Great Books Seminar: Short Papers

1. In a paper of approximately 500 words (two typed pages or no more than 4 handwritten pages), analyze one aspect of the assigned reading. State a thesis and prove it with references to the text, either specific incidents or brief quotations (no more than two lines). Because you will be revising your work, I strongly recommend using the computer. Remember to back up your files to an external advice (memory stick, zip drive, etc.), so if you have a computer problem you will not lose your work.

2. To avoid duplicating topics, announce your topic on the Blackboard discussion board.

3. In this student-centered class, you will help each other to do your best work. Each paper will be read by another student, presented orally, discussed in class, and rewritten before it is submitted to the instructor for grading.

4. Each person writing drafts will give a draft to the respondent by Friday at 3 PM; email me a copy of your draft. Save an additional copy for yourself to practice your presentation.

5. Each respondent will prepare thorough written comments. Bring comments to class and hand one printed copy to the author and one to the instructor (so that you receive credit for your work as a respondent). Prepare two open-ended thought questions on issues raised by the paper that will help you lead 5 minutes of class discussion on that paper.

6. Authors will have one week to revise the drafts. Revised papers will be handed in to the instructor at the next class. Each group will do two sets of drafts and revisions.

7. After you receive your grade, you may meet with the instructor to discuss the paper. You may then rewrite your paper again within two weeks. To raise your grade rewrites must be substantive (such as changing the focus or adding significant evidence), not merely altering a few words. Attach your previous draft and my comments. Highlight all changes that you have made, describe how they address the problems of the earlier draft, and explain why these changes are substantial enough to merit a higher grade.

Ideas to get you started

· Analyze a single minor character or one aspect of a major character.

· What form of narration is used? Analyze one aspect of narrative technique, analyzing in detail 1 to 3 passages.

· Analyze the use of setting.

· Analyze the socio/political content, including references to the roles of king, aristocracy, and the lower classes.

· Analyze the treatment of religion.

· What rules for conduct are presented or assumed?

· Analyze one image or symbol (or one category of images or symbols).

· How do different characters/ episodes/ settings mirror, parody or reverse previous ones?

· How does the author use elements of magic or myth?

· Watch a recent film of the work and analyze differences between the work and the film.

· Compare/contrast one aspect of the text (character, use of setting, etc.) with Kite Runner.

· Address one of the questions about “Coming of Age.”

Critiques:

Responding to Drafts

Remember that this is a draft, not a finished product. Your primary jobs as reader are to figure out what the author is trying to say and to help the author to say it better. You may write some comments directly on your copy of the draft, but also write out a full critique to be handed in to the author and to the instructor.

1. Thesis

Focus on the central argument. What is the thesis? Is it clearly stated in the first or second paragraph? How could it be made clearer?

2. Evidence

Is the argument valid? Does it fit the text? Is there an example for every assertion? Where does the paper need additional evidence? Supply at least 4 specific examples that would strengthen the argument if it is valid or contradict it if it is not. (This also serves as a reading check for you.)

3. Tone

Is the draft addressed to an audience that has read the work? Does it avoid plot summary? Is it lively and interesting? Does the opening catch your attention? How could it be improved?

4. Organization

Is the draft well organized? Where does it wander from the main point? Does it need clearer topic sentences for paragraphs? Do some paragraphs try to cover more than one topic? Does it need transitions between paragraphs? Does the ending bring the argument to a successful conclusion? How could it be improved?

5. Surface errors

Realizing that the author will undertake a substantial rewrite, so that the content of the draft submitted to you will not be the same as the paper submitted to the instructor, do you have any comments about habitual problems? Should the author, after rewriting for content, go through another time to fix spelling problems? Sentence structure? Other grammatical mistakes?

6. Overall evaluation

What are the main strengths of this draft? What are the main weaknesses of this draft? What have you learned about the text by reading this draft?

7. Discussion questions

Prepare two open-ended questions for class discussion that extend the ideas in this paper, raise additional points, and connect this reading with other readings.