river oaks [english]

The exam is 60 multiple choice/matching questions plus your essay. Of the 60 questions, 20 are vocabulary, and 40 are from AP and ACT. As noted in class, the essay is a rhetorical analysis of a piece of writing. Make sure you spend some time tomorrow preparing before writing. I will use AP's nine-point scale for the essay, which will count for 40% of the grade. Good luck and have a great break!

I've put a revised copy of the review in "My File Locker" on Edline. You can also pick up one on Monday if you'd like.

Juniors I have your study guides for the midterm, and I'll pass them out tomorrow in class. I suggest you build outlines from the information I've given you. Seniors Make flash cards for the vocabulary: it worked when you were in 5th grade, and it still works.

Seniors Your midterm is slightly different between AP and IV, but the same basic elements will be included -- a multiple choice section, an essay, and a matching section on the rhetorical terms we've been using all semester. Although the essay topic will be one you haven't seen before, you will use the same techniques and strategies employed all year. The second hour class will be writing an argument paper, and the AP class is writing an analysis . For a full copy of the sample AP test we've been going over in class, look to pages 14-30 of the PDF provided below: AP Course Description Don't forget about the quiz Thursday on the remainder of the vocabulary terms!

Juniors We are covering new material this last week before mid-terms: Ben Jonson and the "cavalier poets," as well as the theme of carpe diem John Milton and Paradise Lost Margaret Cavindash's Orations Pilgrim's Progress The homework for this week will be optional , meaning it will not count against if you (will be noted on edline). Ideally, you will spend this time studying for your exams, and of course doing the homework can only help your grade. Homework: Monday - questions on 459, 461, 464, 466, 468 Tuesday - questions on 477, 479

The essay will be written in class on Thursday, 12/02. AP students will be allowed to bring one article with statistics/facts (not opinion) to use in their papers. Otherwise, the paper comes from your understanding of the issue based on class discussion and your own opinions. As always, the length of the paper will be determined by content and time available. ARGUMENT ESSAY Contemporary life is marked by controversy. Choose one of the controversies below; then, using appropriate evidence, write an essay that carefully considers the opposing positions on this controversy and proposes a solution or compromise. OPTION A Benjamin Franklin, in 1755, wrote that "those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." In light of the recent controversy regarding airport security -- full body scanners and "aggressive pat-downs" -- what is your opinion on the methods used by the Transportation Securit...

I totally let this slip past me last week, and in the spirit of the Harry Potter premier this weekend, I thought I'd share. Just in case you didn't know that quidditch is an actual HS and college sport (well, not according to the NCAA), here's a story on the 4th annual Muggle (non-magic) Quidditch World Cup held last Saturday in New York.

Juniors Your proposal letters are due on Friday. Please tell me what you are planning to do, being as specific as possible, and whether or not you are working with someone else. The letter should be in full block format and can be relatively short (one paragraph). Address the letter to me at school: River Oaks, 600 Hideaway Rd., Monroe LA 71203. Seniors You are writing an in-class essay tomorrow (Thursday 11/18). There is no prep necessary, as it will be from a prompt you have not seen. I will tell you, however, that you are writing an analysis essay.

Seniors , or parents, if you'd like to take a look at the fairgrounds, here is the official site for the Texas Renaissance Festival . Juniors , please remember to bring your money for the play. We are going to see Romeo & Juliet at the Strauss Theater on Tuesday morning, and the cost is $7.00 (includes ticket and bus).

Please help Mrs. Moore collect cans for holiday baskets. Bring them either to her room or mine ASAP. Thanks!

Seniors, rough drafts of your revisions are due tomorrow on one of three in-class essays -- Ground-Zero Mosque , Fasting and Football/Real New York Giants , or Media Violence and Children . The prompt for the essays are below: For the "football" essay, you are writing an analysis of the writer's style. How does the writer's style affect the overall message or intended message of the essay? For the "mosque" essay, you are writing argument based on whether or not you believe the "Islamic Cultural Center" should be built two blocks from Ground Zero. Don't forget to acknowledge the opposition and appeal to the senses. For the "media violence" essay, you should discuss the effect (or lack of effect) of media violence on children. Because this is a synthesis essay, you must use at least three of the articles provided. All revisions must be typed and formatted according to MLA. This essay will be graded on a 100-point scale.

