Essay Construction
I. Introduction:
The introduction needs to bring your reader into the topic of the paper in an interesting way while giving him or her the required information necessary to understand the argument you are making in the body of the paper. Aim for no more than a page and a quarter (1 1⁄4 page) at the longest.
Include the following within the introduction:
1. Hook—the start of the introduction should be an interesting way to think about the topic. I recommend reaching for pop-culture. Remember that you are offering a different way to think
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about Frankenstein, so the hook is a way to introduce the topic of your essay.
2. Text—introduce DADOES? in terms of the author and year of the text we are using. Introduce
it in terms of the topic of your paper (MONSTERS!).
3. Topic—explain the direction you are taking this paper. This is such a deep and complex text that the paper could go in any direction. Ease your audience into the discussion you are having on this topic. Make sure to introduce any information or ideas that they will need in order to understand the essay later.
4. The Thesis—the last sentence needs to be a sentence that states the thesis of the essay. This is very important to have because it tells the readers what to expect from the rest of the paper. The thesis needs to generally cover the three sections of the paper.
Remember, the goal of the introduction is to suck the reader into your paper and to set him or her up to successfully understand your ideas and discussion in the body of the paper.
II. The Body:
The body of the paper is where you will do the work of analyzing DADOES? You will need to have three main sections for the body of the paper. I recommend titling each of the sections. This allows you to have a clear sense of what you are proving in the section. It also helps to cut a long paper into bite-sized pieces.
A. Are the Androids a Legitimate Threat?
Look at the society and the androids and decide if the society has a legitimate reason to call the androids monsters and to kill them if they escape captivity.
• Give a clear topic sentence that states your position.
• Analyze the society that has categorized the androids as monsters.
• Look at the androids themselves and their actions and their psychology.
• Use quotes from Asma and Dick.
• Aim for 2-3 paragraphs.
B. How is Social Identity Constructed in DADOES? and What are the Problems Associated with This Construction? This section is looking at the problems and issues with social constructivism.
• Give a clear topic sentence that clearly states your argument abouts how social identity is constructed in Androids and problems or drawbacks that you see therein.
• Discuss the way in which society works to construct and define identity in the book.
• Discuss the ways in which this deliberate social construction has some complications and
problems. What are the consequences of this kind of deliberate construction of identity?
• Aim for 2-3 paragraphs.
• Make sure that you support your ideas with quotes from DADOES? and Asma.
C. What is a Monster? This section asks you to decide if we can even state that there is such a thing as a monster any longer and why or why not.
• Give a clear topic sentence answering the question.
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• Analyze your position in terms of DADOES? Explain how your position is shown or influenced by the text.
• Draw on Asma’s text to help you explain your position and prove it.
• Aim for 2-3 paragraphs.
III. Conclusion:
The conclusion needs to wrap up the ideas within the paper while not resorting to summary.
• Think about what you want the audience to take away from your paper about DADOES?
• What do you want the audience to have learned about monstrosity or humanity in DADOES?
• How should they start thinking about the value of DADOES? now?
• These questions need to drive your discussion on the conclusion of the paper.
Organization of Assignment: The paper should be organized into three sections—the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
Use of Evidence in the Essay: Each section of the body is required to include quotes from the fairy tale under discussion as well as quotes from the critical work. Direct quotes should be carefully selected, properly contextualized, and introduced beforehand, and commented upon afterwards. Remember the 20/80 rule. If more than 20% of the essay is devoted to quotation, then there is not enough analysis and explanation. I need to see more of your analysis than source material.
Use of MLA in the Essay: Essays should be formatted according to MLA style rules. In addition, all quotations and paraphrases should be properly cited according to MLA rules, and all texts should be cited on a Works Cited page, properly formatted in MLA style.
