SHORT PAPER ASSIGNMENTS

Purpose of the Short Paper Assignments

The main purpose of the Short Paper Assignment is to make sure that you have actually read the book in question, and read parts of it carefully enough to write a simple paper on it.

Unless students read the book, there is no basis for fruitful small-group discussions. So, it is vital that everyone read the book completely, and with some degree of care, by the time we begin discussing it.

Therefore, one purpose of this Short Paper Assignment is to convince me that you have read the book. That is, you should demonstrate in your paper that you have read it.

In order to do so, you should pick the passages you discuss from different parts of the book, especially the middle and the last part of the book.

If you pick most of your passages from the first 1/3 or 1/2 of the book, I will assume you have NOT read the whole book, and will return your paper as Unacceptable. Then you will have to do it again.

Please follow these guidelines in doing your short papers on each book. Like the papers themselves, these guidelines are intended to help you read the book carefully and understand what you have read.

CONTENT:

First, read the book carefully. As you are reading it, you should keep a log, or, make careful notes.

Your log should consist of: notes; questions; comments and remarks; etc. Be sure to make notes in the book as well. Underline. Highlight. Write comments.

When you have read the book, think about it. Look over it again. Refer to your log.

Then, write a paper using the following guidelines:

ORGANIZATION:

  • Spend only 1 or 2 sentences identifying your theme.
  • Then, devote the rest of your paper to analyzing the 3 passages you have chosen. 
  • Devote about 1/3 of your paper to the analysis of each passage.  For example,
    • An 800-word essay should devote 250-275 words to analyzing each of your three passages.
    • A 1000 word essay should devote 330 - 350 words to analyzing each of your threepassages.
  • Avoid "introduction" and "conclusion."
  • Avoid all summarizing (see above).

FORMAT:

Each paper should:

NOTE these other important questions of format:

Print out a copy and bring it to class the first day. We will discuss your papers on that day. Some of you will read yours to the whole class. The rest of you will read your paper to your group.


Even a mechanical and unimaginative paper will receive a good grade if it satisfies these criteria. But these are minimum, skeletal guidelines. You should make sure you fulfil them, but are emphatically not limited to them alone.

Each paper is due in class on the day we will BEGIN discussion of each book (listed on the syllabus).

Unlike Biweekly Assignments, Short Papers may be sent to me late. But there will be a penalty in your grade. The sooner you send it after the deadline, the smaller the penalty will be!


http://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/wl/wlppr.html | furrg@mail.montclair.edu | last modified 29 February 2016