Ms. Brillante

Honors World Literature

Senior Thesis Requirements

The Big Question

Your Thesis must be 10 pages in length and utilize 4 different secondary sources. Your Thesis Statement will reflect the big question on which we’ve focused this year: “How do we know?” With this in mind, your Senior Thesis Paper will analyze your book with the same guiding questions and levels of analysis we have used throughout the year.

Format:

The length of the paper should be 10 pages. Papers should be typed, double-spaced, use correct punctuation and grammar, and be in correct MLA format. Your paper must have a Works Citedpage,which does not count toward the 10 pages of your paper. Note: Just because you use long quotes, and therefore extend your paper length, does not mean you’ve made a sound argument.

Secondary Sources:

You are required to use but are not limited to 4secondary literarysources to write this paper. Acceptable sources include:

  1. Books – relevant criticism or commentary from an actual book.

You may use an E-Book version of the text, however you may not use an online excerpt of the text. Any college library should have the necessary resource(s) for this requirement.

  1. Journal articles – you can go through Gale in the library.

Literary criticism is preferred. Book or Media reviews do not count.

  1. Approved websites– web address ends in .edu and the author has accreditations (he/she is the professor of the course for example)

Deadlines:

February 29 / Thesis Statement:
Verbal conference with me in which your Thesis Statement is due.
March 18 / Thesis Statement and Rough Outline:
Initial Thesis Statement, skeleton outline of the major direction/points of your essay. 3-4 secondary sources found and used for direction. 1-2 pages, double spaced. Due: on turnitin.com, before midnight.
April 4 / Draft and Outline:
Updated Thesis Statement, Thesis paragraph, topic sentences, supporting evidence from primary source, as well as how all 4 secondary sources fit in with your claims. All of the above should take at least 4-5 pages, double spaced. Due: HARD COPY in class.
April 4 - 8 / In-class editing and conferences:
You will have the opportunity during class on these days to edit and discuss your draft. If you desire more feedback, sign up for a time to meet with me or Doc Nigh before the final due date.
April 8 / Final product (or most of it with beginning, middle, and end): 8-10 pages with an adult’s editorial marks and signature/name. Hard copy OR electronic copy due in-class.
April 10
(by 11:59pm) / FINALproduct:
Submit final paper to turnitin.com before midnight