Juniors You have a quiz tomorrow on Acts I-III, plus notes on the theater. Also tonight, you have homework on Act III: p381 Comp Check & 2-5. Honors Project -- you will have a choice between the following assignments: Creative Art Project (painting, graphic novel, 3-D model) plus a one-page rationale A critical essay with at least two outside sources A recitation of a monologue or soliloquy A group video project (no more than three) of one scene from the play Seniors Vocabulary quiz on Friday on words A-D. Tonight, add the answers to the AP handout to your homework. Plus, define at least five unfamiliar words from the handout.

Juniors Read Act III for Tuesday and Act IV for Thursday. Expect a reading quiz on Wednesday. Your exam on Macbeth will be next week. Seniors Your revisions are due on Friday. In class, we are talking about revision and the multiple choice section of the AP exam. For Tuesday, complete exercises 2 & 3 on p171.

Bonfire Night in Lewes, Sussex

Juniors Complete the following questions for homework on Act II of Macbeth : Comprehension Check and #2-7 on p362. We will watch Acts I & II in class tomorrow. Seniors You are writing an essay in class tomorrow on "masculinity": prompts are #1-3 at the bottom of p417. You are welcome to prepare an outline, but do not bring a pre-written essay.

Juniors We are discussing Macbeth this week. Your first assignment was to read Act One and answer a series a questions. You should be reading Act Two for Thursday. Seniors Read the section on "masculinity" in your textbook: p408-417. Then answer the question sets on pages 414 and 417 for Thursday.

Juniors Everyone's sonnets are due today, and the Honors students are writing an analysis (in-class essay) of one of the sonnets we studied. The analysis includes a line-by-line reading of the poem, focusing on the development of the idea and the use of diction and syntax to achieve the desired effect. Seniors The paper this week is on the effect (or lack of effect) of media violence on kids. We studied six sources, and the "synthesis" essay requires the use of at least three. The sources cover the various opinions on the matter, as well as providing evidence supporting or refuting the connection between media violence and real-life violence. NO HOMEWORK this weekend! Happy Halloween ...

Juniors Expect a quiz/test on Wednesday over the renaissance poets discussed so far. Know the history and form of the sonnet , as well. Your on-going assignment this week is to write a sonnet of your own. It should have all of the required "ingredients" of an Elizabethan sonnet, including the subject of love. The "love" does not have to be romantic, nor does it have to be about a specific person, although that's fine too. Write about a pet if you want, or your grandmother, or pizza -- as long as it's about love. Perhaps the hardest part about writing a sonnet is meter -- iambic pentameter -- so remember to think of rhythm as well as your subject. Your grade will be based on both form and content. Seniors Your next essay is about violence in the media -- in TV, films, video games, the internet -- and to what degree it should be controlled and/or censored. Tonight, read "Is Media Violence Free Speech?" in your text (p783).

Juniors Read 297-312: Sonnets Seniors Do the READING section of the ACT -- bring the answers on a separate sheet of paper

Juniors After reading 283-94, answer the following: Thinking Through Literature on 285 & 291 Comprehension Check on 287 & 293 Seniors You are working on ACT Prep all this week. Your "optional" assignment was to complete the MATH portion of the ACT booklet. Tonight do the ENGLISH. This is not optional. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper - no credit if you do not Go over your answers in the back of the book -- yes, I realize you could simply cheat, but you'd only be cheating yourself, yada yada -- and come with questions about the questions

This week in English IV we are preparing for the ACT (which is on Saturday). We will be using the official practice booklet, the ACT site , and various prep materials I've acquired over the years. Come ready to take notes, for there will be a test on Friday covering everything we've discussed. Homework for Tuesday -- Do the Math section, and bring the answers on a separate sheet of paper -- Yes, I realize I teach English English III students are starting to read selections from the Renaissance: Homework for Tuesday -- Read 283-94, poems from Wyatt, Marlowe and Raleigh

Expect to see questions from the following: Federigo's Falcon Ballads (Barbara Allan, Sir Patrick Spens, Get Up and Bar the Door) Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Death of Arthur Book of Margery Kempe Medieval Theater Vocabulary on 209 & 225 (20 of the 30) The format for the exam will be multiple choice, matching, short answer and an essay or two.

