Q ATTACHED. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR FINAL DRAFT SHOULD INDICATE CLEAR AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE FEEDBACK YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM YOUR PEERS AND FROM YOUR INSTRUCTOR. TURNING IN A FINAL DRAFT THAT SHOWS LITTLE OR NO REVISION WILL SERIOUSLY HURT YOUR CHANCES AT A GOOD GRADE IF PROBLEMS WERE POINTED OUT AND IGNORED! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For your final major writing assignment, you you have been asked to write a 3-5 page research paper in which you fully discuss ONE of the assigned topics on Shakespeare's Hamlet. Research Requirements For this essay, you have also been asked to use the Valencia College library databases to locate peer-reviewed academic journal articles that connect with the ideas in your topic. As a reminder, you should search for articles that touch on the dramatic elements you are exploring and/or how they play out in "Hamlet," but you do not need to find articles that are explicitly devoted to you subject--indeed, you are unlikely to find an article that talks only about the ideas you wish to explore, and if you did, your paper would be redundant and unnecessary. Each article you find may only have two or three sentences that are completely relevant to your discussion--and those are the two or three sentences you must seek out. As you continue to do research for your papers and weed through potential sources, here are a few important guidelines to keep in mind: • You MUST have a 3-5 sources (you may have more, but within reason). • ALL research sources must have been published within the past fifteen years unless approved by your instructor IN ADVANCE as historically useful and relevant. • At least TWO sources must be ACADEMICALLY SOUND—a scholarly journal, a respectable book, a research study, a government publication, or an expert interview for example. • No more than ONE source may be from a POPULAR/CURRENT EVENTS source such as daily/weekly newspapers or news magazines or films (may be print or online versions). • No more than ONE source may be from a non-academic web-based resource (remembering that ALL web-based resources should be carefully evaluated). When in doubt as to whether or not a specific resource is appropriate, feel free to ask your instructor. General Requirements and Grading Your paper should be roughly 3-5 pages long, fully documented (including in-text citations to both the play and your sources AND a complete Works Cited page). The essay should explore the assigned topic in some depth and connect any ideas you have and the sources you use for support in a clear, well-organized fashion. It must follow all MLA formatting guidelines as well. Your paper will be graded based on whether you: • clearly identify your topic/thesis in a well-developed introduction and conclusion • provide at least two clear points of discussion regarding your topic and its importance to understanding the play • provide at least two relevant academic sources that support your position or further the discussion • follow the basic format guideline for margins, font, header, heading, spacing, and so forth • employ an appropriate level of grammatical correctness for college-level writing (The same rubric used to grade the last paper will be used, although I will be making small changes to the language in the descriptors to correct flaws discovered when applying the rubric previously and to reflect slight changes in expectations for each category.) Organizational Structure (25 points): 1. The essay must include a well-developed INTRODUCTION that defines the purpose of your research paper and the scope of your discussion and offers a clear THESIS STATEMENT about the ideas your paper will explore. 2. Your paper MUST discuss one of the assigned research topics. Discuss the relevant ideas to the topic you are focused on, and use the appropriate terms/vocabulary from the chapters (NOTE: You will likely draw on language used throughout the semester in order to discuss plot, character, setting, point of view, and so forth within the play.) NOTE: Your analysis should use these terms as well as the necessary and appropriate other terms for discussing your topic. See the appropriate chapter introductions from Portable Literature for more information. 3. Your examination of the play should close with a CONCLUSION that unifies your overall discussion of the play as a whole. Analysis/Synthesis of Ideas (25 points): In each section of your paper you should DISCUSS the topic you are analyzing on several levels. Refer to the questions above as well as the checklists in each Portable Literature chapter introduction for ideas on how to approach your topic. Include relevant quotations/paraphrase from your research articles to support your discussion. Integrate quotes and paraphrase neatly into the paragraphs by connecting ideas and smoothly transitioning into source information whenever possible. 1. DO NOT consult other non-academic sources such as Schmoop, Cliff's Notes, SparkNotes, or Wikipedia for your analysis!You will incorporate ideas from your academic research sources, but they must be appropriately cited and listed in your Works Cited. Your overall analysis and synthesis of ideas MUST be your own. Originality of Ideas/Documentation & Citation (25 points): 1. ALL observations and claims about the play and your selected topic MUST be your own or adequately cited if from one of the research articles--Again, you MUST NOT consult any "help" site sources such as SparkNotes or Schmoop. In addition to your research sources, you MAY reference comments from your textbook outside the stories, such as the general introduction to chapters or the Cultural Context items attached to each story. (Note that any such inclusions should be CITED as Kirszner and Mandell--the editors or your text. Also note that your textbook does NOT count as one of the required academic sources.) 2. In addition, details from the play that you paraphrase or summarize should include in-text citations referring the reader to where such information can be found in the original text as published in Portable Literature. 