First Quarter Process Paper

First of all, some tips for perfection Don’t rely on plot summary to pad your essay.  You need to illustrate that you know your audience (Mrs. Ollenburg/Parker. There is no need to make the author feel good about his/her writing ability (either they already know or they’re dead). Avoid phrases such as, “Heaney shows immense talent in his translation…” and “Gardner’s storytelling is so captivating and thrilling from the moment a reader begins the story…” Avoid the use of first and second person POV (no using “I,” “you,” etc.).  Stick to academically focused analysis—not opinion.

Topic For the first process paper, choose literary techniques, based on a critical analysis, that support a theme/motif in one of the Hero’s Journey texts. You may choose to focus on either Beowulf or Grendel. You must choose ONE and only ONE. Topics will vary from person to person. You may choose a theme/motif that deals with: the way POV impacts the storytelling, philosophy and its manifestation in Grendel, a certain aspect of the hero’s journey, etc.

Prompt Whatever topic you choose, it must answer the following prompt: How does the author enrich the theme of the work by governing specific literary techniques to establish ______ in his piece of literature?

First Step Choose your theme/motif and write a thesis statement for the essay The thesis needs to: Be specific Encompass the entire essay Answer a central question Illustrate your understanding and analysis of the literature Illustrate your personal voice as a writer

Thesis Draft 1 is due Friday You may turn it in anytime before Friday if you feel you are ready Once received, I will read and evaluate your thesis and then return it during the next class day Your thesis might not be approved upon first attempt: Rewrite it until it is approved You may turn in one attempt per day All thesis statements must be approved by 10.9.15 (next week, Friday) If you struggle…advocate for your learning: use the teachers in the book room, students who took AP Lit last year, or make an appointment with Ollenburg/Parker When your thesis is approved: You have 7 days (1 week) to write your first draft* * Note: there are no rough drafts/“sloppy copies” in AP Literature: every attempt should be your best effort.

First Essay Draft 7* days from the date your thesis was approved you MUST turn in your first draft I will then grade your essay and return it to you with comments and suggestions for revision within 1-2 class days On the day you receive your first draft back, you will then have 7* more days to turn in a revised draft: this process will continue until you reach mastery *Note: You do not have to use all 7 days for revisions—you may turn in your revised draft in fewer than 7 days

Continuous Drafts… The draft process will continue until the essay reaches mastery: Mastery gets an “A” in the gradebook  First quarter, mastery is a 6 or higher by AP standards Each draft must be re-turned-in with each new draft This makes it easier for me to check what changes were made All papers must obtain mastery by Monday, November 9th All drafts, once mastery is obtained, will be stored in your writing portfolio If adequate progress/revision is not being made on the essay, a one-on-one conference will take place to ensure you are on the right track and can secure mastery before quarter grades are due

This just sounds hard. Is it possible to get an “A”?

You will get an A if… You follow the revision process and make a sound effort to improve your essay with each attempt You meet ALL due dates (these will be different for each individual) Missing a deadline (even by one day) will result in a 5% reduction in final grade—two missed deadlines and an “A” is suddenly a “B” Being ill/excused from class will not add days to your deadline: 7 days is always 7 days The majority of the work for this essay is done outside of class, therefore having been in class would not have helped you finish your essay In extreme cases, please speak to me individually ASAP: exceptions always exist Remember: this essay is 30% of your total quarter grade

Your springboard to awesome-thesisness Your thesis should answer the following question. How does the author enrich the theme of the work by governing specific literary techniques to establish ______ in his piece of literature? Your thesis should be phrased this way (no exceptions): (first literary technique/element), (second literary technique/ element), and (optional third literary technique/element) are used to (verb + article + noun), which (adverb + verb) a/the central idea of/that (theme). An example thesis about Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Colloquial diction, hyperbole, and repetition are used to highlight the girls’ hysteria , which firmly establishes a central idea that groupthink generates destruction.

Homework Write your thesis statement. Your first thesis attempt is due Friday!