Seniors , I've had to revise your assignment a bit. Apparently, tobacco ads are increasingly hard to come by in magazines these days. Therefore, you can bring ads for any of the major industries -- transportation, food and beverage, beauty and fashion, health, electronics, etc. The non-honors students are writing a 500-word essay on ONE print ad. Make sure it's FULL PAGE, and bring it to class on Friday. You might want to bring an entire magazine in case the ad you've chosen turns out to be hard to write about. The AP students are writing a 750-word essay on TWO ads. Pick two ads and bring them to class on Friday. Focus on some connection between your ads -- product, style, theme, methods. We will break into small groups and ask the following questions: Who is the intended audience for your ad? Think about where you found it. What is the intended purpose, beyond selling a product? In other words, what else are they selling? An idea? A lifestyle? A feeling? What me...

Seniors: We are looking at advertising this week, specifically tobacco print advertising . Your assignment for Thursday is to bring in a magazine with at least one example. You can also print one off of the Internet. We will be analyzing your ads in class and writing a paper next week. Juniors: We have a few more notes and one more text to read from the Middle Ages - The Book of Margery Kempe - and then we'll have a test on everything except Chaucer. The test is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 18th.

College Board has a new site for PSAT preparation and explanation: PSAT Skills. A little preparation can go a long way, so it's well worth your time to look at this site as well as the PSAT Prep site. Come to class Tuesday with questions about the test or specific questions from the practice booklet!

Juniors: The next couple of days will be spent watching a film and studying for the PSAT . Honors students will have more take home work than the non-honors students. Please let me know if you don't have a test booklet. Also, don't forget: honors students are writing the in-class essay on Thursday, Oct. 7th. After the PSAT test next Wednesday, Oct. 13th, we will finish the Middle Ages and have our test. That brings us to the end of the nine weeks. Seniors: We are currently working on a take home essay on the drinking age debate . Your task for this evening is to integrate ONE credible source into your paper. Your typed draft is due Wednesday, Oct. 6. Final draft due on Friday. Honors students will write the in-class essay on outside reading on Thursday, Oct. 7th.

Seniors: Answer questions #1-8 on 475-6. Give me complete answers; in other words, write more than a sentence. Cite examples from the essay when appropriate. Juniors: You will have a quiz tomorrow (Friday) on "Wife of Bath's Tale." Honors students will start recitations tomorrow, as well. For audio versions of the "General Prologue" in Middle English, click here! On Monday, you will have a vocabulary test on all terms: of the forty, I will pick 30, and the test will be worth 60 points. We will also finish recitations. On Tuesday, you will have a 100-point exam on The Canterbury Tales

Juniors: Vocabulary worksheet - vocabulary test on Friday (terms on 111, 141, 154). Test next week on "The General Prologue," "Pardoner's Tale," and "Wife of Bath's Tale." Seniors: Read "For Fasting and Football" (p473-5). You might also want to read this article from USA Today on the school in Michigan that changed practice due to Ramadan.

Juniors: Everyone needs to read "Wife of Bath's Tale" in your textbook. As noted, it is a romance (not the kind with Fabio on the cover), and is also part of the "marriage group" of tales. Basically, the story answers the question: what do women really want in marriage? Also, I want you to start on the sample PSAT test I gave out last week. Non-Honors should complete the first page (#1-8), writing out the sentences with the correct vocabulary words. Honors should finish the first section (#1-24), writing only the answers. We will go over the correct answers in class and I will answer any questions you have as we proceed through the booklet. Seniors: Your FINAL DRAFT of the problem/solution paper is due on TUESDAY 9/21. Bring all sources used in the paper. Your final draft should be at least THREE PAGES. We will be writing an in-class ANALYSIS essay this week. We'll read a couple of articles/essays on football and write an analysis of the authors'...

Juniors - Answer #2-6 & Comprehension Check on p152, Vocabulary Exercise A on p153 Seniors - Rough Draft of Problem/Solution due on MONDAY. The draft should include the following: Introduction - includes a transition from the career paper, a statement establishing the problem and a need for a solution, and an outline of the solutions Problem - description and definition of the problem, citing your sources as you use them; consider the causes of the problem and systemic effects Solutions - discussion of the solutions to the problem, including a consideration of factors such as cost, time, effectiveness, etc. Conclusion - statement about the best solution considering all variables Works Cited - using the MLA online guide , a list of all works used in the paper Type, format according to MLA, and print out. We will look at drafts in class on Monday.