3. All observations and claims MUST be supported with SPECIFIC, DETAILED reference to the texts themselves, including parenthetical in-text citation and inclusion of the research articles used, the stories, and the anthology as a whole in a correctly formatted Works Cited page. Information, discussion, or ideas that are not your own and are not correctly documented are considered PLAGIARISM , a form of academic dishonesty, and WILL NOT be tolerated. As noted in your syllabus and in the Student Code of Conduct, plagiarism can result in severe penalties ranging from failing the assignment to failing the course and even to being expelled from the College. Format & Style (25 points): • Your paper should follow all basic MLA guidelines for formatting (12 point Times New Roman font, 1" margins. double-spaced throughout, etc.) Refer to your Little Seagull Handbook if you are unsure. (This link takes you to an abbreviated Little Seagull guide to MLA formatting Download Little Seagull guide to MLA formatting , not your actual textbook.) • Your paper should have a unique, interesting title. Your title should reflect your thesis and content, not just name the type of assignment (Character Analysis) or the stories being discussed. Make the reader WANT to read your paper. • Your essay should be in the objective third-person point of view (using pronouns such as he, she, it, they and nouns such as the author, Updike, the reader). While the opinions in the essay should be your own, you should not call attention to yourself with empty phrases such as, "I think . . ." or "In my opinion . . ." nor should you force the reader into the essay with phrases such as, "You can feel . . ." or "When you read the story . . ." EXAMPLES: o In my opinion, John Updike reveals Sammy's motivation in a very clever way. ? Delete the opening first-person phrase and the sentence is stronger and more definitive without changing the overall meaning. ? BETTER: John Updike reveals Sammy's motivation in a very clever way. o As you read "The Girl with Bangs" you cannot help but notice Smith's use of foils. ? Delete the second-person references and add a stronger verb to make the sentence more direct and powerful. ? BETTER: "The Girl with Bangs" showcases Smith's use of foils. Rubric Freeman Writing Rubric (5) Freeman Writing Rubric (5) Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganizational Structure 25 pts Full Marks 24 pts Superior Essay has a clear thesis and introduction defining scope. Body follows a logical development of ideas. Conclusion ties discussion back to thesis and offers closure. 21 pts Very Good Thesis and introduction are clear but formulaic or lacking focus. Body may be underdeveloped but follows a logical pattern. Conclusion summarizes main points but does not tie to thesis. 18 pts Satisfactory Thesis is present but unfocused; introduction is underdeveloped or disconnected from thesis. Body is on point but rambling or disorganized. Conclusion does little more than summarize main points. 15 pts Needs Work Thesis is missing or inappropriate to assignment; introduction may be lacking entirely. Body is disjointed and hard to follow. Conclusion is lacking or totally repetitious. 0 pts No Marks 25 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAnalysis/Synthesis of Ideas 25 pts Full Marks 24 pts Superior Key concepts are discussed in a unique, intelligent fashion. Essay connects concepts to specific textual examples and explores relationships insightfully. 21 pts Very Good Key concepts are mentioned but not applied effectively. Details from texts are presented but not fully tied to broader concepts. Examples are mostly effective but occasionally disconnected or inappropriate. 18 pts Satisfactory Some key concepts missing from discussion or used incorrectly. Details and examples may be sparse or unclear as to relevance. 15 pts Needs Work Essay primarily summarizes or rehashes text with little unique thought. Concepts largely not applied. Textual examples largely not present or disconnected from discussion. 0 pts No Marks 25 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOriginality of Ideas/ Documentation & Citation 25 pts Full Marks 24 pts Superior All observations are unique to the author or from appropriate academic sources. Examples and ideas are correctly cited in text and documented in an MLA Works Cited. No evidence of plagiarism is present. 21 pts Very Good Ideas presented are unique but not overly original. Sources are appropriate but citations may be occasionally flawed or lacking. Documentation generally follows MLA format but contains some errors. No evidence of plagiarism is present. 18 pts Satisfactory Many ideas are unoriginal or mere paraphrase of classroom discussions. Some sources may be poorly chosen or inappropriate. Citations and documentation are present but frequently incorrectly formatted or missing information. No deliberate plagiarism is present. 15 pts Needs Work Little to no evidence of unique ideas. Sources used in essay either lack citations or (if cited) are missing from Works Cited. Errors in citation, documentation, or use of sources borders on plagiarism without clear intent to defraud. 0 pts No Marks 25 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFormat & Style 25 pts Full Marks 24 pts Superior All MLA formatting guidelines are presented correctly. Essay uses appropriate academic tone and conventions. Errors in grammar, paragraph development, and sentence structure are practically nonexistent. 21 pts Very Good Some MLA formatting guidelines are incorrectly followed. Occasional errors in tone, point of view, or use of slang/jargon exist. Some errors in grammar, paragraph development, and sentence structure exist but do not distract significantly. 18 pts Satisfactory Numerous errors in basic MLA formatting exist, but the overall presentation is sound. Academic tone and conventions show frequent mistakes. Errors in grammar, paragraph development, and sentence structure occasionally make essay difficult to understand. Lack of proofreading and revision evident. 15 pts Needs Work MLA guidelines seriously breached or ignored throughout. Tone and use of language are consistently academically inappropriate. Grammar errors and sentence-level mistakes make the essay very hard to read. No real evidence of attempts to correct previous mistakes. 0 pts No Marks 25 pts Total Points: 100 PreviousNext