Paper Son essay

Chinese American Literature

ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

By writing this essay, what can you try to better understand ABOUT THE TEXT?

How does this text provide information?

YES: Focus on ONE text.

NO: Do not make generalizations about Chinese xyz or Chinese American xyz.

YES: Focus on the text itself.

Write, for example,

In the book/short story/text/piece, the narrator claims that Chinese xyz and/or Chinese American xyz is ------------.

YES: Use the text as evidence. Use quotations to support and develop this discussion. Analyze and interpret the quotations, using your own thoughts.

YES: You may include your own personal experience. Analyze your experience and relate your experience to the text. You may use “I” only when you discuss your personal experience.

NO: DO not use “I” when you are analyzing the text. Just state your points.

YES: Include SHORT quotations. 1 sentence of quotation per paragraph is enough. Analyze slowly and carefully. Avoid long quotations.

The goals for this essay:

Perform a CLOSE READING of parts of a text. Analyze a text.

Write an engaging essay.

Reach insights.

Persuade your reader to agree with your points.

THINK: How is --------- important?

THINK: -------- is important because…. THEN WRITE HOW/WHY ----- is important.

Some strategies:

Use google books or amazon Look Inside this Book to search specific words or phrases. If you decide to write about labor in Bone, search work. Other possible terms to search in Bone: family, bone, blood, heart, food (search eat), paper, love. Use your quick reading notes to find passages about exclusion, the law, ----.

Consider themes that we have discussed. How does the text present these themes?

Chinese vs American? Chinese AND American? Chinese American ----?

Chinglish?

NOTICE: When does the text make generalizations about Chinese/Chinese American -----?

Analyze quotations that make generalizations. Why is it important to notice generalizations? Briefly discuss this.

Does the narrator act as an INSIDER INFORMANT? How? Include quotations and analyze them. An insider or native informant tells outsiders about insider knowledge.

What CONFLICTS appear in this text? How does the text present these conflicts? Use quotations and analyze these quotations.

How are specific words important? Quote these and analyze them.

How does this text INVENT Chinese American xyz?

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ASSIGNMENT:

Format: Use Times New Roman 12 point font. Double space. Use MLA format. Look this up here, at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

Include page numbers in your own work.

Length: 3-5 pages. Aim for clear writing. Use standard academic English.

Use the information on iLearn about writing an essay and about writing a paragraph.

For the paragraphs: START with a quotation of a sentence. Analyze it. Then write a topic sentence for your paragraph. The topic sentence is the first sentence of your paragraph. Here is more information about topic sentences. In each paragraph, make a claim and support this claim with a quotation.

Compose a title for your essay that someone could read and know right away what this essay is about. Make it specific and clear.

Include a thesis/main point in the first paragraph of your essay.

Try to write a persuasive argument that will convince your reader to agree with your essay’s points.

Try to reach an insightful point in your conclusion. Make sure that your essay supports this point.

FORMAT for a quotation;

“Unless I see her life branching into mine, she gives me no ancestral hope” (Kingston 8).

“Quotation” (Author’s last name PAGE number).

Use italics for a BOOK TITLE. A chapter or article title is in regular font with quotation marks.

More over

Writing an ABSTRACT:

Use this format:

Title of Your Essay

Abstract

· 250 words or LESS.

· Use ACTION verbs to describe what your essay does. For example: This essay explains, reveals, discusses, interrogates, considers, -----.

· Check the phrasing by reading aloud.

· Use PRESENT TENSE

· Use Times New Roman 12 point font

· The goal of the abstract is to engage your reader and get them to want to read your essay.

· The abstract is on a separate page. Put it before your essay.