Homework for tonight: Juniors need to study for a quiz tomorrow (Thursday) on the "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales . The best way to study for this is to make note cards on each of the pilgrims described. Don't forget about the author, setting, context and language. We'll talk about the memorization assignment in class, but to give you an idea of what it sounds like, check out the following clip: Seniors have two things to do, really: First, make sure you have at least THREE relevant and reliable sources for tomorrow. Try using Google News for recent articles. Second, because we will be writing about the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy, you need to decide how you feel about it. Read through the handout I gave you in class, and pick out quotes to support to refute; you'll be asked to refer to the handout at least three times. I thought about the question of "how far is far enough," and thought I'd look at the actual site. I found...

For Wednesday , please answer questions #2-6 and the "Comprehension Check," all on p138. Also, I will pass out the "Prologue" in Middle English this week, so that you can start memorizing the first few lines! Expect a quiz on the "Prologue" on Thursday .

You have narrowed your topic down to ONE problem, and tonight you need to find at least TWO sources. Please print out those sources and bring them to class. Remember to judge your sources on the following criteria: What is the purpose for the site? To persuade? To inform? To sell something? Who wrote the information on the site? Is information about the author or publishers readily available? What qualifications do the authors have? You can sometimes find this info under "About Us". Is the information on the site documented? Often, sources (in the form of a works cited or bibliography) are provided to verify the reliability of the information. How recent is the information? Is the site updated frequently, or are there articles published on a regular basis? Your paper will begin to take shape as you read through your sources. You are looking for information about both the problem itself and the solutions a professional implements.

Just a reminder: all honors students need to be reading outside of class. Seniors , I have your revised, revised list of revisions, with corrections. Please request a copy. Or, you can simply read Fast Food Nation . Juniors , here's a recent (as in, today) NPR piece on Once And Future King . See? It's still relevant! UPDATE -- Wow, two stories in three days regarding your list! This one's on a new graphic novel version of Dante's Divine Comedy .

The following homework is due on Tuesday : Seniors: Write a letter (full block business letter) to me stating your topic for the problem/solution paper. Your letter can be short but should be specific and focus on ONE problem and the solutions that you as a professional would implement. Print and sign. Juniors : Write a one-page character analysis of the "Prologue" pilgrim you chose in class. The character should be analyzed on the basis of his/her physical description, what that person does and how that person acts, as well as the narrator's opinion. Use details and quotes from the text, referring to line numbers instead of page numbers. When you quote lines of poetry, remember to use a forward slash to indicate line breaks. Go here for examples.

Seniors: You are to write a one-page typed response paper over the weekend. Format according to MLA. The paper should explore possible topics for the problem/solution paper . Ask yourself what kinds of issues you will deal with daily as a professional in your field -- in other words, what kinds of problems are you as a professional expected to solve? Juniors: Read the rest of "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales (p113-36), and complete the vocabulary worksheet I handed out in class.

Your works cited page for the career paper is due Wednesday, Aug. 8th . The forms for MLA citation can be found at these two places: Purdue OWL's MLA Formatting and Style Guide Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation Online Remember that your works cited page should be numbered in sequence, or as an additional page in your paper. You can go to the end of your rough draft, hit CTRL-->Enter to insert a new page. Then print out only the last page. I'm giving you until Friday to finish the final version of the draft. You will turn in the paper along with your sources then. The interview letter -- due on Thursday, August 9th -- should formatted in full block style . The letter is single-spaced, with an extra space between the different sections and between paragraphs. Please include the following: One paragraph introducing your subject -- who you interviewed and why (to establish credibility), when and where the interview took place One or two paragraphs detailing th...

