Below appears information regarding the Critical Paper Conference-length Paper required of my Fall 2014 ENGL 2413 students. A hard copy is extant, but the online version is to be considered authoritative.
The project proposed in the abstract will culminate in the form of a conference-length paper of the sort suitable for presentation at an undergraduate research conference or on a papers-by-undergraduates panel at a general research conference. The conference-length paper is an eight- to ten- (full) page paper, plus Works Cited, that further develops a thesis revised from that advanced in the abstract and supported in the expository essay.
The conference-length paper should do each of the following:
Introduce the piece being discussed, situating it in appropriate historical, cultural, and theoretical contexts and, for less familiar pieces, offering a brief (no more than three sentences) plot summary. It should afterwards offer a statement of the thesis the paper will argue.
After the introduction, the paper should provide an appropriate counter-argument (which reports on or asserts other interpretations of the piece being discussed that bear in on the thesis being asserted) and a rebuttal (which articulates the insufficiencies or inappropriate applications of the counter-argument); the two together should not occupy more than one and one-half pages of the paper.
The counter-argument and rebuttal should be followed by the development of the student’s argument. That development should furnish clear and convincing primary and secondary evidence in support of the paper’s thesis, explaining the ways in which the evidence serves to support the thesis, and it should do so in an appropriate argumentative structure. That is, the evidence and its explanation should be grouped around common principles that are presented in an order conducive to effective argumentation, and the prose of the argument should transition smoothly among the points, evidence, and explanations of the same.
The paper should also offer a conclusion that discusses the implications of the validated thesis. That is, some indication of what readers can do with the knowledge that the thesis advanced in the paper is valid should be provided, in effect answering the “so what” question so often attendant on literary study.
Helpful Notes
Specific reference to the primary text is obligatory, as meaningful discussion of that text cannot occur without it. Specific reference to secondary texts in support of the thesis is required, and reference to secondary sources in developing the counter-argument and rebuttal is strongly recommended. Keep in mind, however, that the overwhelming bulk of the paper should be the student’s own words; essays which consist largely or chiefly of source materials are likely to receive failing grades, even if the citations are handled appropriately.
It is expected that much of the text of the expository essay will appear in the conference-length paper (albeit in corrected and improved form). The conference-length paper is an extended version of the expository essay and is considered part of the same project; no citation of the expository essay itself will be needed.
Useful models to follow can be found on the course blog here, although their formatting is different from that expected of the conference-length paper due to medium.
Please note that the paper should have heading, title, and page numbers in accord with MLA formatting. The title should be the first unit of the expository essay’s title, punctuated and capitalized as appropriate to MLA guidelines.
Grading
The conference-length paper is a 200-point major assignment. It must be submitted as a single file in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format via the appropriate D2L dropbox no later than the beginning of class time on 24 November 2014; it will be submitted for originality checking as part of the dropbox. The grade the submitting student will receive for the assignment will be determined by observed performance in the following areas:
Format (60 points)
Does the paper conform to MLA formatting in its text (double-spaced 12-point Times New Roman, with one-inch margins on all sides and heading, title, and page numbers as appropriate)?
Does the paper conform to MLA formatting in its Works Cited entries?
Does the paper conform to the additional formatting guidelines noted above, including that of length?
Is the paper submitted in the required file formats and to the requested online location?
Content (100 points)
Does the paper offer an appropriate introduction?
Does the paper offer an appropriate thesis in an appropriate location?
Does the paper offer adequate and appropriate counter-argument?
Does the paper offer adequate and appropriate rebuttal?
Does the paper offer adequate and appropriate evidentiary support for the thesis?
Does the paper offer adequate and appropriate explanation of how the evidence supports the thesis?
Does the paper follow a reasonable and appropriate argumentative structure consistently?
Does the paper offer an appropriate conclusion?
Mechanics (40 points)
Does the paper adhere to the standards of usage promulgated by the MLA? Does it reflect levels of diction, tone, and register that can be reasonably expected of students in a lower-division college English class?
The assignment will necessarily make use of outside information. Any reference to outside information must be accounted for appropriately; failure to do so will prompt investigations for plagiarism that may be detrimental to student grades.
A copy of the grading table that will be appended to the conference-length paper when it is returned to the student appears here.
More information may be forthcoming. Check back for updates.