Literary Analysis The next steps...

Steps of the research process... Topic (5 pts) Research support for topic (finding quotations) (15 pts) These quotations will mold your subtopics. Fill in your documented sentence outline (50 pts) Write rough draft (100 points). *Review county rubric* Write final draft. (100 points) (average of two)

A good thesis is... 1) succinct 2) layered 3) original

Building an effective thesis… -Define what you are talking about (more summary). -What is the hidden, deeper, figurative meaning behind it? -What could the author be trying to say? -Why does it matter? Ask yourself, "So what?"

Building an effective thesis... Evaluate your thesis by asking yourself these questions: • "Does my thesis provide a 'road map' of my paper for my reader?" • "Is my thesis sufficiently controversial and provocative?" • "Will my reader respond with 'So what?' after reading my thesis, or will my reader be enticed to read further?"

Literal Comprehension: what the text says Interpretation: Analysis... Reading Interpretation Literal Comprehension: what the text says Interpretation: What the text means Writing: Summary Commentary

(some of this is in the instructions) General Writing Requirements: 1. Write in third person only. This means that you must avoid any first and second person pronouns such as I, me, we, us, our, you, and your!

2. Write in present tense, not past tense 2. Write in present tense, not past tense. When writing about literature, always write in the literary present tense. Remember to keep your tense the same throughout your papers – it is easy to shift back and forth and not realize it. 3. Write using formal language. Please avoid all slang (ex: Abigail and Proctor hooked up, Giles Corey was the man/the bomb). These words are too informal for a literary essay!

4. Avoid using any contractions 4. Avoid using any contractions. This means that you should write out the full words instead of shortening them – “that’s” should be “that is”, would’ve should be “would have”, “can’t” should be “can not”, etc. 5. Avoid using “to be” verbs whenever possible. Avoid using am, are, and is (and the past tense of these – was, were), for they are highly unoriginal and overused. (Example: Abigail is envious of Elizabeth; try to use a better, more specific verb such as “Abigail envies Elizabeth).

6. Avoid using passive voice whenever possible 6. Avoid using passive voice whenever possible. You should steer clear of past tense anyway! 7. Passive voice uses “was,” “has,” or “have” before the verb. Passive voice is less direct, less forceful, and may produce an awkward effect. (Example: Many of the judges were sorry for their erroneous judgment; try to make the action clearer by writing, “The judges regretted their erroneous judgment throughout the witch trials.)

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/ 697/01/