuss ONE of the secondary sources used and how it relates to your argument Part Five Return to the Universal Mention your universal idea again Tell the audience why the book is worth reading. Tell them why is it significant. Give your opinion of the book.