The presentation and writing
assignments in this graduate course are geared entirely toward
allowing students to produce a quality research essay within
the confines of the quarter-system.
Presentation
of Essay Idea (various dates; 10% of final grade)
Depending on the number
of students in the course, we will schedule one or more 10-minute
presentations at the end of each class (beginning about a
third of the way through the quarter). The purpose of the
presentation is (a) to try out possible essay ideas on the
class and (b) to put essay ideas within the context of a student's
overall research interests. Some presentations will occur
before, and some after, the due date for paper prospectuses
(see below). Presentations will be graded for substance combined
with speaking effectiveness (how well organized and delivered
the presentation is). Part of the reason for presentations
is to help train students in the art of orally presenting
a project or research interest (one of the necessary skills
of the profession).
Prospectus for
Essay (posted to class listserv, english233@mail.lsit.ucsb.edu,
by Nov. 16th; 10% of final grade)
The prospectus should be 1-3
pp. in length. It must include a preliminary bibliography.
It may also include a trial first paragraph for the essay.
The prospectus will be graded for substance combined with
effectiveness as a prospectus. (Prospectus- or proposal-writing
is one of the standard genres of writing in the profession.)
Critique of Another
Student's Essay Prospectus (posted to class
listserv by Nov. 21)
Each student will be assigned
another student to critique. Critiques should be rigorous,
but should also be constructive in spirit. This assignment
will not be graded, unless it is not done.
Essay (10-12
pp., due Friday, Dec. 7 in instructor's mailbox; 80% of final
grade)
Class Participation
Quality and quantity of class
participation will determine whether the instructor votes
thumbs up or down on ties between A- and B+ grades, etc. This
is a frequent situation in graduate courses. In general, class
participation matters at the graduate level because it is
a measure of how successful a student will be as a future
teacher, conference participant, colleague, etc.
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