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Essay Length:
An essay of a minimum of 1,000 words required. If it is less than 1,000 words, it is unacceptable. You may exceed 1,000 words if you wish, but please do not overdo it. Be sure to include the word count, as indicated by your word processing software, on you essay.
Essay Format:
The essay must be word-processed. You should use 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and a standard font style (no Old English, Gothic, etc.) and size (12-point or slightly larger).
As font sizes seem to vary with software and printers, try to find a size that roughly approximates that used in this syllabus, or a bit larger. Anything smaller or outside the other parameters set forth is nearly impossible for me to edit or comment on. If you are not able to meet these parameters by writing your essay on your phone, you may not write your essay on your phone!
Essay Topic:
Discuss the topic or topics covered prior to Exam 2 (including all readings assigned) that you found to be the most important and/or interesting, and why you found it/them to be so.
Source Material and Citations:
Please understand, this is a “reaction essay” NOT a “research paper.” Therefore, limit your discussion of the topic(s) to text and lecture material only; do not use “outside” sources of information. Be sure to use your own words, as plagiarism will be grounds for severe disciplinary action (including an F for the course and, potentially, expulsion from the College).
If you write in your own words, you will not have a problem. If you directly quote the text, use quotation marks and follow the quote with the primary author and the page number in parentheses, for example, “blah-blah-blah” (Ember 104). If you directly quote me from a “blah-blah-blah” (Fisk). As a rule of thumb, four (4) or more words in succession taken directly from a source is considered plagiarism. So be forewarned, changing a word or two in a sentence does NOT protect you from a plagiarism charge – you MUST do your own writing! The “why it is interesting/important to you” portion of the essay will come from YOU of course, and WILL BE AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN YOUR “CONTENT” SCORE.