Your interview letter is due next week, so if you haven't conducted the interview, you need to do so ASAP (as in NOW). In the meantime, even if you don't have the interview, it's time to write your first draft. Please include the following: A statement regarding your basic plan -- i.e. what you'd like to do later in life -- and a brief statement about why ; this is the reason you are planning at all. A description of the job/career, including everyday tasks, skills needed, benefits and drawbacks A discussion of the education involved -- both before and throughout your career The job outlook -- what kind of jobs are available, how much they pay, where they are (good place for data and statistics, even images) A discussion of your immediate plans -- where you are applying. who are you talking to, etc. As in any paper with sources, you will need to include a works cited page. I will go over the latest guidelines in class. Bring all of your sources with you. Your draft...

Don't forget to STUDY for the exam. The exam covers the Anglo-Saxon period, including the following works: Beowulf "The Seafarer" "The Wanderer" "The Wife's Lament" Our discussion of the period included its history and poetics. Also, don't forget to study the vocabulary (Words to Know) for Beowulf . Click here for flipcards . The format is multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay.

Seniors: Visit the This I Believe site and print out one essay that speaks to you personally. You will share this with the class tomorrow. You can navigate the site through the drop-down "explore" menu on the left of the homepage. Try browsing by theme. Juniors: Study for your test on Thursday. It will cover Beowulf and all of the associated notes, as well as two poems you need to read tonight. You also have homework questions. Read pages 90-96 Answer questions #1-4 on 93 and 96

You have two things to do, really. First, you all need to type up a list of at least fifteen questions for your interview. You can use the list we came up with in class, but please relate it to your specific career. Type and format according to MLA. This is due on FRIDAY 8/27. Second, each if you need to write a letter telling me what career you've chosen, including where you would like to pursue your degree and who you plan to interview. For the letter, please use FULL BLOCK FORMAT . Print out the letter and sign it. This is due on MONDAY 8/30.

Seniors: The first thing you'll do this year is a research project based on your career goals. We will discuss your college and non-college options, conduct research on careers and degree programs, and write a series of papers related to the career you've selected. While this in no way locks you into a career path, it does give you a lot more information to go on. Your first assignment: Write a 250-word report on your career goals Print out a career and/or degree description from one of the sites discussed Take a "virtual tour" of the university or institution you'd like to attend The sites we discussed: CollegeBoard ACT Career Planning Occupational Outlook Handbook To find your school, simply conduct a Google search. Make sure you visit the page for your college major, as well.

The new school year is upon us, and I'm certain it will be a great one! The first few days will consist of going over the syllabus (policies, assignments and schedule), and the summer reading assignments. Just to refresh your memory, the books you will be writing about in the first week are as follows: Juniors -- Great Expectations (Dickens) Seniors -- 1984 (Orwell) or Bayou Farewell (Tidwell) Expect to quote from the book in your essay. This means that Sparknotes and the like are not sufficient preparation. If you have not read the book in its entirety, then I highly recommend that you get busy! Your first essay will be written IN CLASS, and you will be able to use your book and notes only. We will discuss topics and strategies in the first couple of days, and then write the essay on Monday, August 23rd. DUE ON FRIDAY (Aug 20th): Your second assignment was to read another book of your own choosing (or two if you're in Honors/AP) and to compose a short report on each usi...

Have a great summer everybody...

Research Process MLA Format – what it is and how it looks Using the subscription databases (i.e. EBSCO, JSTOR) Evaluating sources (the two “R”s – Relevance and Reliability ) Using sources (the two “I”s – Introduce and Integrate) Parenthetical Citation (know the punctuation) Block quotes Works Cited entries (expect at least to know the form for an article from a subscription database) Romantic Period Introduction to the period (620-638) Gothic Literature & Frankenstein (study guide) Women writers of the period (726-728) Robert Burns: “To A Mouse” William Blake: "The Lamb" & "The Tyger" & "The Chimney Sweeper" (two versions) William Wordsworth: "Tintern Abbey," “ Westminster Bridge ” Samuel Taylor Coleridge: "Kubla Khan" & "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" Lord Byron: "She ...

Your last few assignments and readings are listed below: "To An Athlete Dying Young" "The Second Coming" "Dulce Et Decorum Est" (#2-7 on 930) "The Demon Lover" (#2-8 on 1023) "Once Upon A Time" (#2-6 on 1160) We will review the above on Thursday and continue on Friday, when I will hand out a full review of this semester's work.

