AUDIO

Please read / listen to the following assignment with great care. I'm not trying to scare you: I'm trying very hard here to let you know my expectations, since this assignment is worth one hundred points.

Here are links to some additional stories not assigned in class. Look them over. Choose one that appeals to you. 

• Eleanor Aranson, “Knapsack Poems” 
  

• Terry Bisson, “I Saw the Light” 
  

• Molly Gloss “Lambing Season”

• Joe Haldeman, “None So Blind”
  

• Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, “Frog Pond”
  
  

Content of the paper:

• Give a brief background of what you could find out about the author, quoting or paraphrasing appropriately. 
  

• Briefly summarize what happens in the story (covering such matters as who, when, where, what).   

• Consider what makes it SF and what “sub-genre” it is (for more information about this the sub-genres are covered in the lectures).   

• What works that we read is it most like? Relate it to one or more other works we have read. Give evidence from the works to support your points.
  

Length: About 5 pages, can be longer.

Organization: You may organize this in any way that seems appropriate to you as long as it will make sense to a reader. You do not have to have a lengthy introduction, but conclusions (the last thing your reader reads) are important and should comment on the importance of what you have said not just trail off or end abruptly.

Due Date: This paper is due Sunday, November 18.  We will have the week starting November 11 without any additional assignments in order to give you time to do the paper.  During that week I will post a discussion section which will, I hope, help you with the paper.  

Format: All papers should be double spaced, proofread, spell-checked, with your name in the upper left corner, and the name of the story you are reporting on as part of the title. You may use headings for the different parts of this paper if you want to. Pages should be numbered. Save the document as a rich text format file (rtf). If you have Word, use it. Name your  file   Midterm, last name.

Grading criteria:  I will consider the following in determining your grade:

• The paper is on the assigned topic, following instructions.

• It is easy to follow and understand.

• It is  primarily analytic, showing evidence of thoughtful consideration of the course content and the story you have chosen; it does not appear to be a perfunctory exercise.

• You support your points from the texts so that I can see how you reached your conclusions about the stories.
  

• You are accurate in your reading of the texts—your paper shows that you have understood what you read.
  

• You have proofread and spell-checked the paper, and show a knowledge of the conventions of written English.

 Additional Advice: 

• Choose a story that interests you; not the one you think will be the easiest to write about. Your paper will be better if you are interested. Do not wait until the last minute to do this paper. Choose the story asap. Think about it as you're driving to work or grocery shopping or whatever,   Plan it.
• Documentation: The story you choose and the works we have read so far are your primary sources. Other than information you provide on the author, you do not have to use secondary sources --that is, other written materials about the stories.   You must be scrupulous in acknowledging all sources by the use of quotation marks and correct citation.  In next week’s lecture I will provide some advice about quoting from the stories and about possible citation of other sources.
• Of course also please if you have questions, ask them.  No doubt if you have questions other people do too.