Formal Paper 1-Rough Draft
Readings:
Alice Munro “VoicesLinks to an external site.”
Jorge Luis Borges “The Circular Ruins”Links to an external site.
Lan Samantha Chang “Hangzhou 1925” (165) The Circular Ruins.pdf Download The Circular Ruins.pdf
Sherman Alexie (180) “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona Download This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”
Alice Walker (297) “Everyday Use” Download “Everyday Use”
Robert Hayden (623) “Those Winter Sundays” Download “Those Winter Sundays”
Tillie Olsen (190) “I Stand Here Ironing” Download “I Stand Here Ironing”
Langston Hughes (506) “Harlem” Links to an external site.
Topic:
Discuss the legacy, traditions, adaptations that these stories reveal in families. Base your essay on one or two of the readings above.
Resources:
Class Resources
Remember: Formal papers go beyond the personal experience perspective of the discussion board postings. Formal papers must demonstrate objectivity supported by the readings themselves not our own personal experience.
In addition, a key element for success in writing the papers is the ability to avoid summary and concentrate on analysis. This University of North Carolina handout includes key points in differences in summary and analysis and strategies for focusing on analysis.
Guidelines:
Minimum length: 500 words. Maximum length: 700 words.
Formal papers are polished essays designed to demonstrate understanding of the genre we are studying. Formal papers must be well organized, and they must clearly support an arguable and provable thesis. The thesis should be a clear and specific statement (1 explicit sentence) within a fully developed introduction.
Specific and relevant details should be included within each body paragraph in order to prove your thesis.
Clarity is a must, and papers must focus on literary analysis and interpretation–no plot summary.
At least 3 in-text citations are required, along with a complete Works Cited page in MLA format. Omitting the citations and/or the Works Cited page will automatically drop the grade by a letter.
No more than 10% of the total paper should be quoted material; otherwise, it’s plot summary. The majority of the paper should be analysis.
The paper should consist of at least 5 paragraphs, and all paragraphs should be approximately the same length … this includes the introduction and conclusion.
Formal papers must be written in 3rd person–(he, she, it, the reader, etc.), no 1st person (I, we, me, us) or 2nd person (you).
Grammar, sentence structure, and precise word choice all factor into the final grade, so proofread and edit carefully.
MLA format is required. This includes a proper four-line heading, spacing (double-spaced throughout).
