American Studies Literary Criticism Paper: Project Home

Literary Criticism

Guidelines:

• The paper must be thesis-driven, addressing a specific WHY and HOW that you will analyze in the paper 
• The paper must be 4 to 5 pages in length. Length does not include Works Cited Page
• The paper must have be in MLA format, including the following: 12-point, Times New Roman font, one-inch margins all around, and double spacing.
• The paper must include all of the following in proper MLA format: the first page of the paper/title, works cited page, and parenthetical citations. See the Citation & More tab.
• The paper must use three sources (including the novel). You must use literary criticism sources from databases and reference collections, such as Novels for Students and the Literature Resource Center. See the Deeper Research tab.
• You must cite from each literary criticism source once and you must cite from the novel three times, at minimum.
• If opting to use a counterclaim, you may devote one paragraph to the analysis or “sprinkle” the counterclaim content throughout the essay.

Assessment Criteria:

• Argumentative Rubric

The Process:

This is an involved task that will require a great deal of time, effort, and planning on your part. You must keep up with all steps in this process. 

1. Thesis Development
2. Thesis Conference
3. Research
4. Sources
5. Paper Abstract
6. First Draft/ “Yes” Test
7. Final Draft

Refer to the assignment in Canvas for more details and due dates. 

The most time consuming part of any research project is the research. Plan your time wisely. Some 70-80% of your time should be devoted to reading and research so you thoroughly understand your subject. The remaining time is for writing. However, do not leave writing of the last minute. Remember, if you leave printing to the last minute, there are bound to be printer problems! Take this advice from Steven Hale, Associate Humanities Professor at DeKalb College in Georgia:

You may want to begin with some preliminary literary research to make sure that there is enough critical commentary available, particularly if you're considering writing about a recent author. You may also want a basic overview or article in a reference work before beginning to read and interpret a particularly difficult work. Nevertheless, it's usually best not to worry about literary criticism until you've already developed your own basic interpretation of the work. If you later find a critic who arrives at the same conclusion you've reached, you can still use that critic as support. Remember that the main purpose of your writing is to express and support your views on the original literature, not to quote as many critics as possible.

Read more here: What is Literary Criticism

Remember, this paper must be thesis-driven, and your thesis must reflect the “why” and “how” of the novel. Consider these questions as you develop your thesis.

• Why did the author write the text (theme/insight/commentary) AND
• How did the author get this meaning across to the reader (symbolism, characterization, setting, etc.). 

Always consider your audience:

• Who will read your paper?
• Why will it be of interest to them?
• What will be new to them?