ENGL 43304
Fall 2005
Chris Vanden Bossche
The final paper will be a substantial essay (about 4000 words) on one of the novels we have read for this course. The essay should:
1. Develop an argument about the novel
2. Engage in a dialogue with previous criticism of the novel.
You should follow the MLA style manual for preparing the works cited, citations, and endnotes.
You will develop the essay in stages according to the following schedule.
Thursday 11/3: Topics for seminar paper and list of criticism
Briefly describe the general topic you have selected for your paper.
Make a list of of critical essays and book chapters relevant to your research.
Begin with the selected bibliography on the course web site and conduct an MLA bibliography search for additional criticism relevant to your topic.
Also conduct a subject search of the library catalogue. Do not depend solely on the MLA bibliography. It does not include many items that are chapters in books. Do a subject search on your author/novel; also go to the shelves and look to see if books on the author have a chapter on the novel you are discussing. Another way to find such items is through the works cited in recent articles.
Let me know if you can't find an item; I have copies of some of the material on the selected bibliography
Share with others working on the same novel
Thursday11/10: Essay on Critical Approaches
Write an essay of approximately five pages discussing the principal critical approaches to the novel, in particular to the particular questions your paper will be concerned with. Seek to explain how different appraoches lead to different ways of understanding and answering these questions.
This essay must discuss a minimum of ten substantial articles or books chapters.
Include a works cited.
Email it to me by 5 p.m.
Give the file the name: yourlastname.43304prospectus
Thursady11/17: Prospectus
1-2 pages describing what you want to argue in your final paper. Should include:
¥ basic problem/question you want to address
¥ tentative thesis
¥ general idea of what material (scenes, narration etc.) you will discuss
Email it to me by 8 a.m.
Give the file the name: yourlastname.43304prospectus
Email to me by 8 a.m.
Give the file the name: yourlastname.43304draft
Tuesday, 12/13: Final paper due.
Email to me by 5 p.m.
Give the file the name: yourlastname.43304final