07 Jan When you are satisfied that

Paper 1

Topic for Paper 1: How is a literary theme represented in a short

story? You will develop a paper that answers this question and

demonstrates the following outcomes for writing and literature. You

will be able to

Analyze literature for a purpose

Distinguish digital or print materials through annotation to

demonstrate reading and summary skills

Identify a theme in a short story

Identify one to three examples in the story that support the theme

Write a thesis statement that clearly identifies the title of a story,

its author, the theme, and what the paper will discuss about the story

and the theme

Write clear topic sentences for paragraphs that let the reader know

what the paragraph will discuss

Write paragraphs that explain how the examples from the story support the theme

Arrange a paper by presenting paragraphs in a logical and interesting fashion

Write sentences in standard American English that clearly express ideas

Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting in the layout of a paper

Demonstrate the MLA style of formatting by documenting material from

the story within the paper and on a Work Cited page

Explain what you have learned about your writing process in a clear

and logical fashion

Overview of the Workshop Format for Paper 1

Writing this paper will be done in a process that allows you to

practice and develop your writing skills in the discussions. During

Weeks 1 through 4, you will work on your paper in the classroom,

receive feedback from your instructor, and build your paper,

part-by-part, into your final version. It will allow you time over

this period to get to know and develop your writing process through a

workshop format as you will be able to revise and edit the different

sections as you go along, thereby demonstrating the writing skills

needed for that particular section of the paper.

To be successful in this process, you must be active and engaged in

the discussions and post in a timely fashion. That way, you can

successfully demonstrate the weekly skills and be building your paper.

Week 1: Critical Reading Strategies and Selection of Topic. During

Week 1, you will cover strategies to help you with critical reading,

including techniques for reading and annotating digital materials. To

prepare you for working with your topic for the paper, you will work

on these strategies in Week 1 (and throughout the course). During Week

1, you will study the concept of theme and the genre of the short

story. You will choose your short story and theme from the list

provided by your instructor.

Week 2: Thesis. Your thesis statement should include the story and the

theme. You will workshop the thesis of your paper during Week 2 in the

discussions. Outlining and organizational strategies will also be

covered.

Week 3: Development. The development or body of the paper will focus

on finding examples in the story that support the theme and then

explaining in your paper how they do so. During Week 3, you will

workshop strategies for developing body paragraphs in the discussion.

Except for the stories themselves, you will be developing this

material through your own observations; you are not to use outside

sources for this material.

Week 4: Sentence Level and MLA. Your writing should be carefully

proofed for sentence-level concerns. Your final paper should be

formatted and documented according to MLA documentation in the form of

parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page. During Week 4, you

will resources for these areas. In the discussion, you will continue

to workshop these areas. You will submit the final paper at the end of

Week 4, along with your Reflection on your writing process (see

below).

Hints: Remember that your reader has read the story and is familiar

with it. You do not have to spend time on summary. Instead, your

development should explain and analyze how the theme is demonstrated

in your story.

Special Hint about Plot: Be aware that a paper about a piece of

literature is NOT a plot summary. Your plot summary, if you must have

one, should provide only the details necessary to highlight the parts

of the story which help to develop your paper, such as a short

paragraph of five to six sentences.

Reflection on your Writing Process: On a separate page of your

submission, provide an overview of your writing process for this essay

and what you have learned about your writing process by developing

your paper. Also note two areas which you would like feedback on, such

as thesis statement and topic sentences.

When you are satisfied that your paper and your reflection are

complete, upload your work to the Assignments Folder within the link

“Paper 1” by the deadline.

Word Count: 500-750 words

Due Date: Paper 1 is due at the end of Week 4.