Requirements:
1. A thesis statement which connects your personal language experiences to at least one topic we have discussed in class.
2. Develop the body of the paper connecting it to your topic and thesis statement – develop your thesis and how that relates to at least three concepts covered in class.
3. Well-integrated references to at least three academic sources (these should include concepts from the class readings, discussions, or lectures (do not cite lecture slides as they are not considered academic sources).
4. Correct use of terms from class when appropriate (e.g., language shift, Three-Generation Rule, linguistic discrimination, mutual intelligibility, overt/covert prestige, diglossia, bilingualism, etc…)
5. The paper should be clearly written, (in APA format), proofread, and no longer than 750 words. This is a firm number. Please do not ask to write a longer paper (references, title page and abstract do not count towards the overall word limit).
Note: If you submit a paper that does not address the above criterion or is not an autobiography you will not receive a grade higher than 59% for this assignment. Your final draft cannot be rewritten. If you have questions about your final paper, it is imperative that you work them out before the due date. Begin thinking about this assignment early on so that you can write an excellent paper!
