In your assignment folder, you will submit a four-paragraph proposal for an essay to be written on one long prose work or 2 short prose works or 2-3 poems by a single author that you choose from those studied in this course. You may choose an author from any week in the course.
First, read the assignment description for the final project part 4: Critical Essay and Bio-critical Slide presentation.
Then, for the proposal, please cover the following in your four paragraphs:
In the first paragraph, identify your project’s writer and text(s). You must include the text(s) assigned for this class, and you may reference other texts by the writer that you read on your own outside of this class if they are relevant. Describe your interest in the chosen writer; why did you choose the writer? Explain their role in African American literature based on the historical periods laid out in the course.
In the second paragraph, identify your project’s focus, meaning state the major themes and concepts that stand out to you. Your final essay (Part 4) must discuss at least two major themes. Construct a working (draft) thesis that states a claim and proposes supporting ideas. The thesis statement must assert your own conclusion based on evidence; however, you must be flexible because the evidence may lead to a conclusion you didn’t think you would reach. It is perfectly okay to change your thesis as you do more research. Please see the handout “Asking an Analytical Question” to help you formulate a working thesis.
In the third paragraph, identify the additional areas/items that you will need to research and read. Posit a few questions; for example, was the writer involved in social justice movements or political events that might have influenced the work? Does the writer’s work relate to that of other writers or other work? Why is memory important for African American writers and how is it represented in the chosen writer’s work? Your own interests and curiosity will help shape this section.
The fourth paragraph presents an overview of the project’s upcoming research plan, i.e., what the next steps are in completing the project, including what research and additional reading are needed. This research plan will help guide your work in the Annotated Bibliography, which is the next step of the assignment.
Using first-person in this proposal is acceptable. The submission should be formatted in MLA 8th edition style and be carefully edited and proofread for standard use of English.
