Moby Dick Essay Requirements

DUE DATE:

1.Select one of the topics below for a literary analysis essay. Do not merely plot summarize.

  • Analyze Queequeg’s role in the story
  • Analyze Ishmael’s role as the narrator
  • Analyze the Pequod
  • Analyze the concepts of free will versus fate in this story
  • Analyze another topic that MUST be pre-approved by instructor
  • Select one of the ten literary criticism approaches and build a case for it through analysis

SWHS Formal, Academic Writing Goals

Identify five (5) weaknesses to your previous formal academic writing submitted for grading (grammar, organization, ideas, MLA, sentence fluency, word choice, etc…but more specific).

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Plagiarism/Cheating Notation:

The use of any text or ideas from a source must be quoted or cited; it is otherwise considered plagiarism. Copying another student’s writing is considered plagiarism. Submitting the same paper for more than one class without the permission of the instructor is cheating. Students are expelled from college for such infractions. Here you receive a zero grade and a one hour detention for the first infraction. Additionally, if you are an NHS member, you will be dismissed for any cheating or plagiarism infractions.

If you need assistance about citations, MLA format, punctuation or organizing the paper, you may seek help before/after school. I will not correct or write a paper for you, but I will assist with specific questions to help you become a better writer.

The writing process must be demonstrated:

  • Draft/outline,
  • Revising,

Content:

Develop body paragraphs:

Establish your topic sentence/argument

Use narrative details, anecdotes, examples, data

Elaborate with analysis, rationale of thinking

Paraphrase as needed, but do not merely summarize

Include textual support:

Provide a minimum of one textual quotation per body paragraph

Add commentary, analysis of quotation

Organization:

Introduction:

Introduce a broad concept/theme from the text

Lead into the text

Provide title, author, and year of text

State clearlyyour thesis/claim

Make sure your intro sets a strong tone for your reader (11th/12th)

Body paragraphs:

Connect all ideas/examples back to your thesis/claim

Keep body paragraphs balanced in size

Conclusion:

Connect specific details from body paragraphs back to thesis/claim/theme ideas

Read aloud fluency:

Diction (Word choice):

Develop varied vocabulary

Avoid weak sentence structure: “There is/are/was/were” or “It is/was” sentences

Limit the use of the word “that” and did you mean who/whom? (11th/12th)

Find alternatives for conjunctions and transitions “but” and “and”…However, also...

Eliminate unnecessary words for concise writing (11th/12th)

Avoid redundancy, repeating what is already said, instead elaborate or explain

Syntax:Mix up sentence structure

  • Editing,
  • Grammar:

Avoid using contractions unless in a quotation(can’t = cannot)

Follow standard punctuation rules

Ensure subjects and verbsare in agreement

Ensure singular-plural nouns and their antecedents are in agreement (a person…their)

Keep verbs IN THE PRESENT tense for literary analysis/ as appropriate for other modes

Avoid Dangling/misplaced modifiers (11th/12th)

Keep words, phrases, and clauses in parallel form (11th/12th)

Voice:

Avoid FIRST person (I, my, me)unless writing a personal essay or in a quotation

Avoid SECOND person (you, your) unless in a quotation

Keep language formal since this is a formal, academic essay

Homonyms/spelling:(there, they’re, their)

COLLEGE READINESS PIECES REQUIRED:

  • USE MLA format
  • 1” margins,
  • Header (space) page #
  • Heading (Your name, Teacher, Class/Assignment, international date…5 January 2010)
  • Double spacing
  • Title
  • USE parenthetical citations when appropriate(Frost 13).
  • ALWAYS submit a Works cited page for any information researched whether used in text or not
  • Use a works cited page/ is an excellent MLA works cited reference for proper formatting
  • DEVELOPED essays should be 3-5 PAGES in length (11th/12th)