English 1100 C & D1
Fall 2005
Term paper
Due: January 12 (last day of finals)

In an essay of 5-7 pages, compare and contrast two critical sources on a poem, story, or play of your choice. Any of the works we’ve read, or will be reading, in class are available to you. I’m also willing to allow substitutions if you have a special favorite that we haven’t covered, but check with me first.

Some hints:

• Choose a work that you’re excited about, but …
• Have some backup topics in mind in case you run into problems with the research. You may not be able to find two sources on, say, “Malinke’s Atonement” or “Who’s Irish?” but you will be swimming in sources if you choose Othello (and narrowing them down will present its own difficulties).
• Although the focus of this essay is not the story/poem/play itself, but rather secondary material about it, it will be easier for you to understand and write about the sources if you have already thought through the story/poem/play for yourself, and have your own take on it (which may, of course, be affected by the sources you read – but first, understand the text in itself, from the perspective of close reading).
• Have some rationale for comparison and contrast – choose articles that produce interesting results when you pair them. For example, how do two critics deal with the same brief passage from the longer work? Or select one element of analysis: In a story or play, how do they discuss the same character? In a poem, the same imagery? Another way to narrow is by critical school (a topic we will consider later in the semester). For example, what are the similarities and differences between two feminist approaches to this work? Or two Marxist approaches? A third possibility: these two critics seem to emphasize different aspects of the work; why? Such focusing is especially important if you choose a longer work.
• You may want to look over a number of sources before you settle on the two you want to compare and contrast. Choose two that will produce an interesting, focused essay, not just the first two you find, or even necessarily the two that seem the “best,” or two you agree with.
• Choose your sources well. Articles in scholarly journals and books or book chapters are preferred. Online sources should be treated with care. If you do use an online source, the other must be print. (Online editions of print journals, by the way, will be considered print sources; I will consider online sources to be those that exist only online.)
• You are expected to document your sources according to MLA style, both internally and in a works cited page. (This page is not included in the 5-7 page requirement.) We will spend more time between now and the end of the semester on MLA style.

This essay is due by e-mail to jaime (dot) cleland (at) gmail (dot) com on January 12, the last day of finals. Because we won’t be meeting during finals, a hard copy of the essay is unnecessary. However, I do recommend sending the essay both as an attachment and pasted into the body of the e-mail to help prevent technical difficulties.