Format:

·         Length:  12-15 pages. 

·         MLA format.  Papers not submitted in MLA format will automatically lose 1/3 of the final grade.

Sources:

Include at least three secondary sources in your essay, and these must be listed in the "Works Cited" page and cited with in-text citation where necessary.  You may also submit a list of "Works Consulted" -- texts that you read during the research process but that you're not using directly in your essay.  I have included a list of print resources here.    

Topics:

You are free to write on any text that interests you from our syllabus (you may also choose a work written by one of our authors which is not included in the syllabus), with the following caveats and suggestions: 

·         Choose a thesis that is an arguable point.  For example, "Uncle Tom's Cabin is full of problematic racial stereotypes" is a lousy thesis.  It is too broad, too vague (what does "problematic" mean, anyway?), and, once you’ve shown that these stereotypes exist, has nowhere to go.  Try something like "Ruth Hall is a biting critique of the Cult of True Womanhood that leads the reader to a new understanding of domestic fiction."  This is an arguable, provable point that could be supported with textual analysis and secondary material.  The other strong aspect of this second thesis is that it seeks to explore why Ruth Hall’s critique of True Womanhood is significant.  Your thesis should attempt to do this, as well.

·         Keep your thesis specific.  Many students choose a broad thesis out of fear that their essay will be too short otherwise.  I'm far more interested in a rigorous, provocative close reading than a wide-ranging essay that never examines the text in depth. 

·         Use your secondary resources to help you develop your argument in a meaningful way, rather than just plugging them into your essay as a kind of chorus of support for your ideas.  While the latter is a legitimate (though limited) use of secondary material, many of you are far too timid in your use of secondary sources.  Consider making another scholar’s acknowledged idea a part of your thesis, as a point to argue against, or a provocative idea to expand.     

·         I strongly encourage you to submit a draft of your essay to discuss with me, to visit the writing studio, and to share your work with your peers.  

Proposal:

The term essay proposal is just that:  a proposal.  You are not bound by your proposal, though the process of writing your essay will be much smoother if you assemble a thoughtful, viable proposal.  The proposal should be about one or two paragraphs long.  Discuss the subject most of interest to you and construct a tentative thesis.

You may choose from any of the works on the syllabus.  I strongly encourage you to consider some of the novels scheduled for later in the semester. 

Proposals will be shared and discussed in class and, if I can get my act together, on our Blackboard site.

And here’s the important part . . .

Your paper will have at least one audience other than me.  All your essays will be available to our class, electronically, on our course Blackboard site.  Some of you will be so pleased with your work that you will want to submit it for consideration in BSC’s journal of undergraduate research, The Undergraduate Review. 

Annotated Bibliography:

An annotated bibliography is simply a list of sources (in MLA format) that contains descriptive and/or evaluate comments on the sources.  This is a sample entry of an annotated bibliography from the MLA Handbook, 6th edition:

Thompson, Stith.  The Folktale.  New York:  Dryden, 1946.  A comprehensive 
     survey of the most popular folktakes, including their histories and their uses in
     literary works. 

This is a very terse annotation.  I would expect yours to include more evaluative information, such as the usefulness of the text for your project.  But you get the idea. 

Resources:

Indices and bibliographies (available on-line via the Maxwell Library homepage)
The MLA Bibliography
Academic Full Text
JStor 

Bound Volumes
American Literary Scholarship:  An Annual.  Ed. Gary Scharnhorst.  Durham and London :  Duke University Presses.

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