Essay

Length: 2 pages.

Format: MLA. Add a Works Cited section or page at the end. Use one primary source (the story) and one secondary source (about the story).

Primary and secondary sources: In this essay, you will write about one of the stories we read and discussed in the class. Use only the fictional stories, not the TedTalk. Do not use an outside story. For example, write an analytical and argumentative essay on "A&P". The story is your primary source. In addition, you need to use a minimum of one secondary source, such as a critique or literary analysis about the story, that you find on Google Scholar, JStore, or CCM Library Online Databases. Make sure your source is credible. You can use the supplemental videos I posted in the lecture in your essay: the Ted Talk on feminism by Adichie or the YouTube video on fiction by Nafisi. Make sure you document your primary and secondary sources properly. Use both in-text parenthetical citation and a full citation at the end of the essay. ***Avoid such websites as Cliffnotes.com, Shmoop.com, Sparknotes.com, Enotes.com, Litchart.com, … that come up in Google search! They usually give a summary and some opinions but not analysis or interpretation.***

In your introduction: Mention the title of the story and the name of the writer. Provide a context or background for your argument. Provide a thesis statement or pose a question. Provide a plan of ideas. Avoid biographical information.

In body paragraphs: Develop each idea per one paragraph. In every paragraph, you should have a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. You need to use one or two short quotations from the story as evidence of your argument. You should provide an interpretation for every quotation, and support it with extra details and examples. You should have an in-text citation for every quote and also give the full citation at the end of the paper on the Works Cited page.

In your conclusion: You can use one or more of the techniques: rephrase your thesis statement, summarize your essay, look into the future, make some recommendations, etc.

Avoid biographical information about the writer. Avoid summarizing what the story is about.