You should be reading Part Three of Heart of Darkness at this point. We will continue to review the novel on Thursday and Friday. Your exam is on Monday, May 17th . Don't forget about the vocabulary.

As discussed in class, your final is a shortened version of the AP exam, including both a multiple choice section and an essay . The multiple choice questions will come directly from your practice tests for this term, and you will have a choice of essays (analysis and/or argument). In addition, there is a matching section with terms from the handout we've been using for quizzes. Expect 12 terms for non-honors and 22 for honors. The exam will be taken during your regularly scheduled class time and should take no longer than 50 minutes. The essays will be graded on the AP scale and converted to 50 (or 60 points) -- half of your grade, in other words. I do not expect them to be perfect, but I do expect them to be thoughtful and insightful. Remember that this will be your last essay for me: what impression do you want to leave? If you study the material you have, you will be more than prepared. So please STUDY. See you next week.

Don't forget about your Honors papers -- due tomorrow, May 7th! There's a ten-point penalty if the paper is turned in Monday. Please read Part Two of Heart of Darkness over the weekend. We'll finish up next week and then read two or three modern short stories before finishing up for the year.

Although we aren't officially reading the book this summer, I'd still like to recommend Mike Tidwell's Bayou Farewell . It's especially prescient right now, considering what Louisiana is facing in the coming months. What we have in the Gulf of Mexico is not exactly a "spill" -- that implies a finite amount -- but instead is a series of leaks which are pouring oil into the gulf at a rate of 5000 barrels per day. We can hope that the leaks will be stopped, and that the oil will all be cleaned up, and that any further crises will be averted. But the stark reality is that the entire gulf coast is bracing for a long, difficult summer. And the entire country, of course, is bracing for a long summer of politics. Since we've discussed this site in class, it really needs no introduction:

First, your homework for the weekend is to read Part One of Heart of Darkness (1-27). Then, answer questions #1-8 on the handout. Second, you have an EXAM on Tuesday over the following: Tennyson "The Eagle," "Flower in the Crannied Wall," and "In Memorium" Browning "My Last Duchess" Browning "How Do I Love Thee?" Kipling "Mark of the Beast" Orwell "Shooting an Elephant" You are also responsible for the Introduction to the period, as well as notes on the authors.

One last paper for you English AP students is an analysis essay for your outside reading assignment. Most of you chose to read MAUS II , and I handed out questions in class. For those of you who read Never Let Me Go , here is a list of possible topics from the publisher's site.

You are meeting with Mrs. Witherington in the next few days. Please consider signing up for AP English if you are currently in Honors. Monday 4/26 I've ordered Heart of Darkness , and it should here for Thursday at the latest. We are reading from the textbook until then. Your first assignment for the week is to read "Mark of the Beast" (872) by Kipling. Wednesday 4/28 Quiz on "Mark of the Beast" Read Orwell's "Shooting An Elephant" Complete the questions on p.1134 (a-d, #2-5)

It's time for the "memory book" assignment, so you'll need to gather supplies and bring everything to class starting Wednesday. We are also doing a couple of assignments in class, including a letter to your future self and a poem. I'll explain in class. For your "memory book" assignment, you'll need to purchase a couple of things. First, you need a scrapbook from WalMart or Target or Hobby Lobby or Michael's or somewhere. They come in small and large; get the large ("12 X "12). You'll also need at least eight sheets (for a total of sixteen pages). I recommend the kind that are inserted into plastic sleeves. As far as backgrounds and corner cutters and all that, use your best judgement. Some of you will want that stuff, but it's certainly not required. Remember that you'll need to get some pictures/information together from your high school years (9-12 regardless of school). You'll need to organize information in...

Juniors Enclose in supplied folder Final draft (stapled) Rough drafts (including comments from me and peers) Sources (in ABC order) Seniors Final draft in report cover Include title page and table of contents Don't forget Works Cited Proofread!

