5-6 pages, typed, double-spaced Use a thesis statement to make an argument Use quotations in MLA style to support arguments The paper should be formal and demonstrate a careful analysis of the topic on which you choose to focus. Use an introduction and conclusion. Articulate and develop a thesis, using examples and quotations from the novel to support the thesis. Please use MLA internal citations: put the page numbers of quotations from the text in parentheses at the end of the sentence “like this” (335), act, scene and line numbers “like this” (II.3.150-156), or poetry line numbers “like this” (13-15). TOPIC: Trace imagery through a text. You might try to connect the imagery to larger themes or the overall meaning of the text. For example, why does Aphra Behn use so many images of mutilation in Oroonoko? How does Oroonoko use jungle imagery? How does Behn’s poem use the pastoral or nature to make points about male/female relationships? How are masks used literally and figuratively in The Country Wife? In what ways does Montagu respond to Swift’s imagery? What kinds of imagery are repeated in the text you’ve chosen? What patterns are there? Why? Text: The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: Volume 3, The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century, Broadview Press, 2nd edition 1. Analysis/Critical Thinking: The paper should demonstrate that you have been THINKING; it should demonstrate reflective analysis, make connections between ideas, & offer insights about the significance of the subject. Don’t just reiterate the author’s words or summarize the story. Analyze, work through, and discuss the statements you make and the quotations you use. 2. Focus/Thesis/Main Point: The main point should be concisely expressed in one or two sentences at the beginning of your paper, usually at the end of the introduction. It should be focused, arguable, and based on the text(s). A thesis is an answer to a question that you will prove throughout the essay. 3. Examples/Quotations: It is important to use concrete examples and quotations that support your thesis. In this case, you need to quote directly from the text using MLA internal citations. Support generalizations and arguments with specific evidence. The paper should avoid plot summary in favor of analysis. 4. Transitions/Organization: Overall, the paper should be organized with a purpose that logically leads from one idea to the next and results in a conclusion or tying together of ideas. Paragraphs should have a main point, and transitions should move the reader between paragraphs. 5. Grammar and Punctuation: I don’t consider this the most important part of your grade, but I will devote a portion of your paper grade to grammar and punctuation. It goes without saying that a final draft of a college level paper should be carefully proofread and free of grammatical and spelling errors. Trade papers with someone in the class or have a friend or roommate proofread your final draft.
