English III Semester I, First Composition

Date introduced: ______

Outline Due: ______

Rough Draft (Worth 20 points) Due: ______

Turnitin.com Due date: ______(by 7:59am on this date or –10 points for lateness)

Final Draft (Worth 80 points) Due: ______

You must submit this Composition to turnitin.com AND hand in a printed copy to the instructor. Any plagiarized paper will receive a “zero” and the student will be reported to the Dean for disciplinary action as explained in Lancer Life.

In Unit 1, we have studied two origin myths, one poem, and one sermon. Pick twoof the four literary workswe have studied and answer one of the following questions:

  • How do the themes represent the relationship between literature and place?
  • How do the themes shape or reflect society?
  • How are the themes specific to American literature?

Write a four paragraph essay answering oneof the above questions and use examples (quotes)from twoliterary works we have studied. You can use any origin myth, poem, or sermon we have studied, as long as it supports/explains your answer to the question. In your commentary, explain in detail how each quote answers the question you have chosen.

The body paragraph of the essay must be written in the Jane Schaffer two-chunk format and allof the concrete details (4 quotes)must be properly cited using the MLA format. The essay must include an original title and the outline, rough draft, and final copy must be typed, double-spaced, and printed in 12-point (Times New Roman) font. This is a formal essay, so avoid the use of contractions and directly addressing the reader with the word “you.” You must spell/grammar-check your essay before printing the final copy.

The introduction must include:

  • An attention grabber or “hook” to capture the reader’s attention
  • The title of the story and the author you have used to construct your essay
  • A clear statement explaining what you are writing about
  • A concise thesis statement

The body paragraphs must include:

  • At least eight sentences written in Jane Schaffer two-chunk format (TS,CD,CM,CM,CD,CM,CM,CS)
  • Direct quotes must be cited properly using the MLA format…example: In “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” Edwards writes, “blah blah blah” (“Sinners”10-1).

The conclusion:

  • Do not repeat any of the information you already stated in your body paragraphs. Instead, offer a greater understanding of why your thesis statement is important to the theme/s (lessons learned) from the stories we have read.

*The Outline and Rough Draft will each be worth 20 points and must be handed in along with the Final Copy of the essay. You will lose 10 points for every class meeting the Composition is late (either to turnitin.com or printed and handed in to me)!