***SCHEDULE CHANGE*** The final draft of the integrated research paper won't be due until the week we return from break. To better help you prepare for the final draft, we are going to create an annotated bibliography BEFORE the break -- due Thursday, April 1st -- no this is not an April Fools joke. An annotated bibliography is essentially your "works cited" page, with the addition of a critical summary of each source as it relates to your thesis or related points. The forms for citation have been linked here on this site, and we are working on your notecards in class. For more on annotated bibliographies, see the following: Purdue's OWL ( example ) Cornell University Library University of North Carolina ( example )

As discussed in class, MOST of your secondary sources need to come from “scholarly journals.” The best source for journal articles is a subscription database like the following: EBSCO – a collection of databases, including full-text articles Go to the Ouachita Parish Library (or website: http://www.oplib.org ) Click on “Database Links” in the left column Click on “CLICK HERE for our subscription database links” Click on EBSCO Enter your library card number (if not in library) Select a database (I suggest Literary Reference Center) Search using keywords (i.e. "frankenstein AND criticism") Save and/or print You can also access the State Library of Louisiana directly, but you still need an ID. JSTOR – full-text scholarly articles g o to the ULM Library's list of databases Choose JSTOR (or Literature Resource Center) enter user name and password (if off-campus) search using keywords (string together using “and”) click on the title to view the text click PDF to download...

Your final draft of the first paper is due on FRIDAY, March 26th . It should be typed, double-spaced, and formatted according to MLA. This typed draft should be stapled with the handwritten draft, along with the outline/thesis statement, if you brought one to class. Your paper should include direct references to the novel, and each specific reference should be cited. The form for in-text citation , as noted in class, requires the page number in parentheses at the end of the quote (or sentence): Victor states that "blah blah [...] blah blah," anticipating his own demise (#). I have only "quoted" the part of the book that is necessary, and I have not put [ellipses] at the beginning or ending, only in the middle. The square brackets indicate that something has been replaced (in this case, with an ellipsis). You can also use this technique to replace an unclear pronoun, for example, with its antecedent (i.e. the character's name). Note also that you do not need...

The first step in the research paper process is to determine your topic and develop a thesis. We will be writing the first draft on THURSDAY in class. The draft will require three things: your topic, a critical thesis, and specific information from the book itself. You can bring an outline to class, along with your book and notes, but you may NOT bring a pre-written draft. The purpose is to make certain that YOU are writing the essay. You will type (and revise) the paper for Friday. Also, when you turn your paper in on Friday, you must staple the original handwritten draft to the typed version. If you don't have a copy of the "suggested topics" handout, then get one from me. Many of you will be absent Wednesday due to the ABC rally. You guys, especially, need to talk to me outside of class about potential topics. We will discuss thesis statements and outlines on Wednesday. Finally, I STRONGLY recommend that you stay away from essays online. This will ensure that...

Just a reminder about the schedule so far: Quiz on Ch 1-5 on Friday Read through Ch 10 for Monday Quiz on the first two sections of vocabulary on Tuesday We will finish reading the novel next week Afterwards, you will take a quiz on part two and an objective exam on the entire novel (100 points). You will also write an in-class essay on the novel based on a list of topics. That paper will use only the book and your notes and will be revised for a 100-point grade. Your research paper will actually develop from this initial draft. I will add comments while we are gathering resources and learning how to use them. Once I return your papers, you will revise and add sources, making it a longer, more developed, researched essay. The final draft of your research paper will be six to eight pages.

Juniors You can read any of the following: Great Expectations OR Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) Sense & Sensibility OR Pride & Prejudice OR Emma (Austen) Brave New World (Huxley) A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Joyce) Seniors You can read one of the following: Maus II (Spiegelman) Never Let Me Go (Ishiguro) The Cigarette Century (Brandt) -- Winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Get your books ASAP and start reading now! You have until the end of the term, but that will be here sooner than you think.

JUNIORS - If you want to earn some extra points (up to 20), then keep reading.... Choose ONE of the options below, and write at least 500 words, using correct grammar and spelling. The essay should be typed, double-spaced, and formatted according to MLA guidelines. OPTION ONE Discuss the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the writers we studied in class, citing at least three of the authors’ works specifically. OPTION TWO Discuss the Romantics’ view of Nature as both as source of inspiration and destruction/retribution. Cite examples from both “Tintern Abbey” and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Let me also remind you that if I catch you using anyone’s work as your own – even a relative – then that is considered plagiarism , and the penalty is severe.

