Foundations of American Culture
Term Project, English 333
Fall 2009
Dr. June Hobbs
Objectives: The goals for this project are to expand your reading in literature of the American Renaissance; to encourage development of the scholarly skills of library research, synthesis of ideas, and literary analysis; and to hone skills in writing about literature from a cultural/historical perspective.
Part I Write a 2-3 page essay analyzing a work from the American Renaissance on the list provided by your professor. Please choose a text that has not been the subject of any literary analysis you’ve written at GWU. This essay should identify an important theme or strategy in the work and analyze it without using outside references. Like every literary analysis, the essay should have a thesis that is developed and supported with textual evidence. Write for a scholarly audience that may not have read this work. Due Oct. 6.
Part II.
After appropriate research that shows evidence of having used the MLA International Bibliography, write a bibliographic essay that describes, categorizes, and (perhaps) evaluates the sources you will use for your final term paper. This essay must be based upon at least 10 critical articles or portions of books that address either the text chosen for the brief essay described above or theoretical strategies/historical context useful in analyzing the work. The sources for this essay must include periodicals as well as books. It is also important to include examples of the most recent critical material available on the work itself or on the contextual issues that will be important to the final paper.
The best bibliographic essays identify major points of agreement/disagreement among critics in addressing the work and explain how more general works provide theoretical/historical context for analysis. Students must submit a photocopy of any material that is not readily available in our library or online when turning in the bibliographic essay. Write for a scholarly audience that may not have read any of the material. Due Oct. 27.
Part III Write a polished 5-10 (excluding the Works Cited) page essay analyzing the work chosen for the short essay and incorporating ideas from the outside reading that provided a basis for the bibliographic essay. This longer essay may be an expansion of the earlier paper, or it could take an entirely different approach. As before, write for a scholarly audience that does not know your primary text or any of the secondary material. Rough draft due for editing on Nov. 17; final draft due Dec. 1.
Fall 2009
Dr. June Hobbs
Objectives: The goals for this project are to expand your reading in literature of the American Renaissance; to encourage development of the scholarly skills of library research, synthesis of ideas, and literary analysis; and to hone skills in writing about literature from a cultural/historical perspective.
Part I Write a 2-3 page essay analyzing a work from the American Renaissance on the list provided by your professor. Please choose a text that has not been the subject of any literary analysis you’ve written at GWU. This essay should identify an important theme or strategy in the work and analyze it without using outside references. Like every literary analysis, the essay should have a thesis that is developed and supported with textual evidence. Write for a scholarly audience that may not have read this work. Due Oct. 6.
Part II.
After appropriate research that shows evidence of having used the MLA International Bibliography, write a bibliographic essay that describes, categorizes, and (perhaps) evaluates the sources you will use for your final term paper. This essay must be based upon at least 10 critical articles or portions of books that address either the text chosen for the brief essay described above or theoretical strategies/historical context useful in analyzing the work. The sources for this essay must include periodicals as well as books. It is also important to include examples of the most recent critical material available on the work itself or on the contextual issues that will be important to the final paper.
The best bibliographic essays identify major points of agreement/disagreement among critics in addressing the work and explain how more general works provide theoretical/historical context for analysis. Students must submit a photocopy of any material that is not readily available in our library or online when turning in the bibliographic essay. Write for a scholarly audience that may not have read any of the material. Due Oct. 27.
Part III Write a polished 5-10 (excluding the Works Cited) page essay analyzing the work chosen for the short essay and incorporating ideas from the outside reading that provided a basis for the bibliographic essay. This longer essay may be an expansion of the earlier paper, or it could take an entirely different approach. As before, write for a scholarly audience that does not know your primary text or any of the secondary material. Rough draft due for editing on Nov. 17; final draft due Dec. 1.