The Colonial Period
The Colonial Period
The Colonial Period: Literary Essays Throughout the course, you will write and submit two literary essays. For each paper, you will analyze the works of an author you choose from an assigned period of American literature. The essays and their due dates are as follows: a. The Colonial Period or The Revolutionary Period (1620-1820) (3 to 5 pages) 1. Your task for your author study will be to discuss what themes your author typically wrote about, how his/her works helped shape the literature of the period, and what makes his/her writing style unique. 2. You will not write a biography of the author. Biographical information, unless it is directly related to his/her literary themes, should be limited to the introductory paragraph. 3. You will not summarize any of the author’s works. You may assume that your reader is familiar with and has read the works you are discussing. 4. The text of your papers must be a minimum of three pages and include no more than five pages. The Works Cited page does not count as part of the text. 5. Each paper must include researched information from at least TWO scholarly sources. Wikipedia is not a scholarly source. High school cheat sites such as SparkNotes, Shmoop, Cliff’s Notes, Gradesaver, etc. are also not scholarly sources. I highly suggest using the library research databases. 6. Each paper must be written in correct MLA (9th Edition) format, which must include proper in-text and/or parenthetical documentation of both primary (author’s work) and secondary (outside) sources. You may use APA format; however, I suggest using it ONLY if you’re both well experienced and comfortable with it. NEVER combine MLA and APA formats in the same paper.
7. Each paper must include a properly formatted Works Cited page (References page with APA) that lists all primary and secondary sources. I must be able to identify where you used each source listed in your text, either by in-text citations or parenthetical documentation. 8. Type each paper double-spaced throughout using with 12-point Times New Roman font. The beginning of each paragraph should be indented with one tab space. There should be no boldface or underscored text. 9. Quotes are acceptable, but long or excessive quotes ruin essays by making them B O R I N G. You also risk being charged with plagiarism when your paper is too heavy on quotes and lacking in personal analysis. When more than 10% of your paper consists of other people’s words, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM and likely a plagiarism charge coming. Use quotes only when absolutely necessary (not to fill up pages), and it’s best to embed parts of them within your own words. Be sure to cite all researched information, both quoted and written in your own words. Refer to the handout “Integrating Sources” to help with summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting researched information. 10. If you need help with either MLA or APA format or with using the library databases, you may visit or call any of the campus libraries during business hours or visit http://www.lonestar.edu/library/ and use the Chat with the Librarian feature on the LSC Libraries web page. The page includes numerous resources for research and citations. Do not just guess when it comes to formatting and documentation. It can cost you up to 25 points if your documentation and formatting is incorrect. 11. Tutoring is available on all LSC campuses. Online tutoring is also available. 12. Papers must be submitted in the proper D2L Dropboxes by their due dates. You may submit unlimited copies. I will grade only the last copy you submit. 13. See the Grading Rubric for Literary Essays to understand how your essays will be graded. 14. Papers will be graded holistically; however, students may choose in advance to have the paper graded conference style during office hours. Again, when it comes to formatting, NEVER just guess when you are not 100% sure. ALWAYS get help. Formatting errors receive high point deductions and can result in your paper being marked “Not Gradable”. Check the Academic Integrity section syllabus to see what constitutes plagiarism. Copying someone else’s work from books or websites and presenting it as your own—either intentionally or unintentionally—constitutes plagiarism. Submitting an assignment that has already been submitted in another class is an act of
plagiarism, even if you wrote the assignment yourself. NEVER attempt to recycle a paper.
Grading Rubric for Literary Essays
1. Content
The essay provides a clear original examination of how the author’s works are both unique and characteristic of his/her literary period. The student presents a thesis-driven essay with strong supporting details, incorporating researched evidence from at least two scholarly secondary sources. The text of the essay meets the three to five page minimum.
2. Format
Correct MLA Format
3. Organization.
The paper shows a thoughtful, logical, and clear layout of concepts. Transition sentences are smooth and quotes and/or researched information is embedded seamlessly into the student’s original writing. The paper is easy to follow.
4. Conventions
Work has been proofread. The essay contains no grammatical or spelling errors that take away from comprehension
5.