First, here's a link to the Frontline episode we've been watching in class (from PBS): Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier I've also said that you will each be revising your paper this week. An additional requirement is to include an online source related to your topic. Please make sure the source meets the following criteria: It must be from a reputable/credible site It must be recent (in the last five years) It must be more fact than opinion -- should provide evidence for the information presented Some examples are provided below: A definition of carpal tunnel syndrome from KidsHealth A fact sheet from the National Cancer Institute on the links between cellphone use and cancer risk An AP article on professors' banning of laptops in classrooms An article from WebMD on Internet Addiction An article from Foreign Policy on military training using video games

Your next essay: Considering the degree to which virtual realities and simulations have become a part of your daily life, and considering the ideas put forth in “Super-Toys,” “I CAN SPEAK®” and “The Age of Simulation,” do you believe that the developments in science and technology of the last few years are mostly positive or negative (or some of both)? Take into consideration the ratio of utility to entertainment in the functions of the various gadgets, games, appliances, household products, food and music that you own and use regularly. How many of these products are meaningful to you? Below is a video discussing the concept of the "uncanny valley," which is directly related to the story we read, linked below the video. Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, by Brian Aldiss (also in your book p665) Refer also to the handouts "The Age of Simulation" by Jeremy Rifkin, and "I CAN SPEAK" by George Saunders. Some additional things to consider: robots, mechaniz...

(click on the picture)

We're studying the British Romantics, and we'll start Frankenstein soon. Homework so far: #2-5 on 644 #2-5 on 648 #2-5 on 650 We discussed "To a Mouse" by Burns, and four poems by Blake: "The Lamb," "The Tyger," and the two "Chimney Sweeper" poems. Expect a quiz on these five poems on Tuesday, along with a vocabulary quiz on the last fifteen "words of the day."

Be familiar with all of the following for Monday's exam: Introduction to Restoration (468-84) Swift and Satire - Gulliver's Travels , A Modest Proposal Hogarth's visual satire, political cartoons Voltaire's Candide Pope and Wit - heroic couplets, Essay on Man , Rape of the Lock First novels - Defoe's Robinson Crusoe , Aphra Behn's Oroonoko Non-fiction/journalism -- Pepys's Diary , Defoe's Journal , Addison and Steele Samuel Johnson - A Dictionary of the English Language , his "Letter to Lord Chesterfield"

Part of your assignment while reading and studying Maus is to keep a "dialectical journal," or side-by-side notes. These notes will be the basis for your analysis essay. You will also take a written exam on the book on Friday, January 29th. To help you study for the exam and essay, please download a copy of the following study guide: Maus Study Guide (MS Word file) Access to the full site at LaGuardia Community College For additional resources on the book and the author, visit Prof. Marcuse's page from UC Santa Barbara.

Overview & Format Your assignment is to write an analysis of at least three political cartoons, focusing on their treatment of a central contemporary issue -- i.e. the tragedy in Haiti, or the controversy surrounding full body scanners at airports. The essay should be at least 500 words and can include images of the cartoons themselves. All images and text should cite sources (the artists' names can be found on Cagle's page ), and we will create "works cited" pages in class. Content & Organization As discussed in class, the best way to begin is with your thesis. Your subject is satire in political cartoons, but your topic is based on your own interest. Your thesis should be directly related to the methods the cartoons utilize to get their points across. Once you've decided on a thesis, move to the "main idea" for each cartoon. Then, focus your analysis on the cartoons' various rhetorical strategies (i.e. their tone, or use of juxtaposi...

We are reading Jonathan Swift, a writer who satirized politics and religion in the 18th century. Your next paper is to analyze the use of satire in modern political cartoons. To get us started, you will find one cartoon, print and analyze it. Please follow these steps: Go to Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoonists Index and browse Choose one you think is funny and/or clever Copy and paste the cartoon into your Word document Write a 100-word paragraph analyzing the artist's use of appeals, irony, imagery and text to convey his/her message. Please include a summary of the primary message. Format according to MLA

For more on the Restoration Period, go to the homepage for the Norton Anthology of English Literature . Click on the picture below to go to Wikipedia's page on Hogarth's Marriage a-la-mode :

Your first assignments: JUNIORS Wednesday - Quiz on the Introduction to The Restoration Period Thursday - Read A Modest Proposal SENIORS Wednesday - Bring topic for Process Analysis; read the selection from Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics