Final Essay Portfolio Assignment

English 3, Winter 2009, Andrew Hageman


FINAL ESSAY PROJECT PORTFOLIO


Length: Approximately 2000 words (not including the portfolio reflection)
Abstract due: February 26th
Draft Workshop: March 5th
Final Project due: Friday, March 13th before 12Noon in my office.


This quarter we are reading and discussing a wide range of literary texts through an equally wide range of formal and contextual approaches. In this essay you will draw on your knowledge of interpretive skills, including close attention to content, form, and context in literature, to write a thesis-driven, argumentative essay. The objectives of this project align with those of the course stated on page 1 of the syllabus: primarily, to develop a thoughtful, informed, and sophisticated perspective on literary texts; to be able to examine the reasons for your responses to these texts; to situate your argument in the context of university academic-style writing; and, to communicate your perspectives clearly through refined, crafted writing. Furthermore, this project is an opportunity to build on the work you’ve already done in your Lit-blogs, taking your insights and expanding them.

More specifically, now, the final essay will be a sustained analysis, but one which is informed by all of the work we have done this quarter. In other words, your thesis and the arguments or claims/evidence throughout the essay should evolve from our discussions and your blog writings. It must also, however, incorporate new and more rigorously worked-out ideas. You may consider approaching the essay through character analysis; a discussion of imagery; the interplays of literal and figurative interpretations; a discussion of the politics of literary texts guided by close reading; juxtaposition of narrative styles and/or styles of expression in different genres. Whatever your approach, your essay must transcend mere description of the texts. It must describe and explain the effects of the elements of the text you analyze, and it must make an argument for why these are significant. I am happy to work with you in forming your thesis and developing this essay from its earliest stages. We’ll work on this in class, but office hours can also be very productive.


Guidelines:
o Your essay must analyze two literary texts. These texts may represent two different genres (poetry, fiction, drama) or be of the same genre. Any divergence from this guideline requires my approval.
o You must utilize at least two of your own blog writings in your paper. You can quote them and cite them as sources, or you can simply take ideas you touched upon and develop them more fully by employing them in the essay. If you do the latter, please include a footnote to indicate where an idea has emerged from your blog writings. Regardless which approaches you use, you should print the blog entries you use and hand them in with the final portfolio.
o Research is acceptable but not required.
o The essay must have a clear, argumentative, original, sophisticated thesis that focuses on the literary texts.
o The essay must demonstrate close reading skills.
o Make sure you choose appropriate, convincing evidence. It should relate to your thesis and to the other pieces of evidence used in the essay. Remember that sometimes “less is more” when it comes to how much you quote. It’s better to analyze fully a selection of key moments in a text rather than include a large catalog of moments that are incompletely addressed.
o Use appropriate academic language and style. Proofread and edit for grammar and style.
o Proper MLA citation.

Abstract:
You should submit a one-page abstract to me on Thursday, February 26th. This is a proposal for your essay, and it should detail your position and plan for the argument. I will hand out an abstract form for you to complete this task with.

Portfolio reflection:
You will write a two-page reflection on the process of writing this essay: from the conception of it to its completion. In this reflection, you will articulate how you drew on ideas in the blog entries that informed your essay. In addition, you will be expected to analyze the various aspects of your writing process—the challenges, difficulties, successes, etc. This does not have to be a thesis-based essay, but it should be thoughtfully organized and analytical in tone. The portfolio reflection does factor into the final essay project grade, so take some care with it. If you do not submit this with your portfolio, the project will be considered incomplete.






Checklist for when you submit the final essay project/portfolio:
 2000-word thesis-driven essay.
 Print-outs of minimum 2 blog entries utilized in the essay.
 Abstract.
 2-page Portfolio reflection.
 Rough draft and draft workshop forms.