The principal written production for this course will be a seminar paper based on the model of the scholarly article. The series of assignments listed below will lead up to submission of the completed essay.

The preferred style is MLA. For punctuation of quotations, see my brief formatting guide.

Turn in all written assignments as email attachments (do not give me a hard copy).

Please label the file as follows: yourlastname.stepnumber where the latter is the number of the step below. For example, the file containing Joe Smith’s report on the critical debates would be labeled “Smith.3”.

Assignments

1) Meet with me to discuss possible topics (at latest by February 12).

2) Submit a brief discussion of the area of your essay: what kinds of material and questions do you plan to address? Due: February 26.

3) Submit a written report on major areas of critical debate(s) on the topic/texts you will write on—not more than five pages (1250) words. Choose two or three keys areas of critical debate and discuss how the major critical texts address it. Due: March 15.
4) Submit a proposal for your essay. A short (2-3 pages/500-750 words) discussion of the major issues you intend to address and how you expect to address them. Due: March 22.
5) A “conference paper” version of your work in progress (about eight-ten pages). This essay should define the critical intervention you intend to make, state your thesis, and provide an overview of the argument as you will present it in the final essay. Due: the week of April 19 at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting with me.

6) You may present a draft of the essay prior to final submission; this step is optional. Latest date for review of drafts: 8 a.m. April 30.
7) Submit completed essay. Due: 5 p.m. May 5.