Essays (15%, 15%, 30%): Essays are due at the beginning of class on the day assigned. Each should include a brief statement summarizing the process of writing. Essays must be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, and adequately margined, should include a title, and need to observe the conventions of grammar and spelling.
You will be asked to submit proposals for each essay and to meet with me in conference to discuss topics. Each paper should include a bibliography showing familiarity with a variety of secondary texts, both print and online.
At the beginning of the term you will select an author to research and present a 15-minute oral report on to the class. Your presentation should include a print handout for the class containing pertinent biographical or historical context, questions for discussion, and a bibliography including print and online sources using MLA Works Cited form. You should also provide materials in visual or other media, using MetaMedia (instruction provided) or other presentation tools.
The course includes eight novels. For five of these, you will write a brief (500 words) reading response in which you examine a specific passage in the author's work and relate it to themes or questions for discussion. They will be collected and graded as a whole at the end of the term.