Semester I Final Exam

40% Q1 + 40% Q2 + 20% Semester Exam = 100% Semester 1 grade

Below, you will find text and topic options for your final exam as well as a list of things to keep in mind as you approach your timed essay. I strongly suggest doing as much planning ahead of time as possible. Timed writing can be extremely stressful, so the more confident and prepared you are, the more likely you are to do well.

Discuss how society has been shaped by individual freedom and/or conflicts.

Explain how decisions are impacted by different perspectives/lenses/influences.

Prove how an individual can make an impact on society by going against the norms at the time.

“America and Americans” by John Steinbeck

President Obama’s 2008 Acceptance Speech

“Stuyvesant High School Commencement Speech” by Conan O’Brien

“What is an American?” by Michel Guillaume Jean de Crèvecœur

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian excerpt by Sherman Alexie

The Glass Castle excerpt by Jeannette Walls

It’s Kind of a Funny Story(if citing, put the directors (Boden and Fleck) in the parenthesis as opposed to an author. There will not be a page number.)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey– MANDATORY

Fill in the outline provided prior to the day of the final. You will not be allowed to use books, the Internet, or other resources during the day of the final exam.

On the day of the final exam, make sure to bring your completed outline, which will be checked before you may begin typing and collected at the end of the period.

FAILURE TO PREPARE = FAILURE OF FINAL

You will be graded similarly to the way you are graded for other major writing assignments.

Your paper should revolve around a well-worded, clear, argumentative thesis—this should appear at the end of your introduction.

Your introduction and conclusion should be logically organized, related to each other, creative, and stylistic.

Your body paragraphs should have clear, arguable topic sentences that are supported by significant textual evidence, and strong analysis that links to your thesis.

  • Each body paragraph should address a different text (total of three).
  • One of those body paragraphs MUST address One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
  • A minimum of two quotations should be integrated smoothly into each body paragraph and cited using MLA format.

As usual, elements like grammar, style, citation format, flow, and use of formal language will also factor into your grade.