Eighteenth-Century Fiction

Assignments

Assignments on Readings

For each week's reading assignment you will find a prompt or question on the Schedule. You will respond to each one of these prompts either in an Idea Sketch or a Reflection Essay.

An Idea Sketch is a 1-2 page answer to the question. At that length, it cannot be especially thorough in its presentation of textual evidence for its claim, and it may be somewhat casually written. It could serve almost as an abstract, summary, or proposal for a fuller essay on the topic. [10 points each]

A Reflection Essay addresses the same prompt but in more detail. These should be 5+ pages, formally (though not stuffily) written, and their claims should be carefully supported by the presentation of relevant passages from the text. [35 points each]

You can respond to each prompt with either an Idea Sketch or an Interpretive Essay, at your discretion. You will need, however, to submit two Reflection Essays on two different novels during the term, at least one of which must be submitted before Spring Break. For the remaining prompts, you will need to submit the shorter, less rigorous Idea Sketch. You will thus be writing in response to every prompt, though in greater or lesser length and detail. All essays are due on the date they appear in the Schedule.

Major Project

Your major project will be a literary critical article, written as if for publication, of ten or more pages. You will work on the paper throughout the term, though primarily in the second half of the course, and will submit it in stages, described below. (Note: As much as I love the novel Hermsprong, I feel obliged to warn you away from it for this assignment; there just isn't enough written about it.)

1. Working Bibliography. This is the first, long list of possible sources for your paper. It will be developed through online searches and be written up in correct MLA bibliographic format. You are not committed to using, or even reading, every item on it, but it is the broad casting of your net for potentially useful sources. [10 points]
   


2. Annotated Bibliography. This is a shorter list of the sources you actually expect to use. For each listing, you will need the full biographical citation, developed for your Working Bilbiography, plus a one-page summary of the main ideas of the source, perhaps with notes on how it will play into your article. [10 [points]


3. Conference Presentation. These are 10 minute presentations of your material to the class, delivered before you draft the actual paper. Think of it as a verbal draft of your research. You will prepare and hand out an introduction and outline of your paper, which you will then talk us through. At the end, students can ask questions, suggest developments, or otherwise help you in your work. [10 points]


4. Full Article. A formal 10+ page critical essay on some aspect of any one of the novels in the course. [75 points]

Participation. Full participation means coming on time to every class, reading the plays in advance, and joining in class discussions.