1. SJJ Senior Paper
Overview

2. History and Graduation
The SJJ Senior Paper has been a graduation requirement for more than 30 years
Graduation Requirement means that a “passing” version of the paper must be completed by the end of the assignment term for the student to graduate.
Other graduation requirements include class completion, and Senior Project

3. Purpose
The SJJ Senior Paper is meant to be a cumulative assessment of a student’s writing ability.
The Senior Paper follows a particular research style (MLA) and is practice for college research papers.
The Senior Paper has several graded components all of which accumulate into a final paper that is both a graduation requirement and a large part of a quarter grade.
The paper is meant to be practice at a large scale, capstone project representing an entire quarter’s worth of work.

4. Assignment Specifics – English 12 and Honors
Mrs. Kyle
Senior English and Honors Senior English
Senior English students are writing a 10-page problem-solution essay
All essays will include a problem, causes, a solution, two benefits, and a countersolution or objection and refutation.
Honors Senior English students are writing a 12-page essay about a poem by a British author
The paper is comprised of four 3-4 page essays
Topics include biographical connection, reader response, historical connection, and critical view

5. Assignment Specifics – English 12 and Honors
The senior essay is chunked into a series of smaller assignments that contribute to the final essay
Source List
Honors Senior English due 9/14/18; Senior English due 9/17/18
Notecards
Honors Senior English due 10/3/18; Senior English due 10/5/18
Outline
Honors Senior English due 10/19/18; Senior English due 10/22/18
Draft
Honors Senior English due 11/8/18; Senior English due 11/13/18
Final
Honors Senior English due 11/15/18; Senior English due 11/26/18
Rewrite
Honors Senior English 12/10/18; Senior English 12/12/18

6. Assignment Specifics – English 12 and Honors
Other requirements for the final paper
10 academic sources
MLA formatting and citations
Proper quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing techniques; use of all 3 throughout the paper
Counterargument and refutation
No plagiarism
Students already have the requirements/rubric for the final paper
The individual assignments (ex: notecards, outline, etc.) have their own requirements/rubrics that are distributed in writing

7. Assignment Specifics – English 12 and Honors
Support available
Students will have class time to work and ask me questions
They can make an appointment with me, drop by to see me, or me
I assign mid-way check-ins of assignments so that they can get feedback on their progress
After an assignment is graded, sometimes I give the opportunity to correct the assignment and earn back credit.
I will communicate this if/when available
I will the student, his counselor, and parents/guardians if an assignment is over a day late

8. Assignment Specifics – English 12 and Honors
Consequences of failing work on senior essay assignments
Failing work could affect the student’s quarter or semester grade
Failing work could affect performance on subsequent assignments since all assignments build on previous ones
Consequences of failing the final paper
If a student fails the essay, he will have two chances to revise and achieve a passing paper
The first revision will occur in December; students can earn back credit on the assignment
The second revision will occur in January; students cannot earn back credit on the assignment because semester 1 grades are finalized

9. Assignment Specifics – AP Literature
AP Literature students are writing a 2nd Semester 20-page essay regarding a novel the student chooses from a provided list
The paper is comprised of four separate five page essays
Topics include biographical connection, reader response, historical connection, and critical view
Assignments in the first semester (Novel Selection, Reading, and Digital Journal) and second semester (the paper itself) are “chunked” with each assignment being worth points for the quarter with an ultimate 200 point 3rd quarter paper.

10. Assignment Specifics – AP Literature
First Semester (November) – Novel Selection, Reading, Digital Journals
Significant Dates: Friday, Jan. 4 Room 106 (source instruction)
Tuesday, Jan. 15 – Working Bibliography (30 sources)
Monday, Jan.28 – Notecards (100 cards)
Monday, Feb. 4 – 1st draft (1st page of each section)
Tuesday, Feb.19 (4 Day weekend) – Final Paper
Thursday, March 7 – Optional Rewrite Due

11. Consequences of Missing or Failed Work
Students who miss Senior paper assignment deadlines will be placed in Back on Track until the next assignment due date.
Students who are ultimately unable to pass Senior Paper will be dismissed from SJJ.

12. A+ Support For Senior Paper
Your teacher is your first resource.
Please see your teacher before asking for assistance from A+
A+ Hours: M-Th 7:45-4:15, Friday 7:45-3:15

13. A+ Support For Senior Paper
The A+ staff will assist with:
Locating good sources for the paper
Organization of the paper
Producing an accurate Works Cited page
Applying the teacher’s rubric to the paper
Concerns you may have about a specific part of the paper
Revision of a specific section of the paper

14. A+ Support For Senior Paper
The A+ staff will not assist with:
Any assignment on the day it is due. Minimal help is available the day before an assignment is due.
Proof read an entire paper.