Below appears information regarding the Critical Paper Expository Essay required of my Fall 2014 ENGL 2413 students. A hard copy is extant, but the online version is to be considered authoritative.
Carrying out the project proposed in the abstract will benefit from an intermediary step (towards becoming a conference-length paper) in the form of an expository essay. The expository essay is a four- to five- (full) page paper, plus a Works Cited page, that develops a thesis revised from that advanced in the abstract.
The expository essay should 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 sentence) plot summary. It should afterwards offer a statement of the thesis the expository essay will argue. After the introduction, the essay should provide clear and convincing primary and secondary evidence in support of that 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 essay 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 essay is valid should be provided, in effect answering the “so what” question so often attendant on literary study.
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 strongly recommended. Keep in mind, however, that the overwhelming bulk of the expository essay 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.
Useful models to follow can be found in the pages of The Explicator. Another such model is available on the course blog, here, although its formatting is different from that expected of the expository essay due to medium.
Please note that the expository essay should have heading, title, and page numbers in accord with MLA formatting. The required title is "[Insert proposed title of your paper]: An Expository Essay," punctuated and capitalized as appropriate to MLA guidelines.
Grading
The expository essay is a 100-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 29 October 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 (30 points)
Does the document 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 document conform to MLA formatting in its Works Cited entries?
Does the document conform to the additional formatting guidelines noted above, including that of length?
Is the document submitted in the required file formats and to the requested online location?
Content (50 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 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 (20 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 expository essay when it is returned to the student appears here.
More information may be forthcoming. Check back for updates.