Length: 4-6 pages
200 points
Name__________________________
Description:
Throughout this semester we have explored African-American literature from its beginnings to the present day, from poetry to drama, short fiction to the vernacular tradition. This initiative will reach its culmination with our study of two plays: Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Suzan Lori-Parks’ Topdog/ Underdog; and two short novels: Nella Larsen’s Passing, and Toni Morrison’s Sula. This assignment invites you to consider these factors and, gathering those more interesting to you, formulate an original argument pertinent to our study during this unit. Such an argument should be compelling and connective, featuring a cogent, provocative thesis, incisive analysis, and plenty of textual support. Your primary task here is to examine the works closely, through a critical lens, and report what you see.
Successful papers will:
- Begin with a compelling introductory paragraph which engages the reader, transitions to the subject, and offers a controlling idea for your essay
- Propose an arguable thesis which will be supported and defended throughout your essay
- Provide an essential summary of the events and characters involved so that an uninformed reader will be able to follow and understand your essay
- Reference, quote, and/or paraphrase from the novel or play we’ve read
- Position your argument with regard to our discussion and study of African-American literature this semester
- Consider integrating secondary sources to bolster your argument
- Conclude by extending your investigation to a further point warranted by your prose
- Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.
- Be properly formatted according to MLA guidelines, including in-text citations and a full works cited
Your essay packet should include, from top to bottom
Prompt/Rubric (this paper)
Clean Copy of Final Draft
Peer Review Worksheet
First draft w/ partner comments
Thesis Workshop
Failure to include required elements of the essay packet will result in deduction of a fractional letter grade. For every class period an essay is submitted late, one letter grade will be deducted.
| J | Extraordinary (A) | Good (B) | Average (C) | Poor (D) | Execrable (F) |
| Strength of Analysis | |||||
| Satisfaction of prompt | |||||
| Use of Evidence | |||||
| Organization Flow Efficiency | |||||
| Spelling, Mechanics, Punctuation | |||||
| Transitions, Introduction, Conclusion | |||||
| Adherence to MLA Format |
Grading
An “A” paper will:
Be extraordinary. Answer all aspects of the prompt in detail, making points above and beyond what is required. Offer keen and incisive analysis, seamless integration of quotes and textual evidence, and ample, skilled use of these. Include nearly flawless grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. Be organized in a clear and orderly fashion. Display higher-level thought and consciousness of the rhetorical situation. Be precisely formatted according to MLA guidelines. Make me nod appreciatively.
A “B” paper will:
Be quite fine and good. Feature a cogent argument and analysis, without the pop and sizzle of an extraordinary paper. Be formatted correctly. Have an error here and there but not as many as to be distracting. Answer nearly all of the prompt nearly perfectly. Offer an interesting and worthwhile introduction and conclusion.
A “C” paper will:
Be average. More or less answer the prompt. Be error-ridden, so much so that the reading the paper approaches distraction. Offer vague and shallow analysis. Be light on evidence, or use it improperly. Have awkward transitions. Be repetitive. Say little worth reading.
A “D” paper will: Fail to address much of the prompt. Implement an organization/format that is confusing or nonsensical. Have nothing to say and rely on vagaries and topicless invention for large swaths of the paper. Be full of errors. Use incorrect formatting. Fail to meet the page-length minimum.
A “F” paper will: fail to address the prompt in any substantive way. Often these papers are panic-produced drafts that are plagiarized or entirely fabricated. Any paper at this level should be followed by a frank student-professor conference to discuss the requirements of college-level writing.
